Signatures are more prone to forgery as they hold access to personal information, such as business deals, bank accounts, personal wills, insurance, etc. A signature also holds a personal and unique identity of an individual. Two people cannot have the same signature pattern; there’s always a hidden difference.
Signature verification focuses on that difference and helps many individuals and businesses to detect the smart ways of forgery that frequently happen.
About Signature Verification
A signature examination is a process utilized to compare a person’s original signature with the alleged signature. Experts use this procedure to verify the authenticity of the signature, like if it was signed by the original individual or just forged by a fraudster.
For this procedure, experts utilize forensic examination to create an initial pattern by analyzing the original copies of the signature. Then that pattern is compared with the signature in question. If the pattern matches, it confirms the authenticity of a signature, but if there’s no pattern found, then it confirms the signature forgery.
Common Situations where the Signature Analysis is Used
The following situations involve the extensive analysis of the signature to prevent fraudulent activities:
1. Legal Use Case – Such cases involve legal disputes related to personal wills, property documents, and asset inheritance disputes. A legal signature analysis is performed to make sure the rightful heir gets the claim.
2. Banking Sector – Banks often rely on signature verification to validate the authenticity of the checks. This prevents the forged signatures on unauthorized checks from getting processed, which can cause a serious financial loss to individuals.
3. Business – Many businesses often rely on signature verification to verify the integrity of the contracts. This further prevents business frauds that often happen due to shady business deals.
4. Insurance Claims – Insurance companies often receive many requests for claims. Out of such claims, many are false with forged signatures. As a result, they have to constantly rely on signature verification services to validate the authenticity of such claims.
Steps to Get Your Documents Tested
The process of a forensic signature analysis is highly confidential and performed using the following steps:
Step 1: Consultations – The interested individual speaks with a lab representative to have their case analyzed along with their needs.
Step 2: Documents Collection – The documents, like original copies of the signature and the questioned signature from the individual, are collected by a lab expert.
Step 3: Lab Analysis – The experts in the lab analyze the documents to determine whether the signature is original or a forgery.
Step 4: The Final Report – A final report is generated after finishing the extensive analysis of the signatures. This report can be used as admissible evidence in the honorable courts in legal disputes.
How Do Forensic Experts Detect Signature Forgery?
When experts analyze the signature documents, they don’t just take a normal look at them. Instead, forensic level examination, such as noticing the tiny details, is involved. Such tiny details hold the key to an extensive verification that makes the fake signature and a forged signature different.
The following signature verification techniques are implemented to determine its legitimacy:
Letter and Spacings
Each person has their own unique style of signing the papers. Some have small letters, some have big, involving curves as well. Besides, how much space is given between the letters is also a consistent pattern to notice.
Pen Pressure
How a person applies pressure to the pen while signing is also one of the unique patterns. Experts analyze how much consistent pressure was being applied in the original copies of the signature, and they compare this pattern with the alleged signature.
Flow of the Signature
The flow of a signature from beginning to end forms a unique style. In an original signature, the flow is consistent, as the person is signing the documents without hesitation. But during the forgery, the fraudster will always stop in the middle to check their work. This breaks a consistent pattern that is highly unusual.
Different Ways of Signature Forgery
Fraudsters often utilize different and sometimes sophisticated ways of smart forgery, such as:
Traced Forgery – Such types of signature fraud happen when the forger puts a piece of paper with a real signature beneath to create the traces over it. It’s an unreliable method as it lacks the consistency of a signature’s original rhythm.
Simulated Forgery – This type of signature forgery is usually done by taking a deep analysis of the signature and then copying it on a piece of paper. It forms a similar structure, yet lacks originality.
Digital Forgery – With the sophisticated technology, forgers try to copy and paste the scanned version of the signature onto a physical paper. However, experts also use digital tools to validate whether the signature has been edited for wrong intentions.
The Role of Advanced Technology in Signature Verification
Modern forensic labs utilize high-resolution digital microscopes, which have the ability to easily analyze even the tiny fibers of the paper. This helps experts detect the possible ink patterns.
Moreover, special light sources like infrared and ultraviolet lights are used.
These lights have the capacity to tell whether the different types of inks were used on the same page. In the alteration of a document, it can significantly highlight the red flags to prevent potential signature fraud. These are efficient and smart ways to catch the modern version of signature forgeries.
Why Choose DNA Forensics Laboratory?
DNA Forensics Laboratory, also called DFL, is one of the trustworthy and reliable labs in India for signature verification. Besides, they also provide DNA testing services for diverse purposes, such as peace of mind, legal disputes, and sponsored immigration.
Their experts are extensively trained in services such as signature authentication and DNA testing. They utilize cutting-edge technology with their years of experience and expertise for precise testing procedures, which deliver accurate results.
DFL is the only private DNA testing company in India whose DNA test reports are legally admissible in the honorable courts of law. This makes them an ideal choice if individuals are looking for court-admissible tests like DNA or signature authentication.
Final Words
Signature forgery is a problem of the modern world. Whether it is a bank document, a will, or a business deal, knowing the truth about a signature can prevent financial and business fraud. By using scientific tools and expert knowledge, labs like DFL provide the clarity needed to resolve disputes through a professional signature authentication process.
