UNDERSTANDING THE TYPES OF DOCUMENT FRAUD & FORGERY

Understanding fraud and forgery means getting a glimpse into the criminal mind
and how it works. This will not only enable you to be vigilant and alerted to
possible scams, fraud and forgery but also greatly equip your business with the necessary knowledge to prevent damage to assets, credibility and reputation.

The main means by which fraud and forgery take place is through the distortion
of some kind of document. This document can be a receipt, invoice, voucher,
last will and testament or even a note. By altering a document and presenting
it as something different, fraudsters and swindlers work their craft to your disadvantage.

Forgery

Despite the widespread use of computers and the printed word, the handwritten signature is still of paramount importance. By reproducing your signature for
deceptive purposes on cheques, business documents and contracts, forgers
take what they want without your permission or knowledge.

Alterations

Authentic documents are altered through simply removing or adding numbers or alphabets to words and text already on the original document. In this way, a
cheque written for the amount of $300 can be altered to $3000 or a larger sum
by simply adding one zero! The other common altered item on a cheque is the
payee's name.

These are just some of the ways in which documents can be changed for use in deceiving unsuspecting professionals working in banks, accounting firms, insurance companies, immigration offices at international borders and even companies seeking
to employ the right candidate for that job.

To stave off fraud and forgery and the ill-effects on your business, consult with a certified handwriting expert today.