Security Solutions

Technology-based security measures help companies maintain their products Bootleg music and video downloads. Designer knock-offs. Identity theft. How do you tell the genuine article from a fake when low-cost, sophisticated technology is aiding even the teen next door in a rapidly-expanding world of counterfeits and diverted goods? "There are staggering amounts of counterfeiting and diversion going on in the world today," said Doug Johnston, president of Verification Security Corporation in Spokane, Wash. According to the Counterfeiting Intelligence Bureau (CIB) of the International Chamber of Commerce in London, counterfeiting accounts for between five percent and seven percent of world trade, or approximately $350 billion

Security issues are everywhere, creating plenty of opportunity for distributors to provide solutions. Security is the buzzword these days, and the heightened concern can translate into increased opportunity for distributors willing to go beyond the usual. "Security features are one of the fastest-growing aspects of the printing industry," said Doug Drendell, marketing director for ProDocumentSolutions, Paso Robles, Calif. He named the educational, medical and financial markets as having "tremendous" need for secure documents. For instance, ProDocumentSolutions has more than 25 foreign governments as customers for such things as checks, vital statistics records and school transcripts. A new state law in California will require

Distributors can help customers battle check fraud through education and innovation. Asked for the latest statistics concerning check fraud, Barbara Hurst, executive editor of the newsletter Bankers' Hotline, editor/moderator for BankersOnline.com, and president of Pennsylvania-based Hurst Associates—security and compliance training specialists—responded, "You can get as many guesstimates as there are experts guessing." Hurst said it's a given within the industry that FBI and American Bankers Association (ABA) figures on the subject are "way, way low," since many losses are not reported but simply charged off. However, she cited an in-depth study conducted approximately five years ago by U.S. News and World Report

Documents with security features add value and peace of mind. Nobody likes to think about what would happen if the proverbial "rainy day" ever came to pass. But gambling that it won't isn't going to help when something does go wrong. Aided by the proliferation of powerful printers, copiers and scanners, check and document fraud continues to grow. But despite the increasing sophistication of would-be crooks, how many businesses are really insured against the threat of deception? "The question to ask is, who's going to look at my documents and who's going to steal them?" said Tom Hahn, vice president, Data Management, Butler,

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

Customization is key to selling security labels By Eric Fiedler When distributors are fishing for security label sales, manufacturers suggest using customization as the bait. "If a customer has a concept, but isn't exactly sure how it can be achieved, we work with distributors to develop a product to meet their exact needs," said Debbie Chadwick, customer service manager at Bertek Systems, Swanton, Vt. Bertek Systems produces custom products such as tamper-evident labels, security slits, void features and more. John Abbott, sales manager for Metro Label, Garland, Texas, also said the majority of his orders for security labels "depend on what the end-user wants to accomplish." Vic Flanigan, vice

Selling security documents requires responsibility By Eric Fiedler In business as in life, it's better to be safe than sorry--especially if being sorry means losing hundreds and perhaps millions of dollars. Companies are willing to spend big money to avoid getting ripped off, which can mean big profits for document security suppliers. Document security, however, is a serious cat and mouse game for manufacturers and distributors who must market their products without playing into the hands of criminals. "All of us that supply negotiable documents bear risk and responsibility," said Jack Schirmer, a product manager at Mead Paper in Rumford, Maine. Schirmer and

Try some arresting techniques to round up document security sales By Barbara A. Bucci The bad guys are everywhere. Just read the paper or watch the evening news to learn how criminals alter all kinds of business documents. Frank Abagnale, a secure document consultant to a variety of groups, has compiled the following statistics in his 1997/1998 Client Service Bulletin Losses from check fraud exceeded $12 billion in 1996, up from $5 billion in 1993. More than $1.2 million worthless checks enter the U.S. banking system each day. Between 1990 and 1996, the number of cases involving fraudulent checks of $100,000 or more increased by 300 percent. Fortunately, manufacturers and