Picture this: you open a PDF, scroll to the signature page, insert a signature image you've been using since 2019, save the file, and hit send. Done, right?

Wrong.

If you think that's a digital signature, you're making the same mistake thousands of businesses make every day. And in a legal dispute, that mistake could cost you everything.

The Three Levels of "Signing" a Document

Let's break down what's actually happening when you "sign" something digitally.

Level 1: The Signature Image (Cosmetic Only)

This is what most people do. You insert a PNG of your signature into a document. It looks official, and it feels official; but legally, it's just a picture. Anyone could have pasted it there. The document could be edited after you "signed" it. There's zero proof you were even involved. In court, this holds about as much weight as a photocopy of a photocopy.

Level 2: E-Signature Platforms (Legal but Limited)

Tools like SignNow and DocuSign are a step up. They create an audit trail—timestamps, IP addresses, email records. This is legally binding in most jurisdictions, including Jamaica under the Electronic Transactions Act.

But here's the weakness: there's still no absolute proof that you inserted your signature and clicked that button. Someone with access to your email could have signed on your behalf. For everyday contracts, that's usually fine. For high-value agreements or disputes, you're on shaky ground.

Level 3: Biometric Signatures (Identity Verified in Real Time)

Now let's talk real security. A biometric signature doesn't just record that someone signed—it verifies who signed, in real time. When a document is signed using Cleared™ Signatures, it incorporates face scan, ID match and live presence detection, all embedded into the document itself. After that, a digital certificate is embedded, making tampering impossible. This is the only method that gives you ironclad proof of identity at the moment of signing (aka the signing ceremony).

Why This Matters for Employers and Legal Professionals

If you're an HR manager hiring remotely, a lawyer closing property deals, or a business owner signing high-stakes contracts, you need to know who's actually on the other end of that signature. Identity fraud is rising across the Caribbean and emerging markets, and a standard e-signature won't protect you when someone claims they never signed that NDA, that lease, or that promissory note.

Biometric signatures change the game. They turn signing from a trust exercise into a verified event.

The Bottom Line

Not all digital signatures are created equal. If you're still relying on signature images or basic e-signatures for important documents, you're leaving yourself and your business exposed. The next level is here, and it's biometric.

Ready to sign with confidence? Cleared™ offers biometric-verified digital signatures that stand up in court anywhere in the world. When your subject signs a document on Cleared™, it bears a certificate that assures all parties the document hasn't been tampered with since signing—and you'll know for sure they were live and present while signing.