A few years ago, while catching up with unpaid GP paperwork, I came across an email printout with the word UNCLASSIFIED at the top, and in smaller font underneath, Australian Federal Police.

I suspected the mysterious correspondence was bogus, so I had my practice manager look into it.

It turned out to be genuine.

The AFP had identified a “document of interest which is alleged to have been witnessed and/or certified by you as an authorised class of witness pursuant to the Statutory Declarations Act 1959. The document may contain your authentic signature and certification; however, for the purposes of elimination, we are seeking your assistance to positively confirm this or otherwise by reviewing the document”.