When an important document requires your signature to be notarized a notary public is called in to act as a witness. Perhaps the document is giving away your home, or the power to manage your bank account, or maybe permission for your child to travel out of the country. These are important documents! What if someone else created a document, claiming to be you, and sold your property? Well, it’s not that easy because a notary usually needs to be present.
What does a notary public do to prevent fraud? Here are some of the vital steps a notary takes.
First, the notary checks active government identifications (like a drivers license or a passport) to ensure that the person signing the document really is the person they are claiming to be.
Secondly, the notary assesses that everyone in the signing is willing to sign and understands the magnitude of the situation. The notary assures that no one is being bullied or coerced. The notary also affirms that all signers are competent and can fully aware. This especially protects elderly signers.
Next the notary scans the documents thoroughly for blanks to ensure that the document cannot be modified later on.
Lastly, the notary keeps records of the transaction including thumbprints of the signing individuals. If the validity of a document comes into question in the future, the parameters and intent of the signing can be examined.