Most people are familiar with the crime of forgery, but that does not mean that everyone understands the criminal consequences of forgery. If you talk to the type of criminal defense attorney Staten Island residents rely on, you will find that forgery can be prosecuted in many different ways and can carry a wide variety of penalties.
What is Forgery?
Forgery is when you alter a document without consent of the parties involved or sign a person’s name without that person knowing about it. All types of documents can be forged including wills, payroll checks, loan applications, and anything that requires someone to fill out personal information.
Why do People use Forgery?
The most common reason that forgery is used is to gain illegal access to money. Forgery can come in many forms, from a simple fake endorsement on a social security check to an attorney completely reworking a will to benefit a person that was not intended to be a beneficiary.
What is not Forgery?
If you sign a document for another person and that person provides you with official permission to sign that document, then that is not forgery. The term “forgery”is used to indicate the illegal use of someone else’s identity. The legal representation of another person is not considered forgery.
The Legal Repercussions of Forgery
If you are accused of forgery, then you will need to secure the services of a good Staten Island lawyer to defend you. In most cases, you will be accused of attempting to steal another person’s identity which is considered a serious crime. Other legal repercussions of forgery can include charges of theft and fraud. Forgery is considered a white collar crime, but that does not mean that the legal consequences are not severe.
How Can You Detect a Forgery?
In many cases, the victim of forgery does not realize a crime has occurred until they have sustained severe financial damage. It is important to review your estate and legal documents at least once a year to make sure everything is in order. If you do think that you are the victim of forgery, you should contact an experienced attorney immediately. Your attorney will more than likely instruct you to call the police to file a police report, which is a standard action in this situation.
Forgery is one of the most frustrating crimes for victims because it can often go undetected until there has been significant damage inflicted to the victim’s bank account or some other legal or financial damage has been done. If you are the victim of forgery, you should act immediately to try and prevent that damage from being done. If you are being accused of forgery, then you should hire a Staten Island lawyer immediately to represent your side of the case.