Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What can you do if your husband forges your signature?

51 replies

MickeyMouse111 · 10/02/2025 10:37

For business transactions.

(We're not getting divorced - yet - this hardly evokes trust so it's making me rethink our relationship...but all the cases I can read online are people doing it when they're in the middle of divorce proceedings so advice is different to what it would be in my case)

He's been doing it so he can run certain things in the business in a different order to what we agreed.

OP posts:
Escapaid · 10/02/2025 10:42

It depends what kind of action you want to take, but forging someone else's signature is Fraud by False Representation. You could contact the Police.

INeedAnotherName · 10/02/2025 10:46

It is fraud. You can go to jail for it.

It you don't report it to the police then you are complicit in the criminal activity and can be charged/jailed as well.

Are you willing to lose your job, your home, any children, your freedom , for this man?

Original poster
MickeyMouse111 · 10/02/2025 10:53

Luckily he hadn't done anything with the papers yet and I've shredded them. But everything I read online said that the police wouldn't actually do anything unless someone has suffered a financial loss which isn't the case

OP posts:
Onautopilot · 10/02/2025 10:56

Yep, that's fraud. And if it comes to light that you realized and didn't act to stop it, you can be held accountable too.
Looks like your "DH" is willing to throw your life, and your children's, down the toilet.
Be very, very careful with this and act fast. My exBIL had his OW forge my sister's signature on an authority to sell their house; she saw the property photo in the agency window!! That wasn't the only document either.

Original poster
MickeyMouse111 · 10/02/2025 10:59

Onautopilot · 10/02/2025 10:56

Yep, that's fraud. And if it comes to light that you realized and didn't act to stop it, you can be held accountable too.
Looks like your "DH" is willing to throw your life, and your children's, down the toilet.
Be very, very careful with this and act fast. My exBIL had his OW forge my sister's signature on an authority to sell their house; she saw the property photo in the agency window!! That wasn't the only document either.

I get that, but given nothing actually happened (I binned the papers) what exactly do I need to/can I do?

OP posts:
DemonicCaveMaggot · 10/02/2025 10:59

If you have a solicitor handling your divorce I would consult them. They could contact your DH's solicitor to give them a heads up and I expect those solicitors would tell him to knock it off in no uncertain terms. They wouldn't want to be involved in a fraud which they could be if it affects things like marital assets such as a commonly owned business.

JustMyView13 · 10/02/2025 11:00

I would send him a formal email and pull him up on it. After all, this is business, and this is what you would do in a work environment. Provide an example of a document you did not sign, and call it out for what it is.
He has the audacity to risk your marriage by acting in this way in the first place. Basically, you need receipts of his activity.

Onautopilot · 10/02/2025 11:00

Sorry, cross posted.
The police may not prosecute, but I think a bank or financial institution may bring a civil suit; someone with a legal background would probably know.
Anyway, it's a sneaky, deceitful thing to do.

Original poster
MickeyMouse111 · 10/02/2025 11:00

DemonicCaveMaggot · 10/02/2025 10:59

If you have a solicitor handling your divorce I would consult them. They could contact your DH's solicitor to give them a heads up and I expect those solicitors would tell him to knock it off in no uncertain terms. They wouldn't want to be involved in a fraud which they could be if it affects things like marital assets such as a commonly owned business.

We're not getting divorced or under proceedings. Until this morning we were bumbling along 'happily' married....

OP posts:
Original poster
MickeyMouse111 · 10/02/2025 11:01

JustMyView13 · 10/02/2025 11:00

I would send him a formal email and pull him up on it. After all, this is business, and this is what you would do in a work environment. Provide an example of a document you did not sign, and call it out for what it is.
He has the audacity to risk your marriage by acting in this way in the first place. Basically, you need receipts of his activity.

Yes good idea. Although I shredded the documents 🙈
But I take your point and can do as much as I can to document this episode

OP posts:
Iamallowedtodisagreewithyou · 10/02/2025 11:04

Ok so if you've destroyed the forged signature then you don't have to do anything else.

Original poster
MickeyMouse111 · 10/02/2025 11:06

Iamallowedtodisagreewithyou · 10/02/2025 11:04

Ok so if you've destroyed the forged signature then you don't have to do anything else.

