contract-law
What are the implications of requesting someone sign a document with false information?
<p>I have been asked by multiple different companies on different occasions to sign documents, with my signature certifying that all information in the document is true and correct.  These documents have had factual errors, and further, when I request a correction, the companies always insist that I sign the document anyway.</p>
<p>Is this inherently illegal, and if I were to sign as instructed, does their action affect the validity of contracts derived from this information or the validity of my signature, at all?</p>

<h2>In general, signing means you cannot deny the accuracy of the information in the future</h2>
<p>In general, there is no prohibition on knowingly stating falsehoods under the law. That is, it is not illegal to lie.</p>
<p>Exceptions include when you are under penalty of perjury (e.g. on oath in court), when you are making certain declarations to government (e.g. your tax return), you are acting dishonestly to cause gain or harm others (e.g. fraud), etc.</p>
<p>However, by signing the document, you may create a legal fact that is independent of the real-world facts. For example, if you sign a receipt for $1,000 then you create a legal presumption that you received $1,000 even if there was actually only $500 in the envelope. You would need some pretty spectacular evidence to overcome that presumption.</p>
<p>Now, I don’t know what you are signing that has factual errors in it but, if they are material errors, don’t. Just don’t.</p>

<p>Signing a document does not inherently mean anything, but it might commit you to something (a contract), or might constitute a sworn statement (an affidavit that you have never eaten pork). It is illegal (perjury) to knowingly make a false sworn statement, but it is not illegal to agree to something that you won't want to agree to (paying $100 per month rather than $10).</p>
<p>If you e.g. affirm, as shown by your signature with an associated declaration that &quot;everything contained in this document is true to the best of my knowledge&quot;, that you intend to do X or that you have never done X but that is false, you can easily be sued, because you committed fraud. It could even be criminal perjury, in cases where the company asks questions that pertain to security clearances or things about bank accounts which often require swearing to facts, as required by law. It doesn't affect the validity of the contract, it bears on the punishment that you will receive for making false statements.</p>
