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March 1, 2015

Point (8) 1003 (9) Compliance Agreement; Marcy’s Problem w/the 1003

Marcy was on her way to another Notary assignment. She had been studying a little harder now, and knew her materials a little better. But, she got stuck on the signing with the Jennings. The loan signing went well, but there was a snag.

MARCY: Hi, I’m Marcy and I’ll be your Notary Signing Agent today.

Mr. JENNINGS: Is that like being a Private Notary, like the Tina Turner song?

MARCY: I’m your private Notary, Notary for money, do what you want me to do (within reason)
I’m your private Notary, Notary for money, any old loan docs will do…

Mrs. JENNINGS: How did we get on this topic? Aren’t you supposed to be a Public Notary?

MARCY: Well, yes, but for the purposes of the song, and the appointment, I’m temporarily private — at least during the signing.

Mr. JENNINGS: And this is the most fun you’ll have with your stamps on. (laughs) Oh, love that one.

Mrs. JENNINGS: What’s love got to do, got to do with it?

MARCY: It’s okay. There is nothing wrong with a little humor, so long as the wife is around. Just make sure he doesn’t make these jokes when you disappear to the kitchen to get coffee.

Mr. JENNINGS: Yeah, otherwise you’ll have to wear that T-shirt that says, “I’m not your husband’s mistress, I’m the Notary!”

MARCY: There he goes again! I actually saw 80 year old Mrs. Appleby wearing that T-shirt with her walker. I almost died laughing.

(20 minutes later)

Mr. JENNINGS: In any case, we seem to have gotten through most of the loan. But, let’s take a look at this 1003 Universal Residential Loan Application. Didn’t we already apply? Oh my God. It has my college wrong, and my age too. I want to talk to my Lender right away!

MARCY: Oh no. I just called him, but he won’t answer. I’ll leave him a message. Any chance we’ll get this loan signed in the meantime?

Mr. Jennings: Not on your life! I’m not signing anything until I hear from my Lender.

Poor Marcy ruined yet another loan through lack of training. Little did she know that the 1003 is notoriously riddled with errors, and that the information in that document is not binding for the loan. It is just backup misinformation as the case may be. It is so common and inconsequential for the 1003 to have endless information that is just wrong that you don’t even need to talk to the Lender about it most of the time. SPOILER ALERT: The question of whether or not you should cross out wrong information in this particular document will be addressed in a later chapter.

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Point (8) The 1003 Uniform Residential Loan Application

This form can be irritating because it often contains incorrect information about how old people are, where they work, how much they are borrowing, etc. Some borrowers insist on making changes to the 1003 because they are offended that the lender, for example, believes that they were born on 1-01-95 and have 3 months experience at their job when they are sixty years old and have 20 years experience. However: the information on the 1003 is not final.

Please note that often times this document must be initialed, but the location of the required initials can vary depending on the format. Additionally, there is often a blank page in this document which some people like to cross out.

For final numbers, see the Note, Deed of Trust, Truth in Lending (TIL) and Settlement Statement. Loan amounts are often misquoted by several thousand dollars in the 1003. Refer them to one of the “Final” documents like the note if they are concerned. . If the borrower remains upset, just have them write down each mistake on a piece of paper and have them talk to the lender on the following day.

Backdating. Sometimes the 1003 is backdated or the lender will leave instructions not to date it at all. Why? Because the borrower, most likely, has submitted a more user-friendly form to the borrower, which contains the same information that the 1003 does. At a closing you are often pretending that you are signing the 1003 when the borrower filled out the user-friendly application several weeks prior to the signing. As a Notary, just don’t backdate Notary documents. But don’t worry, this one is not a Notary document, and you aren’t backdating, the borrower is.

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Point (9) Compliance Agreement Errors and Omissions

There are various names for variations on this document which include:

Compliance Agreements, Errors & Omissions, and the Correction Agreement Limited Power of Attorney.
These documents all deal with the same issue. Some loan packages will have a Compliance Agreement and a Correction Agreement. There are many variations to these documents, but they have universal purpose: Mistakes happen on documents all the time, and the lender needs to make sure that they get fixed faster than a celebrity’s nose. These documents allow them to make clerical corrections, basic changes, to the loan package. Please note that the difference between the various types of Compliance Agreement and the Correction Agreement Limited Power of Attorney is that the Compliance Agreement requires the borrower to “cooperate” when clerical changes need to be made while the Correction Agreement Power of Attorney allows the lender to make the changes on their own.

