Do you always use your real signature?
@lordwarwizard (35747)
Singapore
March 9, 2008 9:12am CST
This is the year 2008 and many documents are considered valid or otherwise by virtue of our signatures. No more thumb prints, no more candy marks (unless you are below 6) and no more seals (unless you are in Japan perhaps). We are moving towards Second Factor Authentication that counts tokens and mobile phones in its arsenal. But for now, the signature is still the predominant way of validation.
I would guess that if we are talking about e.g. official contracts, credit card purchases or cheques, you will use your real signature - whichever that is registered with the relevant authority. But what if it is something miscellaneous... will you still use your real signature?
For instance, a postman knocks on your door to hand over a registered mail. He asks you to sign on the confirmation slip. Do you use your real signature? I won't. My real signature is too precious to expose this way! I will just scribble something and if he dares ask me to sign properly, I will just tell him that it *is* my signature.
What about you? For miscellaneous stuffs, do you still use your real signature? Or do you just write your initials? Or do you scribble? Draw a smiley face? Or... ? Do share your thoughts. =)
22 people like this
74 responses
@tigerdragon (4297)
• Philippines
9 Mar 08
if it is for something else aside from my legal documents then i do use another signature and that is good practice for security. anyway, those are just for formality and they do not mind what ever kind of signature you use and besides they do not know your real signature unless they are these people who asks for your ID that has your signature and compare them with the one you used.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 08
Ah... so you have one signature for formal stuff and one "alternate" signature for the rest.
It is pretty neat; I know of people who do the same too.
2 people like this
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
9 Mar 08
Usually, when I sign something, it depends on whether I am being watched or not. If I am being watched, I will just scratch something down. If I am alone, I usually write out my name. That is the only time that it can be read.
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 08
Um... I confess I don't quite get it.
So you are saying if someone is looking at you when you are e.g. signing a credit card bill, you will just scribble something nonsensical?
It doesn't quite make sense to me since there are some things that require your genuine signature...
3 people like this
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
10 Mar 08
If it is something official, I will be a little more careful with my signature, but most things I don't bother with being careful. I definitely don't like being watched. If I have to make it look good when someone is watching, I will cover the paper up as best I can.
3 people like this
@marciascott (25529)
• United States
9 Mar 08
Funny you should ask that question, because I just had a conversation with the lady where I got my Apartment, she scribled her signature, I look at her and said do you aways sign your name like that. you scibble, and you sign your name like a doctor, that is the way doctors signs their name, she said yes that is the way she signs her name, A person would think she couldn't write. So I ask her do you sign you pay check like that, she said yes, I am surprise important officals let her do this. especially the bank.
@patgalca (18390)
• Orangeville, Ontario
9 Mar 08
My father signed his name the same way all his life and you couldn't read it. His name is John Charles and he told me that he was actually signing JnoChas. Now who is going to know that if they are going to sign something on his behalf as a forgery?
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 08
Hehe, that is a good question - do you sign your check like that. It is like a litmus test. Assuming she was not lying, that she really signs her checks like that, then fair enough. You just have to accept her signature.
@patgalca (18390)
• Orangeville, Ontario
9 Mar 08
Unless it is a legal document or cheque wear I sign my first initial, second name and last name, I usually only sign my first (actually, second) initial and last name. My first name (well, second) is long and I have to sign a lot of homework and forms for school activities. I think my first initial and last name suffices for that. Besides, I think it can be a good thing. If someone wants to try and forge my signature on an official document and they use my short signature then it won't cut it because that is not my OFFICIAL signature.
3 people like this
@patgalca (18390)
• Orangeville, Ontario
19 Apr 08
She's an 83 year old woman who has been signing her name the same way for decades. The lawyer was sitting right there and didn't give two hoots that my mother went back and added the T. to the beginning of her signature. In fact, I think she may have pointed it out to her.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 08
Come to think of it, is there any rule that says your signature must be derived directly from your name?
It is like if I am Peter Pan, can't I derive my signature from Spiderman and sign it thus? I would think the signature will be valid in the courts of law. Would it?
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 Apr 08
That seems weird... then she is just changing her signature on the spot...
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
9 Mar 08
Who will know if I use my real signature or just some initials scribbled illegibly? Depending on my mood, I do use my real signature or just some scribbling to get away with it. This happens even at times for some official documents... I just ask for an official change in signature. Banks are easy to deal with in this respect. Just show your face with your NRIC and you get to see your current signature to sign a change form.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 08
Exactly - no one will know.
Lol, you will even use a fake signature for official stuffs? Why do you want to create trouble for yourself? - unless you meant for what you sign to be invalid anyway.
2 people like this
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
12 Mar 08
not intentional. just sign out of habit until forgotten the real signature. I recently had to sign back a signature which I signed once at the bank years ago. No way can I remember what signature I had used then, when I was just trying out to be creative with my signatures.
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
9 Mar 08
interesting discussion... for me, i am similar like you... for official documents, i will use my real signature... but for miscellaneous, i will just scribble my name... they don't need to see my real signature anyway...
