If You Want to Protect Yourself, Use a Gel Pen

As marketing company Den of Goods often points out, gel pens have many advantages over other writing implements. Their customers obviously agree, because Bright Knight Gel Pens are enjoying record sales all over the world. 

Among other advantages, gel pens make firm, deeply colored lines, the ink is fade resistant and water resistant when dry, and it is easily washed away when accidents happen. However, there is one advantage gel pens have which may appeal to those of a criminal persuasion. The fact is, gel ink is virtually untraceable forensically. 

Another characteristic of gel pens is that they can help protect law abiding citizens from check, credit card or loan fraud. So how is it that the humble gel pen can be a friend to people on both sides of the law? Well, it all comes down to the science, and the particular properties of gel ink.

One common method of fraud is a practice known as Check Washing. Basically, if you have written and signed a check with a regular ball point or fountain pen, and it falls into criminal hands, the fraudster can remove the payee and amount information, leaving the signature behind. He can then make the check out to himself or a fictional company, and insert a different amount. The bank will honor the check because your signature is on it.

How is this possible? It is in fact scarily simple. The check is washed with acetone, or nail enamel remover, which is widely available from almost every pharmacy in the world. This trick can also be used on other paper work, such as loan and credit card applications. As long as a genuine signature is there, all the other information can be removed and replaced. 

However, if you write and sign your checks and other financial documents using a gel pen, the pigments that are used to color the ink attach to the paper and cannot be removed without damaging the paper and raising suspicion. The simple step of changing from a ball point pen to a gel pen could protect you from identity theft and financial fraud.

If the same fraudster who stole and washed your check then fills in the payee and amount details with gel pen, he is effectively covering his traces and avoiding forensic detection. The process of thin layer chromatography (TLC) can be used to analyze regular inks, and pinpoint the manufacturer and the age of the ink. This can narrow down the field, and help to trace criminals.

With gel ink, TLC cannot be implemented, as the same pigments that adhere to the checks to prevent check washing do not dissolve. Regular inks tend to form a characteristic pattern when treated with solvents, and this pattern helps to identify the age and manufacturer of the ink. As yet, there is no reliable way to distinguish between different makes and ages of gel ink.

If people try to tell you that there is no difference between ball point pens and gel pens, tell them that there is a fundamental difference in the ink. Whether you are a law abiding citizen or a member of the criminal fraternity, you really can protect yourself with a gel pen. Bright Knight Gel Pens are manufactured to a high standard, and there is an excellent choice of colors and effects. Maybe you should try out Bright Knight Gel Pens and stay safe!

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