TYPES OF SIGNATURE FORGERY

CONTENT:

• INTRODUCTION
▪ What is signature?
▪ What is forgery?
• TYPES OF SIGNATURE FORGERY
▪ Traced forgery
▪ Simulated forgery
▪ Spurious forgery
▪ Tricked forgery
▪ Transplanted forgery

• DETECTION OF FORGERY
▪ Methods of examination
▪ Inherent signs of forgery
▪ Signs of traced forgery
▪ Signs of spurious forgery
▪ Signs of trick forgery
▪ Signs of transplanted forgery
▪ Signs Of Simulated Forgery
• DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SIMULATED AND TRACED
FORGERY
• REFERENCES
 INTRODUCTION
Signature

A signature is derived from Latin word: signare, which means "to sign". It is a
handwritten (and often stylized) depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a
simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity
and intent. In general Personal name written in one's hand, with the intention of
accepting, authenticating, and/or executing a document. In some instances, a
mark, seal, stamp, or symbol may also be considered a signature.

Legally signature is defined as “A mark or sign made by an individual on an

instrument or document to signify knowledge, approval, acceptance, or obligation.

The term signature is generally understood to mean the signing of a written

document with one's own hand. However, it is not critical that a signature actually
be written by hand for it to be legally valid. It may, for example, be typewritten,
engraved, or stamped. The purpose of a signature is to authenticate a writing, or
provide notice of its source, and to bind the individual signing the writing by the
provisions contained in the document.

Because a signature can obligate a party to terms of a contract or verify that the
person intended to make a last will and testament, the law has developed rules that
govern what constitutes a legally valid signature.”
Forgery

According to “BLACK'S LAW DICTIONARY says a forgery is "the false making

or material altering, with intent to defraud, of any writing which, if genuine, might
apparently be of legal efficacy or the foundation of a legal liability.”
The offence of Forgery is made of mainly two provisions of the Indian Penal Code
i.e. sections 463 and 464.
Section 463 says: 'Whoever makes any false documents or false electronic record
or part of a document or electronic record, with intent to cause damage or injury, to
the public or to any person, or to support any claim or title, or to cause any person
to part with property, or to enter into any express or implied contract, or with intent
to commit fraud or that fraud may be committed, commits forgery.”
• Thus forgery has to be satisfied with following essential ingredients: firstly the
making of a false document or part of it (actus rea) and secondly (mens
rea) such making should be with intent to
(a) cause damage or injury to (i) the public; or (ii) to any person, or
(b) support any claim or title, or
(c) cause any person to part with property, or
(d) enter into any express or implied contract, or
(e) commit fraud or that fraud may be committed.

Section 464 explains about the making of false documents. Making false
documents is the soul of the offence of the forgery. But it is essential that the false
document, when made, must either appear on its face to be, or be in fact one,
which, if true, would possess some legal validity, or in other words, must be
legally capable of effectuating the fraud intended.
The three forms of making false document according to section 464 of IPC are
(i) Dishonestly or fraudulently making, signing, sealing, or executing a document
with the intention of causing it to be believed that such document was made by the
authority of a person by whom the maker knows that it was not made.
(ii) Dishonest, or fraudulent cancellation or alteration of a document in its material
part without lawful authority.
(iii) Dishonestly or fraudulently causing another person to execute, or alter
a document with the knowledge that the maker thereof does not know the contents
of the documents or the nature of the alteration by reason of unsoundness of mind
or intoxication.
Explanation 1 to the section 464 says 'A man's signature of his own name may
amount to forgery'.
E.g. A signs his own name to a bill of exchange, intending that it may be believed
that the bill was drawn by another person of the same name. A has committed
forgery.
Explanation 2 says making of a false document in the name of a fictitious person,
intending it to be believed that the document was made by a real person, or in the
name of a deceased person, intending it to be believed that the document was made
by the person in his lifetime, may amount forgery.
E.g. A draws a bill of exchange upon a fictitious person, and fraudulently accepts
the bill in the name of such fictitious person with intent to negotiate it. A commits
forgery

Therefore, signature forgery refers to the act of falsely replicating the signature of
another person.
 Types of signature forgery

SIGNATURE FORGERY

• TRACED FORGERY
o Direct tracing
o Carbon tracing
o Blotting paper/
indentation
tracing SIMULATION FORGERY TRANSPLANTED
o Projector tracing FORGERY
o Copied
o Free hand /
practiced forgery SPURIOUS FORGERY

TRICKED FORGERY
Traced forgery

It is one in which an attempt is made to reproduce the exact outlines of the model
by tracing process. A forgery thus committed necessarily bears a close
resemblance to the model with exact mathematical measurements, specifically in
the general form of the letters. Traced forgeries are generally created by one of
three methods: “transmitted light,” “carbon intermediate,” or “pressure indented
image.”

