Notary News

Even if you have had you have had your head in the sand for a while, we are sure you have heard about the Coronavirus.

But, is the CoronaVirus something that the notary needs to obsess over?

The answer to that, if you take proper precautions, is that you can reduce the chances considerably.

Notaries Aren’t Large Corporations

As we watch large corporation after large corporation suspend events and some workplaces, it has led to people being very concerned.

But, the average notary is not a large corporation. While the corporation can withstand a few months of this, the plain fact is that the vast majority of notaries cannot.

And, if at all possible, we need to protect our businesses.

Common Sense Steps for a Notary in the CoronaVirus Outbreak

The first thing everyone should know, is to wash you hands more often that usual. Do not use antibacterial soap, just regular soap. Wash your hands and bottom of forearms in warm water for thirty seconds. That is the most effective way to kill germs.

What about Purell?

Only use Purell if you have to. If you don’t have access to properly wash your hands, then use it, but still wash your hands as soon as possible.

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Editors Note: We are not throwing shade on Purell. It is much better than nothing, just not effective as washing your hands in warm water for 30 seconds.

And you need to be aware than antibacterial soaps or sanitizers kill a lot of the healthy bacteria on your skin. And that healthy bacteria helps you fight off a lot of different infections, though we cannot directly state that for the CoronaVirus.

We’ll let the scientists continue to figure it out. They are doing testing on different concentrations of sanitizer now, to find the most effective. It has to do with alcohol and chemical reaction with the skin, and what the best mixture is for this virus.

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Invest in some latex or nitrile gloves. They are sold out in many places, but there are other places you might not expect to find them.

For example, Harbor Freight sells the gloves, and their shelves are still stocked. Same thing with auto parts stores like AutoZone.

It is also recommended at this time that you avoid large gatherings. That is why we are seeing sports leagues and concerts shutting down.

How About the Signing?

We know this is beating a dead horse, we say it all the time.

But, notaries instill trust in signings.

When you attend a signing, put on gloves when you get out of your vehicle. Use your own pen, and do not let anyone else use your pen. If you have to bring a couple of extra pens to be safe, do so.

Just realize once you give someone a pen, you do not want it back. Make your signers realize you take this seriously, and that will in effect, make them feel safer and instill trust.

When returning to the vehicle, take off the gloves before you open the car door. You do not want to get any virus in your vehicle. Keep a large Ziploc that you can put them in and seal it. Then throw it out at your earliest convenience.

Clean the handles of both your car doors and home doors every couple of days.

And this is not notary specific, but if you have children, bath time is right when they get home. Not after they’ve run around the house for hours.

What about masks?

It is still not recommended you need them, which is good because they have pretty much sold out. But, if you feel you need them, this is a good time to use your business tax ID and order them directly from a medical supply company.

What About the Cost of All This

Sometimes the cost of doing business is better than not doing business at all.

But, under current recommendations, the cost of gloves and pens is probably not going to put you out of business.

Also remember, any supplies you buy for your business to deal with the CoronaVirus is a business expense, not a personal one. You may want to speak to a tax professional on this.

Other CoronaVirus Tips

The most common ways to get infected moving forward may not be on your radar.

The biggest one is any shopping cart. So wash the handles before you grab it, and if you have a child in the seat, bath time when you get home.

Do not use re-usable bags at stores, unless you are going to thoroughly clean them every time you shop.

Get the single use bags and throw them out once the groceries or other shopping goodies are removed. Remember, these bags touch your shopping cart.

In public restrooms, do not use the air blower to dry your hands. They have been shown to spread germs. Partly because people don’t wash their hands well, and also because they have filters that almost never get changed.

Some models, like the newer ones you put your hand in, instead of under, are worse. They cause water droplets and germs to fly back up into your face. The same germs from the people who did not wash their hands properly and used the dryer anyway.

This means carry some paper towels with you, or Purell as a backup.

There have been a lot of people saying to elbow bump, instead of shaking hands or fist bumping. Do not do this. Many people are trained to cough into their elbow, so we don’t think you want to expose yourself to that.

How about instead we just smile at everyone and say hello.

Keep all of your handles in your house clean. Doors, cabinets, etc. Same for your vehicle, even if you are already taking precautions with gloves.

And don’t forget about things like gas pumps or other devices you may use that a lot of people touch, like the credit card machines at checkout. Really, when was the last time you think your gas station cleaned the handles?

