Notary Notes Blog

The latest notary news for Pennsylvania notaries

notary public

The First Line of Defense Against Fraud

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Why are documents notarized?

A notarization indicates to the receiver of the document that the signer appeared before a notary public, was identified, and signed the document. The notary’s official stamp and signature indicate that the notarization was performed according to the law.

The foundation of all notarial work is to demand personal appearance and to identify the signer as the individual he or she claims to be. The most important step you can take to deter fraud—and protect your notary commission—is to commit yourself to following these requirements for every notarial act you perform.

Requiring a signer to appear before you gives you the opportunity to assess the signer’s willingness and competence. Does the signer know what he or she is doing? Are there others influencing or directing the signer to act in a certain way? Does the signer appear to be confused or unsure about their actions? Is someone other than the signer attempting to act in his or her place?

Personal appearance also gives you the opportunity to compare the signer’s physical appearance and signature to the identification the signer presents to you. Does the signer look like the individual in the picture on the driver’s license? Does the signature on the identification card look like the signature on the document? You are not expected to be a handwriting expert but you are required to observe the signer and examine the identification he or she presents to you.

The Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA) gives you the authority to refuse to notarize a document for an individual, as long as your refusal is not prohibited by other laws. For example, you may not base your refusal on factors such as race, gender, ethnicity, national origin, or religion. Don’t allow yourself to be coerced into performing a notarization that you suspect may be fraudulent.

The Department of State’s Disciplinary Actions: June 2021

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The Bureau of Election Services and Notaries took the following disciplinary actions against notaries public in June 2021:

  • A Lycoming County notary was suspended for 24 months, immediately stayed in favor of probation, must complete six-hours of notary practice and procedure course(s), was levied an administrative penalty in the amount of $2,000; and probation assessment fees in the amount of $1,200; because they failed to require the personal appearance of two individuals on a specific occasion, failed to require personal appearance generally, failed to maintain a complete notary journal with all required information, and maintained an electronic journal in a non-tamper-evident format.
  • A Philadelphia County notary had their commission revoked based on failure to maintain security over their stamping device by keeping the seal in a box in an easily accessible spot in their workplace, from which the stamp could be accessed by any other person; and failure to properly maintain a journal of notarial acts, by not recording the time of the notarial act; a description of the type of notarial act performed; the issue date of the form of identification used to verify customer identities; and the fee charged.
  • A Philadelphia County notary had their notary public commission revoked based on failure to require the personal appearance of a document signer on several occasions; failure to securely maintain their notary stamping device; failure to notify the Department that her notary stamp was lost or stolen; allowing another individual to use their notary stamp; failure to record in their notary register the character of the notarial act performed and receiving fees for their notary services in excess of the fees fixed by the Secretary.

Help Wanted: Full-Time Notary Public

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Notary Public and Insurance Agency looking for a full time Notary Public established in Bethlehem, PA.

The position offers good pay, flexible hours and a company sponsored retirement plan. Looking for someone to start immediately.

Email (paul@roskoagency.com) or phone 610-868-3638 if you are interested.

Why are notaries still important?

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Notaries have been an integral part of our society for decades. The first notaries can be traced back to ancient Egypt when scribes were established. Scribes would keep records of public proceedings and transcribe important documents. Performing such acts at that time increased the authority of the notary public, resulting in the responsibilities that notaries hold today.

Notaries are public officials appointed by the state to serve as impartial witnesses to transactions, thereby helping to deter fraud. Having a document notarized means the signer must appear before the notary and be identified. The notary observes the signer’s willingness and ability to understand the document and watches the signer place or acknowledge their signature on the document. Finally, the notary makes a complete, chronological entry for the notarization in the notary journal.

You may still find yourself asking: why are notaries necessary? It seems everything can be done on the internet, from signing a mortgage to giving testimony in court. During the pandemic, government and industry increasingly used online alternatives to serve the public while maintaining quarantine and social distancing requirements.

But technology, such as remote online notarization (RON), hasn’t replaced the need for notaries public. In fact, RON has become another option for providing notarial services.

All the steps a notary must take are intended to prevent fraud and assure the receiver of the document that the notary performed his or her duties according to the law. All of these steps are also incorporated into RON transactions, with the additional safeguard of having an audio video recording of the notarial act.

Even in the electronic age, the office of notary public is still an important function.

Scottdale, PA Fleet Assistant Job Opportunity Available

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Penn Line Enterprises, Inc. is looking for a Fleet Administration Assistant.

The Fleet Assistant will work with the Shop General Foreman for the safe and timely paperwork processing of all Penn Line’s vehicle.  They are responsible for ensuring all documentation regarding company vehicles are properly filed and stored while adhering to all state, DOT and OSHA standards.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

  • Assist in giving out Purchase Orders numbers (PO #)
  • Prepare and submit registrations and renewals
  • File quarterly IFTA (International Fuel Tax Association) reports in timely manner
  • Order IFTA stickers and maintain list of what vehicles they are on
  • Manage HHUT (Heavy Highway Use Tax) – tax on vehicles over 55,000lb when they are first put on road then yearly
  • Update FMCSA – MC150 with any changes to number of drivers and trucks
  • Pay and renew UCR (Unified Carrier Registration)
  • Make sure our Apportioned Renewal is completed by May 31st of every year

Ideal Candidate will offer the following:

  • Displays the corporate mission, vision, and values by creating safe and positive work environments, and exceeding customer expectations using the value and quality focused business philosophy.
  • Serves as a role model of excellent customer service by responding constructively to the needs of all those you interact with on a daily basis on behalf of the organization.
  • Communicate with managers and employees regularly to establish rapport.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  These requirements are representative, but not all-inclusive, of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Requirements:

  • High School graduate and 2 + years in managing fleet vehicles as well as licensing of equipment and vehicles. Construction type industry experience preferred.
  • Must be a notary public with motor vehicle experience.
  • Knowledge of Internet software; Spreadsheet software and Word Processing software.

Located in Scottdale, PA

Click HERE to apply via our website.

Scranton, PA Full-Time Job Opportunity Available

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Autobahn Title & Tag is seeking a dedicated employee who is hard working, looking to serve the public, and has experience as a Notary Public and Title Work.

Ideal Candidate will offer the following:

  • Ability to read and interpret documents such as sales agreements, tax and title documents, and procedure manuals
  • Ability to write routine reports and correspondence
  • Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, employees and the general public
  • Have a valid U.S. driver’s license
  • Ability to be a team player

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

  • Completion of Title transfers and submission of all legal documentation to the DMV
  • Maintain the highest level of confidentiality
  • Provide accurate, valid and complete information
  • Effectively manage large amounts of incoming calls
  • Suggest information about other products and services
  • Take the extra mile to warmly greet customer, assess customer needs
  • Problem solving
  • Administrative skills i.e. fax, copy

Requirements:

  • Title and Tag experience is a must (Car dealership experience is acceptable)
  • Notary Public experience is a must
  • Ability to work in a team atmosphere
  • Hours are Thursday to Sunday 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, and Mondays half day.
  • Must be able to pass pre-employment testing including a drug test and background check

Autobahn Title & Tag provides:

  • Support and assistance to instill skills to help you succeed
  • A friendly work atmosphere

Located in Scranton PA, call (570) 468 – 3529 if you have any questions.

Please send your resume to counter@autobahntags.com