Forgery

• Forgery is, strictly speaking, a legal term

which involves not only a non-genuine
document but also and intent to fraud.
However, it is also used synonymously
with fraudulent signature or spurious
document.

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 Classes of Forged Signatures
• SIMULATED OR FREEHAND IMITATION
FORGERY – executed purely by simulation rather than
by tracing the outline of a genuine signature can
be referred as freehand imitation or simulated forgery. Or
it refers to the free-hand drawing in imitation of model
signature.
• TRACED FORGERY (TRACED SIGNATURE)
• DIRECT TRACING - tracing is made by transmitted light.
• INDIRECT TRACING - forger uses a carbon paper and
place document on which he will trace the forged signature
under the document bearing the model signature with a
carbon paper between the two.

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Classes of Forged Signatures
• TYPES OF TRACED SIGNATURE:
– CARBON PROCESS
– INDENTATION PROCESS
– TRANSMITTED LIGHT PROCESS
• SPURIOUS SIGNATURE (SIMPLE
FORGERY) - Forger does not try to copy a
model but writes something resembling what we
ordinarily call a signature. For this, he uses a
false (spurious) name and makes a rapid stroke,
disturbing his usual writing by adopting a
camouflage called disguise.
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 Steps in Signature Examination
• STEP 1 - Place the questioned and the standard signatures in the
juxta-position or slide-by-side for simultaneous viewing of the
various elements and characteristics.
• STEP 2 - The first element to be considered is the handwriting
movement or the manner of execution (slow, deliberate, rapid, etc).
The fundamental difference existing between a genuine signature
and an almost perfect forgery is in the manner of execution.
• STEP 3 - Second elements to examine is the quality of the line, the
presence or tremors, smooth, fluent or hesitation. Defect in line
quality is only appreciated when simultaneous viewing is made.
• STEP 4 - Examine the beginning and ending lines, they are very
significant, determine whether the appearance blunt, club-shaped,
tapered or/vanishing.

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 Steps in Signature Examination
• STEP 5 - Design and structure of the letters -
Determine as to roundness, smoothness, angularity
and direction. Each individual has a different concept
of letter design.
• STEP 6 - Look for the presence of retouching or
patching.
• STEP 7 - Connecting strokes, slant, ratio, size, lateral
spacing.
• STEP 8 - Do not rely so much in the similarity or
difference of the capital letters, for theses are the
often changed according to the whim of the writer.

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 Proof of Genuineness
• Carelessness
• Spontaneity
• Alternation of thick and thin strokes
• Speed
• Simplification
• Upright letters are interspersed with slanting letters
• The upward strokes to a threadlike tracing
• Rhythm
• Good line quality
• Variation

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 Indicia of Forgery
• Tremulous and broken connecting strokes between letters,
indicating points at which the writer has temporarily struck.
• no rhythm
• carefulness or unusual care and deliberation
• no contrast between upward and downward strokes
• slow writing- angular writing
• blunt beginning and endings
• placement of diacritical marks just over the stem of letters
• absence of spontaneity - lack of smoothness of letters
• restrained writing - there is lack of freedom or "inhibited"
movements THAT gives the impression that every stroke is made
with great difficulty. This writing is small.
• no variation

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 COUNTERFEITING
• COUNTERFEITING - It is the crime of making,
circulating or uttering false coins and banknotes.
Literally, it means to make a copy of; or imitate; to
make a spurious semblance of, as money or stamps,
with the intent to deceive or defraud. Counterfeiting is
something made to imitate the real thing used for gain.
• FALSIFICATION – The act/process of making the
content/s of a document not the intended content.
• FORGERY – The act of falsely making or materially
altering, with intent to defraud, any writing which if
genuine, might be of legal efficacy or the foundation
of a legal liability.

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 Making of Paper Money
• ENGRAVING – It is the process by which the line to be printed
are cut into pieces of metal by hand or with a machine. Ink is
rubbed over the plate to fill the cuts in the metal and the extra ink
wiped-off the top. The pressure of the paper on the plate causes
the ink in the holes to be lifted on the surface of the paper. The ink
lines will be felt to be raised above the surface. The engraving
process is used for the production of all genuine bank notes.
• LETTERPRESS PRINTING – is the most common form of
printing books, magazine, letterheads and the usual printing in
common uses. In the process, the letters are made on raised pieces
of metal which covered with ink and then impressed upon the
paper in the same form as a rubber stamp or cliché. The serial
numbers of a bank note are usually added by this letterpress
process after the note has been produced by an engraving.

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 Making of Paper Money
• OFFSET PRINTING – is the method a photograph is
taken of the desire material and a print is made on a
specially prepared aluminum plate. The plate is kept
wet with water. When ink is applied, it sticks only
these parts of the plate where printing is desired. The
aluminum plate is then put in contact with rubber
roller which transfers the ink to the papers. The offset
process is quite used in small printing plants. Because
it was photographic process, it is the most common
modern used by counterfeiter to make false paper
money.

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Characteristics of Genuine Bills
Distinctive feel & embossed Generally smooth
effect
1. The fingers will readily feel 1. The fingers will hardly feel the
the the main print on the main prints of the front & back
front & back on fairly new even on new notes.
notes. 2. This is brought about by offset
2. This is due to the print the most common
measurable thickness of the process employed by
ink deposited on the paper counterfeiters
which gives the prints an 3. The prints are mere stains on
embossed effect. the coating of the sensitized
paper which is glossy.

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Feature of the Paper Bills

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Features of the Paper Bills

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 Paper Fibers

• The first one is the visible

security fibers. These are
easily seen in current
Philippine banknotes as
the blue and red fibers
that are randomly spread
throughout the front and
back of the paper bill.

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 Paper Fibers

• The other kind is

the invisible
security fiber. These
glow a fluorescent
yellow under
ultraviolet light.

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 Writing Materials and Papers
• ANACHRONISM – It refers to something wrong in time and in
place. This means that the forger has trouble matching the paper,
ink, or writing materials to the exact date it was supposed to have
been written.
• PAPER – These are sheets of interlaced fibers - usually cellulose
fibers from plants, but sometimes from cloth rags or other fibrous
materials, that is formed by pulping the fibers and causing to felt,
or mat, to form a solid surface.
• WATERMARK - Certain papers are marked with a translucent
design, a watermarks impressed in them during the course of their
manufacture.
• WRITING MATERIALS – Any material used primarily for
writing or recording such as papers, cardboard, board papers,
Morocco paper, etc.

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 Historical Development
• PAPYRUS - This came into use about 3,500 B.C. - people of
Egypt. Palestine, Syria, and Southern Europe used the pith
(soft spongy tissue of the stem) of the sedge (grass-like herb)
CYPERUS PAPYRUS to make a writing material known as
PAPYRUS.
• PARCHMENT - writing material made from skin of
animals primarily of sheep, calves or goats - was probably
developed in the Middle East more or less contemporaneously with
papyrus. It came into wide use only in the 2nd century B.C. in the
city of PERGAMUM in ANATOLIA.
• VELLUM - writing materials from fine skins from young
calves or kids and the term (name) was often used for all kind of
parchment manuscripts, it became the most important writing
material for bookmaking, while parchment continued for special
manuscripts.

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