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Signature Authentication/Forgery defrauder

Greetings. My name is Kelly Wilkins. I am a forensic document examiner/handwriting analyst/expert and an avid collector of autographs, myself. But, I go to horror movie conventions to meet my "heroes", and it dawned on me. Now that I am certified, why not use this for my benefit. I have met with managers and the actors themselves as well as other avid collectors and have started to add signature authentication to my services. Now, this is why I am contacting you. Since this is a subject very near and dear to my heart both professionally and personally, I am reaching out to other autograph collectors of the world letting you know that you can contact me if you have a questioned signature or signatures you need authenticated.My office number is 281-417-8801 and my email address is kelly@houstondocumentexaminer.com I would love to talk to someone who runs this website/magazine and setup a 'deal'.

Anyway, this past year at my favorite horror movie convention, Texas Frightmare Weekend, I was in line for Angus Scrimm (The Tallman from Phantasm), and I caught something that will forever make me think this is something I am meant to be doing. While in line, someone was trying to sell Kim Henkel's autograph. Well, knowing that Kim Henkel doesn't go to conventions, like to be around large groups of people, and rarely signs anything, I asked to take a look at it. Being a Forensic Document Examiner, I looked with great scrutiny. Things didn't add up, so, I asked my office to fax me a copy of the signed dvd cover I have of the 1974 Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I didn't let the offender know what I was up to, but when I got the txt message that I received a new fax, I compared. First off the bat, the size, the slant, and furthermore, the name was clearly spelled out. I then pulled out my card, told the gentleman that he was busted. The cops that were there came after the man started making a scene. I gave the cops my ID, my card, and told them what I did for a living, and that the gentleman was selling forged signatures. The offender was adamant that he was selling rare pieces. The police searched his bag and found a receipt with his name signed. I compared the signature and matched the handwriting on the forged content to his own and his wife's signatures. They were arrested on the spot. In his bag, he had 114 forged signatures he was selling off.

Anyway, I hate to hear that people do this. I am glad that I can do my part to help end this. I know good people spend a great sum of money, and if I can do my part to make sure they're getting what they paid for, then, I am doing my part in the world.
Thanks

Kelly Wilkins, FDE

Tags: analysis, document, examination, forensic, forgery, handwriting

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Comment by john reznikoff on June 21, 2011 at 10:41am: Thanks guys!

Comment by CJCollector on June 21, 2011 at 10:54am: Like I wrote in a previous comment, "autograph authentication" is a different animal than "Handwriting/Document Examination." It is a whole other animal.

Comment by Bobby Livingston on June 21, 2011 at 3:31pm: Reznikoff,

Thank you for writing the definitive piece on the subject.

We proudly use authorities like Reznikoff for an unbiased opinion on everything we auction.

BL

Comment by CJCollector on June 26, 2011 at 1:12pm: Hi Kelly,

Below are two cut signatures. One is of Bonnie Parker and the other Clyde Barrow. Since genuine exemplars of both Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow are far and few between, as a FDE, how would you go about examining those two cut signatures? Thank you.

Comment by Kelly Wilkins on June 26, 2011 at 1:16pm: Not sure which part of my previous comments you didn't read, but I'll repeat. I will start with museums. Then i will start with places they stayed. There is a hotel here in Galveston where they stayed at where one of them signed the registrar. There are plenty of places to look, you just have to know where to start. I would also run Chromatagraphy tests and test the paper for age.

Comment by CJCollector on June 26, 2011 at 1:32pm: Thank you, Kelly.

When Coach's Corner listed their first Bonnie & Clyde cut signatures about 1 1/2 years ago, I got in touch with a Bonnie & Clyde historian who happens to live in my state. I have a copy of one of the rare dual cut sigs of Bonnie & Clyde. The only to truly test those sigs is as you stated; running Chromatography and substrate (paper) tests.

The below Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow cut sigs are presently listed on Coach's Corner Auctions (separate auctions) and "authenticated" by Chris Morales, Forensic Investigator.

Mr. Wilkins, if I ever need a FDE for anything, you can count on me contacting you. Thank you.

Comment by Kelly Wilkins on June 26, 2011 at 4:48pm: Why, thank you Christopher! I hope I won't let you down!

Comment by Bill Panagopulos on June 27, 2011 at 9:25pm: Chris: You don't need a test to see that the Bonnie and Clyde signature below are the worst pieces of ___ to come on the market in a decade. Period.

Comment by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on June 27, 2011 at 10:03pm: Chris,

If those are the cut signatures of Bonnie and Clyde I think they are, the forensic examiner who examined them, who has a very good reputation, didn't have a high degree of confidence in Bonnie Parker's signature. You could be talking about another pair of autographs, but I think that is the only known possibly genuine Bonnie signature as an adult. There are several Clydes, including signed handwritten letters.

If my memory serves me correctly, there's a letter or poem supposedly by Bonnie as a child that reportedly came from her family. If it is genuine, it may be the only known autograph by Bonnie that's more than a signature.

Comment by Bill Panagopulos on June 27, 2011 at 10:35pm: Steve - IMO both sigs below are crude, stupid, amateurish, retarded fakes that only an idiot would think are authentic.

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