Forgery, << FAWR juhr ee, >> is deliberately tampering with a written paper for the purpose of deceit or fraud. Forgery can also occur when an original document is created, if the purpose of the document is to deceive. In addition, most legal authorities consider deliberate tampering with coins and credit cards to be forgery. Common kinds of forgery include fraudulently signing another person’s name to a check or document, changing the figures on a check to alter its amount, and making changes in a will or contract. Forgery also incudes creating a passport under an assumed name or applying for a credit card under an assumed name. Literary forgers have tried to pass off forged documents as rare manuscripts. Forgery is generally considered a felony, resulting in imprisonment. Intent to defraud must be proved before a person can be convicted of forgery.
