Are signatures supposed to be readable?

The signature is the most common way to indicate that you have read and agreed to a contract, even if one’s signature is so unique and stylized as to be virtually illegible. Whichever form it takes, the key importance of the signature is proof that an offer has been considered and accepted.

Is an illegible signature legal?

Yes. Thus, a signature may be a “mark,” a “symbol” or an illegible scrawl. The most important thing is the individual intends to be bound by what they are signing.

How bad is it to forge a signature?

Common Penalties for Forgery Offenses Forgery is considered a felony in all fifty states and is punishable by a range of penalties including jail or prison time, significant fines, probation, and restitution (compensating the victim for money or goods stolen as a result of the forgery).

What does an unreadable signature mean?

Secretive or straightforward If a person’s day-to-day writing and signature are both unreadable, this could indicate a person who prides himself on being mysterious and difficult to get to know or understand.

Why do some signatures look like scribbles?

It is a graphic way of telling others who you wish to present yourself as, not who you truly may be. Scrawled signatures (such as found on many travelers checks, etc) are usually because too many had to be signed and the writer grew tired and bored. FYI, a clear signature is harder to counterfeit than a scrawl.

Can your signature be a scribble?

In some people an indecipherable signature can be an indicator of high intelligence. But in many cases a scrawled signature may not be so mystifying. “It can simply point to a busy person who is signing off documents all day and their signature may become a scribble because of time constraints”.

Does an email count as a signature?

If a person put their name on an email to indicate that it comes with his/her authority and takes responsibility for its contents, it will be deemed to be a signature for the purpose of an agreement. This also applies when only the first name, initials or perhaps even when just a nickname is used.

What happens if you get caught forging a signature?

Penalties for Forgery in California The maximum state penalty for felony forgery is 16 months in state prison or 2-3 years in a county jail. They also may be required to pay restitution and up to $10,000 in fine. A misdemeanor forgery conviction typically faces a year in county jail plus smaller financial penalties.

Can someone fake my signature?

The act of forging a signature is a crime, but as with all types of fraud, forgery cannot be committed by accident. To commit a forgery, the forger must intend to deceive another person with the fake signature. If you gave the signer permission to sign your name, then they did not commit forgery.

Are signatures important in a handwriting analysis?

However, signatures cannot be written off as unimportant because though they may not be adequate for the purpose of a complete handwriting analysis, they are a part and parcel of the writers’ lives. Every time you do a signature, you make a statement to yourself and to the rest of the world, saying, “See,…

Can a signature mislead you?

Hence, it’s possible that signatures can mislead me. They can project a face that may not be true at all. However, signatures cannot be written off as unimportant because though they may not be adequate for the purpose of a complete handwriting analysis, they are a part and parcel of the writers’ lives.

Do laws exist for hand-written signatures?

Such laws exist for hand-written signatures; actually, they have existed for thousands of years. Digital signatures will begin to compete with hand-written signatures only when legal systems will be up to it.

Can signature analysis be wrong?

If the signature analysis is done in isolation, there are chances of me going wrong about the personality of the writer. It’s because handwriting shows how the person is, whereas the signature analysis reveals how he wants the world to see him. Hence, it’s possible that signatures can mislead me.