The Compliance Agreement
The Compliance Agreement states that the borrower will cooperate in the correcting of information if the situation arises. “The errors and omissions” is sometimes a phrase that comes in the beginning of the document like Errors and Omissions / Compliance Agreement. An omission is a piece of information that someone has left out of the document.

The Correction Agreement Limited Power of Attorney
This document makes some borrowers worry. This document transfers power to the lender to make changes to their loan documents. It is only to correct clerical and typographical errors, like misspellings and other simple errors. It doesn’t affect the numbers or terms in the loan at all. Make sure to comfort the borrowers with a similar explanation if they are alarmed. They are not really signing their life away.

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You might also like:

30 Point Course Table of Contents
http://blog.123notary.com/?cat=3442

30 Point Course (10) The Signature Affidavit
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14356

Notarizing a compliance agreement (discussion)
http://www.123notary.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3913

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October 13, 2011

Best Notary Supplies

Filed under: Signing Tips — Tags: , , , — admin @ 5:58 am

Best Notary Supplies 
There are many companies out there to get notary supplies from.  Unfortunately, local stationary stores seem to either not have any notary supplies, or not have very high quality notary supplies.  Getting a mediocre notary journal is not the same as having a very beautiful and thoughtfully designed one — I know the difference, but do you?
 
There are various ways of going about finding the best notary supply company for you.  You can google notary supply companies in your area or state.  Or, just contact the National Notary Association.  When I was a notary, I used their supplies for my entire career, and was always very impressed with the quality and wide variety of products they carried. But, there are others, and those others might be closer to you, or may cater to your state more.
 
National Notary Association
Located in Chatsworth, CA, they can help you become a notary in any state.  They can help you with live classes in California and have materials for many other states as well.  They carry a variety of seals, stamps, embossers, journals, notary carry all bags, notary law primers for roughly 30 states, errors and omissions insurance, bonds, acknowledgment pads, jurat pads, and many other types of notary certificate pads for all states.

Read our review of the National Notary Association
 
Pennsylvania Association of Notaries
National Notary Association caters to the whole USA, but there are a few other good companies as well.  Pennsylvania Association of Notaries is very well reputed.  They can help you become a notary, renew your notary commission, or even find a notary public in Pennvsylvania. Bonds, Insurance, Resources, Classifieds, and more — they do it all!.
 
Signing Agent E&O
I have not heard of this before…or perhaps I heard of it once and forgot about it.  Regular Errors and Omissions insurance doesn’t cover for errors made during a loan signing unless it pertains to a notarized document. Most documents in a loan signing are not notarized!  Additionally, the late return of a notarized document can ruin a loan, but isn’t a notary error — it is a signing agent error!
 
American Association of Notaries
This is another well reputed notary supply company.  They carry most types of notary supplies and for very reasonable prices.
 
If you want to search for more companies, use google and look up using a state keyword and then the term “notary supplies”. That is one way to find the best notary supply company around!

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Notary Carry All Bag
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=1238

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January 13, 2011

The journals with check boxes? What does Jeremy say?

Filed under: Journals — admin @ 11:27 pm

Don’t use it!
Any time you check a box rather than writing something in by hand, you are risking making a mistake. You are dealing with legal documents here. Being a Notary is not the same as working for the circus. The consequences for a mistake could end you up in court.

Additionally, many document names have variations. If you check the box for an Errors and Omissions document where the real name is Errors and Omissions Compliance Agreement, you did not reference the correct document.

The more serious problem with check boxes is that many Notaries feel that the laws affecting proper journal filling procedure suddently change the minute you use the check box journal. Many Notaries feel you no longer have to obey the one document per entry law or principle. Not true! The principle is still the same. The signer or borrower has to sign for each journal entry and for each document in a separate journal entry — no exceptions and don’t cry about how much longer it will take you. You are Notaries, not clowns!

My suggestion is to use the regular NNA soft cover Official Journal of Notarial Acts. It is good for any type of Notary act, has room for a thumbprint, notes about the signer, room for credible witnesses, etc. It was all I ever needed and I went through about six dozen in my career.

I first saw a real journal with check boxes recently when Carmen showed me hers. She fills hers out by hand instead of checking boxes by the way (which is correct). However, the journal doesn’t mention that many choices of documents (only about 18) so if yours is a variation on a name of a document or not on the list you still need to write it by hand. The check boxes only encourage bad bookkeeping. So, no more check boxes. We don’t like it. It is not professional, safe or a good practice!

