7/31/2019 Tips for Detecting Fraudulent Documents

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Tips for Detecting Fraudulent Travel Documents

Page 1 of 2 Emirates Group, 2008

Here are some tips to detect fraudulent travel documents.

1. Examine the outside cover The outside cover of travel documents are generally of a high quality and

are designed to last the lifetime of that document. Check the cover material for any cracks or wrinkles. Check for any creases or cuts on the spine of the document cover.

2. Examine the pages The Prayer page inside the front cover of a passport contains a variety of

security features. Check for presence of any security features such asintaglio printing, watermarks and ultra violet fluoresce.

Check for sign of tampering such as tearing, staining or excess glue. Check the printing quality of the document pages for any breaks in

lettering or fine line blurring. Check if the pages are of same size and colour.

3. Examine the page numbers Pages are numbered and the total number of pages are usually stated

somewhere in the booklet. Count the number of pages and check if anypages are missing.

Check if the page numbers are printed in the same place on all pages. Check for signs of erasure, overwriting or substitution of a new number. If perforated, check if the perforations do not line up or are not of same

quality throughout.

4. Examine biographical data Biographical data is either hand-written or machine-typed. Look for signs

of erasure, overwriting or any other tampering, such as fibre disturbance,staining or bleaching.

In case of the biographical data being hand-written, check if all entries arein same handwriting, type style and ink colour.

In case of machine typed biographical data, look for signs of overprinting. Verify and confirm the biographical details match the individual in front of

you. Check the expiry date and extension dates for signs of tampering or

alteration.

5. Examine the binding Travel documents are bound in a variety of ways including stitching,

stapling or plastic welding. Check if the binding is consistent and tight. Check if the binding on all pages is clean and without extra holes. Check if the binding holes are enlarged.

7/31/2019 Tips for Detecting Fraudulent Documents

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Tips for Detecting Fraudulent Travel Documents

Page 2 of 2 Emirates Group, 2008

6. Examine the photograph Check the reverse side of the photograph page and look for stains,

wrinkles, abnormal thickness or signs of excess glue. If there are any seal impressions on the photograph, check if they align

with the portion of seal impression on the page. Check whether the seal impressions on the photograph match with the

similar seal impressions on other pages. Check if the page around the photograph shows any signs of tampering. Verify and confirm that the photograph on the biometric page matches with

the individual in front of you.

7. Examine the production quality of the document Check the quality of the paper, it should be good, neither shiny nor rough. Check for malformations in letters. Check for spelling mistakes. Check if watermarks fluoresce under Ultra Violet light. Verify that the security features, patterns or micro-printing is of consistent

quality.

8. Examine the lamina Check if there is a second layer of lamina. Check for wrinkles or lack of adhesion on the lamina. Check if the lamina fits the page neatly or whether it has been trimmed to

fit the page. Check for any cuts or tears in the lamina around the edges of the

photograph. If watermarks are present, check if they are present on all pages and areconsistent across pages.