Chapter 4

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CHAPTER 4

FORGERY

Learning Objectives

At the end of this chapter, the student will be able to:

1. Define forgery;
2. Enumerate the features of genuine writing;
3. State the indications of non-genuineness of documents
4. Illustrate the methods of forging; and
5. cite the techniques used by forgers
6.
What is Forgery?
A forgery is a powerful attempt to make fraudulent copy of something, whether it is a signature,
money, or a piece of art. If an object is fraudulent, this means that its origin is not what it is presented to
be. Fraudulent money, for example, is not genuine currency, and a forged check is not signed by the
person whose name is on the check. (Bell, 2009).
Strictly speaking, forgery is a legal term which involves not only a non-genuine document but
also an intent to fraud. However, it is also used synonymously with fraudulent signature or spurious
document.

INDICATION OF GENUINENESS
1. Carelessness
2. Spontaneity
3. Alternation of thick and thin strokes
4. Speed
5. Simplification
6. Upright letters are interspersed with slanting letters
7. The upward strokes to a threadlike tracing
8. Rhythm
9. Good line quality
10. Variation

IDENTIFICATION OF FORGERY
1. Hesitation and pen stop at unusual places
2. Abrupt change in direction of strokes, showing uncertainty of movements
3. Concealed joining or carefully made patching or retouching
4. Blunt initial and/or terminal strokes
5. Lack of difference in pressure on up and down strokes
6. Misplaced shading or shading in more than one direction caused by a false start
7. Defective line quality
8. Slow, broken strokes, or wavy lines (Tremors)
9. Unnatural pen lifting
10. Presence of carbon, pencil or indented outlines along the strokes

KINDS AND METHODS OF FORGING


1. The Simple Forgery
Simple forgery is a forged signature made without any attempt on the part of the forger to
imitate or make a facsimile of the genuine signature of the person purported to sign the document. As
the name implies, this is one of the simplest types for the forger need not have a genuine signature at
hand in order to make such a forgery. Using his own style of writing, the forger executes the name of
the person who supposed to sign the document. Sometimes it is done with some modification of his
own style and he takes advantage of the element of time, so that things will be accomplished before
it will be detected.
This is one type of forgeries that is very easy to be identified, even by ordinary person. There is
no hard and fast rule to its detection for at the moment a genuine signature is obtained simple
comparison will obviously show that they were not written by only one person. It is also this type of
forgery, that identification of the forger is quite easier than the two other processes. Its identification
of the forger lies on the fact that it is written in the own style of the forger, thus it reflects his writing
characteristics.
This is a common practice by check thief, criminals who steal, endorse or passes government or
corporate checks. By utilizing fictitious signature and pretense, the forger may successfully take
things to his advantage.
There were simple instances at which this type of forgery is made. Like for instance in school,
there are students in the hope of giving favor to their friends, might sign the name of their friend in
the attendance sheet even though the said student is actually absent, the student writes his friend’s
name and opposite of which is a signature which is actually a mere creation of the one signing it. This
type of forgery is also called as Spurious Signature.

2. The Simulated Forgery

The simulated forgery is considered to be the most skillful type of forgery. Although this form
appears or made in various level of skills depending upon the forger, The reason for its being branded
as the most skillful type, lies on the fact that this process is done in not just ordinary way, it takes real
skill of different degrees in order for a forger to successfully imitate the signature which he intends to
sign. Through free-hand imitation a gifted forger will make a practice over a scratch paper for twenty-
thirty times before signing it to the fraudulent document. This is one of the reasons why at the
moment the forger signs it, he signs with certain continuity as distinguished from those of amateur
forger. It is also of this reason that detection of this type is relatively more difficult especially if
skillfully done.
Aside from the challenge of skills on the part of the forger, another thing that he has to work for
is to be able to understand the characteristics of the model signature of another person, execute the
same, while discarding his own writing style. See it is not just a simple job. There are even certain
instances that the forger could not be able to avail himself of the model signature, but because of his
desire to accomplish it and with sufficient familiarization with the signature to be imitated, simulation
can still be undertaken. Simulated forgery is also called as copied forgery.
3. The Traced Forgery

The traced forgery like a simulated forgery necessarily requires the aid of a model signature. As
the name implies, it is the result of an attempt of the forger to make a close resemblance of the original by
means of some tracing processes so as to transfer it to the fraudulent document.
Most cases of traced are easy to identify than a simulated one. This is due to the fact that a traced
signature is done in a way foreign from writing or this actually not more of writing rather a drawing. One
exemption to this could be the case of those who traced the signature with certain practice that they can
trace with a fact, free pen movement. But still the large numbers of these cases are really drawn with a
slow, measurable stroke, done with much consciousness, hesitation and abrupt turns due to certain
movement. Some of the tracing processes used in making traced forgery are as follows:

