To: cypherpunks@toad.com P >Hmmm... In this scenario, wouldn't Safeway wind up eating the bad P >checks? I realize that it would be a royal pain in the ass for the P >victim (the checkbook owner) to sort out the mess, but it would seem to P >me that the victim could prove that he/she didn't sign the checks, P >leaving Safeway in the position of having exchanged groceries for P >worthless paper. In the case of a forged drawer's signature (forged signature of the account holder) on a check, the bank that pays on the forgery is liable. This is because in theory a check is an order to your bank to pay on your order and a forgery is not a valid order from you. If a check is paid based on a forged *endorsement* on the other hand, the transaction can be walked back until the person who first accepted the forged endorsement is stuck with the loss. This is because everyone in the endorsement chain has a claim that is based on the validity of prior endorsements. DCF Privacy 101: If you don't want to answer the questions on the form because they invade your privacy -- don't. If you want to complete the form to get something out of someone -- lie. The best way to lie on a form is to select answers out of the "answerspace" of potential answers that give no useful information about you. Given the complexity of human existance, "answerspace" is large enough that you can usually select "true" answers about you that give no useful information. Name: Whatever Address: Mail Drop Phone Number: Voice Mail SS#:???-??-???? Something vetted by SSN.EXE Last Address: Somewhere Overseas Photo ID: Employment/Student ID Credit Card: Secured VISA card Health Security Card: Sorry, I'm a non-resident alien. *Netiquette Alert -- Signature longer than message.* --- WinQwk 2.0b#1165