Keep It Real with Security Documents

A little security goes a long way to protect end-users from the bad guys.

Let's face it, no industry is immune from fraudulent activity. In fact, recent reports indicate that the United States suffers more than $200 billion in losses per year due to counterfeiting and duplication. And the situation isn't improving. With sophisticated—and not-so-sophisticated—technology, along with countless Web sites offering high-tech imitation documents, thousands of less-than-honest individuals are robbing unsuspecting businesses blind.

This is exactly what drives Pro Forms, Paso Robles, Calif., to stay one step ahead of the bad guys. With 12 patents for print security features, and three pending, Pro Forms remains a leader in security document production.

"Security printing has helped us to maintain a strong presence in the forms industry. It has allowed us to grow as a business and it's opened up new markets for us both nationally and internationally," said Nancy Phillips, marketing director.

Thanks to the foresight of its owner, the 22-year-old company has been producing security documents for the past 10 years. According to Phillips, the move was based on the prediction that the increasing use of computers and color printers would simplify fraud duplication for criminals.

"Our first invention was Pro-Ghost, a watermark technology that can't be reproduced by copiers," said Phillips. "That is what got the ball rolling." Today Pro Forms attends security conferences every year and is a licensee of Verify First Technologies, a sister company which holds the the company's security patents.

"Our most popular products are ThermoSafe and TouchSafe, which use thermochromic and regular offset inks to hide messages on products like gift certificates and checks," Phillips noted.

She explained that when someone attempts to copy a Thermo-Safe document on a copier, a "Void" message appears. TouchSafe, on the other hand, is a verification seal, resembling a thumb print that allows instant interactive verification of an original certificate. On an authentic document, the word "Valid" would appear from behind the thumb print when touched and briskly rubbed, or breathed upon.