Yep it's gone. Thanks

OP posts:
Checkhov · 10/02/2025 11:06

How can you know that he hasn't done it before OP? I think you need to have a full discussion with him. Are there any other signs of anything amiss?

Original poster
MickeyMouse111 · 10/02/2025 11:20

Checkhov · 10/02/2025 11:06

How can you know that he hasn't done it before OP? I think you need to have a full discussion with him. Are there any other signs of anything amiss?

I can't be 100pc sure. But most big transactions require me to send the broker documents only I have access to. I knew this transaction was taking place and he signed for me because he "didn't know when a good time to get me to sign would be". It is just so very like my signature that I felt shocked, even I had to look twice. And such a lame excuse (we live in the same house and see each other every day!)
I can't be sure there are other transactions that don't need those docs though.

He tends to get anxious about the business stuff and run very fast with it and give himself more work to do than is necessary because of overlapping work.
Otherwise our relationship is okay

OP posts:
JustMyView13 · 10/02/2025 11:20

Also, have you run a credit report lately. Check my file is a good one because it captures all agencies and you get 30 days free. You just want to be certain there’s no credit cards or loans have been taken out in your name without your knowledge…

TheSandgroper · 10/02/2025 11:21

Are you both directors of a company? Then you have a big problem. Look up the responsibilities of a director.

Original poster
MickeyMouse111 · 10/02/2025 11:21

JustMyView13 · 10/02/2025 11:20

Also, have you run a credit report lately. Check my file is a good one because it captures all agencies and you get 30 days free. You just want to be certain there’s no credit cards or loans have been taken out in your name without your knowledge…

Good idea.

OP posts:
Original poster
MickeyMouse111 · 10/02/2025 11:22

TheSandgroper · 10/02/2025 11:21

Are you both directors of a company? Then you have a big problem. Look up the responsibilities of a director.

Yes

OP posts:
Original poster
MickeyMouse111 · 10/02/2025 11:23

TheSandgroper · 10/02/2025 11:21

Are you both directors of a company? Then you have a big problem. Look up the responsibilities of a director.

I get what you're saying. I just don't think "I saw my signature forged on a document so I shredded it. I don't think to my knowledge there are any others" will go anywhere

OP posts:
Creameded · 10/02/2025 11:26

You need to document this via email that you know he did this, that you destroyed the documents and that you will take action to protect yourself if he does it again.

Honestly I would think your marriage is over and you need to protect yourself.

TheSandgroper · 10/02/2025 11:27

https://www.gov.uk/search/all?keywords=Responsibilities+director

Refresh your memory here on what legal responsibilities you yourself have. Because, if you stay in your business relationship, you now need to watch like a hawk.

Then discuss with a business lawyer or accountant. Police probably won’t want to know as it’s a civil matter. Inland Revenue or whoever regulates companies will have no qualms about making your life hell.

Search

Find content from government

https://www.gov.uk/search/all?keywords=Responsibilities+director

Conqueeftador · 10/02/2025 11:29

If it looked so realistic I’d be seriously worried now many times he’s done it before. I think you need to check over everything. And document that you know he’s done it at least in an email that also asks him if he has done this before. At least that way you have some sort of evidence of his reply.

HarpieDuJour · 10/02/2025 11:30

MickeyMouse111 · 10/02/2025 10:53

Luckily he hadn't done anything with the papers yet and I've shredded them. But everything I read online said that the police wouldn't actually do anything unless someone has suffered a financial loss which isn't the case

I know someone this happened to. He forged her signature in order to use their home as collateral for a business loan for their shared business. She only found out after the loan had been repaid, but she reported it to the police. He served some time in prison for it, and you will not be shocked to know that they divorced shortly afterwards!

HotCrossBunplease · 10/02/2025 11:33

Surely the first thing to do is to sit down and talk to him about it?

Original poster
MickeyMouse111 · 10/02/2025 11:34

HarpieDuJour · 10/02/2025 11:30

I know someone this happened to. He forged her signature in order to use their home as collateral for a business loan for their shared business. She only found out after the loan had been repaid, but she reported it to the police. He served some time in prison for it, and you will not be shocked to know that they divorced shortly afterwards!

Show quote history

Interesting!

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread