Security & Risk Management Seminar

Forgery & Altered Document Techniques

Presentation Abstract

Forgery is one of the most feared (and underrated) financial crimes -- and it's a crime that nearly every kind of offender commits. Most financial institutions don't train their employees to spot the distinct kinds of forgeries and document alterations -- crimes that are often coupled with identity theft and embezzlement. There are actually several methods for forging and altering documents -- and each method has its own mechanical characteristics and leaves tell-tale clues. Most institutions also don't train their employees how to prevent forgeries and related crimes. Most institutions don't conduct an appropriate risk assessment exercise to determine any vulnerability to forgeries and document alterations.

The primary purpose for learning about fraudulent documents is to obtain the information necessary that allows and encourages staff and supervisory personnel to make intelligent and informed decisions about accepting a negotiable item. Both front line staff and their supervisors should receive extensive training regarding the detection of fraudulent documents -- because between 80% - 90% of these documents are presented to tellers and customer service representatives by offenders. Line staff then presents many of these documents to their supervisors for approval and -- if both staff and supervisors are untrained -- the offender just might be able to escape detection.

This presentation provides a logical and strategic model that's designed to help any institution employee understand the true scope of the processes used to forge, alter and counterfeit many kinds of documents. By understanding the cause and effect relationships between the forger's strategy and the observable result, the Security Officer may use this model to design and implement a standardized, institution-wide document examination and comparison process.

Presentation Topics

l        Introduction

l        Forgery

l        Documents Most Commonly Forged & Altered

l        Forgery Methods

l        Signature Verification Process

l        Forgery & Alteration Clues

l        Altered Documents

l        Document Alteration Tools

l        Document Alteration Techniques

l        Forgery Suspects

l        Common Forgery Schemes

l        Summary

Presentation Objectives

This presentation is designed to help you:

l        Conduct an initial and continuing forgery and document alteration risk assessment

l        Identify policies and procedures -- and controls -- that should be retained, modified or eliminated

l        Determine if your forgery and document alteration training program is appropriate and effective

l        Make recommendations that will likely enhance the institution's ability to prevent these crimes -- or to assist in the identification, apprehension and prosecution of offenders

Presentation Audience

l        Security Officers

l        Auditors

l        Training Managers

l        Retail Operations Managers

l        Staff personnel

Presentation Tools

l        Workbook text

Last updated on January 7, 2008