By NNA Staff on October 19, 2011 - The nationwide crackdown on ‘Notarios Publicos’ and other immigration scams makes it clear that Notaries must avoid unauthorized practice of law. The Immigration Sectionrecently spoke to Attorney Carlos Batara about how these scams impact immigrant communities, the various resources Notaries can offer to immigrants, and how even well-intended “assistance” can hurt both the immigrant and the Notary.

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By NNA Staff on October 19, 2011 - The housing market continues to struggle, but all is not bleak for Notary Signing Agents.

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By NNA Staff on October 19, 2011 - In response to a severe credit crunch that has hit America’s small business community, the U.S. Small Business Administration has published a guide to help independent entrepreneurs get the financial assistance they need.

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By NNA Staff on October 19, 2011 - Keeping a journal provides important information about past notarizations and is the best protection a Notary has if they are named in a lawsuit. But Notaries working in the legal profession also need to be aware that a handful of states — including Arizona, Massachusetts and Oregon — have additional rules that directly affect legal professionals. Below is an overview of each state’s special journal laws.

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By NNA Staff on October 19, 2011 - Law enforcement investigators are increasingly turning to Notary journal records for evidence in fraud cases, and at times they request to seize an entire record book for use in their case. In these situations, there are key steps a Notary can take to comply both with the investigative request and state laws regarding the preservation of journal records.

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By NNA Staff on October 18, 2011 - It’s been nearly five years since Joan Sampson of Sheridan, California, was named Notary of the Year in 2007, but the importance of the designation has not faded.

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By NNA Staff on October 18, 2011 - Every signer must be positively identified for a notarization to take place. But signers do not always possess acceptable identification documents. When that happens, an alternative is to use a “credible identifying witness.”

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By NNA Staff on October 18, 2011 - A set of Notary-related bills in Michigan that have been submitted to Governor Rick Snyder for his signature send a clear message to Notaries and employers that intentional misconduct involving real estate documents will carry severe penalties.

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By NNA Staff on October 18, 2011 - The National Notary Association is now offering as part of its notarial supplies the Notary Privacy Guard®, an easy-to-use tool designed to help Notaries comply with industry privacy regulations and protect consumers’ personal information recorded in Notary journals from identity thieves.

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By NNA Staff on October 18, 2011 - If a document is notarized while it still has blank spaces to be filled in, the potential for fraud increases because someone can later fill in those spaces with incorrect information outside the Notary’s presence.

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