Does this mean you will be 100% safe? No. And we do not want notaries thinking that. We all need to stay on the ball, and protect ourselves and our families.

CoronaVirus and Notaries Summed Up

Is the CoronaVirus something we should all have on our radar? Yes.

We should take every precaution to keep ourselves and our families safe.

And our signers, too.

So, if you take away one thing from this article:

• Be Alert
• Be Educated
• Take Precautions
• Be Safe

This is part one of our series on the coronavirus and the wider effects it has on our industry. It is amazing how quickly things have changed.

• Part 1 – Coronavirus and the Mobile Notary, Static Notaries Too
• Part 2 – Are Notaries Essential Business?
• Part 3 – Notaries and New York 202.7
• Part 4 – Oklahoma, COVID, the Election and Notaries
• Part 5 – The Pandemic and the Notary Swimming in the Storm

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While the rest of us have worked hard to become a notary, it would seem unfair if some notaries were gifted their commissions.

We’re pretty sure that is something just about all of us can agree on that.

So the question is why in the world is this happening?

It’s Not What You Know

Issues have been raised lately about notaries that have been gifted their notary commissions, skipping the process(es) that we have to use to get one.

These people get to pass go and collect their $200, while everyone else is stuck on Baltic Avenue.

It is unthinkable to us. As a company that relies on professional notaries, it is quite disturbing to us, both as notaries, and as a notary service.

So, why, in this day and age, would unqualified people get a notary license, making a mockery of our industry in the process.

We’ll give you one guess.

It’s Who You Know

It appears politicians are abusing their power to give notary commissions to family, friends and donors.

Imagine our shock!!!

There is a pretty significant news story surrounding this issue at the moment, but we have decided to give it the cold shoulder. The biggest thing we’ve learned since the Philly Fiasco, is that if an issue arises in one area, it is probably more widespread than we think.

It’s not like politicians don’t talk to each other or anything like that, smh. (shaking my head, for those not caught up with internet vernacular).

Every single gifted notary should have their licenses stripped immediately, and should never be allowed to become a notary again in the future.

But, the real question here is is why? Why would one of the most powerful office holders in the nation allegedly do something like this?

Is this something just to flaunt their power? Or is a part of a bag of dirty tricks they plan to unleash in the future?

Knowledge is Power

Unlike the alleged abuses of power, a professional notary has the training and expertise that is only learned over time. We would add experience to this, but we all have to start somewhere. None the less, as experience is racked up, it only creates a better notary.

Professional notaries are all about fairness, transparency and legitimacy. A gifted notary has none of these, and they have no place with the rest of us.

We are professionals, they are not, saying it nicely.

While the average signer is most likely not going to know anything about this, it is still important for us to know. Because this is not a gift for us, it is our business and livelihood.

And that is why this is an important reminder (which most of you don’t need), to use your knowledge to give your signers the most professional experience possible.

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What started in Philly has opened a can of worms across the nation, and unfortunately, the fraudulent deed crisis is not going away anytime soon.

While local and state governments across the nation are creating and passing new notary rules and regulations, massive holes in their current rules are being exploited.

We Wish This Was a Dead Horse, But it Isn’t

It is almost a joke this point that we are still covering this, as allegations and investigations spill over from state to state, the latest in North Carolina.

And while we wish we could minimize it, especially seeing it is a mainly a governmental issue, we cannot for one single reason.

Trust.

Every time this occurs, it is the association. Every time someone gets a mortgage and the accompanying title they must be wary.

It is the news with a fellow notary making a defense for themselves, even though it has been shown in almost every case to have nothing to do with the notary.

Professional notaries instill both legitimacy and trust.

Here is to thinking there is no such thing as bad publicity.

Notaries are the Front Line

News also hit that a California notary halted the sale of a home after discovering the seller had multiple names.

We do admit, this could be a legitimate sale, but it was not one backed by documents at the signing. If it is a legitimate sale, then the sellers will have to go through the proper channels to sell the home. Which is what they are supposed to do.

The important takeaway here is that a professional notary can step in before the issue, whereas government has only shown it can step in after the damage is done.

So What’s Up with North Carolina?

A new scandal is brewing, actually two, now in North Carolina. One involving state licensing, and the second the all too typical “deed” done in Charlotte.

WCNC in Charlotte has been leading the investigation into the issue.

