Security Printed Matter

What is it Used For?

Before we look at this let’s identify what we mean when we say security, as it has different connotations to different people.

1. The most obvious is preventing unwanted visitors entering an area.
2. Something that you don’t want everyone to be able to see.
3. Prevent counterfeiting of gift cards, vouchers, parking permits, tickets etc. that have a monetary value.

Preventing Unwanted Guests

Printed cards, visitor passes and tickets can all contribute to the security of an area. Tickets can have a dual purpose of stopping entry of the non-paying, but you also want to make the tickets challenging to copy or make counterfeit versions.

Cards can have multiple uses today with one being the security of an area. Images, such as the face of the user, unique numbers, magnetic strips and holograms can be used to make them difficult to copy.

Make Sure It’s Easy to Read

If you want people to look at cards and badges make sure they are easy to read. If the key information is difficult to read, it can cause a problem if you’re moving people through gated areas, where time is lost trying to read the pass or badge.

Personalisation Makes it more Difficult to Steal . . .

. . . and use cards and passes. Obviously, the level of complexity built into the card, ticket or visitor pass will be determined by the degree of security required. Today’s digital print allows every printed item to be unique, such as adding their profile picture and name as well as unique identifying numbers, QR or barcodes for easy scanning, which not only helps with security but in exhibitions they can assist in understanding how people move around.

Simple Addition to Security of Your Badges and Passes

If the image has an intricate element you’ll see a deterioration in the print quality if it’s just copied – this is a simple method of helping your security and in a low-risk area this maybe all you need, especially if some additional print such as holographic is added.

Stop Others Seeing What’s Printed

Payslips are personal and not something that we want everyone to see, so Payslip Mailers are an accepted way of enabling a print run where personal data is being printed which needs to remain hidden until the recipient opens up the mailer.

This type of print is also called Peel Apart Mailers and can be used for Bacs payment notifications, Printed Statements, Invoice Printing, Overdue Notices, Appointment Letters and of course Pin Numbers.

Prevent the Counterfeiter Stealing Your Money

It’s easy to forget that not everyone’s honest and when you’re trying to think like a criminal it’s not easy, because most of us don’t think that way.

Getting help from an expert can be useful when you start looking at printing anything that has a potential monetary value. The people in these fields have heard all the stories and know all the tricks that get used to try and steal your money or property.

Most criminals are lazy and don’t want to spend money, so adding sophistication to your voucher, parking ticket etc., can go a long way to securing your money.

Print Linked to Technology

If you can link the printed voucher to technology through a barcode or QR code or magnetic strip, you are adding an additional layer of complexity that helps prevent fraudulent alterations being attempted.

Where to Start with Security Printed Matter

Ideally, you should speak to an expert in this field. Technology is advancing continually, which means there are new ways of minimising counterfeit risks with printed matter, but it also follows that technology also makes it easier to emulate or copy and this is why speaking to an expert is so important. They’ll know the latest technology, what’s working and how far you need to go to suit your requirements.