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January 2, 2011

National Loan Closers

Here is what Notaries are saying about this outfit.
http://www.123notary.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3755

Ollie
“Like many of you, our business relationship with NLC started out being
amicable.
However, we just learned that they pay every 61 days–at least for us.
This is called floating; which means instead of your income producing for you (like interest earned), it is producing for them.

We are proponents of receiving our fee the same disbursement day as the buyers and sellers.
The industry normal currently is ‘net 30’. What should be the norm is interest earned on the fee due from the day of disbursement on all completed assignments.
What we will do for companies like NLC is accept assignments by PAYPAL!”

Shannon
“I recently received then declined a signing. When prompted to “select” my fee, I was unable to find a fee greater than $85.00. While certainly there are assignments that might be done for that price (or even less), a loan signing is typically never less than $100 and with printing and other requirements much more likely to be closer to $200.

If indeed your maximum price per signing is $85.00, then I would ask that you remove me from your mailing list and system altogether. Even as a novice Notary back in 2003, Loan Signings in Orange County paid $150. [either way, gas is $4/gal]

I own and operate three (3) Mobile Notary businesses and personally service six Southern California counties. I carry $1MM in Errors and Omissions insurance that blankets my businesses and am NNA and DOJ background Checked and a Certified Notary Signing Agent. I have personally signed over 13,000 loans since 2003. I am truly an expert at what I do. I’d love to hear from you again when your pricing better reflects the value of my services.”

Diana
“BEWARE OF NLC!!!! They are full of excuses when it comes time to pay!! It has been over 60 days for 2 jobs I done for them and No payment.. But I keep getting their “pay policy” emailed!! Of course, it says I should have been paid..LOL.. I guess their not looking at the dates!. I for 1 will Never work for them again.. They are on My Black List!! Good Luck everyone!!”

ldelrey
“I have been with NLC since last year always paid on time, however, this year has been a night mare, I’m still waiting for payment from Jun 8, 11, 12, 2012.I have send the invoice via email 20 times and also call. We are sending checks out by the end of the week…I have not done any closing for July-Thank God…”

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January 27, 2023

How to Start a Mobile Notary Business in 2023

Filed under: General Articles — Tags: , — Tom Wilkins @ 12:00 pm

Starting a mobile notary business in 2023 is a great way to provide valuable service to your community while running a successful and profitable business. As a mobile notary, you can work from anywhere, set your own schedule, and serve many clients.

Get Commissioned

The first thing you will need to do to start a mobile notary business is to become a commissioned notary public. This typically involves passing a background check, taking a notary education course, and passing a notary exam. Once you are a commissioned notary public, you will need to purchase a surety bond, a type of insurance that protects your clients in case of errors or omissions on your part.

Create a Business Plan

Next, you’ll need to create a business plan. As a notary or signing agent, you know that success in your business requires more than just showing up on time and having the right documents. Taking the extra step to create a mobile notary business plan can go a long way toward helping you achieve your goals and make your work even more successful. There is much to consider, from generating leads to determining pricing structures when writing up your plan.

Invest in the Proper Tools & Equipment

Once your business plan is complete, you must invest in the necessary equipment and supplies to run your mobile notary business. This includes a professional-grade seal and stamp, a journal to record your notarial acts, and a reliable means of transportation to travel to your clients. You will also want to invest in a good-quality printer, scanner, and computer to handle all the paperwork required to do your job.

Market Your Notary Business

Marketing is essential when you start a mobile notary business to ensure a steady stream of clients. You will need to create a website and social media presence to showcase your services and offer discounts and promotions to attract new clients. You should also consider networking with other notaries, real estate agents, attorneys, and other professionals who can refer clients to you.

Ongoing Education

Another important aspect of starting a mobile notary business is to stay up-to-date with the laws and regulations regarding notary services in your state. Each state has different rules and regulations regarding notaries, so it is important to stay informed and comply with all applicable laws. You should also consider joining a professional organization, such as the National Notary Association, which can provide you with training and resources to help you run your business.

How Much Will You Charge for Your Services?

Finally, it’s important to have a clear pricing strategy for your mobile notary business. You will want to research the going rates for mobile notary services in your area and set your prices accordingly. You may also want to offer package deals or volume discounts to attract repeat clients.

