Signatures dying out as use of pen and paper falls

PERSONAL signatures are dying out as the digital revolution has left people no longer needing to put pen to paper, a study found.

More than half of adults say they ‘rarely’ use their signature, while 15 per cent of people aged 24 and under cannot remember the last time they signed a piece of paper.

Overall, one in five adults admit they no longer have a consistent personal signatures because they sign documents so rarely, according to the study by security equipment firm Online Spy Shop.

There are fears the decline of distinctive signatures is putting people at greater risk of identity theft as their signatures are easier to copy. The digital age means fingerprints, PINs and passwords are now more commonly used as proof of identity than signatures.

People are also increasingly likely to be asked for authentication through devices. Four in ten signatures written in the UK are now used for deliveries, which largely involve devices.

Steve Roberts, of Online Spy Shop, said: ‘I don’t think it’s quite the end of the written signature, but I believe the days of youngsters perfecting a unique autograph to use in adulthood will be a thing of the past.

‘Although in the EU, digital signatures are as legitimate as hand-written signatures, the latter is still standard proof of consent in many scenarios, so I’d recommend people take care to ensure their signature isn’t easily copied.’

Gary Rycroft, a solicitor at Joseph A Jones & Co, told the Telegraph people should create a distinctive ‘e-signature’ when signing for something on an electronic device.

‘Create distinctive e-signature’