Types of traced forgery

1. Direct tracing or transmitted light forgery

The transmitted light tracing is the simplest of the tracings to produce and
the one most often encountered. The paper that is to receive the spurious
signature is placed over a document bearing the genuine signature. These
documents are then aligned so as to put the genuine signature directly under
the selected location for the forgery. These two papers are then held up to a
window or other light source, and the transmitted signature image is traced
on the receiving document.
2. Carbon tracing
The area to receive the signature is covered with a piece of carbon paper
which in turn has the model signature placed upon it and aligned with the
area that is to receive the image. The model signature is then traced over
with a pen or other pointed implement. This procedure will impart a carbon
image of the signature on the receiving document. This image is then
overwritten with a pen. A carbon-medium tracing is the method of choice,
especially if the document to receive the tracing is too heavy a weight, such
as cardboard, to allow for a good light transmitted image.
 3. Blotting paper / Indentation tracing
The indented line tracing is produced in essentially the same manner, but
does not employ any intermediate reproduction medium. Heavier pressure
is used when tracing over the model signature. This pressure leaves an
indented “signature” on the receiving document. This is then covered over
with a broad-tipped pen, although ballpoint is found on occasion.
4. Projector forgery
Projector forgery is a type of transmitted light forgery. In this type genuine
signature is in digital form and forger using projector forges the signature on
the document.

Simulated forgery

It involves the careful study of genuine specimen of the signature which is

intended to copy, so that the forger may acquire the mental picture of the letter
design, letter spacing, shading, and any other prominent feature which endows the
genuine writing with its pictorial effect. This study is combined with many practice
attempts at the reproduction from memory, first of portions of the signature and
then, when these elements have been mastered, of the signature written as whole. It
is further sub divided into two:

1. Copied simulated forgery: In this type of forgery, the forger copies the
signature present in front of him. He tries to draw the signature. Inherent sign of
signature are more common in this type of forgery.
2. Free hand forgery: In this type of forgery, the forger practice the signature and
when he is confident than he signs on the required document. Inherent signs are
less common. Expert more depends on individual characteristics.
Spurious signatures

The forger does not try to copy a model, but writes something resembling what
we ordinarily call a "signature." For this he uses a false name and makes a rapid
stroke. In cases where the forger will use the same false name many times, he will
naturally use the same spurious signature, and it can happen that he will employ
two or more "signatures". Logically, the signatures of his different identities will
show the same graphic elements, so that theoretically it can be possible to
identify the forger.

Transplanted forgery

It is a type of forgery the genuine signature is transplanted over the forged

document.

Tricked forgery

It is a type of forgery in which half signature is genuine and half signature is

forged. E.g. when we sign on the photograph half on photograph and half on the
document .and the photograph is transferred to other document and half signature
is forged.
DETECTION OF FORGERY

Methods of examination

The examination must be conducted from the general to the details:

▪ An initial study with the naked eye must show if the dimensions of the
signature and its disposition on the document agrees with the available
place or with the kind of document.
▪ The general examination must be followed by a complete study with a
magnifying glass or with the microscope at different magnification and
under different kinds of lighting.
▪ The best instrument for this work is the stereoscopic microscope with
magnification of about 5 to 30 times.
▪ The signature will be examined by normal incident light, by oblique or side
light, and by transmitted light.
▪ In many cases, it will be useful to use colored filters to extinguish more or
less the color of the ink, to make possible the search for pencil strokes under
the ink.
▪ Study with an infrared image converter may be necessary and useful too.

General indications of forged signature may include the following:

Blunt stops

The forger places the pen point in contact with the paper, and then starts
writing. When he is finished with the name or some portion thereof, he stops the
pen lifts and it from the surface. This may cause an emphasized ending where the
pen was placed in contact with the surface. At times this contact is held so long
that if the pen contains a fluid ink it will wet the paper and migrate outward from
the contact point.

There may be unnecessary and extraneous marks caused by pen starts and
stops. The writer may decide after putting his pen in contact with the paper, that it
is in the wrong spot, picks it up and moves it to a position considered more
correct. Normally a signature’s starts and stops are much more dynamic. The pen
is moving horizontally before it contacts the paper and is lifted at the end while
still in flight. This leaves a tapered appearance at the beginnings and endings of
names or letters. There are, of course, exceptions to this.

Abnormal Pen lifts and hesitation

This is occasioned when the pen stops at an unusual point in the writing; perhaps
where a radical change in direction is about to take place or a new letter formation
is about to be started. This may take on the appearance of a small gap in the
written line where one is not expected, or an overlapping of two ink lines where
there should be only one continuous line.

Tremor

Because the creation of most forms of non-genuine signatures are little more than
drawings, the pen is moving so slowly that small, sometimes microscopic changes
in direction take place in what should be a fluid-looking line. The resultant line is
not smooth, but reflects the “shaking” pen.
Abnormal Speed and pressure

Again, because the pen is moving slowly rather than with the dynamic movement
associated with most genuine writings, the ink line remains constant in thickness,
resulting from the same constant pressure exerted on a slowly moving pen. There
will be little, if any, tapering of internal lines.

Retouching

Infrequently, but at one time or another, most of us have made an error while
writing our own signature. Some individuals may leave the signature alone, caring
little about the mistake or imperfection, while others will simply “fix” the signature
by correcting the offending portion. This may be done in order to make the
signature more readable, or because a defect in the pen or paper has affected what
we perceive to be our “normal” signature, or for some other reason that may even
be subconscious. These “fixes” are usually patent, with no attempt made on the
part of the writer to mask or otherwise hide the correction.