Create Your Own Success in 2023

In summary, starting a mobile notary business in 2023 is a great way to provide a valuable service to your community while also running a successful and profitable business. The key steps are to become a commissioned notary public, invest in the necessary equipment and supplies, market your business effectively, stay up-to-date with laws and regulations, and have a clear pricing strategy. With the right approach and hard work, you can start a mobile notary business that will provide a steady income for Notaries/Signings for years to come.

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January 13, 2022

A notary gets sued, but E&O won’t help out!

This was originally published many years ago.

We had a notary public whose name will remain anonymous. I will not disclose her location either. But, she is being sued because a lender pulled a fast one on a borrower. The borrower is suing everyone connected to the loan. But, the borrower should know that the notary public has nothing to do with the loan, doesn’t know the lender, and doesn’t benefit from the loan other than to collect their small fee.

The story gets worse though. This notary’s E&O insurance policy wouldn’t help out with any of the legal expenses, or potential damages simply because they claim that the notary never made a clerical error which is true.

The notary public went to get legal counsel, and a neighbor / friend of the notary public offered to help at a discounted rate. But, the discounted estimate for the entire case was $30,000. It doesn’t make sense to me why a notary should pay $30,000 to defend themself from a false accusation.

In any case, we should pray for this notary public, so that she can get off the hook of being falsely accused. She did nothing wrong and shouldn’t suffer like this.

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July 12, 2021

1 Million E&O is common as of Dec, 2020

Filed under: Business Tips — admin @ 3:17 am

Every week I do my welcome calls to some of the new Notaries. I no longer have time to call them all, but I call many. More and more are getting 1 Million Errors & Omissions or 2 Million in E&O Insurance. It is a shock to my system.

I joked that one day there would be a 6 million dollar Notary that would be called — The Bionic Notary would could notarize twenty documents in three minutes flat including journal signatures and then jump over fences.

It is a lot less expensive to get high E&O limits these days and that is why it has become more popular. So, I might suggest upping your E&O if you have signed at least 1000 loans so the title companies will consider you more.

Just wanted to share the news.

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November 7, 2020

A comprehensive guide to Notary organizations

Originally published in 2016

Are you a Notary? Do you want to join some Notary organizations? There are many of them out there. Some help educate Notaries while others have helplines or hotlines. Some sell Notary supplies while others help Notaries advertise their services.

123notary.com
http://www.123notary.com/
123notary.com has been around since 1999 and helps Notaries advertise their Mobile Notary services online. Title, Escrow, Signing Companies, Attorneys and individuals love using 123notary to find some of the best trained and most experienced Notaries anywhere. 123notary also sells loan signing courses and has a very entertaining and informative blog. Check out their list of signing companies with reviews to see who you should and shouldn’t be working for.

National Notary Association
https://www.nationalnotary.org/
The NNA has been around since 1957 as a California Notary Association to help Notaries with educational resources and tools. In 1964 it became a National Association. NNA sells Notary supplies, errors & omissions insurance, education to help pass the Notary exam and become a signing agent, andmore… Advertise your signing agent services on signingagent.com

Notary Rotary
http://www.notaryrotary.com
Notary Rotary has been around for decades and offers a very potent way for Notaries to advertise their services. They also sell seals, and E&O insurance. Signing Agents can place an add and get found based on how close they are to the zip code being searched for.

SnapDocs
http://www.snapdocs.com/
This organization makes it easy to find newer Notaries who work for cheap as well as providing a system for downloading documents. More seasoned Notaries are complaining that SnapDocs is contributing to the lowering of fees in the industry. We recommend this organization for newer Notaries who want to get their foot in the door.

American Society of Notaries
http://www.notaries.org/
ASN offers a phoneline for technical support just in case Notaries have a question while on the job. They also sell Notary supplies and more.

American Association of Notaries
http://www.notarypublicstamps.com
Buy your stamps from the AAN!

Notary Café
https://notarycafe.com/
Notary Cafe is a smaller directory of Notaries that seems to specialize in the more serious Notaries. We do not have records to show how popular their directory has been in the last few years, but they have been popular for a long time.

Pennsylvania Association of Notaries
https://www.notary.org/
Need help becoming a Notary in Pennsylvania? Try this organization.

California Association of Notaries
http://www.calnotaries.com/
This is yet another Notary directory.

