Excuse our mess Website under construction

Why Document Security?

 

 

With today's technology, negotiable documents can be easily duplicated and altered. This is happening at an alarming rate, and every business is vulnerable. Document tampering occurs frequently, however, inexpensive color copiers, scanners, and PC's have made duplication easy and readily available. According to the Uniform Commercial Code, a law that governs commercial transactions, a company can now be held liable for check fraud if they do not show reasonable care in trying to prevent it.

 

 

What Type of Security is Available?

 

 

First of all, no document is 100% safe. Again, with all the tools available to a counterfeiter, duplication is not difficult. Alteration is often not detected. To try and combat this, negotiable documents must contain as much protection as possible. There are many overt and Covert Features that can be applied to a document. Overt Features are readily detectable under normal conditions and do not need special detection instrumentation. Covert Features are not readily detectable under normal environmental conditions and may require special detection systems. A combination of both are recommended to help prevent duplication/alteration, to deter the counterfeiter with visual inspection, and to show the reasonable care a company needs to prevent liability. The following security features and their details are available at little or no upcharge.

 

 

1.) CHECKSECUR™SECURITY PAPER

 

a.) A True Paper Machine Watermark (An Overt Feature)

When held to the light, a watermark is visible. It cannot be copied or counterfeited. True watermarks are a standard item used on all checks without upcharge.

b.) Visible Fibers (An Overt Feature)

Visible fibers (yellow and blue) are distributed throughout the paper providing authenticity readily made by appearance. Certain visible fibers can fluoresce under UV black light. Visible fibers must be requested and a small upcharge applies.

c.) Invisible Fluorescent Fibers (A Covert Feature)

Invisible fibers which fluoresce under UV black light provide for document authentication that cannot be duplicated by electronic publishing techniques. Invisible fibers can be of various colors under black light. Invisible fibers are a standard item used on all checks without upcharge.

d.) Chemical Reactive (An Overt Feature)

A color signal occurs when certain classes of chemicals are used to attempt document alteration through ink or laser toner removal. When attempts are make to alter a document with bleach, polar and non-polar solvents, the paper reacts to a readily visible color change. Chemical reactivity is a standard item used on all checks without upcharge.

e.) Optically Dull/Dead Paper (A Covert Feature)

Security paper needs to be optically dull or dead (have little or no fluorescence) to allow the needed contrast to print with invisible inks and to allow invisible fibers to activate under black light. This will verify document authenticity. Optically dull paper is a standard item used on all checks without upcharge. Optically dead paper must be requested and a small upcharge applies.

f.) Security Level Toner Anchorage (A Covert Feature)

A saturation treatment is applied to both sides of the paper for true document security. With this treatment (for use on a laser printer), little to no toner can be removed on tape pulls, little toner is removed on paper creasing, and no toner is removed without paper damage on scraping off the toner. Toner anchorage is standard item on all checks.

 

2.) DEFENSA™SECURITY PAPER

 

a.) A True Paper Machine Watermark(An Overt Feature)

These are designs pressed in the paper when it is manufactured. When held to the light, a chain link watermark is visible. It cannot be copied or counterfeited. True watermarks are a standard item used on all checks without upcharge.

b.) Visible Fibers (An Overt Feature)

Visible fibers (red and green) are distributed throughout the paper providing authenticity readily made by appearance. Certain visible fibers can fluoresce under UV black light. Visible fibers must be requested and a small upcharge applies.

c.) Invisible Fluorescent Fibers(A Covert Feature)

Invisible fibers which fluoresce under UV black light provide for document authentication that cannot be duplicated by electronic publishing techniques. Invisible fibers can be of various colors under black light. Invisible fibers are a standard item used on all checks without upcharge.

d.) Chemical Reactive (An Overt Feature)

A color signal occurs when certain classes of chemicals are used to attempt document alteration through ink or laser toner removal. When attempts are make to alter a document with bleach, polar and non-polar solvents, the paper reacts to a readily visible color change. Chemical reactivity is a standard item used on all checks without upcharge.

e.) Optically Dull/Dead Paper(A Covert Feature)

Security paper needs to be optically dull or dead (have little or no fluorescence) to allow the needed contrast to print with invisible inks and to allow invisible fibers to activate under black light. This will verify document authenticity. Optically dull paper is a standard item used on all checks without upcharge. Optically dead paper must be requested and a small upcharge applies.

f.) Nine Language Orange Void(An Overt Feature)

When bleach or chlorine based ink eradicator class chemicals are applied to attempt document alteration, the word "void" appears in nine languages (English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Russian, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic). They will appear in an orange color. Nine language orange void is a standard item on Defensa™ Design SG without upcharge. It is not available on Defensa™ Premium SG (Premium SG has visible fibers rather than the nine language orange void).

g.) Printloc™Security Level Toner Anchorage(A Covert Feature)

A saturation treatment is applied to both sides of the paper for true document security. With this treatment (for use on a laser printer), little to no toner can be removed on tape pulls, little toner is removed on paper creasing, and no toner is removed without paper damage on scraping off the toner. Printloc™ must be requested and a small upcharge applies.