These signature corrections are quite different than the patching that is frequently
found in non-genuine signatures. On these occasions, the writer is not attempting
to make the signature more readable, but to make its appearance passable. He is
fixing an obvious defect that he perceives as detectable, and might uncover his
fraudulent product and foil his scheme. These usually take the form of a correction
to a flaw in the writing line rather than in the form of a letter. Extensions to entry
or terminal strokes, or to lower descending portions of letters, along with
corrections to embellishments, are typical of non-genuine patching.
SIGNS OF TRACED FORGERY

▪ The strokes of the signature themselves, in case of a direct or an indirect

traced signature, or in case of a forged signature written with a preliminary
design the peculiarities are very much the same. The stroke is of poor
quality, always having the same breadth
▪ It lacks quickness and suppleness, etc. The stroke shows some hesitations,
some tremor, and also stops or interruptions which take place at abnormal
places, some retracing and retouching which depends upon the fact that the
forger cannot see the whole signature at one time, because his own hand
hides the forthcoming part of the signature. He must then interrupt his work,
lift the instrument, and begin again. These interruptions are sometimes
visible in the stroke with the naked eye, sometimes only under the
microscope.
▪ In many cases, it is possible to note that the forger has made a mistake,
because he has not understood the normal flow of the movements which
compose the model signature. Often, once the signature is finished, the
presence of corrections which are done later can be observed and which in
the mind of the forger serve to correct the form of the signature so that it
would not be possible to recognize immediately that the signature is
suspected.

SIGNS OF SPURIOUS FORGERY

▪ When we are confronted with of a spurious signature, the preliminary

examination will not show the forgery characteristics described above. By
definition, these kinds of forged signatures are quickly written and present
the same appearances of quickness, of sureness as a genuine signature, so
 that it is quite impossible, without a comparison, to recognize immediately a
forged signature. To be complete, it is necessary to mention that the genuine
signatures of persons who cannot write or who write very badly very often
show characteristics which make them appear suspect because they seem to
be forged.

SIGNS OF TRICKED FORGERY

• Half genuine signature is present, and half forged signature.

• There is difference in the alignment within the signature because of the
unnatural pen lift.
• Ink difference is seen in the signature. It is rare that the genuine part of
signature and gorged are signed by the same pen.
• Red filters can be used in the examination.

SIGNS OF TRANSPLANTED FORGERY

• In the transplanted forgery there minor black lines can be seen near the
region of signature.
• The pixel per inch (ppi) difference can be seen on magnification.

SIGNS OF SIMULATED FORGERY

• Most of the inherent signs of forgery can be seen in the simulated forgery.
• The size of signature is comparatively bigger than that of the regular writing.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRACED AND SIMULATED
FOREGERY

TRACED FORGERY

• It is one in which an attempt is made to reproduce the exact outlines of the

model by tracing process. A forgery thus committed necessarily bears a close
resemblance to the model with exact mathematical measurements, specifically
in the general form of the letters. Traced forgeries are generally created by one
of three methods: “transmitted light,” “carbon intermediate,” or “pressure
indented image.”
• Same size
• Tremors
• Indentation
• Blunt ending
Strokes
• Abnormal pen pauses/
penlifts
• Carbon particles
• abnormal pen pressure

Simulated forgery
• It involves the careful study of genuine specimen of the signature which is
intended to copy, so that the forger may acquire the mental picture of the letter
design, letter spacing, shading, and any other prominent feature which endows
the genuine writing with its pictorial effect. This study is combined with many
 practice attempts at the reproduction from memory, first of portions of the
signature and then, when these elements have been mastered, of the signature
written as whole.
• Comparatively bigger in size
• Tremors
• Indentation
• Blunt ending
Strokes
• Abnormal pen pauses/
Pen lifts
• Abnormal pen pressure
References

➢ B.R Sharma , Forensic Science In Criminal Investigation and Trials (3rd

edition) universal law publishing co. Ltd, New Delhi, 2001

➢ A.S Osborn , Questioned Document, Albany N.Y. Boyd Print Co. 2 nd , 1929

➢ A. Huber and A.M Hedrick, Hand Writing Identification: Facts and

Fundamentals, CRC press LLC, 1999.

➢ Wilson R. Harrison, Suspect Documents Their Scientific Examination, 5th

indian reprint 2011 , Universal Law Publishing Co., NEW Delhi , India
➢ [Link]
forgery/ on 26/09/2015
➢ Jacques Mathyer, The Expert Examination of Signatures, Journal of
Criminal Law and Criminology, Volume 52 Issue 1 May-June
➢ Ordway Hilton, Detection of Forgery, , Journal of Criminal Law and
Criminology, Volume 30 Issue 4 November-December

➢ K.M Koopenhaver, Forensic Document Examination Principles And Practice,

Human Press, Totowa New Jersey.

➢ MORRS N RON , Forensic Hand Writing Identification Fundamental

Concepts And Principle , Academic Press, 2000