To make the life of counterfeiters more difficult, many sensitive documents such as credit cards, driving licences, passports, certificates and of course cash include a UV watermark. This can only be seen when viewed under a UV-emitting light - although when badly done on paper it can just be seen as a translucent grease like image. Passports issued by most countries today contain UV sensitive inks and security threads. Visa stamps and stickers such as those issued by Ukraine contain large and detailed seals invisible to the naked eye under normal lights, but strongly visible under UV illimunation. Passports issued by the United States have the UV sensitive threads on the last page of the passport along with the barcode.
You can pick up a UV light - typically a LED - pretty cheaply on ebay, and it’s interesting to look at everyday items and see what appears.
Here are a few cards you might have in your wallet:
Visa shows the Bird logo
MasterCard shows the letters MC
American Express shows the letters AMEX
Diner’s Club shows the Diner’s Club logo
Maestro shows the word Maestro in the characteristic font
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