When allowed to proliferate, fraudulent documents can have a devastating impact on both the integrity and infrastructure of financial systems, as well as the security of a nation. Technologies such as digital imaging software, scanners, color printing devices, and the Internet have paved the way for criminals to easily create an array of fraudulent documents. This improved capability of the counterfeiter, coupled with a lack of knowledge of genuine features by the acceptors of these instruments, has contributed to their escaping detection. Combating counterfeiting not only requires attention from law enforcement, but also concerted effort from manufacturers, document issuers, financial institutions, and retailers that accept documents as means for transactions. The purpose of this article is to focus on the role of forensic document examiners (FDEs) and the objective examinations they conduct in order to differentiate counterfeit or forged from genuine. The tasks involved in performing these analyses can be complex because, in addition to determining authenticity, the examiner may be called upon to provide expertise regarding how fraudulent documents are constructed, and whether potential associations exist with other suspect documents. Ultimately, providing accurate, unbiased courtroom testimony to assist the trier of fact is the culmination of thorough and intensive examinations. These procedures that are utilized have been outlined with emphasis on physical characteristics, printing processes, security features, and electronic media. A brief discussion of each ensues with numerous illustrations depicting the types of features encountered, as well as necessary examinations that FDEs should conduct to determine if documents are fraudulent.