In Japan, contracts are signed using a hanko, an engraved stamp. (I bought one for the name "Mark" just for fun when I was in Japan. We also bought one for my daughter's karate teacher and he loves it, and now uses it on the certificates his gives his sudents. You can order a hanko online.)
Japan Sugoi writes that Mitsubishi Pencil has announced a hanko with built-in fraud protection:
Non Japanese people usually sign legal contracts or other important documents in ink, but Japanese traditionally prefer an engraved stamp called a hanko. One concern though, is that the stamped signature, usually the owner’s name, can be easily forged. Mitsubishi Pencil’s Security Enhanced Personalized Hanko stamp ダイヤルãƒãƒ³ã‚¯å° alleviates the risk of fraud by adding a two-digit dial that creates a series of marks around the printed name, making it difficult for an unauthorized person to copy someone’s stamp. It also wards against theft by requiring a code to be entered before use.
I'm not sure how people can tell whether or not a correct combination was used, though. perhaps a Japanese reader can explain.
