CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Law enforcement and financial institutions around the country are warning citizens to be cautious when signing documents this year.

When signing legal documents, officials encourage everyone to write the entire year ‘2020’ instead of the abbreviated ’20’.

By just using the last two digits of the year, thieves can easily alter the documents and add two remaining digits to become ‘2019’, ‘2018’, etc.

Fraudsters look for any way to modify a document, officials warn.

There are laws regarding expiration for checks. The U.S. Uniform Commercial Code for instance says banks don’t have to honor a check after 6 months. However, if someone get their hands on a check dated ’20’ they can alter it to 2021.

Take a photo, or make copies, of any legal paperwork or checks. Then it’s easier to prove alterations have been made to your original document.

Here are other ways to keep your personal information secure:

  1. Only buy from secure online sites.
  2. Never save your debit card number on a website.
  3. Never make purchases over unsecure Wi-fi networks.
  4. Check your credit report often for potential fraud.
  5. Avoid leaving large blank spaces anywhere on checks or documents, where someone can easily alter.