Business PracticesQuestion 74 of 100
An agent realizes a new account form is missing a signature, so he signs the customer's name himself, reasoning that the customer had already agreed by telephone. This conduct is:
a.Acceptable because the customer consented orally
b.Acceptable if the customer later ratifies the signature
c.Prohibited, because falsifying or forging records and signatures is an unethical practice regardless of intent
d.Acceptable if no customer is harmed
Explanation
Signing a customer's name, backdating documents, or otherwise falsifying firm records is prohibited because it destroys the integrity of the books and records regulators rely on. Neither an oral agreement nor a later ratification cures the falsified document. The absence of financial harm is not a defense; the recordkeeping violation is complete when the record is made.
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