WCNC Charlotte found dozens of licensed notaries, who are in charge of signing important documents, were stripped of their commissions because of forgery, fraud, or previous criminal records. Those findings are leading State Senator Natasha Marcus to launch her own investigation.

WCNC Charlotte

Basically, they are saying that the issuing and renewal was too lax, which opened doors to abuse of the system, as people who should have never been notaries were commissioned.

In 2017, we reported on notary concerns in North Carolina surrounding their Secretary of State. At the time, the issue was limited and debated, but current news seems to suggest there might have been more issues than believed at the time.

The dirty deed issue is discussed at further length in the link above. At this point the vast majority of us knows what it is, and truthfully, we don’t need to hash it out here again.

The only thing of note is that the notary, forged or involved, resigned their position and moved out of state shortly after initial police reports were filed. But, they are still available and speaking.

WCNC Charlotte spoke by phone to the notary in (…) case. (They) said someone forged (their) signature as well, and he said (they) was were not sure how they got a hold of (their) stamp.

WCNC Charlotte

Some minor changes were made to the above quote to remove the specific case, as well as conceal the sex of the notary. You can follow the link if you wish to see the unfiltered version.

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We are at a loss on this one. A Utah man was found dead in a freezer with a notarized document stating that his wife did not kill him.

Say What?

It took us a while to wrap our heads around this one as well, but there is a decent backstory to it. Just another in a long line of bizarre notarial signings.

Frozen with Your Notarized Document

This is not just some event that happened recently. The man, a military veteran, was frozen since 2009. 2009.

Two ….. Thousand ….. Nine

The man is reported to have been diagnosed with a terminal illness. The notarized document was signed the previous year stating his wife was not responsible for his death.

Local News Affiliate WTKR has reported local authorities believe he died of natural causes.

Read the Fine Print

The Notary said they never actually read the document, just signed/stamped it.

And now they get to be the notary that signed a death document that was not a will.

There is literally no good part about this for the notary. This story has been seen lightheartedly in the local area. Every time someone googles your name, they are going to see the video on CNN.

And since the entire story is so bizarre, local residents are less likely to forget, or ask themselves how/why the name sounds somewhat familiar. And then they go to Google. And we think you can figure what just might happen next.

They say there is no such thing as bad publicity. But, this is probably a special case. And not in a good way. Fortunately, for this notary public, the name of the notary has not been a focus of the story. And hopefully it stays that way.

Fraud Was One Reason to Put the Document on Ice

While the Veteran died, the checks from the VA and social security kept being delivered. It was probably a driving factor in what happened, regardless of the convenient document.

The woman recently passed, which led to the discovery of the husband in freezer.

Anything to Take Away

We sure hope not. We would hope the expectations are higher. Everyone needs to at least know what you are signing, and not just be a rubber stamp.

Don’t forget this is a great example of a document that someone may sign under duress.

And maybe consider the possibility of not signing something like that. Ever. Seriously, if the husband was found before the wife died herself, the notary would be hating life right now.

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The digital era has been here, and for notaries, it is entering its final stages. We’ve been talking a lot about RON, but what about ROBAN?

What is ROBAN, you ask? Besides another acronym we just made up? We call it Remote Online Become a Notary (tongue placed firmly in cheek).

Become a Notary in Your Jammies

Is that a joke to end the year?

Maybe a little. But, not completely so.

The world has been moving into a direction where you can do just about anything while lounging on your couch eating Doritos and watching Lord of the Rings for the 900th time.

We know what you are thinking right now. ROBAN should stand for Robe On. And we would agree, if we didn’t make ROBAN up in the first place.

Anyways, just a little more seriously.

Become a Notary From Home

Connecticut has unveiled their online notary portal.

This online portal contains everything you need to become a notary, or stay a notary.

• Notary Training – Is it in the portal? Good!
• Notary Testing – Is it in the portal? Good!
• Uploading Docs like Writing Samples – Is it in the portal? Good!
• Pay Your Registration Fees – Is it in the portal? Good!
• Get Your License – Is it in the portal? Good!
• And How About Renew Your Commission – Is it in the portal? Good!

Since it is the season, we are going to forgo passing judgment and just enjoy the day. After watching Jameis Winston yesterday (yes, we are SUNSHINE Signing Connection), we don’t know there is anything that can sour our milk.

We Just Love Making Things Easier

Just think about how much easier certain things in life have become in our life time.