3 people like this
@dfinster (3528)
• United States
9 Mar 08
I definatley use my regular signature on important documents like checks, contracts, etc. But when it comes to the miscellaneous stuff I do scribble. I can hardly read what it says, but nobody has ever called me on it. Lots of times I use just my first initial and then scribble my last name.
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
9 Mar 08
Scribble??? No matter what I write I scribble :) the worst handwriting in the world. I do sign different things differently though - stuff like signing for a package or picking up my grandson at school I sign my 'real name' but it's slightly different than what I use for 'legal' documents.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 08
Geez Faith, then go and try to register yourself in the Guinenss Book of World's Records - for the worst handwriting ever.:P
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
9 Mar 08
My signature is a scribble anways so not sure if anyone will be able to recognise it. For formal documents I use my maiden name and I take care in signing it but for miscellaneous items then I use my married name and scribble that instead.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 08
Yea, we only need to pay more attention if it is an important document.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 08
I see. So you do an in-between.
You just scribble something that resembles your real signature.:P
1 person likes this
@idaantipolo (472)
• Philippines
9 Mar 08
I do not use my real signature because like what you stated, it is dangerous to just expose your signature on anything so accessible to everyone. I just scribble that would look like it's my signature.
@wanblygaleshka (72)
• United States
9 Mar 08
Your thoughts on this remind me of the days when ppl would have both a public and private name. Their private name was known only to family, friends, tribe and clan. Everyone else would only get the public name. This was because they felt that if someone knew your name they could have power over you. It seems to me that you are treating your signature in much the same manner. I have an English name and a Native American name, when I sign something I use my English name, as that is what this society expects. And to be honest it doesn't bother me in the least to sign my name. Let them know who I am. I have nothing to hide and I am not afraid of anything.
J. David Staller
aka WanblyGaleshka
How's that? Now you and everyone that reads this knows who I am.
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 08
That's interesting. Public and private names?
You don't mean the affectionate one reserved for close friends and family, do you?
I agree with the power over you part. I think I have been reading too much fantasy books that mention this. Right now, I still bristle when someone uses my real name. I wasn't like this last time; don't ask me what happened.
J. David Staller? Geez, did you just give me power over you? :P
J. David Staller, in God's name, I bless you 999 ways and may each of your days be better than the previous.
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
24 Mar 08
Well your name is going to be on the package or letter most times so if you did try to write anything else then they could possibly make you give the letter back or make you write it properly and give an I.d. I do sign my name. I know I shouldn't sign it the way I always do on important documents
. My mail man knows us very well, so we couldn't get away with another name or miscellaneous stuff or smiley faces. That just makes their job harder I would think and probably ticked
. My mail man knows us very well, so we couldn't get away with another name or miscellaneous stuff or smiley faces. That just makes their job harder I would think and probably ticked2 people like this
Yeah that is absolutely true.@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
26 Mar 08
Well, most don't care. Besides, who says your signature must resemble your given name?
And if you are in the house, you could just be accepting the parcel on behalf of someone else staying there but not at home.
@marciascott (25529)
• United States
9 Mar 08
Vicky you are a mess! she is just joking Lordwizard! Stop it Vicky, this is my friend too! LOl.
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 08
HAHA, the avatar is the REAL you, eh?
Ok, I don't think I am 6 this year. I should be nearer to 5. :P
Silly Polly, let's whack her with a brolly lol. J/K:P
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
9 Mar 08
Yes, I always use my signature, and I see no reason not to continue doing so. I fail to understand the reluctance to use your signature when asked to sign for mail, after all the whole idea behind a signature is that it is extremely difficult for anyone else to copy it.
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 08
Sure, let me give you a hypothetical scenario:
You sign your real signature on the confirmation slip as required by the postman. Then after that, the postman happened to pick up your card that "flew" out of your window.
So happily, he takes the slip and memorize your genuine signature. After that, he happily makes purchases on your behalf.
But of course, you may point out that your signature is at the back of your card anyway. So ok, let's leave out the card.
I should think he can do other things using your real signature. He can make binding transactions on your behalf with your real signature without you knowing. How's that for fun?
In the end he might be caught but surely you don't want unnecessary trouble?
You can disagree with them all. If so, it may just be paranoia at work for us here.:P
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 08
It just makes me uneasy how our signatures are being used for all things big AND small.
@charms88 (7538)
• Philippines
9 Mar 08
If its an important document, I will sign my real signature. The postman will usually ask for an identification just so he can be sure that he is handling the mail to the right person.
For other unimportant stuff, I just scribbled anything. There are times I will be too lazy to sign so anything that's legible will do.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 08
I am surprised that the postmen there are so thorough.
Those sending e.g. registered mails don't care. They just need someone at home to take it. For offices, they will then take down your name, designation and signature.
It is only when we collect letters and parcels at the post office personally would they require our identification (though sometimes they skip that).
1 person likes this
@cortney09 (1345)
• United States
22 Mar 08
Most, like 99%, of the time I use my real signature. I have always been that way. Now, if I am occasionally in a huge hurry or something I will kind of half sign it. I guess I do that because I'm just used to doing it that way.
2 people like this
