Documents are often changed after they were first written or signed: an amount is altered, a date is overwritten, a clause is added, or a page is replaced. Many of these changes cannot be seen in normal light.
Using the Video Spectral Comparator (VSC 90), we examine documents under infrared, ultraviolet and other controlled light sources. Inks that look identical to the eye often react differently, which can reveal added entries, differing pens, chemical or mechanical erasures, and writing that has been covered, crossed out or overwritten.
What we examine
- Forged and fabricated documents
- Chemical and mechanical erasures
- Additions, insertions and interlineations
- Overwritten, crossed-out and obliterated entries
- Differentiation between inks that look the same
- Page substitution and documents assembled from different sources
Typical matters
- Altered amounts, dates and figures on financial documents
- Amended contracts and agreements
- Medical, academic and employment records
- Registers, logbooks and attendance records
- Certificates, permits and licences
- Cut-and-paste and composite documents
What we need from you
- The original document. Spectral examination of inks cannot be done on a copy
- Any other versions of the document, including copies made at different times
- Details of which entries are disputed and why
Scans first, originals later. You can send high-resolution scans through oursecure upload page for a first assessment and a quotation. Please keep the originals safe, flat and unmarked until we arrange secure delivery.
Questions
Will the examination damage my document?
No. VSC and microscopy examinations are non-destructive. The document is handled under strict chain of custody and returned in the condition received.
Can you read writing that has been scratched out?
Often, yes. Depending on the inks and the method used to obscure the writing, infrared and other light sources can make the original entry readable. Whether this is possible is only known after examination.