Why is this the answer?

The answer is counterfeit because this clever riddle uses a secret code to describe something that is fake and made to trick people, especially fake money. A "counterfeit" is something that looks exactly like the real thing but is actually an illegal copy. Think of it like a trick or a pretend item that someone is trying to pass off as real. This kind of fake item has no true value and causes problems for everyone who touches it. Let us look at the first part of the riddle: "Whoever makes it, tells it not." The person who makes counterfeit money or other fake goods is called a counterfeiter. They know they are doing something very wrong and against the law. Because of that, they have to keep their activities a big secret. They would never tell a friend or a police officer that they are making fake money, and they hide their work very carefully. That is why they "tell it not." Now for the second part: "Whoever takes it, knows it not." This is the part about the innocent people who get tricked. Imagine you are buying a cool toy at the store and you pay with a twenty dollar bill. You might get a fake bill back in your change without even realizing it. You "take it" because you think it is completely real, but you "know it not" that it is a bad copy. The person who gave it to you may have been tricked earlier, too. Finally, the third line says: "Whoever knows it, wants it not." This is the most important part. Once a person figures out that the money or item is fake, they do not want it anymore. A bank or a store cannot use fake money because it is not real money backed by the government. It is just worthless paper, and using it is a crime. If a smart cashier or a police officer realizes the money is counterfeit, they will take it away. No one wants to hold on to something they know is completely worthless and illegal, which is why they "want it not." This riddle perfectly describes the whole secret journey of a fake object from the person who makes it to the person who rejects it.