6 signs to check on a doubtful sick note or medical certificate
By PRACPROOF (PTY) LTD · July 2026
Most forged certificates are not sophisticated. They are edited photocopies, templates downloaded from the internet, or genuine notes with one small alteration — a date stretched, a return-to-work day moved. You don't need to be a forensic examiner to catch the majority of them; you need a consistent checklist. Here are six signs to check, followed by the separate role of a QR-summary check.
1. The practice details don't hold up
Search the practitioner's name and the practice number independently — don't rely on the details printed on the note itself. If the practice number doesn't match the named practitioner, or the practice doesn't appear to exist at all, stop there. Registered SA practitioners can also be looked up on the HPCSA's public register.
2. An illegible signature over a rubber stamp — and nothing else
A squiggle and a stamp with no practitioner name, qualification or practice details is the classic template forgery. Employers are routinely advised to treat exactly this pattern with suspicion rather than accept it at face value.
3. Dates that don't work
Look for impossible dates (a consultation on the 31st of a 30-day month), a certificate issued after the sick period it covers without saying so, or a booking-off period that has clearly been extended in different ink or a different font. Date tampering is the single most common alteration to an otherwise genuine note.
4. Fonts, spacing and alignment that shift mid-document
Edited PDFs and photocopied composites betray themselves: one line sits slightly higher than its neighbours, the patient's name is in a subtly different typeface, or the text weight changes where a field was overtyped. Hold it next to a known-genuine certificate from the same practice if you have one.
5. The employee's story and the certificate disagree
A certificate that books someone off for gastroenteritis when they told their manager it was a family emergency is not automatically forged — but the mismatch justifies verifying it. Patterns matter too: certificates that always appear on Mondays and Fridays, or that cluster around long weekends, are worth a consistent (and consistently applied) verification policy.
6. The phone number on the note is the only way to "verify" it
A well-made forgery includes a phone number that rings the forger's friend. When you phone to verify, find the practice's number yourself — through a directory or the practice's website — rather than dialling what is printed on the document. The practice may not discuss the patient's condition, but it can confirm whether the certificate was issued by them.
When a QR check is available
A PracProof certificate carries a signed summary in its QR code. Check the signature, then compare the displayed names, dates and summary with the certificate. Changing the paper alone can leave its QR valid. The QR does not independently establish the practitioner's identity or current registration, and the absence of a QR code is not itself evidence of forgery. Use independent practice checks where needed.
Found a forgery? Handle it properly
Don't confront on the spot. Preserve the document, record your verification steps, and run your normal disciplinary process — the employee must get the chance to respond. Handled correctly, a proven forged certificate is among the clearest-cut cases of dismissible misconduct in South African labour law.
Frequently asked
Is handing in a fake sick note a dismissible offence?
Presenting a forged medical certificate is fraud and a serious form of misconduct. South African courts and arbitrators have repeatedly upheld dismissal for it, provided a fair disciplinary process was followed.
Can a pharmacy or clinic sick note be valid?
A certificate is valid if it is issued and signed by a practitioner who is certified to diagnose and treat patients and registered with a professional council. What matters is the registration and scope of the person signing, not the building it was issued in.
What does a PracProof QR check tell me?
It validates the signed summary carried in the QR. Compare the displayed patient name, dates, prescriber details and summary with the certificate. It does not automatically verify every part of the paper or PDF or independently prove prescriber identity. A certificate without a QR code is not necessarily suspicious; use independent practice checks where needed.
General information for South African workplaces and practices — not legal advice. For a specific dispute, consult a labour-law practitioner. © PRACPROOF (PTY) LTD.