What’s the First Thing I Should Do if I Think a Document Has Been Altered or Forged?
What’s the first thing you should do if you think you have a document that is forged or altered? You call a forensic expert. Let me explain that. If you’re in a situation where someone is suing you for a contract that you didn’t sign. If you’ve got a car loan and you say, “Hey, I didn’t sign this,” and the bank says, “No, you did sign that,” then you have a legal problem. You need to call a forensic handwriting expert. You can call your attorney, and they’re going to tell you to call somebody who is a court-qualified forensic handwriting expert to analyze the document.
This would also be the case with an altered document. Let’s say your uncle passed away and there’s a five-page will, with his signature on the last page, but pages three and four are on different sheets of paper. They’re in different fonts. It looks funny. So, yes, the last page is original, but the middle pages have been altered. All the money goes to his dog instead of you.
Altered documents can be whited out. Pages could be a different type of paper. Someone could literally have used whiteout to alter the document. That’s pretty crazy, right? It could be photoshopped. It could be cut and pasted. Lots of cases are now cut and pasted in Photoshop and Microsoft Word, and people pass them off as genuine, signed contracts. Contractors, deeds, car titles, prenuptial agreements, wills and testaments, you name it.
If there’s a document and there’s money on the line, some unscrupulous person will slip something in and say, “Look, you signed this.”
I see this all the time with landlords. Some renters seem to think landlords are the enemy.
“You can’t evict me!” is what the renter will say.
“What are you talking about?” the landlord asks. “It says you have 25 years at $400 a month. Why would I sign that? ”
“It’s got your signature.”
“Well, it does have my signature.”
The first thing you should do if you think you’re a victim of forgery or if a document has been altered is find a court-qualified forensic document examiner in your area. You’re welcome to call one of my offices. We have an entire directory called handwritingexperts.com with people I’ve worked with. Their only job is to analyze the documents and tell you the truth.
Has this been altered? Has it been forged? The truth comes in the form of a written forensic report. And that report can also be turned into a declaration. And that can also be turned into a live testimony, in person or even on Zoom. That is how you solve the problem. Get yourself out of trouble. And if you’re lucky, the judge will make the other person pay for all the fees that you pay your legal team and your expert witnesses.
So, what’s the first thing you should do? You should hire a professional.
My name is Bart Baggett. I can help you further with a forensic doc examination or legal case. I create content about the legal process, psychology, neuropsychology, and, of course, forensic handwriting analysis.
Bart Baggett
The Nation’s Leading Forensic Handwriting Expert
CEO of Handwriting Experts Inc.
Forensic Document Examiner • Expert Witness • Legal Consultant
“We solve million-dollar forgery cases.”
Telephone: 1-800-980-9030
YouTube: @thehandwritingexpert
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FAQ
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Q1: What should I do first if I think a document was forged or altered?
A1: Contact a court-qualified forensic document examiner to analyze the document and provide a written forensic report.
Q2: What kinds of documents can be altered or forged?
A2: The article mentions contracts, deeds, car titles, prenuptial agreements, and wills and testaments, among others.
Q3: How is the “truth” presented in a forgery or alteration case?
A3: The article explains it comes in the form of a written forensic report, which can also support a declaration and testimony (including on Zoom).
Q4: Where can I find a forensic document examiner?
A4: The article recommends finding one in your area and notes a directory at https://handwritingexperts.com with examiners the author has worked with.
