(Los Angeles, CA) — The critical role that America's Notaries play in defending consumers against widespread — and rapidly growing — mortgage fraud and identity crimes will be presented as the central theme of the National Notary Association's 31st Annual Conference being held June 9-12 at Bally's Las Vegas.

Notaries are increasingly being relied on to provide a first line of defense against criminal and fraudulent activity by providing trustworthy verification of the true identities of document signers. In order to be successful in this new role, Notaries must re-educate and retrain themselves. The upcoming Conference provides Notaries with an ideal opportunity to meet with state and local government officials, many of the nation's foremost Notary experts and highly experienced — and successful — Notary veterans.

A host of prominent officials and experts are among those presenting at the Conference, including:

Notaries will receive valuable information that will be of great assistance to them in their critical role as verifiers of identities, defenders of property rights and protectors against fraud. The Conference also includes career-enhancing workshops to further professional development and embrace best practices.

Specialized Notary Signing Agent workshops will help Notaries establish and promote their business, while the Identity Proofing and Trusted Enrollment Agent program will provide the education and preparation needed for Notaries to take advantage of exciting new opportunities to apply their skills.

At the onsite eNotarization Lab, Notaries will be getting valuable hands-on experience and training in electronic notarization and electronic signatures through live demonstrations of secure document technologies.

“The Notary's role as an identification professional has taken on increasing significance, particularly in light of the ongoing mortgage fraud crisis and the expansion of identity crimes in general,” said National Notary Association Executive Director, Timothy Reiniger. “As trusted third-party witnesses, Notaries must be knowledgeable in all aspects of identity verification since their actions are being held to the highest standards by business, law enforcement and the courts,” added Reiniger.

The NNA is also presenting the 2009 March Fong Eu Achievement Award to Hawaii Attorney General Mark Bennett for his leadership in establishing rules that transformed Notaries into a highly professional fraud deterrent force in the state.

About the National Notary Association

Established in 1957, the National Notary Association (NNA) is the leading authority on the American Notary office and is dedicated to educating, serving and advocating for the nation's 4.8 million Notaries. The NNA imparts comprehensive notarial knowledge and understanding, promotes a positive public perception of the Notary professional, and bolsters consumer protection by promoting best practices. The Association's accredited professional programs, services, model legislation and groundbreaking eNotarization technology initiatives help Notaries advance their careers and serve the American public with the highest level of professionalism and ethics. To learn more, visit www.nationalnotary.org

Media Contacts:
Jim Wunderlich
Public Affairs Manager
National Notary Association
(818) 739-4080
jwunderlich@nationalnotary.org