LESSON 5:

INVESATIGATION AND
DETAILED EXAMINATION
OF SIGNATURES
 Fundamentals of Signature

 Definition of Signature

- It is the name of a person written by him/her in a document as

a sign of acknowledgement.
- It is a name or a mark that a person at the end of a document
to attest that he is its author or the he ratifies its contents.
 SIGNIFICANT TERMS:
 CROSS MARK- Historically, many who could not write signed
with a cross mark or crude X. This authenticating mark is still
used by illiterates, and if properly witnessed, it can legally stand
for a signature.

 EVIDENTIAL SIGNATURE- It is a signature, signed at a

particular time and place, under particular conditions, while the
signer was at particular age, in a particular physical and mental
condition, using particular implements, and with a particular
reason and purpose for recording his name.
 FRAUDULENT SIGNATURE
-A forged signature
-Involves the writing of a name as a signature by someone other than
the person himself, without his permission, often with some degree
of imitation.

 FREEHAND SIGNATURE- A fraudulent signature that was

executed purely by simulation in rather than by tracing outline of a
genuine signature.

 GUIDED SIGNATURE- A signature that is executed while the

writer’s hand or arm is steadied in anyway. Guided signatures are
most commonly written during serious illness or on a deathbed.
 IMITATED SIGNATURES- Synonymous with freehand
forgery.

 MODEL SIGNATURE- A genuine signature that has been used

to prepare an imitated or traced forgery.

 THEORY OF COMPARISON- The act of setting two or more

signature in an inverted position to weight their identifying
significance.
THE EXAMINATION OF SIGNATURES IS CONSIDERED A
SPECIAL BRANCH OF HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION,FOR
THE FOLLOWING REASONS:
1. A signature is a word most practiced by many people and therefore
most fluently written.
2. A signature is a means to identify a person and have a great personal
significance.
3. A signature is written with little attention to spelling and some other
details.
4. A signature is a word written without conscious thought about the
mechanics of its production and is written automatically.
5. A signature is the only word the illiterate can write with confidence.
 Types of Signatures
 Formal (Conventional or Copybook form)- complete
correct signature for an important document such as will.
 Informal (Cursory)- usually for routine documents and
personal correspondence.
1. Personalized 2. Semi-personalized
  Careless Scribble- for the mall carrier, delivery boy or the
autograph collector.

• FORGERY- A legal term which involves not only a non-

genuine document but also and intended to defraud. However, it
is also used synonymously with fraudulent signature of spurious
document.
 CLASSES OF FORGED SIGNATURES
 SIMULATED OR FREEHAND IMITATION FORGERY-
Executed purely by simulation rather than by tracing the outline of
a genuine signature. It can be referred as freehand imitation or
simulated forgery.
1. SIMULATED WITH THE MODEL BEFORE THE FORGER
a.) DIRECT TECHNIQUE- Forger works directly with ink
b.) INDIRECT- Forger works first with pencil and afterwards covers
the pencil strokes with ink.

2. SIMULATED FREE HAND FORGERY(TECHNIQUE)- Used by

forgers who have a certain skill in writing?
 TRACED FORGERY(TRACED SIGNATURE)
1. CARBON PROCESS
2. INDENTATION PROCESS
3. TRANSMITTED LIGHT PROCESS

 SPURIOUS SIGNATURE(SIMPLE FORGERY)- Forger does not

try to copy a model but writes something resembling what we
originally call a signature.

 FORGERY BY MEANS OF A STAMPED FACSIMILIE OF A

GENUINE OR MODEL
 FORGERY BY COMPUTER SCANNING
 SUGGESTED STEPS IN THE EXAMINATION OF
SIGNATURE
Step1-Place the questioned and the standard signature in the juxta-position or
side-by-side for simultaneous viewing of the various elements and characteristics

Step 2- The first elements 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 in the manner
of execution.

Step 3- Second element to examine is the quality of line, the presence or tremors,
smooth, fluent or hesitation. Detect 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.

Step 5- Design and structure of the letter- 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, ration, size, lateral spacing.

Step 8- Do not rely so much in the similarity or difference of the capital letter, for these
 CHARACTERISTIC PRINCIPLES THAT SUPPLY
MOST CASES:

1. PEN PRESSURE
2. MOVEMENT
3. PROPORTION
4. UNUSUALDISTORTION OF THE FORM OF LETTERS
5. INCONSPICUOUS CHARACTERISTIC
6. REPEATED CHARACTERISTICS
7. CHARACTERITISC WRITTEN WITH SPEED
 INDICATION OF GENUINESS

1. CARELESSNESS
2. SPONTANEITY
3. ALTERATION OF THICK AND THIN STROKES
4. SPEED
5. SIMPLIFICATION
6. UPRIGHT LETTERS ARE INTERSPECTED WITH SLANTING
LETTERS
7. THE UPWARD STROKES TO A THREADLIKE TRACING
8. RHYTM
9. GOOD LINE QUALITY
10. VARIATION
 INDICATION OF SIMULATED (DIRECT AND
INDIRECT TECHNIQUES) and TRACED FORGERIES

 Tremulous and broken connecting strokes between letters,

indicating points at which the.
 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 mark just over the stem of letters
 Absence of spontaneity-lack of smoothness of letters
 Restrained writing-there is lack of freedom or “inhabited”
movements that gives the impression that every stroke is made
with great difficulty. This writing is small
 No variation

INDICATION OF SIMPLE OR SPURIOUS FORGERY

• Writing habits of the writer(forger) is evident in the forged

signature
 INDICATION OF FORGERY BY MEANS OF
STAMPED FACSIMILE OF A GENUINE
SIGNATURE
• Flat strokes.

• No contrast between upstrokes and down strokes.

• Deposit of ink at the junction of two strokes or where two strokes

cross each other.

• No variation - All signature will superimpose over each other.

 PROCEDURE IN THE COMMON
SIGNATURE PROBLEMS
A.) Genuine Signature which the writer refuses to admit not
genuine. Generally presence of tremors, remnants of carbon,
retouching(patching) indicates forgery. Produced, The
probability of genuineness.
B.) Genuine Signature Deliberately Modified. Examination of
this kind of signature is confidently discover that the
modification is only on the prominent features of the letter
design that re pointed out by the disclaimer, while the rest
appear to be normal. These are unnatural tremors and
retouching. The minute details in genuine signature are present.