Handwriting and Forgery Examination

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FORGERIES

Forgeries can be done in several ways. Some are more easily detectable than others.

Handwriting and handprinting identifications have been performed since the late 1800’s. Since each person’s handwriting and handprinting habits are unique, it can be established whether someone wrote a certain word, initials, signature or document. In order to do an accurate comparison with either handwriting, handprinting or signatures, it is necessary to have several known, unquestioned standards. A comparison is then made between the known standards in order to establish that the writings are consistent, replete with individual handwriting habits and identifiable with each other. If all three criteria are met and the questioned writing is contemporaneous to the known standards that are supplied, a positive identification of authorship or non-authorship can normally be made.

The examination   of signatures can answer several questions. The first is whether a questioned signature was signed by its purported author. This question is commonly asked when a will, a mortgage, or a contract is disputed. In order to conduct a proper examination of a signature, the document examiner first needs the original document that contains the questioned signature. If the original is not available, a qualified opinion can often be given after examination of a photocopy, photograph, microfiche, or facsimile copy. The problem with not having the original is that several methods of forgery may not be detectable by examining something other than the original. The second item needed to determine authorship is known signatures from the purported author. Usually eight to twelve signatures are needed as a guideline; however. valid examinations can be done using less than eight. or they may require more than twelve. The closer in time the dates of the known signatures are to the date of the questioned signature, the more meaningful the examination will be.

TYPES OF FORGERY

There are four main types of forgery. The first is blind forgery, in which the forger has no idea what the signature to be forged looks like. This is the easiest type of forgery to detect because it is usually not close to the appearance of a genuine signature. This type of forgery will sometimes allow an examiner to identify who made the forgery based on the handwriting habits that are present in the forged signature. In order to perform this type of examination, an examiner needs known cursive   writing samples of the suspected forger in order to compare the handwriting habits in the questioned signature to the habits in the known cursive writing.

The second (and probably most common) type of forgery is simulation, in which the forger has a sample of the signature to be forged. The quality of a simulation depends on how much the forger practices before attempting the actual forgery, the ability of the forger, and the forger’s attention to detail in simulating the signature. This type of forgery is usually easily detectable by a trained document examiner when examining the original document or even a copy. Because the forger is trying   to simulate the handwriting habits of someone else, the forger’s own handwriting habits are masked. Therefore, it is often difficult to identify who forged a simulation.

The third type of forgery is a tracing. A tracing can be done by holding the model document and the questioned document up to light and using a pen to trace the lines of the model signature onto the questioned document. A tracing can also be done by using a blunt stylus on the questioned document to create an impression of the model signature in the paper. This impression is then filled in with a pen to create the appearance of the model signature. If the model signature used by the forger is not found, this type of forgery is sometimes difficult to detect from a photocopy.

The fourth type of forgery is an optical transfer, in which a genuine signature is transferred onto a document by use of  a photocopier, scanner, facsimile machine, or photography. With this type of forgery, an examiner cannot positively identify a signature as genuine without having the Original for comparison. Indications of this type of forgery are often but not always present on a copy of the questioned document. Extreme care should be taken by anyone, especially the court system, in evaluating the veracity of documents and signatures when no original can be produced.

GRAPHICAL DEMONSTRATION

Graphics are powerful tools to demonstrate findings in cases to explain to a trier of the fact.

Below is an actual court display, in a hearing in Chicago Illinois, used to compare signatures from known standards to a questioned document. In this instance, a positive identification of authorishop was made. In some cases if it is not possible to obtain known standards, sample writings may be taken. Most states allow handwriting samples and fingerprint samples to be compelled by court order in both civil and criminal cases. These must be taken in a special manner in order to be usable. Please contact us with any questions about taking these samples.

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Comparisons can be made to anonymous letters, notes and other questioned documents with known handwriting from employment files and business documents which are known to have been authored by the suspect. Fingerprints can be dispositive in establishing a determination of authorship.

ROBO SIGNING

Recently a large amount of mortgage related cases have centered around whether a signature on a document is actually an original or a machine generated image (including a color copy). We can perform this type of examination on the site of the document if necessary. A conclusive determination can be made whether the signatures are originals or robo pen created.

VSC 2000 IMAGE ENHANCEMENT USED IN HANDWRITING AND FORGERY EXAMINATION

The VSC-2000 is used for magnification and image enhancement of documents. The VSC-2000 scans are printed out for reference. Since it is a known fact the no one signs their name the same way twice, identical signatures can only be found on two documents if one signature was transferred from another document.

ACTUAL CASE EXAMPLES SHOWING MACHINE TRANSFERRED FORGED SIGNATURES FROM A CASE THAT WENT TO TRIAL IN TEXAS

FISHER AFFIDAVIT / STOCK CERTIFICATE(BG63)

The Fisher signature on the Stock Certificate #1 for Nefco Petroleum LLC for 100,000 shares dated 22 August 2005 (labeled as BG63) appears to be sourced from the affidavit of Ms. Fisher dated 25 October 2007, contrary to the purported date of BG63 as discussed above (Graphic Below – the signature from BG63 is in white and the signature from the affidavit is in black).

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FOUNK PRODUCTION (LF 1 – LF 30): DRAFT OF AGREEMENT FOR SALE OF SUBSTANCIALLY ALL ASSETS DATED 18 AUGUST 2005

The handwriting notation on page LF 13 of the draft of an Agreement For Sale of Substantially All Assets dated 18 August 2005 (the draft is labeled as Founk Production pages LF1 – LF30) that is five lines from the bottom are the same writing as found on page 74 of the 10/30/07 Fisher production and likely transferred from page 74 (Graphic Below – the handwriting from LF13 is in white and the source handwriting from page 74 is in black).

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NEFCO PETROLEUM LLC, RESOLUTION OF THE SOLE SHAREHOLDER DATED 22 AUGUST 2005

The Boris Goldstein signature on the Nefco Petroleum LLC, Resolution of the Sole Shareholder dated 22 August 2005 (labeled as BG64) is the same signature as on the Resolution of the Board of Directors dated September 10, 2007 (Graphic Below).

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COURT APPOINTED

Click here for information and assistance in obtaining court appointed fees for criminal defense cases. Contact Speckin Forensic Laboratories today.

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