According to a 2005 Phonebusters study, more and more North Americans get stung every year by identity thieves.  The damages from cheque washing alone add up to about $800 million annually. 

What is cheque washing?

Just another example of human ingenuity.  Identity scammers have some unglamourous techniques such as stealing mail from mailboxes, sorting through it, taking out any cheques and placing them in baths of household chemicals until the ink soaks off the paper fibers.   Then they carefully dry the paper and write themselves a cheque for any amount they like.

<---BEFORE               AFTER--->

If you're concerned about security, the worst pen to use on cheques or important documents is a standard ballpoint pen.  The best pens are gel pens; gel ink is most resistant to water and chemicals. 

Remember the movie Catch Me If You Can where Leonardo DiCaprio plays a guy who talks his way into all kinds of prestigious positions and even has people convinced that he's an airline pilot?  Well that movie is based on the adventures of a real guy named Frank Abagnale.  Frank has recently been retained by the good people at Sanford to help publicize the Uni-ball 207, an inexpensive gel pen that uses ink containing colour pigments, which cannot be removed from paper.  Frank says that the 207 is his favourite Uni-ball, and he should know, even though you may wonder if you can believe him when he says the 207 works great.

That's why I tested the 207 with two well-known ink solvents (rubbing alcohol and acetone).  The 207 actually does work great.  Hardly any ink displacement at all.  Frank Abnagale must be over his fibbing thing.

Moral:  If you're planning to mail cheques, sign legal documents or pledge your undying love in a handwritten sonnet, spend the $3 on a Uni-ball 207.  The comfort grip is nice to hold and the ball-tip floats along over paper with an extremely pleasing glide. I'm a complete pen fanatic so I'm not complimenting this baby lightly.   

Personal Note:  If you're a spiller, as I myself am, this pen means freedom to knock your journal into the toilet, drop your shopping list in a puddle or put your will through the laundry, all without regret.

Uni-ball 207 comes in all the usual colours plus orange, pink and purple, although my office supply store only has it in blue, black and red.  Available in three nib sizes - Bold, Medium and Micro.  More info at secureyoursignature.ca.