How Secure Are Your Clients' Documents?

BY KATHERINE HOUSE

FORM February 1993

In 10 months, holiday shoppers at one national retailer may be surprised when they purchase a gift certificate. To increase security, the store is converting its paper gift certificates to thick gauge embossed plastic cards with a magnetic stripe encoded with the amount of the gift and a certificate number. The store's point-of-sale computer terminals will determine if the certificate has been cashed and if the number is valid. The card, which is still being designed, likely will contain a hologram and will resemble the store's credit cards.

The mag stripe and hologram will make it very difficult for forgers to duplicate the cards or alter the amount. And the certificates will have added value for the store: recipients will be forced to spend the entire amount at the retailer because the certificate will be a debit card. With paper gift certificates, most retailers give cash back even when only small purchases are made. The plastic cards also will take up less room in a warehouse than larger paper certificates.

This retailer is one of a growing number of businesses trying to outsmart forgers and counterfeiters. With today's color copiers, desktop publishing systems and table-top laser printers with MICR toner, the average citizen can do what once required offset presses and a sizable investment. As technology becomes more sophisticated and prices for equipment drop, the stakes become greater. Forgery and counterfeiting, once reserved primarily for checks, currency and other negotiable documents, have invaded the offices of coupon manufacturers, retailers, government agencies, colleges and businesses of all sizes.

But there are ways to deter these criminals, especially amateurs. Forms professionals can provide forms, plastic cards, tickets, labels, even point of sale register rolls, with security features. Increasingly, distributors and manufacturers are doing just that to meet the demands of end users who insist on more secure documents. "I think the initial interest has come from end users," says Tom Wisinski, director of sales and marketing for Interform Corporation, a Bridgeville, Pa., manufacturer. "They have seen (forged or counterfeited) coupons and valuable documents returned to them. Once distributors get involved, the light bulb goes off, and they see a tremendous opportunity. They can name a dozen or more clients with the same needs."

Distributors who didn't consider security features 12 months ago are now well versed in the hows and whys of split fountain printing, microprinting and blind embossing. Manufacturers and paper mills providing security features and products report increased demand. George Phillips, chairman/CEO of Pro Forms Inc., a Paso Robles, Calif., manufacturer, says more than half his firm's new business in the last year is related to security documents.

End users who have not yet inquired about security features probably will soon. Standard Register is aggressively marketing a wide array of security features. Moore also offers several. In pursuit of accounts controlled by distributors, SR reps have copied documents effectively with color copiers and tried to convince buyers that only SR can supply much-needed security features. Standard Register recently released a new product called Copy Ban+, which relies on the void pantograph technology, but will work regardless of copier setting, according to the company. SR has no plans to license the product at this time or to reconsider this decision in the next two to three years, says Dave Fehrman, manager of secure documents. "For our corporation, this product will replace the old one (void pantograph)," says Fehrman. "It is definitely a better product and over a period of time will become a new benchmark." Being locked out of the market concerns some independents and means distributors and manufacturers will need to search for new features and sell them harder, say those knowledgeable about secure documents.

What to Do
Although SR has successfully created a need for secure documents, it also has increased awareness that distributors may capitalize on. There are numerous ways to deter forgers that can be categorized into three areas: use of special papers, special inks or printing features. Some features are obvious, while others are invisible and likely will go undetected by many criminals. Distributors should point out to end users that no document is foolproof. The more features, the harder it is for forgers, who then will seek out other, easier-to-duplicate documents.

In all cases, distributors must consider the application. Some features are more effective in preventing duplication on a color copier than with a desktop publishing system and vice versa. Some retailers aim to discourage photocopying of coupons. Others are more concerned about alterations in the amount of a gift certificate or refund check. Sometimes, verification of an original document is more important.

Education and training of document recipients are critical and may require distribution of detection equipment. It may be feasible for recipients to install black lights to detect invisible inks or fibers. For example, a large East Coast bank recently printed its logo in invisible fluorescent inks on cashiers' checks and has installed black lights at teller windows, says Bill Borklund, manager of form service operations for J. William Company, a division of John Harland Company. (Black lights are ultraviolet lights, although they differ from those used for curing inks and coatings.) Warning messages can be helpful in telling recipients about a document's characteristics. Phillips says it is critical to print a warning message over a high resolution background to make it very difficult for forgers to remove the message with DTP equipment.

Documents with security features cost more. Artificial watermarks, for example, require the use of another ink and plate, increasing setup and washup. Other features require additional composition time. Distributors are familiar with features such as embossing and foil stamping, which are readily available. But there are some new twists to old products as well as proprietary products. In addition to traditional foil stamping, some manufacturers offer diffractional holographic foil. Patterns in the foil reflect light differently. The foil is more effective than traditional foil stamping because copiers cannot duplicate the patterns. Also, custom patterns can be requested that would be unique to your customer, says Borklund. Foils are not recommended for use in laser printers, however. Traditional holograms like those found on credit cards usually are cost prohibitive for forms applications, say industry experts. Pro Forms has a patent pending process called Pro Ghost to help verify original documents. The word "safe" is printed on the front of a document with a custom designed font resulting in an effect similar to that achieved with artificial watermarks.

Nocopi Technologies, Wayne, Pa., licenses to printers a variety of papers and inks to prevent duplication and to authenticate documents. The newest product is Scratch and Reveal. Inks are invisible until they are scratched. The word "original" can be printed with the ink, thus allowing verification. Documents or sections of documents printed with ColorBloc(TM) are visible, but cannot be copied with a color copier. Additionally, sections of the document printed with this technology change colors when verified with a special highlighter.

With Copi Mark(TM), messages are printed with invisible inks that become visible with a special highlighter. ScanBloc(TM) inhibits scanning of illegally altered or copied bar codes, according to the company. Selective Nocopi(TM) allows specific areas of a document to be printed with a burgundy background, making it difficult or impossible to photocopy. The company also offers three different security papers with varying levels of security that make photocopying or faxing virtually impossible. Globe Ticket and Label, Warminster, Pa., and Midwest Business Forms, W. St. Paul, Minn., are licensed to print and sell Nocopi technologies.

The use of the traditional void pantograph is licensed and regulated by Standard Register. Although forms professionals say many end users still request the void feature, effectiveness varies by manufacturer and sophistication of the copier used. Fehrman admits that some copiers can fool the void, which is why SR developed Copy Ban+.

Split fountain printing, the process of printing several ink colors from a single tower, is an option that has been available for several years. As color copiers have become more sophisticated, it is less effective, however, says Jeff Ward, president of Continu-forms inc., Kulpsville, Pa., and NBFA manufacturer regional coordinator for Region 2. The technique may deter some forgers, at least those using DTP systems, and has a nice appearance, he says. Fehrman says Standard Register recommends a complex background pattern be printed with the split fountain technique and that a void pantograph be used to increase effectiveness. A similar effect can be achieved through composition and traditional color separations.

In addition to employing special printing techniques, distributors can design products with special papers and inks. Besides the traditional chemical reactive papers, papers are available with visible and invisible fibers, visible and invisible planchettes (small dots of tissue embedded in the paper) and security strips, according to Bob Bednar, vice president of Atlantic Paper Company in King of Prussia, Pa., a paper merchant offering many security grades. Polyester strips, similar to those found in U.S. currency, can be printed on, even with microprinting, he says, and are available in a variety of colors. His firm also sells papers that have iridescent planchettes that change color when the paper is viewed from different angles.

Sales Tips

• Make clients aware of the potential for forgery. Standard Register cites Department of Justice figures that show 400 percent more money is stolen with a pen than with a gun each year, making fraud a $4 billion industry comparable to the drug trade. Nocopi says $750 million is lost to the illegal copying and redemption of coupons each year and $700 million from alteration or duplication of cash register receipts.
  
• Learn about the technologies used in crimes. "Distributors need to get educated about the capabilities of color copiers and in turn relay the possibility of counterfeiting to the end user," says Wisinski. Photocopy existing documents to test copiers' abilities. Buy several inexpensive gift certificates from local retailers and look for features. Copy them on color copiers and scan them in on a desktop publishing system to see how easy duplication can be for criminals.
  
• Learn about different scams. Altering the amount of checks and other negotiable documents with solvents or bleaches is an old trick. With desktop publishing systems, forgers can scan an existing document and change the amount or name of the recipient quickly and easily. One department store discourages alteration of the amount field by having the dollar value of every gift certificate foil stamped. A Washington, D.C., supermarket chain uses several security features, including split fountain printing. Gift certificates of different denominations are printed in different colors, making it simple for a cashier to recognize if the amount has been altered.
  
• Look for prospects in your current accounts. Many of your clients probably use negotiable and non-negotiable documents that could be forged. The best prospect, of course, is someone who has been burned by forgers and counterfeiters.
  
• Go beyond the purchasing agent. Security documents are value-added products that cost more than traditional products. Try selling to security departments of retailers, controllers and chief financial officers, says Craig Letch, director of sales and marketing for Midwest Business Forms.
  
• Compare the additional cost to the cost of insurance, says Letch. Security features are a form of asset protection. Clients must understand that they pay a little more to prevent a loss, he says, just as people pay for insurance, then hope they never need it. Also remind clients that they not only lose money when their documents are forged or counterfeited, but they also waste a lot of time investigating the crime, says Ken Barber, market manager of security papers at Boise Cascade, Boise, Idaho.
  
• Sell some features on the basis of appearance as well as forgery deterrence. Many buyers, especially those in marketing departments or ad agencies, like the look of split fountain printing and foil stamping. Marketing departments are good prospects because they are most concerned about criminals damaging their companies' reputations.
  
• Compare security features to a burglar alarm. A house with a high-tech burglar alarm is less likely to be burglarized than a similar house on the same block without an alarm system. The same goes for security documents.
  
• Don't overlook the need for security throughout the printing operation. Alert employees to the potential for fraud. Add passwords to desktop publishing systems. Store samples in locked file cabinets, and dispose of printers' waste carefully. Consider using tamperproof carton tapes and shrink wrap pallets.

Katherine House is managing editor of FORM magazine.

Security Inks

There are several inks available to help deter forgery and counterfeiting. They may not be offered by all ink companies. Ask about minimum quantities and color availability.

Invisible fluorescent inks fluoresce under black lights. They cannot be photocopied or picked up by scanners. Erasable inks help detect alteration of documents because the inks come off when someone tries to erase a document. Heat sensitive inks change colors when the document temperature changes. They are most practical in controlled climate conditions, such as indoors for ID badges, says Lloyd Swisher, technical director, Ron Ink Company, Rochester, N.Y. Security guards and other document recipients would need a heating device to verify authenticity.

Scratch-off inks are used often in promotional printing but can be used to verify an original document. Other inks referred to as latent image inks or coin inks react when coins are rubbed across them revealing type such as "Void" or "Original Document." Sensitive Chemical Tint inks can be used to provide a less expensive alternative to chemical reactive papers, says Swisher. Pantographs printed with these inks disappear when ink eradicator is applied.

SECURITY PRINTING FEATURES

Note: Some forms manufacturers offer additional proprietary features. Also, the sophistication of scanners and color copiers is changing rapidly and could affect the potential for forgery despite the use of the features described here. A forger's experience and knowledge also affect success. Education of the document recipient is critical, and in many applications dictates the success of the forger. No method is foolproof. The most secure documents incorporate many of the features described.

Traditional Foil Stamping

• Used most often on checks, it can be a deterrent on other documents too.
• When scanned, metallic foil stamping will appear black. However, foil for table-top laser printers is readily available, and some forgers will be able to recreate simple designs. The more complex the design, the more difficult to recreate.
• When scanned and duplicated, an unalterable warning message can alert the recipient of the true color of the foil. A warning also can point out the existence of foil stamping should a forger remove it with scanning equipment. Traditional foil stamping is more effective when embossed and the recipient knows how to detect the absence of embossing.
• Foil can be copied using color copiers, although the color of the copy probably will not be true to the original. It also will not appear reflective. Color copiers cannot accurately reproduce embossing.
• Recipient must be aware that foil stamping and/or embossing were used and what the features should look like.
• Foil stamping is not recommended for documents processed by laser printers. Check with your manufacturer about cost and availability. You must purchase dies, whose costs vary.

Bleed-Through Numbering

• Standard Register offers this feature, which it refers to as dual image numbering. A red outline appears around numbers printed in black. The red ink also bleeds through to the back of the document.
• Difficult to duplicate using desktop publishing equipment.
• The recipient must know that the number appears in black and red and that the numbers bleed through to the reverse side.
• Difficult to duplicate the images front and back on a color copier and register properly. Some black and white copiers may have trouble picking up the image on the reverse of the check.
• Recipient must know how to detect this feature. Putting a black box around the numbers on the reverse of the document and an explanation of its purpose will help alert recipients that numbers should be in register.
• A few independent forms manufacturers can produce this feature.

Split Fountain Printing

• Using this technique that some refer to as prismatic printing, manufacturers print more than one ink color at a time from a single printing unit.
• Difficult for an amateur forger to print documents in several colors using a desktop publishing system.
• Document recipient must be aware that the document face is printed in several colors. An unalterable warning message can help.
• Color copiers can reproduce split fountain printing depending on the colors used and the sophistication of the machine. Most effective when a complex background pattern is used.
• Again, the recipient must be educated. An unalterable warning message should help in fraud detection when a copier is used.
• Several manufacturers can do split fountain printing. A similar effect can be achieved during composition, requiring traditional color separations and printing from multiple ink towers.

Custom Pantographs

• Manufacturers offer a variety with designs that fade in and fade out, including those with water droplets, sunrises and other difficult-to-duplicate patterns.
• Depending on the pattern, the sophistication of the scanner and the artistic ability of the forger, these can be difficult to duplicate. When printed in color, difficult for amateur forger to recreate. When printed at a very high resolution (2,400 dpi or more), difficult for scanner to pick up.
• Depends on the pattern. Often, the document recipient must know what the original document looks like.
• Depending on the pattern, the sophistication of the copier, the experience of the forger and the colors used, some of these cannot be reproduced accurately.
• Often, the document recipient must know what the original document looks like.
• Many manufacturers offer a variety of pantographs. Test samples on a color copier at many settings to determine effectiveness.

