Forgery Finder, llc
Certified Document Examiner + Handwriting Expert
Altered Documents
A document could be altered in any number of ways, both intentionally and unintentionally. Something could be erased, manually or chemically, crossed out or added to. Or a document could be burned in a fire or washed out in a flood. Someone so inclined could add a < to a number 1... making a 4.

First, a document that was intentionally altered. On the left is a picture of a Receipt as it appeared to the naked eye. It is dated 8/15/88 and is in the amount of $20,000.00. However, after photographing the Receipt using infrared photographic techniques, it is clear that the document was altered. The original "3/15/86" date was changed to "8/15/88" by overwriting the "3" and the "6." The amount was also changed. A "0" was added to the original $2,000.00, absorbing the comma, and a new "0" was added, changing the amount to $20,000.00.
Next is a Check that had a date inadvertently covered by a teller's stamp. It was impossible to determine whether the date was the 28th or the 29th. Fortunately, the date was stamped in black ink and the stamp covering it was purple. By photographing the Check through a purple filter, the purple stamp was absorbed in the photograph. The image on the left is a picture (albeit a poor one) of the check as it appeared to the naked eye. On the right is a picture taken through the purple filter. It is clear, the date is Nov. 29, 1973.
