Here's Why Celebrities Like Claire Foy Won't Sign Autographs in Blue Ink

Fans love to get autographs from their favorite celebrities. However, sometimes celebrities won't do it, such as the time Claire Foy refused to sign one for a fan back in 2023. Claire was going into the Rockefeller Center in New York City when a fan asked her for an autograph, but she said, "I don’t do blue," per People.

However, The Crown star had a very good reason for not signing the fan's autograph with his blue pen, and it may surprise you.

The reason why celebrities like Claire Foy won't sign autographs for fans in blue ink is because of fraud. After Claire told the fan who wanted her autograph that she doesn't "do blue," he seemed surprised and exclaimed, "What?” The actor did sign another autograph for a fan nearby who had a black Sharpie, so she wasn't being a diva. She was just being cautious.

According to an article in Huffington Post UK, celebrities won't sign autographs in blue ink because it's easier to scan their signatures in order to forge them. The outlet noted that athletes are also taught not to sign in blue ink.

“Most celebrities and athletes are taught not to do blue ink cause you can scan and forge the signature on other things and sell them,” read the article.

NBA star Patrick Beverly said on his podcast The Pat Bev Podcast with Rone that he had been warned not to sign autographs, or anything else, with blue ink.

“I was taught, maybe after my third year, that you’re not supposed to use a blue pen," he said. "Because they can use that signature and slap it on another jersey and sell that, but you can’t do that with a black pen or grey pen.”

Attorney Christopher M. Naghibi doesn't believe the blue ink warnings, and he told Today that it was "outdated ideology" to believe blue ink made it easier to forge signatures.

"The notion that blue ink can be forged more easily than black ink isn't necessarily accurate in the context of modern technology," he said. "It really stems from an old, outdated ideology. ... with advancements in scanning and printing technology, this distinction has become less relevant."

"As an attorney," he added, "I can tell you that blue ink is often preferred for signing important documents, because it helps distinguish an original signature from a black-and-white photocopy or a printed signature. Both blue and black inks can be subject to forgery, and the security against forgery primarily depends on the methods used for verification and the quality of the inks and paper, rather than the color of the ink itself."

Maybe he's right, but we don't blame celebrities from being careful just the same.