 

3.) VOID PANTOGRAPHS AND OTHER HIDDEN PATTERNS (A Covert Feature) The word "void" is hidden within a screened pantograph on a check, or in another screened area on a negotiable document. The word "void" is made up of varying dot or line sizes, different from the balance of the pantograph or screened area. This will allow "void" to show when photocopied, although the results vary from copier to copier. The void must be requested and a small upcharge applies.

 

 

4.) ARTIFICIAL WATERMARKS (An Overt Feature) Custom watermarks (logo's, company name's) printed in opaque white ink, usually on the reverse side. They are visible when held at a 45 degree angle in room light. This will verify document authenticity. Artificial watermarks must be requested and a small upcharge applies.

 

 

5.) PRISMATIC PRINTING (An Overt Feature) A blend of colors across a document where no two documents have the same exact blend, making it very difficult to counterfeit. Prismatic printing must be requested and a small upcharge applies.

 

 

6.) MICRO PRINTING (A Covert Feature) Printing made up of very small letters that cannot be read to the non-aided eye, but is legible under a magnifying glass. When attempts are made to copy or scan, it becomes solid. The preferred location of this micro printed text is the signature line. When the signature line is made up of micro printing, the "MP" icon can be added on the right end to identify this security feature is present. Micro printing is utilized to provide document authenticity. Micro printing must be requested if it does not already exist on the sample provided. There is no upcharge.

 

 

7.) BORDER COPY WARNINGS (An Overt Feature) Warning statements within the border of a check that relate to the security features that are contained on it. They are used as a deterrent to possible duplication or alteration, and to alert the teller/cashier of the security feature(s) present. Border copy warnings must be requested if they do not already exist on the sample provided. There is no upcharge.

 

 

8.) PADLOCK ICON (An Overt Feature) A small padlock symbol is printed on the front and/or back to indicate that at least two other overt security features have been incorporated on the check. This allows for verification of authenticity. It is often printed next to the border copy warnings on the front, and within the warning box printed on the back. The padlock icon must be requested if it does not already exist on the sample provided. There is no upcharge.

 

 

9.) ORIGINAL DOCUMENT BACKER (An Overt Feature) The printing of a security screen on the back of the check that states "Original Document" in reversed text. The security screen is printed very light, to not be easily duplicated by either a color copier or scanning technology. Many times the original document backer contains a warning box at the bottom that states some of the security features on the check, along with the presence of the padlock icon. The original document backer must be requested if it does not already exist on the sample provided. There could or could not be a small upcharge, depending on the warning box verbiage and specifications/size of the check.

 

 

10.) MICR AND ARABIC BLEED THROUGH (An Overt Feature) Micr line and arabic number bleeds red to the back side of the document. This creates a reverse image on the back side that is in exact registration with the image on the face. It prevents cut/paste alteration and complicates photocopying. Micr and arabic bleed through are standard items used on all continuous checks without upcharge. They must be requested onall laser checks and a small upcharge applies. As we see, there are many choices of paper based security features and printed on security features available to reduce risk from check fraud.

 

 

What Other Security Measures Can Be Taken?

 

 

1.) Positive pay is a cash management service that allows a company to send an electronic file to its bank, listing checks issued. The bank matches the checks (as they are cleared through the item processing area) to the file. The bank tells the company the number and amount of each check as it appears. The service is designed to catch checks the company didn't issue, but have been drawn from its account. Positive pay also can alert businesses to incorrect amounts for checks that have been altered. If fraud is found, the bank will return the check unpaid, and the counterfeiter can be caught.

 

 

2.) Printing of the account number on the document beneath the fractional routing symbol. This feature is intended to identify the client's account number in the event of a returned non-sufficient fund document, where the micr line has been altered, to prevent reintroduction of this document into the processing stream. It also serves to highlight possible differences between the micr account number and verification account number, which could indicate fraudulent alteration of the micr line for criminal purposes.

 

 

3.) Do not have your social security or driver's license number imprinted on the checks. Combined with other information on the check, this could give a thief enough information to apply for a loan, credit card, or phony bank account in your name.

 

 

4.) If positive pay has not been set up, at least reconcile your account statements each month and immediately notify your financial institution of any suspicious or unauthorized checks or withdrawals.

 

 

5.) Do not leave blank spaces on the payee and amount lines. Write details as close together as possible, avoid abbreviations, and draw lines to fill in any gaps. Otherwise, it's easy to alter your check. A check payable to IBM, for example, could be changed to read I. B. Moony.

 

 

6.) Use dark ink, never light colors or pencil that can be easily covered or erased.

 

 

7.) Do not make a check payable to "cash". If it is lost or stolen, it can be cashed by anyone.

 

 

8.) Never endorse a check until you are ready to cash or deposit it. Preferably, deposited checks should be endorsed "for deposit only" and your account number should be included. That way if the check is lost or stolen it can not be cashed