Identity Theft Awareness Week takes place starting January 30, 2023 - February 3, 2023. Here are some simple steps to reduce identity theft.

MELVILLE, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES, January 17, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Identity Theft Awareness Week takes place starting January 30, 2023 - February 3, 2023. Most people think that identity theft happens when someone steals a Social Security number or a credit card number. This kind of identity theft happens every few seconds, and over one-third of Americans have faced some identity theft attempt. However, these numbers do not include forgery attempts on wills, trusts, deeds, and other legal and financial documents. In essence, the number of victims of identity theft is much higher. During Identity Theft Awareness Week, here are some simple steps to reduce identity theft just by using a smartphone.

Brett Goldstein, a Melville, New York-based Forensic Document Examiner and President of Handwriting Expert New York Inc., says, “Most forgeries are done by family, members, acquaintances, or friends. Signatures on checks, contracts, wills or even a holiday card provide relatives, friends, and co-workers with access to a signature. Business owners with a retirement plan might be shocked to learn that their signature is available in a public database for anyone with internet access to copy.”

Mr. Goldstein has these 3 Tips for people who want to reduce this kind of identity theft:

-Take A Picture of Everything Signed. No two signatures are identical, so taking pictures of everything helps a handwriting expert prove something is not authentic.

-Keeping a signature and/or handwriting diary also can help prevent Identity Theft. With the popularity of electronically signed documents, people are finding it hard to find paper copies of signatures. If someone commits forgery, a handwriting expert will need samples for comparison. Keeping a monthly signature and an initials diary may be the difference between proving something is forged or not.

-People who have access to signatures may not have access to initials, thus making it harder to forge a multi-page contract. Eliminate the ability to “swap and insert” a new page with a different page by initialing every page.

Forgery attempts on wills, trusts, deeds, and other legal and financial documents are the top reasons why a handwriting expert end up on the witness stand. According to Goldstein, “Most people think of identity theft and look to protect their social security number and credit card or bank information. Very few people look to protect their signature. Following these tips will help reduce forgery attempts.”

Brett Goldstein
Handwriting Expert New York, Inc.
+1 212-537-9114
email us here