How should a signature be?

Question

Legible? Illegible? How do I prevent forgery? Is it easy to forage signatures?

Answer 1

It should be legible. My mailman gets "pissed" at my boyfriend when he signs for stuff, b/c he has to enter his name in the little computer thingy. Which he can't do if he can't read it. Signatures can be both easy and hard, depending on how you sign it. I can sign my mom's name perfectly, even she can't tell the difference.

Instead of signing your credit cards, write on the back "Ask for ID" that way you don't have to worry about someone using your credit card and forging your signature. But even then, ALOT of people don't even look at the back of them.

Answer 2

It doesn't really matter if your signature is legible or not, but it should look the same each time you sign it, in order to prevent forgery. Banks and other institutions keep your signature on file, and if someone tried to forge it, the institution could retrieve the image of your signature and compare it to the one being presented, preventing forgery.

Answer 3

Signatures are all different, some legible, some not. What you are specifically looking for are subtle differences in accents/ovals/characteristics of each letter) If the characteristics are the same (as compared to other signatures by the same person) than you can most likely assume that they are authentic. However, There are many good forgers out there.........even the pros can get fooled.

Answer 4

I would recommend legible but it's easy to prevent forgery to me. I learned in Forensics class that you should try to "draw" something in your signature so it's means something to you but noone else see and if you need to verify your signature and it's not there obviously it's fake. An example: if you have to dot an i in your name dot it three or four times to form a paw. Someone else would probably see those dots like your dotting a bunch of i's. You feel me?

Answer 5

I had a boss once who could forge anyone's signature legible or illegible. It was scary - he only needed to see it once and he never forgot what it looked like - I can't do it even with practice. It is easy to forge a signature if no one knows what it is supposed to look like. Extremely important matters that will come under legal scrutiny are more difficult to forge.

Answer 6

Start by learning to write left-handed. Forgers will have a tougher time, but they will still be able to make the forgery.

Most of the time, retailors don't know what a customer's signature is supposed to look like. So when it is found to be a fake, it is usually way too late.

Answer 7

I went to Catholic elementary school, so my signature is VERY legible. Those nuns could be tough. Personally I prefer a signature I can read.

Answer 8

I know it sucks that people don t check signatures like they are supposed to or like they should but writing "Ask for ID" on the back of a card is actually illegal. Cards are not valid unless signed. Sadly most people don t even pay attention any more. And with people printing fake IDs and stealing card info and reprinting cards these days that would solve nothing.

Answer 9

It doesn't have to be anything - just a mark that is yours. A cross, a star or a whale is fine. Signatures are very easy to forge, but for some reason they are still the basis for many transactions.

Answer 10

why the big concern with the signature not many things can be gotten with a signature its the social security number # you better worry about.