Forgery

[removalman]

Hello,

I really wan't sure where I should make this post so if it needs to be bounced somewhere then so be it....

Anyway, my signature has been forged onto a document electronically.

I've not suffered any financial loss as a result of this and nor am I likely to but call me old-fashioned if you want to, but surely this can't be right? There's a principle involved here and its gnawing away at me and I'm not sure what I should do.

Am I just being too indignant? Am I just a grumpy old man with too much time on his hands? Anyway as as say. I've suffered no financial loss but that still doesn't make it right does it?

[Guest]

Re: Forgery

If the forger intended to cause you a loss, then its still an offence.

See Section 7 of the Fraud Act 2006: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/35/section/7

[labman]

Re: Forgery

It doesn't make it right, but it might alter your choice of options. Onto what document has your signature been lifted?

[removalman]

Re: Forgery

The document concerned was the return of a hire vehicle supplied by an organisation called Drive Assist.

The collection driver couldn't get his pda machine working when he came to collect the car, but as if by magic within an hour or so of the car being collected I received a pdf collection receipt by email for the car with my signature on it, clearly lifted from the original car delivery receipt (presumably).

The implication being that in theory they could cause me financial loss, or indeed any client of theirs but inventing all sorts of fictitious damage statements about a returned car and then charging the poor user who hadn't actually signed anything.

Not nice....

[labman]

Re: Forgery

Is the lifted signature obviously much clearer than you can ever produce on those horrible mahcines?

[removalman]

Re: Forgery

No, its my same horrible signature that was scrawled into the PDA when the car was delivered.

[labman]

Re: Forgery

If it is basically unproveable in court, there is honestly little you can do about it. However, it is definitely worth a complaint to the highest person you can get it to in the company explaining what has happened.

I don't know if anyone on the site knows how long information is stored on those machines, or whether it's possible to retrieve past information from them.

The main lesson to take from this is the fact that places can and do lift signatures. If you're sending off a letter for something like a copy of a credit agreement, you should always make sure your signature is significantly different to your normal signature in case they lift it.

[enquirer]

Re: Forgery

The creation of a fraudulent instrument is an offence if the creator of it intended that you or another accept it as genuine and as a result do, or not do, something to your or another persons disadvantage. Electronic devices are included.

Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981.