checks: are they authentic? are you sure? - frank panepinto - check fraud.pdf · indicators of an...
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CHECKS: ARE THEY AUTHENTIC? ARE YOU SURE?
THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS THE WAY THEY APPEAR
COULD THEY BEFORGED? ALTERED? DISGUISED? COUNTERFEIT?
DEALING WITH QUESTIONABLE CHECKSCOPYRIGHT 2016 FRANK PANEPINTO 1
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WHAT IS A QUESTIONED DOCUMENT?ORIGIN, HISTORY, OR CONTENT IS DISPUTED• Substitutions or alterations to text
oWords or numbers‐‐‐added, removed, changed
• Multiple page documentsoPages added, removed, substituted
• Signatures denied or challenged• Counterfeit document
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DOCUMENTS IN QUESTION• Anonymous notes and letters
• Armed robbery notes
• Accident and injury reports
• Architectural drawings
• Bills of Sale
• Bookkeeping & accounting ledgers
• Building sign‐in/Access logs
• Contracts and Agreements3
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DOCUMENTS IN QUESTION• Certificates of Title• Checks• Credit/Debit card applications & sales receipts
• Deeds
• Divorce and child custody documents
• Extortion notes
• Harassment notes‐‐‐sexual and racial
• Identification documents4
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DOCUMENTS IN QUESTION• Insurance applications & claims forms
• Inventory records
• Invoices
• Journal and diary entries
• Loan and credit applications
• Licenses and permits
• Mortgage applications & real estate documents
• Medical and surgical records5
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DOCUMENTS IN QUESTION• Maintenance and repair records
• Minutes of meetings
• Pharmacy records and logs
• Payroll timesheets
• Purchase orders
• Promissory Notes
• Suicide notes
• Voter registration cards, forms, and records
• Wills 6
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PRINCIPLES OF HANDWRITINGNo two people write exactly alike
• Beginning stroke and Ending stroke• Connecting strokes• Hooks and Tics• i‐dots and t‐bar crossing• Embellishments and Flourishes• Spacing and Slant• Proportions• Letter design
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PRINCIPLES OF HANDWRITINGNo one can duplicate their own writing
Natural variation• Grip on writing instrument• Finger, hand, wrist movement• Breathing pattern• Concentration level • Speed
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PRINCIPLES OF HANDWRITING• No two people write exactly alike• No one can duplicate their own writing
PRINCIPLES OF IDENTIFICATIONThere must be both:• The absence of fundamental unexplainable differences AND
• The presence of a sufficient number of similarities, especially subtle, unique characteristics
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TYPES OF CHECK FRAUD
• STOLEN CHECKS: Forged Altered
• COUNTERFEIT CHECKS
• CHECKS DRAWN ON CLOSED ACCOUNTS
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CREATING A FORGERYAttempt to duplicate the legitimate signature as closely as possible
• Try to make forged signature resemble legitimate signature as much as possible
• Try to capture overall pictorial effect
• At cursory glance, forged signature looks like the legitimate signature
oConcentrate on imitating capital letters
oSimilar slant11
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Capturing the Pictorial Effect
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INDICATORS OF A FORGED CHECK
• Different ink colors
• Different writing instrument
• Signs of shakiness and unsteadiness (tremor)
• Signs of patching, touch‐ups, re‐tracing, etc.
• Blunt beginnings and endings
• Numerical amount differs from spelled out amount 13
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GENUINE FORGERY
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ALTERING CHECKSDeletions:• Erasure• Scraping • Chemical eradicators
Obliteration: • White‐out• Black‐out• Over‐write• Scratch‐out
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Additions:
• Material added after the check is written
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INDICATORS OF AN ALTERED CHECK• Signs of erasure• Signs of scraping• Stains on check• Discolorations on check or to the ink• Different ink colors• Different writing instrument• Writing crowded, cramped, squeezed• Cross‐outs or overwrites• Numerical amount differs from spelled out
amount18
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COUNTERFEIT CHECKSINDICATORS:• No perforated edge• Paper is light‐weight and shiny• Ink is shiny and smears• No logo or logo is blurred and smears• No check number or does not match MICR• No watermark• Amount is less than $5,000• No address or use of a P.O. Box
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COUNTERFEIT CHECKS• Misspellings or typographical errors• Same person signs as both Maker/Drawer and Endorser
• MICR numbers missing, incomplete, inaccurate, or smears
• “Void” or “Copy” displayed on check• Signature line is not micro‐print
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DISGUISED WRITING• Legitimate writer alters signature or writing to prevent recognition
• Willful or deliberate modification of ones natural writing to conceal identity and to deny the writing
• Anonymous letters or notes‐‐‐harassment or threats • Blackmail/extortion letters• Loan applications• Fraudulent checks• Credit card applications and transactions• Hold‐up notes• Request writing 21
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CREATING A DISGUISED WRITING• Attempt to make writing look as different from
normal writing as possible• Try to change the overall pictorial effect
o Concentrate on changing capital letterso Different slanto Different letter sizeo Unusual letter formso Opposite hand writing
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DISGUISED WRITING
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GENUINE DISGUISED
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PROTECT THE DOCUMENT• Do not:
oMark on the documentoTape, staple or paperclip the document oRemove tape or staplesoFold or crease the document
• Handle by the edges• Store in a clear envelope or sheet protector• Do not mark on the envelope or sheet protector after the document is placed in it
• Protect from extreme light, heat, humidity25
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QUESTIONS???
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GRAPHOLOGY
GRAPHOLOGIST ‐ HANDWRITING ANALYST:• Evaluates/analyzes only handwriting‐‐‐not the document or the ink
• Attempts to assess personality from handwriting characteristics
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FORENSIC DOCUMENT EXAMINERDetermines:• If writing is forged , disguised, genuine• The authenticity or spuriousness of writing or document
Deciphers:Alterations, obliterations, white‐outs, black‐outs, cross‐outs, erasures, indented writing
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FORENSIC DOCUMENT EXAMINERDetermines:• If additions, deletions, substitutions were made
• Sequence or chronological order of the writing
• Identifies or eliminates writers of anonymous writings
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FORENSIC DOCUMENT EXAMINERDetermines:• If genuine signature has been photocopied,
cut & pasted, or scanned• If pages added or substituted• Age of document or writing
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THANK YOU
FRANK PANEPINTO, CFDE, CFE, CPPLouisiana Office of Financial Institutions
COPYRIGHT 2016 FRANK PANEPINTO 31