Consigne
I have received a document to sign
What that email is, whether it is legitimate, and what happens when you sign.
Someone you deal with — your employer, a client, an accountant — has sent you a document to sign through Code Contract. If you were expecting that document, the link is the intended route; if you were not expecting it, write to whoever sent it before signing anything. That rule holds here and anywhere else.
What you are going to do
- 1
Click the link in the email, SMS or WhatsApp.
- 2
Read the document. It is the full text, not a summary.
- 3
Confirm who you are if asked (usually a code sent to your phone).
- 4
Sign.
What happens next
You receive a copy of the signed document. That copy carries the evidence inside it: when you opened it, from where, how you confirmed your identity and the moment you signed. That is what makes the signature hold up.
Watch out
If the document says something you had not agreed, do not sign and say so. Signing is not a formality: once signed, the document stands.
›Do I have to pay anything?
No. Signing never costs the signer anything.
›Can I sign from my phone?
Yes, and most people do.
›What if I do not want to sign?
You can decline. It is recorded, and the sender is notified.
›Is my signature stored for other uses?
No. It applies to that document and nothing else.
A real case
The situation
You get a WhatsApp link to sign an amendment to your contract.
What you do
- Open the link on your phone
- Read the amendment in full
- Enter the code sent by SMS
- Sign
What you get
The signed PDF arrives by email, with the exact time and the proof that it was you.
The situation
An email arrives to sign and it was not expected.
What you do
- Checks with the sender through another channel
What you get
Verification does not go through the email itself.
The situation
There is a fear that signing commits to something unread.
What you do
- Opens and reads the document before signing
What you get
You sign knowing what you are accepting.
The situation
The document has an error and is signed anyway.
What you do
- Flags it before signing and asks for a correction
What you get
Cancelling a signature afterwards is avoided.
The situation
It is signed from a phone in the middle of something else.
What you do
- Waits until it can be read properly
What you get
The signature is not given blind for convenience.
The situation
It is unclear who else has signed.
What you do
- Checks the status in the link itself
What you get
The full circuit is visible before deciding.
This article answers
- i received a signing link is it safe
- how do i sign a document sent to me
- do i need an account to sign
- can i sign from my phone