FR2610748A1 - Method of personalising documents preventing their fraudulent use - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention makes it possible to personalise a document, and particularly a chequebook, with the image of its owner so as to avoid it being used by an unauthorised person, when it has been lost or stolen. The process consists of a self-adhesive figure on which is reproduced a photograph of the person authorised to use the chequebook. If such figures have previously been bonded to each of the cheques of the chequebook by its owner, the payee may, at the moment of the payment, check that the identity of the issuer really does conform to the photograph which he has in front of him. Moreover, the banks can send out cheques specially designed to accommodate such figures either optionally or compulsarily, for the cheque to be validated. The process is particularly intended to protect cheques against fraudulent use following the loss or the theft of the chequebook.

Description

 The present invention makes it possible to personalize a document in the image of its owner in order to prevent it from being used by an unauthorized person, following its loss or theft. This process is particularly intended to protect checks against fraudulent use at the cash desks of stores where the transaction is carried out by hand.

Currently, there is no process to effectively personalize a document bearing the image of its owner. As for the means of protection against their fraudulent use, they are only applied in the field of payment by check. This protection is ensured by: - Control using an identity document at the time of collection:
Many marketers do not do this, either for fear of upsetting their customers, or to avoid damaging their brand image, or simply by negligence. In addition, this process is not perfect because an identity document is falsifiable.

- Photograph of the issuer taken at the time of payment at the cash desks, and kept with a photocopy of the check:
This process requires a significant investment that only large surfaces can afford. It also requires us to keep and classify unnecessary documents. In addition, the fact of being photographed at the checkout of a store is often very badly perceived by the customer.

- Printing of the photo of the bearer on the checkbook, when it is issued by the bank:
The process is technically perfect and the use of the checkbook by a third party is impossible. However, editing such checks is very expensive, since the quantities to be produced are very small. In addition, the issuing bank is required to keep a photo of each of its customers for re-use each time a checkbook is issued. The process, deemed therefore heavy and prohibitive, was quickly abandoned by the banks which tested it.

- Use of a stamp reproducing the owner's photograph on each check of the checkbook:
The results of this technique are quite poor and do not give satisfactory readability. This is due to the impossibility of providing an ink suitable for the check paper, as well as to the difficulty of obtaining sufficient and uniform manual pressure on the stamp.

This lack of precision in reproduction leads to an increase in the surface of the stamp, which means that it must be used on the back of the check only. Therefore, the beneficiary who does not return the check is not informed of the use of this technique and does not perform identity verification. The system then loses all its interest.

 The method according to the invention makes it possible to remedy the disadvantages described above. In its preferred form, it consists of a self-adhesive support on which is reproduced the photograph of the person authorized to use the checkbook (the owner). The quality of the self-adhesive backing will be such that it cannot be removed from the check without tearing it, which will make the protection inviolable (standard product from all adhesive manufacturers). On this figurine can be written an informative text encouraging the beneficiary of the check (or the merchant who will receive it) to check the conformity of the owner's photograph with the physiognomy of the person who gives it to him (the sender).

The dimensions of the figurine may also be provided so that its use is possible, in most cases, on the front side of the check, without obscuring the content. Such a provision to immediately attract the attention of the beneficiary.

 Upon receipt of a blank checkbook, the owner protects it by affixing one of the figurines described above on each of the checks that compose it. In the event of fraudulent use by an unauthorized person, the beneficiary of the check, by checking the conformity of the figurine, notes that it does not correspond to the physiognomy of the sender. He can therefore refuse payment. If, in anticipation of such a reaction, the fraudster tries to remove the figurine, he can only do so by tearing off the check, this because of its inviolable nature. And this degradation will make the check completely unusable.

 The process according to the invention brings significant advantages compared to current techniques: - For the bank: the identification of the forms is made by the owner of the checkbook, as soon as he takes possession of it. Thus, the blank checks it issues do not contain any special mention, and do not see their cost incurred by the process.

- For the user: the self-adhesive figurines are clean, simple and easy to use and require no special equipment or knowledge. Their cost is relatively low when compared to the protection they provide, so much so that they can be compared to loss and theft insurance. They also protect against the consequences of late opposition which can occur when banks are closed in the event of an extended weekend. In addition, they can be used with different bank accounts or on other documents such as travel vouchers, holiday vouchers, train or plane tickets.

- For traders: a check with the photograph of its holder is a guarantee of the regularity of the transaction. And, although the figurine does not exclude verification by identity card, it gives the assurance of not being refused payment by the bank, following any opposition. For certain establishments where the demand for identity paper is harmful to the brand image, the method according to the invention is an effective solution against fraud by stolen checks.

 To facilitate their manufacture, the figurines will be produced by plates. One of the solutions for obtaining such good quality figurines and at a non-prohibitive cost price, consists in using a microcomputer coupled with a scanner and a laser printer.

The starting point is a standard color or black and white identity photograph.

