Why You Should Never Shorten the year 2020 To 20 On Legal Documents

**LeroyPatrol** · 09-01-20, 09:22 AM

When you sign and date legal documents this new year, it would make sense to shorten 2020 to 20, wouldn’t it? Apparently not, according to law enforcement, who are warning that this habit could put you at major risk of fraud.

The problem stems from the ease at which the year 20 can be changed to any date from the last two decades. For example 04/01/20 could easily be changed to 04/01/2017, giving scammers a chance to defraud you.

“When signing and dating legal documents, do not use 20 as the year 2020,” a Facebook post by the East Millinocket Police Department said. “March 3, 2020 being written as 3/3/20 could be modified to 3/3/2017 or 3/3/2018. Protect yourself. Do not abbreviate 2020.”

**lsemmens** · 09-01-20, 10:33 AM

Seems logical. I rarely shorten dates anyway, goes back to my days of writing dBase programs. Computers are literal beasts and believe anything you type. I forgot a full stop (.) in a program once and it fell over at end of month. Only took me a week to find it.

**Ma_Baker** · 10-01-20, 03:12 PM

Hi all.

Anyone here remember the good old days when all legal documents, that had to be signed by a Justice or higher ranked official, had to have each line of text in the document ended with an ink line that went to the edge of the page in order to make sure no one entered any extra text ?

Out of interest that is why "Justified" printing was invented..... Alright, hands up those here who knew .... not many I bet.

Luv to all

Hic Hic and Bye