If someone stubbornly insists that you sign a document in blank ink, be very careful.

I had an attorney demonstrate to me the danger of this, and why you should ALWAYS sign in a NON-BLACK color.  Black ink is the easiest to tamper with.  A dishonest person might insist that you sign not only in black ink, but their own special big thick black marker.  This makes it easy for them to take what you have signed, copy it with the top different from what you signed, but with your signature at the bottom so black and thick that you cannot tell the difference between the original and the copy.

I sign all legal documents in something other than black.  And when I've had to sign something with someone I didn't trust, I've occasionally written "signed in red ink" underneath my name, but running through my signature so that it would be difficult if not impossible to get rid of the "signed in red ink" without having obviously tampered with my signature as well.

The excuse is often "blue ink does not copy ".  Since when?  1942?  There's not a copy machine at your neighborhood Kino's that won't reproduce every color, no matter how light, into a readable reproduction.  Problem is, that with blue, red, etc., you can tell its a copy, and not the original.  If they do this, try signing in a reasonable dark blue and tell them blue comes out just fine.

What if you NEED to sign in black ink?  Suppose its a job application, and you have no choice other than to miss an opportunity, and you're willing to risk the fact that it's just a red tape thing?

First, get your own copy.  Don't let the other party have the only black ink copy.  Mail it to yourself, but don't open the letter.  A sealed document postmarked by the Post Office is evidence that the document looked like that on that particular date.  Lock it away someplace so it doesn't get opened by accident.  But keep a photocopy for your own records too.  Its not likely that anyone who is legitimate will deny you this.

If possible, have them sign in a non-black ink that its a valid copy. (Mail this version to yourself, and keep a photocopy of it handy.)

Also, it can help to get a seal - something that puts a raised imprint on the paper, and write below your name "signed and sealed with my personal imprinted seal" so they can't erase those words without erasing parts of your signature.  Interweave those words with your signature and then put your seal on there.  Color in part of the seal so that it shows through when it is copied, and make certain this is imprinted OVER your signed name as well.

Signing in more than one language/alphabet (English + Hebrew or Greek , etc) can be another way of protecting yourself against a good imitator of handwriting.  If he doesn't know what a BET is suppose to look like, he will have a lot more trouble forging your handwriting style.  But nothing protexts you against photocopying.

You may not always be able to take all these precautions.  I wouldn't recommend doing all of them in all circumstances.  You take it according  to the level you trust or distrust someone.  But I learned this stuff once when I was forced into signing some legal documents with a party that I had caught trying to forge documents in the past with.  There are people out there that will do this stuff.

Shalom, Joe
 
 

----- Original Message -----
From: Paul Wilson

bureaucracy gotta hate it

paul

---

Sent: Monday, August 09, 2004 7:39 PM
Subject: story mirror newspaper Britian
 

Is this stupid or what?????????????????
 

INKING FEELING Aug 9 2004

Job form rejected over BLUE signature
By Rebecca Smith
 
A STUDENT was told she could not work in a care home because she had signed the application form in BLUE ink.
The National Criminal Records Office said Jennifer Walker, 17, must fill out the security document again... this time in black.
That means at least another five-week wait before she can take up her job at the nursing home in Chalfont St Peter, Bucks.
The home's director Mary Dannfald, who helped her with the form, said: "Criminal checks have to be done, of course, but this is simply bureaucratic nonsense.
"It is so frustrating as we are crying out for staff."
The rest of the four-page form was filled out in black but Jennifer used a blue pen to sign it after Mrs Dannfald had checked it over.
It took five weeks for the rejected application to be returned... the mistake highlighted with a yellow marker pen.
Jennifer said: "Neither of us noticed the wording to complete the form all in black. I can't believe I have to do it all over again."