
Microsoft’s fonts catch out another fraudster–this time in Canada - theBashShell
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/01/microsofts-fonts-catch-out-another-fraudster-this-time-in-canada/
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gruez
Moral of the story: if you're going to backdate documents, use a VM with
period OS/software. It probably wouldn't hurt to use antique printers as well.

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tzs
Use old paper and old ink, too.

It's probably possible to tell that ink was applied to paper recently, even if
the ink and paper are both old, but I'd expect that the longer it has been the
more uncertainty there is so you should be able to fake an N year old document
without having to let the ink dry or set or diffuse or whatever it does for N
years. I'd assume that there are ways to speed this processes up, too.

I have no idea what the curve looks like though. This may only be practical if
you aren't in a hurry. So, faking a document that you've just found out you
need and you need soon might not be feasible, but faking something like a mint
condition vintage comic book might be possible.

Probably should also use vintage staples or glue or whatever was used for
binding at the time you want to claim the document is from.

This is really the kind of thing you want to plan ahead for, rather than find
yourself on eBay trying to find a specific make or model 50 year old printer
that works.

Any competently run evil organization that has a decent budget (Hydra, KAOS,
Cobra, AIM, etc) will regularly buy copies of the document production
equipment and supplies used by contemporary businesses, governments, and hero
groups and keep that equipment working and well maintained for several decades
for retroactive document production.

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dsfyu404ed
>It's probably possible to tell that ink was applied to paper recently,

Confidence on this measurement is probably very low. Documents in a basement
in Miami (they don't do basements in Florida for a reason) will age very
differently to documents in an attic in Tuscon which will age very differently
than documents in a garage in Fairbanks.

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14
Seems like someone could create a little program that could let you choose
time specific fonts. Though I really can't see much use in such a program
other then something someone might produce just for practice.

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Sharlin
Any situation where you need era-appropriate typography and are serious about
it even when you’re not trying to be deceitful. Eg. movies, games, and their
various marketing material. Though usually if you are serious you have money
to hire a graphic designer.

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zokier
Or just hire a nerd with all-sixties IBM gear :)

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMDP3Iz6D6A](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMDP3Iz6D6A)

(although the pedantic in me notes that he used the wrong selectric ball
(prestige elite vs large elite) for the license)

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shawkinaw
Tangential to the main point of the story, but why were this CEO’s homes up
for grabs when his company collapsed? Isn’t liability limited to the company?

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pjc50
Some background: [https://business.financialpost.com/news/fp-street/the-
seven-...](https://business.financialpost.com/news/fp-street/the-seven-year-
battle-to-get-former-look-communications-directors-to-repay-indemnification)

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a-dub
lol. wouldn't surprise me one bit if there's an additional watermark buried in
tiny variations in the kerning or something as well...

