In decades past, it was incredibly time-consuming to sign documents and deliver them to the intended recipient, which increased the timeline of projects and deals. However, as technology evolved, clever minds have created a way to sign documents within minutes while ensuring authenticity. Known as digital signatures, this technology has improved efficiency, allowing the transfer of documents to take a minimal amount of time. Unfortunately, like most things, this technology is not impenetrable. As such you’ll find that someone may have forged your signature. If this reflects your circumstances, you must connect with a California digital signature fraud lawyer to learn how to minimize the impact and reclaim your identity.
What Are Digital Signatures?
It’s important to understand there is a clear distinction between an “e-signature,” which you can create easily on your device, and a digital signature. Digital signatures are a form of technology that helps validate and authenticate documents using a mathematical formula. Generally, when you create one, you are given two keys – a public and a private key. When you add your digital signature to a document, the recipient receives your public key, which is used to show that the signature you added is valid.
While this provides an additional level of security, it’s important to understand that this can still be tampered with. Sophisticated hackers can infiltrate your device or hack servers to obtain this information, then use it to commit identity theft.
How Can I Prevent Fraud?
If you want to create a digital signature to maximize your productivity, ensuring you do so in a manner that protects your identity in the process is critical. For example, you’ll want to research the company you want to create your digital signature through. If they are prone to data breaches or security issues, it may be in your best interest to choose another company, as this means your information could end up in the hands of a hacker.
Additionally, you should ensure your personal devices are up to date, as someone may be able to hack into your device if you have not downloaded the latest security measures. This can put your information at risk.
What Should I Do if I Think Mine’s Been Stolen?
If you believe your digital signature has been compromised, you must act quickly. The hacker or thief could have used it to take out loans in your name or commit other forms of identity theft, so you must take immediate action.
Generally, because this technology can be quite complex, you should connect with an experienced attorney from Loker Law, APC. Our team understands the importance of digital signatures, but we also know that when yours has been tampered with, the impacts can be devastating. As such, we will do everything possible to help you navigate these matters. Connect with us today to learn how we can help.
