what is a wet signature?
Handwritten signatures or wet signatures are one of the important foundations of the modern rule-based society. We use it to authenticate cheque, contracts and all other legal documents.
But, have you ever wondered why it is that we are asked to sign a document rather than simply putting our fingerprints to the paper as a method of identification.
Wouldn’t it be easy to do so? Well, to answer that question, placing a signature on a document shows that we consciously on our part agree with circumstances provided by that cheque, agreement, contract, etc.
If fingerprints were to be the norm, anyone could very conveniently place the fingerprint of someone deceased upon a document and make it legally binding.
Having said that, the next question that arises is the security of handwritten signatures.
Are Handwritten Signatures Secure?
Do they offer a foolproof system through which no forgery can be committed? Unfortunately, the answer is negative.
Though being in vogue for time immemorial, handwritten signatures are very easy to forge. All it requires are a skilled hand and a wicked mind.
The nature of paper documents makes the task of forgery very easy. Since any contract or document has to be signed by a number of individuals, it is exchanged between places and hands.
And this provides an ideal situation for forgery.
In India, signature forgery is considered a serious offense. A forgery can be charged under Section 464 of the Indian Penal code.
How To Identify a Signature Forgery?
Signature forgery, though common, can also be identified. Here are a few tips to recognize a forgery as it happens:
- Blunt during starts and stops: The forger places the pen point in contact with the paper, and then starts writing. As soon as he is done with the name, the forger stops writing and lifts the pen from the surface. This usually causes a blunt start or ending where the pen was placed in contact with the surface.
- Hesitations during pen lift: This occurs when the pen stops at an unusual point in the writing. It usually occurs because the forger stops writing wherever there is an unusual change in direction or a new formation is to be started. This may cause a small gap in the writing and also may sometimes cause overlapping of ink lines where in case of no forgery one continuous line is expected.
- Speed and pressure: Whenever a forger signs a document, his pen moves slowly. This is quite in contrast to the smooth movement associated with genuine writing. Because of the slow movement of pen, the thickness of ink lines varies in case of a forgery, whereas in the case of normal writing, there is a constant ink line owing to the constant pressure being exerted.
Why Should You Move Away From Wet Signatures?
The most important reason for moving away from wet signatures is that all the forgery indicators mentioned above can also be found in genuine signatures, mainly in the case of aged people.
Signatures of aged people usually contain tremors and hesitation, and can easily be confused with a forged signature.
So, it is important to consider the mental state and age of the person signing the document for finding the indications of a forgery.
If the person is old and his or her signature is fluid, then it should immediately raise an alarm bell.
Also, if the signature is broken and full of tremor for a person with high skills, then again the authenticity should be checked.
But in spite of these exceptions, many times, just because of the high skills of the forger, it becomes almost impossible to detect a forgery in a forged signature.
Benefits Of Using SignDesk.com
Thus, we can say that, though not common, handwritten signatures can be forged.
Also, it must be pointed out that, even after a forgery is detected, the legal recourse for the aggrieved party can be very long and tiresome.
Taking all these points into account, SignDesk.com has come up with a simple platform for electronically signing all your legal documents.
Powered by the Aadhaar initiative, SignDesk.com provides a one-stop solution to upload your documents, digitally sign it and invite other people to get the document eSigned.
With separate pricing class for enterprises, small businesses and individuals, signdesk.com provides digital signing solution for every Aadhaar-holder.
Its simple and easy-to-use interface makes the signing process a click of a button task.
So, come and join this digital revolution that removes the uncertainties of wet signature and with the help of technology, gives you a secure and robust way of digitally signing any document.
Besides this, there are many other benefits of eSign.