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Why the Notary industry went South
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April 22, 2015

Point (28-30) Beneficial Interest; Negligence; E&O;

Filed under: (2) Technical and Legal — Tags: — admin @ 10:53 pm

Marcy had to go back to the hospital to notarize Esmerelda, the old lady who could barely talk. Her family assured Marcy that it would be okay this time. Marcy wanted her travel fee in cash at the door. She explained that if the signer was not fit to be notarized, she would legally have to decline notarization, but didn’t want to have any issue getting her travel fee should she decline. A month back, she drove an hour to a jail, waited for another hour only to be told that the inmate had been moved. The client who met her there didn’t want to pay a travel fee because Marcy “didn’t do anything.” Additionally, Marcy would have a beneficial interest in getting the document signed if she didn’t collect her travel fee at the door. She would want it to be signed so she could collect her $30. In any case, they paid Marcy her travel fee. Esmerelda was able to communicate and actually did understand the document. She summarized it. Marcy was able to do the Signature by X procedure and get her notarized that evening.

An hour after the hospital notarization, Marcy had a loan signing. At the signing, the borrower asked about the pre-payment penalty. Marcy found it in a snap since she had been studying what information is in what document (like all good Notaries should.) But, Marcy started to read the pre-payment penalty to the borrower and even explain what the terms of that part of the agreement meant. Marcy had overstepped her bounds. She knew she couldn’t give legal advice, but she wasn’t aware that explaining a prepayment penalty could be construed as legal advice. Luckily for Marcy, the Lender gave her a quick lecture on not giving legal advice, and Marcy was very careful from that moment onwards.

After Marcy’s two jobs, she came home only to find Patricia waiting for her on the front porch. Patricia had something urgent to tell her. One of Patricia’s other friends who was a Notary was getting sued, and her E&O insurance wouldn’t help. Marcy asked why. Patricia said that the error was not a Notary error, and that E&O only insures you against Notary errors or omissions. It was the Lender who made an error, and the borrower was suing everyone in sight. Even the Notary who had nothing to do with it. It would have cost this Notary $30,000 in legal fees to defend herself from this angry borrower. Then Patricia told Marcy what a Hold Harmless Agreement is. The Lender has their documents, but if you make the borrower sign a Hold Harmless, that can prevent them from suing the Notary as they agree not to hold the Notary responsible should anything go wrong with their loan. Patricia was a great source of knowledge tonight. So, Marcy consulted an Attorney and got a quick Hold Harmless Agreement written out, and she kept a stack of them in her car so she would be sure to have one for every loan signing form that day forward. She didn’t want to end up like that other Notary! Good God!

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Point (28) Beneficial Interest
It is illegal to notarize a document that you have a Beneficial Interest in. But, what constitutes Beneficial Interest? If you or a close family member is named in the document as someone who will receive money, or privileges, then you could be said to have Beneficial Interest. If you would gain in any way from the document being signed, you have Beneficial Interest.

One interesting twist on this concept is that Notaries who get a travel fee don’t always collect the fee in advance. If you are in front of the signer who doesn’t have proper ID, and they ask you to notarize them anyway or you won’t get your travel fee, then you have Beneficial Interest. You won’t get your $35 if you don’t comply with their illegal requests. As a Notary, you are expected to uphold the law, and if your travel fee rests on you bending the law for someone, you are not only encouraging yourself to do something questionable, but you have Beneficial Interest in the document being signed which is purely illegal.

Financial Interest means that you will benefit financially from a document being signed, while Beneficial Interest means that you will benefit in one way or the other — perhaps financially, or perhaps in some other way.

Point (29) Negligence
What constitutes Notary negligence?

Failure to administer an Oath
Failure to take a thumbprint in your journal for a deed or Power of Attorney
Failure to identify the signers
Failure to inspect signatures
Failure to make sure signer signs in front of you for a Jurat
Failure to completely fill out a journal entry

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Point (30) E&O insurance

Many companies want to hire Notaries with E&O insurance. It makes the Notary look more professional and covered. In real life, it protects you only from honest mistakes on notarizations. Most of what you are doing involves overseeing large business deals that get sent back to the lender via courier. Most of the problems you could encounter might include signing the wrong way (even though it might be notarized correctly), getting documents back late, a missing bank check, cross-outs, no-shows, or other mistakes. Notary errors on notarized documents might account only for 25% of the problems that occur in signings that could lead to damages.

