A method for checking a security element which has at least a first magnetic material having a first coercive field strength and a second magnetic material having a second coercive field strength which is smaller than the first coercive field strength, wherein the security element comprises at least a first magnetic region (h) which has the first and not the second magnetic material, at least a second magnetic region which has the second and not the first magnetic material, and no or at least a third magnetic region (k) which has the first as well as the second magnetic material, comprising the following steps of: - subjecting (S1) the security element to a first magnetic field region having a first magnetic field direction and a first magnetic field strength which is greater than the first and the second coercive field strength, such that both the first magnetic material and the second magnetic material are premagnetized in a first magnetization direction, - subjecting (S2) the security element to a second magnetic field region having a second magnetic field direction which extends substantially contrary to the first magnetic field direction, and a second magnetic field strength which is greater than the second coercive field strength and is smaller than the first coercive field strength, such that the second magnetic material is aligned by the second magnetic field region in a second magnetization direction which differs from the first magnetization direction, while the first magnetic material remains premagnetized in the first magnetization direction, - capturing (S3) a magnetic signal from at least one of the magnetic regions (h, k, 1) of the security element while the security element is subjected to the second magnetic field region, and - evaluating (S4) the magnetic signal, characterized in that in the evaluating step (S4) it is derived from the captured magnetic signal, which is captured from at least one of the magnetic regions of the security element, without any further magnetic signals of the magnetic regions (h, k, 1) being captured and evaluated, whether the relevant magnetic region (h, k, 1) is a first magnetic region (h) or a second magnetic region , and wherein it is also derived from the captured magnetic signal, without any further magnetic signals of the magnetic regions (h, k, 1) being captured and evaluated, whether the relevant magnetic region (h, k, 1) is a third magnetic region (k), in which the magnetic signals of the first and the second magnetic material clearly differ in their absolute value, so that they do not cancel each other out when superimposed. - subjecting (S1) the security element to a first magnetic field region having a first magnetic field direction and a first magnetic field strength which is greater than the first and the second coercive field strength, such that both the first magnetic material and the second magnetic material are premagnetized in a first magnetization direction, - subjecting (S2) the security element to a second magnetic field region having a second magnetic field direction which extends substantially contrary to the first magnetic field direction, and a second magnetic field strength which is greater than the second coercive field strength and is smaller than the first coercive field strength, such that the second magnetic material is aligned by the second magnetic field region in a second magnetization direction which differs from the first magnetization direction, while the first magnetic material remains premagnetized in the first magnetization direction, - capturing (S3) a magnetic signal from at least one of the magnetic regions (h, k, 1) of the security element while the security element is subjected to the second magnetic field region, and - evaluating (S4) the magnetic signal, <EOS>