Using the scanner connected to the computer, the photograph is digitized and stored. A graphic software allows the framing of the photo and possible retouching, the information text is added. The whole is reduced to the desired dimensions for a typical figurine. This is then reproduced on the display screen in 2,4,8,16, etc. copies by symmetry, and according to the need defined by the user. At the time of this generation of images, we will ensure that the figures obtained are framed and positioned in anticipation of the final support. The information thus obtained is finally transmitted to the laser printer which reproduces the images on the self-adhesive support provided for this purpose. It should be noted that there are standard graphics software on the market allowing all of these operations to be carried out in a few minutes. Let us remember the XACINTOSH computer (registered trademark that can be connected to a scanner, and which thanks to software graphics such as NACPAINT (registered trademark) makes it possible to format images on the screen, to then reproduce them on a laser printer like LASERWRITER (registered trademark). A specially adapted software would make it possible to go faster by automating the procedures, but would add nothing new to this basic principle.

 According to a first variant, and to allow the use of the process for joint accounts, the photographs of the two persons authorized to use the checkbook may be reproduced on the same figurine, side by side.

 According to a second variant, the figurine may also include an element of the owner's identity, such as his name or his bank account number. This makes falsification even more delicate, knowing that if the fraudster does not hesitate to put his portrait on the check, it will not only be necessary for him to have been able to obtain figurines with his portrait, but these must be in conformity with the check, by name or account number, elements that he cannot foresee in advance. This method therefore greatly limits the risks of falsification because it requires expensive and specialized equipment that small criminals cannot afford.

 According to a third variant, the figurine can be placed on the back of the check in order to prevent it from hiding certain important parts of the text. The beneficiary will simply be warned that the check is protected by a small informative reminder label, also self-adhesive, the size of which will allow integration on the front side of the check.

This label will preferably be very showy in color and will include text encouraging the beneficiary to check the conformity of the photograph on the back. To reduce the cost, it can be obtained by traditional printing, offset or letterpress, in large series on sheets of colored self-adhesive labels.

 According to a fourth variant, the figurine may include the informative text on a very distinct part of the photograph, so that by pasting the text part on an edge on the front of the check, it is possible by simple folding, to adhere the photo part on the back of said check. This system has the advantage of using a minimum of space on the front while having a sufficiently large photo portion. And this, by informing the beneficiary of the existence of a photograph on the back of the check.

 In order to facilitate the insertion of the figurines on the back of the checks, the issuing bank may transform the presentation of its checks by providing sufficient space to put a figurine of adequate dimensions for unequivocal readability.

 Thanks to the identification systems described above, a checkbook can therefore be effectively protected by its rightful owner. However, protection is only effective when the figurines have been affixed to each of the checks in his possession. The danger of fraud is therefore always present until protection has been carried out.

 To avoid this, the bank can issue mandatory identification checks. This type of check, would include an inscription or any sign differentiating it from an ordinary check. It could only be accepted by the beneficiary if it is provided with an identification figurine conforming to any of the variants described above. The figurine then becomes an element of validity of the check, just like the signature.

In this case if the checkbook is stolen before its owner has protected it, it cannot be used because of the absence of the figurines. Indeed, if the check is used by an unauthorized person, this person must affix a figurine conforming to his physiognomy. This may not pose any practical problem for him, as everyone can get this product.

However, she runs a huge risk by leaving a proof of her crime which will be used against her in possible lawsuits.

This method is advantageous, especially when the owner does not object, simply because he did not notice the theft of his checkbook.

And, it can happen, because according to an increasingly widespread practice, the banks send the checkbooks to their customers by post, without any particular precaution.

 According to a much less restrictive variant, the bank could also issue specific checks on which the identification figurine, instead of being strictly compulsory, would only be optional. In this case, the beneficiary would have the right to refuse the check, in case he doubts the identity of the issuer. This formula, much more flexible, allows the use of checkbooks even without figurine, which can be particularly interesting in the event of payment by correspondence, when the identity of the issuer is obvious to the beneficiary or when the owner no longer has of figurines <it is up to him to prove his good faith, in this case).

 The same advantages can be attributed to this variant as for the previous one, with additional flexibility for the user.

 The method according to the invention is particularly intended to prevent a check from being fraudulently used by an unauthorized person, but it can also allow the personalization of personal documents such as letters, books, curriculum vitae, traveller's checks, travel tickets. train or plane etc ...

Claims (6)

 1) Identity label comprising at least one element of identity such as a number or an effigy intended to be affixed to documents and more particularly checks, characterized in that it consists of a self-adhesive support on which a point representation of the identity element is reported by printing.  2) Label according to claim 1, characterized in that the self-adhesive support is provided with an adhesive which remains irremovable on paper supports.  3) Label according to claim 1, characterized in that the representation by points is obtained by computer-assisted editing, the printing means being a laser printer.  4) Label according to claim 1, characterized in that it is provided with a folding axis, in order to be able to stick the most important part on one side of the document and the other part on the other side of the document, the fold axis being parallel to the border of the document  5) Method for obtaining an identity label according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the identity element is obtained from a photograph of this element, digitized by a scanner connected to an image processing means then memorized and reproduced by a laser printer on the self-adhesive support.  6) Application of identity labels according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that these labels are affixed on the front and / or on the back of the checks.