• We don’t have to squeeze our own oranges anymore, we can just buy it in a carton.
• We can play just about any sport we want using only our thumbs.
• We can take gorgeous photos of ourselves anywhere by just using our phone and a stick.
• We don’t have to actually attend college anymore, we can pay someone to get an online degree for us.

But, the one thing we never ask is, should we make it easier?

Should we make mobile signings more difficult by trying to focus on online signings, which, in the end, may not be as simple as first seen.

Have a Great Holiday Season

However you celebrate this time of year, have at it.

For example, we are celebrating you, the mobile notaries who have been our partners for so many years. We are celebrating all of our blog readers, who have made our little corner of the internet the best notary blog in the world.

And we are making our first ham-nog, even though some have told us that it is a bad idea.

So again, thank you from everyone at Sunshine Signing Connection. May next year be even better than this one.

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On the heels of the Philly Fiasco, property thieves in Texas have gone from the ridiculous to the preposterous.

A Texas man has allegedly been performing deed fraud from prison, where they are currently serving 10 years on deed fraud they committed before they went to prison.

How Easy is It?

We took a closer look and found that it’s too easy and no one has wanted to take any responsibility to ensure the records are correct.

The division of Property Records says that it is not their duty. They claim that without a significant increase in staffing and funding that trying to stop fraud would bring the home buying process to a standstill.

There’s no way for us… to determine if it’s a clean deed or a dirty deed.

Dallas County Clerk John Warren

So, who does not pass the buck? Everyone is trying to put the blame on title companies, but title companies can only go on public records. If the records are wrong, it stands to reason the title search will be wrong as well.

How did This Happen?

Shell companies, forged documents, paying off homeless people, others claiming they were duped, and truthfully, who knows what else at this time.

The 23 year old offender said it was simple, after they pled guilty to 25 counts of theft.

But, according to officials, that has not stopped them. They are now alleged to have done at least nine more fraudulent closings behind bars.

They have been alleged to mail fraudulent titles from jail to the County Records Office. We understand that people do need to get documents notarized while they are in prison.

But, maybe we might want to give these documents a little more scrutiny?

Will Emerging Technology Like RON and the Blockchain Fix This?

No. No it won’t.

There are several startups claiming that digital nature will provide more security, and the new tech super system, the blockchain will prevent cases of fraud.

Don’t fall for the hype.

As we reported earlier this year, at least one RON signing was used to steal a home in Philly. We mentioned inherent security flaws in remote online signings, but did not go into depth. We won’t here either, but expect an article on it soon.

In the short term, remote notarizations are likely to lead to more fraud. What is going on off camera can be more important than what is recorded on the webcam. We are hearing about facial recognition and all kinds of things to validate ID. These are not ready now. They are a hope to prevent fraud down the road.

And they may not even be good ones.

What About the Blockchain?

The blockchain, made famous by Bitcoin, and the web’s new data security savior. It is alleged that it cannot be broken, it cannot be used to commit fraud, and it preserves all records in a way to allow complete accounting until the end of time.

In other words, it is the Harry Potter of computing.

The problem cities and states are having is because of bad records. In computing they have a saying, bad data in, bad data out. The government already stores records, many being publicly available.

These fraudulent sales are only being caught after the fact. How will the blockchain prevent that?

There is nothing in the blockchain to prevent bad records from being added. Just to prevent editing those records after the fact. You know, like the publicly recorded documents already do. The ones that are providing evidence to law enforcement to make these arrests.

Another touted feature is real time analytics, to spot people doing a lot of purchasing. But, many investors already buy each home under a different company name or trust, so the question is a lot harder to answer than simply searching for names.

And the accused had no problem using bank officials to back stop the fraud. Under what system is a real estate document signed by a mortgage official going to raise a red flag? Even if it is forged.

There are a lot of great things about the blockchain, but it is most likely not the panacea that we have been hearing about.

The Feds Are Fed Up

Though no specifics have been revealed, federal law enforcement agencies are putting together a task force to help stop the acts.

Federal and local law enforcement agencies across the county will work together to investigate these cases more thoroughly and more quickly, stopping the damage earlier, cutting off these schemes, and hauling these criminals out into the daylight. We will also identify solutions to make it harder to cheat the system, to protect future would-be victims.

Dallas County Assistant District Attorney Phillip Clark

Where Do We Go from Here?