If the Lender makes a mistake that causes the borrower damages, you could get sued, and E&O will not cover you since YOU were not the one who made a mistake AND because it is not a Notary mistake. One of our Notaries dropped out because she got sued for more than $100,000, because of some fraud that the Lender was accused of committing. The borrower was so angry that they want to sue everyone in sight regardless of fault. Unbelievable!

Additionally, in 2013 Notaries who had enormous E&O packages were being sued on a regular basis. You are like a guy in a Mercedes driving around a slum. You have the word “Target” written on your forehead and taped to your back. Sooner or later you will get mugged. Think like a Ninja. You don’t get mugged — you mug THEM!

My advice is to think carefully before investing in a handsome E&O package. If it will land you a good account with Chicago Title, then do it. Otherwise, it might make sense to have a smaller E&O premium and have all of your borrowers, Lenders and signing companies sign a HOLD HARMLESS agreement. The agreement should be drafted by an Attorney and could state that if there are any damages by negligence or omissions by the Notary, that you (the Borrower or Signer) will not hold the Notary responsible.

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http://blog.123notary.com/?cat=3442

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Help, I’m being sued, and E&O insurance won’t help!
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=3570

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December 16, 2014

A forged document vs. a forged notary seal?

What if the document was forged.
Imagine that you are a notary public who just got in huge trouble for notarizing a forged document. It is not your responsibility to know that the document was forged. It is only your responsibility to know that the person who was documented as signing the document appeared before you, proved their identity, and signed the document before you notarized it.

Forged Identification
Or what if the ID used for the notarization was forged? You can still take journal thumbprints and that can get you off the legal hook a lot faster if you keep a record of those thumbprints. But, what about a forged notary seal?

E&O won’t help unless you made an error.
Some notaries think that since they have Errors & Omissions insurance that they will be covered. But, does E&O cover legal expenses? The real problem is that E&O will probably say that the notary didn’t make any errors — it was someone else who forged their seal. Therefore it is a criminal matter, and the notary in question is not at fault — providing you can prove that the notary seal indeed was forged.

If your notary seal was forged, how would you prove it?
My notary seal’s impression was copied onto an Acknowledgment form. The notary’s handwriting on the form didn’t match mine at all and they didn’t cross out the his/her/their or the (s) on the certificate either proving that they were not me, and most likely not a notary (at least not a good notary.) If the borders on the seal don’t match yours, that is another clue. If you don’t have a journal entry of the transaction, that might void the notarization entirely in certain states — not sure what the law says about that one. But, it could constitute proof that you didn’t do the notarization in question if there is no journal entry, assuming that you always keep a sequential journal entry of all notarial transactions.

What if you are sued?
Unfortunately, as a notary, if you are sued for fraud, or being involved with fraud, you could lose $20,000 in legal expenses only to be proven innocent. You lose, even if you win. E&O insurance won’t protect you if you are not at fault. So, if you are falsely accused because someone else did fraud including a seal forger, a corrupt Title Officer, or someone else, you can get in big trouble. It is best to try to reason with the plaintiff and prove to them through whatever evidence that you have that you are not one of the parties to be blamed. You can also tell them that you will counter sue for legal expenses and time lost if proven not guilty.

Identifying the fraud
One of the issues in catching a fraudulent impostor notary is that they are hard to catch. The only people who have seen them would be notary customers. Those customers would have found the person’s number online or in the yellow pages or through a referral. Notary clients very rarely check the ID of the notary, so the notary could be an impostor and get away with it for a while without being caught. But, why would an impostor notarize many people. Chances are that the impostor notary would be well acquainted with the individual who forged loan documents, or could be the same person which means that nobody would see him or catch him. If he forged the signature of the borrower as well, then it gets very complicated. Three forgeries in one! If they forge a notary seal, the forged seal might have the name of a real notary on it. In such a case, the real notary would be able to prove through his journal that he never notarized that forged document. Additionally, the forger would have to not only forge the signature of the borrower, but also of that particular notary which would require quite some skill. I always used an embosser that left a raised seal in the document. A fraud would have to be pretty clever to forge my seal and my embosser and use it like I did — and in the one case where my seal was forged, they didn’t have the brains to do it correctly and got caught (but, not necessarily prosecuted – or at least I was not informed of what happened after the fact.)

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You might also like:

Fraud & Forgery related to the Notary Profession
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2294

An absurd forgery of MY notarization
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19974

Facial recognition techniques can help you spot fake ID
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20242

Penalties for notary misconduct and fraud
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21315

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