Forgery can involve the false making of anything handwritten, typewritten, computer generated, printed or engraved from scratch that is intended to defraud. Forgery can also involve significant material alteration of a genuine document. This can include forgery involving false signatures or improperly filling out forms. A document is considered forgery if it looks authentic enough to deceive a reasonable person. It must also have some legal significance in order to be considered unlawful. Forgery also includes the possession of any forged document or forgery device with knowledge of its purpose.
Forgery is commonly committed in order to defraud the government or a business, to accomplish identity theft or the falsification of one's identity. False or altered identification documents are a common type of forgery. Identification documents, like passports and driver's licenses, may be forged in order to alter immigration or citizenship status, age, status or special authority, or to steal another's identity. Any alteration or creation of false government documents is also considered a serious forgery offence. Forgery against a business can involve false sales receipts, false employee documents, or any other false documentation intended to fool another part.
Different method of Forgery Detection:

• The different methods of forgery detection include examination, authentication and verification. Multiple methods of detection may be used to correctly identify a single forgery. More than one opinion on the results of detection methods also may be needed to confirm that a forgery has definitely occurred. Detection of forgery through examination, authentication and verification may be used to identify almost any type of forgery, including handwritten forgery, counterfeit forgery, digital forgery and art forgery.

• Forgery detection by examination involves looking closely at an object to determine if it is valid. For example, to check an art piece for signs of forgery, an examiner may look for indications that the piece was not created in a specific time period. If a piece of supposedly antique art is in a new wood frame or machine-made nails were used in a supposedly aged frame, these signs of forgery may be detected through an examination.

• Forgery detection by authentication will use tests to conclude if an item is real. Authentication must be carried out with a measurable test. For example, methods of authentication on suspected forged art may include carbon dating, X-ray diffraction and infrared analysis. Some methods of authentication are more reliable than others, and newly released authentication tests usually must be backed up with another reliable test until the new tests are proved reliable.