Here's a nonauthentic signed photo sent by actor Kevin Bacon in the mid-1990s.  The photo is black and white, size 5" x 7".  The back of the photo is blank white.  The signature on the bottom of the photo is an autopen, which is a machine-generated signature.  In other words, it's a fake.

I don't blame Mr. Bacon for sending out this type of material.  He's an actor, and his time is best spent in his profession, not signing autographs for strangers.  I got this item by writing a fan letter to his address off Bellagio Road in Los Angeles.  I sent my autograph request on November 25, 1996, and he was kind enough to respond with this item.  Here's a close-up of the signature.

Autopens can be tough to identify, because they look so real.  This signature even left an impression in the photo, but the item looks too perfect under magnification.  The line is thick and fairly uniform from beginning to end.  Real signatures look a bit sloppier.

Why should I care?  Because I'm an Autograph Superfreak.  Check out my credentials on the "About Me" link.  I've spent lots of time studying real versus fake autographs and publishing the results in my own newsletter "Autograph Research" and in my column in "Autograph Collector" magazine.  (Please don't tell my wife I've spent so much time on this subject.  She already thinks I'm nutty.)  Now I feel it's my mission to share this information on eBay, and hopefully, protect other collectors.

If you buy an autograph, you deserve to know if it's real or fake.  I hate seeing all the junk on eBay, sold by sellers that are either naive or conniving.  At least with this Guide, you know about one item to watch out for.

If this Guide is helpful, please take a moment to leave feedback.  Thanks for your time!  Have a great day.