🖋️ The Vanishing Art of Cursive: Why Simpler Signatures Are Easier to Forge

In today’s digital world, where screens have replaced pens and keyboards rule our communication, an age-old skill is quietly disappearing: cursive handwriting. Once a core part of education, cursive is no longer taught in many schools—and that’s more than just a nostalgic loss.

At ForensINK Document Authentication, we’re seeing the ripple effect of this trend, and it's disturbing: simplistic signatures that are dangerously easy to forge.

📉 What Happens When Cursive Disappears?

Your signature is your personal stamp—used to validate legal documents, authorize transactions, and confirm your identity. But without cursive education, newer generations are creating signatures that are little more than printed names or a few rushed squiggles. These signatures lack the loops, flourishes, and style that once made them hard to copy.

The result? Forgeries are getting easier.

✍️ A Forger Can't Write Above Their Own Skill Level

Here’s a key principle in forensic handwriting analysis:

A forger cannot convincingly write above their own level of handwriting ability.

If someone’s natural handwriting is basic or unskilled, they won’t suddenly be able to mimic a complex, stylized signature with natural flow and rhythm. But if the original signature is already simplistic—what’s stopping them?

That’s the danger. The simpler the writing, the fewer hurdles a forger has to overcome.

A cursive signature vs a script signature

🔐 Complexity = Security

The more complex and unique your signature, the harder it is to replicate. Just like passwords, complexity adds protection. A stylized, well-practiced signature that uses cursive strokes, loops, and personal flair becomes a natural deterrent to forgery.

But if society keeps moving away from cursive, we’re not just losing a beautiful writing form—we’re losing an essential layer of document security.

✅ What You Can Do

• Encourage cursive writing: Especially for young students. It's more than tradition—it's a protective skill.

• Develop a stylized signature: Practice something unique that isn’t just a printed name.

• Be proactive: If you suspect a forged signature, don’t wait. Get it examined.