How Notaries Help Deter Identity Theft

Millions of people are victims of identity theft every year, and this trend shows no sign of abating. Skilled criminals continually look for new, increasingly sophisticated ways to commit fraud.

As a notary public, we are part of the first line of defense against identity theft. The notarization process is crucial to protecting the public from criminals.

There are many steps we take to ensure that the chances of identity theft, fraud, financial scams, forgeries and other criminal activity is prevented, such as: 

1. Notarize in the presence of the signer. Notaries should always perform a notarization in the presence of the signer. This is the most fundamental part of any notarization and perhaps the most effective way to deter criminals. Identity theft is less likely to be committed when a document is signed in the presence of the Notary.
2. Properly identify the signer. After requiring the signer's personal appearance, the next vital action is to identify the individual correctly. We carefully examine the signer’s identification, such as a state-issued driver’s license, passport, or military ID. If there are any doubts, a competent Notary Public WILL NOT proceed with the notarization and may ask for additional identification.
3. Review the document. An essential part of any notarization is reviewing the document for blank spaces. An incomplete document is like a blank check because a criminal can fill in the blank spaces later.
4. Dating the Document. Dating the document for the date that is is actually signed is crucial. A competent Notary will never backdate or forward date notarial certificates under any circumstances. This is illegal and unethical.
5. Protect our customers’ data. Today, protecting our customers’ data is vital. This is especially true for remote online notaries. Though our notarial journals are "public record," there are limits as to what information may be released and to whom it may be released.
6. Report criminal activity to proper law enforcement authorities. Identity theft and other criminal activity can still occur despite our best efforts. However, this doesn’t mean we can’t do anything to protect ourselves and our clients. We will report incidents to local law enforcement agencies and/or the proper authorities, such as the Federal Trade Commission if we have reason to suspect any illegal activity is happening.

As a notary, we play an essential role in deterring identity theft and other forms of crime. Verifying a signer’s identity and confirming (s)he understands the contents of a document before signing it goes a long way in protecting the public from harm.