Alterations - Forgeryfinder, handwriting, handwriting identification, altered documents, infrared photography, infrared photograph techniques, handwriting analysis, check, cheque

A Document can be altered in many ways, both intentionally and unintentionally. Something can be erased or crossed out. Or a person so inclined could add a < shape to a number "1" and make it a "4", thus changing the amount of a receipt or the date of a promissory note. Or it could be something as innocent as a teller's stamp accidentally placed over a date.

In this first example, that is exactly what happened. There was a stamp with purple ink placed directly over a stamp with black ink obliterating a date that read either "Nov. 28, 1973" or "Nov. 29, 1973".

$40,000 was riding whether that was the 28th or the 29th.

The color photograph shows the check as it appeared to the naked eye. The black and white photograph shows the check photographed through a purple filter, which removed (or absorbed) everything purple. It is now clear that the date was Nov. 29, 1973. (red arrow)

	This second example involved a receipt and something a bit more surreptitious. The first photograph shows the receipt as it appeared to the naked eye with the date reading "8/15/88" and the amount reading "20,000.00" dollars.

	After photographing the receipt using infrared photograph techniques, the true nature of the document had surfaced. Although infrared photography gives a somewhat grainy image, it is clear that the date was once "3/15/86" and the amount "2,000.00". The "3" had been changed to an "8", the "6" had been changed to an "8" and the amount had been changed from "2,000.00" to "20,000.00" dollars (!) with the addition of a "0".

For information email: forgeryfinder@hotmail.com