From: Sean Roach <roach_s@alph.swosu.edu>
Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 18:10:21 -0800 (PST)
To: cypherpunks <cypherpunks@toad.com>
Subject: Re: Newt's phone calls
Message-ID: <199701210210.SAA26157@toad.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


At 12:07 PM 1/20/97 -0500, Phillip M. Hallam-Baker wrote:

>Depending on the country and bank you can probably perform almost
>any transfer you like by fax. I moved my pension from one bank
>to another simply by sending a fax. I have done similar transactions 
>with Swiss, German and UK banks. 
>
>For some reason the fax is considered to be a practically 
>infallible authentication device. Quite why is beyond me since
>it should be obvious to anyone that all one needs to fake a
>fax is a photocopier, document signed by account holder, paste
>and scissors. You get everything needed on a signed cheque.
>
A check is no good, most checks are now printed on paper with special lines
that are supposed to become obvious after copying.  A signed letter or even
a mailing envelope would probably be better.  Also, scotch tape makes those
pexky shadows disapear like magic.  My dad uses it to make multiple versions
of make-up math tests that trivially look like the origional in order to
goad persons who were sick on test day so that they could get the answers
from someone else into printing down those answers and getting less than
random probability. (multiple choice)