What defines a forged check?

A forged check is primarily defined by the act of someone signing the check without authorization from the legitimate account holder. In this context, a check signed by an unauthorized person constitutes forgery, as it involves a deliberate attempt to deceive the financial institution and the payee by misrepresenting the identity of the individual authorizing the transaction.

The essence of forgery in the context of checks lies in the intent to commit fraud, which is present when an unauthorized individual attempts to use the identity or signature of the actual account holder to withdraw funds or process payments. This definition underscores the severity and illegality of such actions, which can lead to significant financial crime charges.

The other definitions provided, while addressing various forms of check fraud, do not specifically pinpoint the act of forgery as distinctly as the scenario of an unauthorized signature. For instance, an invalid signature may indicate issues with the check's authenticity, but it does not necessarily imply that it was signed by someone without authority. Similarly, alterations made after a check has been issued represent different forms of fraud, such as check tampering, rather than outright forgery.