Liza Minnelli fans who bought signed copies of her memoir are seeking refunds because they believe her signature is fake.<\/p>\n
Copies of Kids, Wait Till You Hear This<\/a>! by the American 80-year-old singer were marketed around the world as \u201chand-signed collectibles\u201d, with premium editions costing up to $250 (\u00a3185).<\/p>\n However, some buyers have questioned the uniformity of the signatures and speculated that they were digitally signed by an autopen<\/a>, a device that replicates handwriting.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you see footage of Liza today in her own documentary, she is far too frail to have signed a handful of books this accurately, let alone hundreds,\u201d said autograph collector Gareth Brown, who contacted the Guardian after paying \u00a325 for a signed copy in a Kent bookshop.<\/p>\n Copy of Liza Minelli\u2019s memoir bought by Gareth Brown. Photograph: Gareth Brown<\/p>\n He said he bought the hardback rather than waiting for the cheaper paperback edition because of the signature.<\/p>\n \u201cI started wondering how many books she must have signed for one to end up in an independent bookshop at an English seaside,\u201d he said. \u201cI found there was much online discussion about this and many photographs of the signature, all of which look the same.\u201d<\/p>\n Signature on the copy of Liza Minelli\u2019s memoir bought by Gareth Brown. Photograph: Gareth Brown<\/p>\n Fans, armed with tracing paper overlays, have turned sleuth and concluded that the signatures in their books are unnaturally identical.<\/p>\n According to Justin Steffman, the CEO of autograph authentication service AutographCOA, none of the examples he examined appear to have been signed by a human hand.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has sadly been common for many celebrities to sell \u2018signed\u2019 merchandise featuring fake signatures,\u201d he said. \u201cSo uncovering that Liza Minnelli\u2019s memoir features what looks like autopen-signed autographs was no surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n Fans posting online have said they intend to return their copies.<\/p>\n Minnelli is a singer, dancer and actor and daughter of the late Hollywood star Judy Garland. She made her screen debut as a toddler. Earlier this year she released<\/a> her first new music in 13 years, adding vocals to an AI-created dance track.<\/p>\n