The fact is notaries are getting tied up in all of this. From Philly to Kansas City, to Texas and probably beyond.

Some are completely fraudulent and some notaries claim they were duped. But either way, the real ones are getting caught in the middle, and even being on the periphery of a criminal allegation can be enough drive you up a wall or damage your reputation.

That is one reason we do our best not to name names. The fact is that reputable notary names, as well as companies are being throw around.

So, where do we go from here?

Maybe it is time that you make sure your local representative(s) hear what you have to say about how to improve the system.

After all, no one has more experience and knowledge on this topic than you do.

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Supporters of RON in Florida have overseen the passing of a bill legalizing remote online notarizations in the state. Governor Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law, which is scheduled to take effect on January 1st, 2020.

Florida has become the next state to institute remote online notarizations, which now number in the twenties.

Notaries Will Bear the Cost

The days of being a notary in Florida just got more expensive.

Notaries must provide audio and video of the notarial act and post execution document record. On top of that, notaries must pay a comprehensive vendor security system.

Notaries will be required to keep all audio and video data for a minimum of five years.

This is kind of onerous considering one of the main drivers behind RON are banks and real estate companies, who are looking to drive down the prices they pay to do closings.

Technology, Technology, Technology

• Comprehensive vendor security system.
• 3rd parties to make notaries ask signers personal questions that only they, and the third party service, are only supposed to know
• Facial Recognition Services
• Data Security
• Secure Online Seal

We could keep going, but will spare you.

The bill is touted to make things easier for consumers, but who is to bear the cost of paying for all of this technology.

Do you know the price to store five years of video, with multiple backups in different secure locations?

It is hard to see from where we are sitting at, how you can attempt to reduce the cost of signings, while at the same time making each signing more expensive for the notary or business.

It just does not work that way.

New Notary Requirements

There is a rather logical new notary requirement under the new law. Notaries will now have to use two separate certificates. One for in person signings and one for remote online notarizations.

You can continue to to procure or create your certificates as you do now. The state of Florida has a template on its site, that you can use as a guideline, even if you have to make a minor update or two.

The Inevitable Blowback

Where do we start.

• Convenience stores and others that do low cost signings.
• Individuals (and we love you for it) who perform signings for those most in need, be if for a low cost or free.
• Diversity of notaries available to you locally.
• Is this really going to make $10 signings cheaper?

The fact is, we could write an entire article on just this point.

Like we keep saying, intentions do not matter if you do not have the knowledge, means and will of properly executing those intentions.

Will It Really Work as Intended?

Will this really make it easier for the average Joe, after all the local stores who notarized documents have stopped because they are money losers?

How about many who were able to eat the cost and help people who really needed it? Will they be able to continue when the costs to help people rise?

There may not be as many as in years past, but what about those who do not have easy access to the internet?

Will this really make signings cheaper? Or will it only make a handful cheaper while driving up the cost of others?

How will the cost of new required technology be integrated into the cost of notarial acts?

One small step for RON, one giant bag of questions for the rest of us.

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Perfection is required. So is being there for many of a person’s most important days. Even though they don’t always realize it, you have their back when they need it most.

So, get out the kazoos and give yourself your best self high five. And if you see any other notaries today, give them one, too.

You work in an ancient profession that is still just as important today as it was 5,000 years before the first known language called cuneiform.

A profession that continues to evolve, from ancient mud pieces called tokens, to rubber stamps and fax backs and into a digital future and beyond.

So, think about giving a thumbs up when you see a green light today, because without notaries many vital functions in our lives and in our economy would stop in their tracks.

Or maybe don a top hat like the Monopoly guy, as without you, too many people would not get to pass go and would not get their $200. Because we all know you can’t close on Baltic Ave. without a proper notary public.

Jump to the sky. Eat some cake. Enjoy your favorite beverage. Tell your family you expect breakfast in bed … and a foot rub. Make your dog walk you for a change.

And if you feel like dancing? It’s the perfect time of the year to break out the Ickey Shuffle. Just don’t twerk. You’ll thank us later.

So, today, November 7th, feel free to walk with a little pep in your step because you are a notary. You make sure that our most important moments are set properly in stone. And you do it every day.

And some of you do it 24 hours a day, and you’ll be there in less than four hours, even in rural areas.

You are the real MVPs.

So, from Sunshine Signing to you, have a very happy Notary Public Day.

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