Security Borders

• The technique of composing complex borders with thin intertwining rules, mimicking engraving. Letters can be hidden within the borders.
• Low-end scanners and printers cannot duplicate. Patterns and rules drop out or appear solid.
• Depends on pattern and education of recipient.
• Very difficult for copiers to duplicate. Pattern often appears splotchy and rules broken.
• Depends on pattern and education of recipient.
• Relatively inexpensive technique. Should be used with other security features.

Microprinting

• A very small font size is used to produce small type that appears as a fine rule to the unaided eye.
• Low-end scanners and printers outputting at 300 dpi cannot reproduce microprinting accurately.
• Recipients must use a loupe or other magnifying device to authenticate the document. Microprinting often helps detect a forged document only after a crime has been committed and thus should be used with other security features.
• Cannot be reproduced accurately by most photocopiers.
• Recipient must know where and how to check for microprinting.
• Several forms manufacturers offer microprinting. Typically, it is used for a company name or short message.

SECURITY PAPERS

Note: Some paper merchants and mills offer additional proprietary features. The sophistication of scanners and color copiers is changing rapidly and could affect the potential for forgery despite the use of the features described here. A forger's experience and knowledge also affect success. Education of the document recipient is critical, and in many applications dictates the success of the forger. No method is foolproof. The most secure documents incorporate special printing features and inks as well as papers.

Chemical Reactive Papers

• Generally, these fall into three categories: brown-stain, which reacts to bleach; two-stain paper, which reacts to bleach and ink solvents; and full-chemical reactive papers, which react to several chemicals specified by the customer.
• It is unlikely amateur forgers would have this paper to run through desktop publishing systems. However, other security features should be used on documents printed on this paper.
• Depending on the paper and the copier, reproduction may be possible. Again, incorporate other security features when using this paper.
• Available from a variety of paper merchants and paper manufacturers. There may be higher minimums for the full-chemical reactive papers, which are customized to meet end users' needs.

Artificial Watermarks

• Paper companies or forms manufacturers use a white ink or light varnish to apply these watermarks.
• Difficult to impossible to scan. Experienced forgers can recreate.
• Most effective when an unalterable warning is added to the document and the recipient is trained to look for the watermark.
• Difficult to impossible for a color copier to duplicate.
• Recipient must be trained to look for watermark.
• Artificial watermarks cost significantly less than Fourdrinier watermarks.

Fourdrinier Watermarks

• The dandy roll at the wet end of the paper machine creates a translucent pattern visible when the paper is held up to a light. Although paper mills produce papers with their own logos or insignias as watermarks, customers can request custom watermarks too.
• Difficult to scan or reproduce.
• Watermarks are most effective when an unalterable warning is added to the document and the recipient is trained to look for the watermark. Fourdrinier watermarks are harder to duplicate than artificial watermarks.
• Difficult to impossible for a color copier to duplicate since copiers have trouble picking up shades of white.
• Document recipient must be trained to look for the watermark. A warning message helps.
• The cost of the dandy roll varies depending on the width of the paper machine, complexity of design and frequency of design. At the manufacturing plant, run length, setup time and other variables affect cost.

Fibers

• Papers can contain visible and invisible fibers in a variety of lengths, thicknesses and colors.
• Difficult for scanners to pick up visible fibers and tough to print accurately because actual fibers appear embedded in paper. Even more difficult to reproduce single fibers that are a combination of colors. Scanners cannot pick up invisible fibers.
• Document recipients must be trained to look for fibers, especially invisible ones, which must be detected with black (ultraviolet) light.
• Very difficult for a color copier to print these fibers, which are very thin. Impossible to duplicate invisible fibers.
• Document recipients must be trained to look for fibers, especially invisible fibers, which must be detected with a black light.
• Available from selected paper merchants and paper manufacturers. There may be high minimum quantities and extended delivery time. Amateur forgers would have difficulty obtaining these papers.

Planchettes

• Planchettes are small tissue dots embedded in paper that look like confetti. Like fibers, there are several types available, including invisible and visible ones.
• Depending on type of planchette and sophistication of scanner, it would be difficult to scan and reproduce planchettes. Scanners cannot pick up invisible planchettes.
• Document recipients must be trained to look for planchettes, especially invisible ones.
• Some visible planchettes can be reproduced on color copiers, depending on the machine, the expertise of the user and the colors of the planchettes. Invisible planchettes cannot be copied.
• Document recipients must know what the planchettes look like, where they are in the paper and what color they should be. Recipients must use black lights to check for the existence of invisible planchettes.
• Available from selected paper merchants and paper manufacturers. There may be high minimum quantities and extended delivery time. Amateur forgers would have difficulty obtaining these papers.