TYPES OF TRACED FORGERY


a) Carbon Outline Process
This process is one of the most common means utilized by forger in making a number of identical
copies or records of certain entries. A piece of carbon paper either blue or black is interleaved
between the genuine signature and the fraudulent document with the genuine document placed on top.
Using a dry pen or pointed instrument the outline of the model signature will then be traced in order
to make an offset print of the carbon on the fraudulent document. If a piece of blue carbon was used,
the signature outline will be grossly approximate the line of a blue pen. When a black carbon was the
one used, the signature outline will grossly resemble the work of a self-lead pencil. The genuine and
the carbon paper will be removed and the carbon outline will be inked using a pen. One of the
troubles that a forger has is how to put the ink strokes on the same place where the carbon outline
was. That is why he has to be slow in doing it. Another drawback could be the dirt that the carbon
outline produced.
b) Indention Or Canal-Like Process
This is done in similar way the carbon outline process is made, only that now a carbon paper is
eliminated in the process. The genuine document is placed above the fraudulent document, the forger
will follow the outline of the genuine signature using a pressure, enough to make or leave an indented
writing on the fraudulent document. The depression or indented signature is thereafter overwritten
with an ink to finish the forgery. Just like in carbon outline process, the difficulty now on the part of
the forger is how to make the ink strokes coincide with the depression or indented outline.
c) Transmitted Light or Projection Process
Among the three methods being utilized by some forger, this method has greater advantage on the
part of the forger. Here the fraudulent document is the one placed above the genuine document, using
a transmitted light, these two documents will be placed on top of the plane glass of the transmitted
light. With a strong light passing through these two documents, the image/outline of the genuine
signature will be projected to the fraudulent document and later be traced with ink. In this process the
forger can be fast in his execution and the problem of dirt by carbon or depression by indention
process are eliminated. With this process and with practice, forgery will be easier and should be
considered by a document examiner or signature verifier as a challenge to their credibility in
signature identification.
N.B.
Simulated and traced forgeries have something in common. Both utilized a model signature
and the objective of the forger is to affect a facsimile. They only differ somehow on the manner
of executing it or having it done.
There are a number of drawbacks on the part of the forger using simulation as well as tracing
and they are: (1) Giving much attention to the conspicuous features of form and not to other
details that encompasses the execution of a genuine writing; (2) Imitation or tracing leads to
disguised, and disguised leads to a poorer result; (3) Too much consciousness of the process leads
to hesitation; (4) Failure to identify significant characteristics of the writing of another; (5)
Difficulty in eliminating or discarding his own writing habits; (6) It needs great muscular skills to
produce the writing being imitated; (7) Awareness of criminal act, fear of discovery and anxiety
to do the work well; and (8) the most basic and fundamental defect is not on the divergent form
but in the quality of the line strokes.

Defects that a traced forgery might be evidenced by looking on one or more of the following:
1. Quality of line strokes
2. Naturalness of movement, freedom strokes and speed of execution of the writing;
3. Hesitation causing pen lifting, retouching and shading;
4. Selecting and dating model signatures;
5. Presence of pencil, carbon or indention outlines which point to the process used; and
6. Identification of the questioned signature with a genuine or model signature used such as using
actual measurements with the aid of test plates, superimposition with transmitted light, or taking
photographs and producing transparencies to easily superimpose one over the other, transparent
glass with uniform ruled squares or various lines to show all parts agreeing with said squares or
lines.

Techniques of the Forger


A clever forger needs considerable knowledge and skills and uses a variety of mechanical devices
when attempting to make fraudulent copies of documents. They may have knowledge of papers, inks and
computer technology. They may be skilled in printing, engraving or penmanship. They may even have
access to secured forms, check writers and rubber stamps. They also sometimes use modern technology to
duplicate forms, checks and gift certificates (Koppenhaver,2007).
Some forgers attempt to imitate handwriting or signatures whiles others disguise their own
handwriting to prevent others from identifying it as theirs. There are also forgers who alter documents by
changing dates or raising amounts of money. Some attempt the more difficult task of forging not just a
signature but a whole document. He will probably focus on imitating the habits of the original writer, but
will revert to his own writing habits when his attention wanes.
Advancement in computer technology has made it easier for some to create fraudulent
documents. In fact, numerous forgers have attempted to use personal computers, desktop publishing
software, scanners and laser printers to create counterfeit checks and other documents that require
expensive printing equipment.

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