I am not involved in this scandal or know anybody in it…I heard about it on our local ABC Ch13 news that aired a story about a man who was the owner of a piece of property & ready to sell it a but later found out from his realtor the land had already been sold!! Well its a fraud sale, forged his name, signature on Warranty Deed & maybe a forged notary too. I don’t know much more other than everything was probably done online!! I thought wowwww!!! I’m just bringing it here, because it’s our industry of interest! Another reason why I don’t like RON!
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Laws/rules only keep honest people honest. Crooks always find a way to scam.
https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=774fedfe766cb58a&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS919US919&sxsrf=AHTn8zpNkeoLBmEy3LJZkaFIwypP9lMZAA:1739486586263&q=real+estate+notary+fraud&tbm=nws&source=lnms&fbs=ABzOT_CWdhQLP1FcmU5B0fn3xuWpmDtIGL1r84kuKz6yAcD_ip1RA3L6hbNpnjK_ML6MGeWIjTgL-AggqGM1Cmh_nFz65pNoy-s_-K4mDlh0UYPmc51dskRoyMlHnnoQayAcVZIQA7FJxW6z8vr8kXee0hJpia28bFX3oRF-0O_2ZWncGbHM2fCiLdt-OXXk7GcYUpr1D88gLj6PmUjaaV5otdKkMHQdzw&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjyisPA3MGLAxUCDzQIHax8IUwQ0pQJegQIERAB&biw=2133&bih=1012&dpr=0.9
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They are bypassing the notary and just getting fake stamps and going through public records and getting owners names and filing with the county clerk.
Its really very easy. Doesn’t seem to be protection for the landowner.
You were the notary? How did you verify ID?
I had already decided I wasn’t going to spend the money getting RON certified because I don’t see the value of an online notarization.
That’s really unfortunate I hope he gets his land back.
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The news showed the faked doc with the homeowner forged signature & a falsely used notary stamp also that was used to record the new fake transaction And I know y’all heard that the Consumer compliance bureau was being shut down!
No ma’am!!! I WAS NOT INVOLVED!! I am only sharing the story, Please don’t think I am involved with this
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I read that wrong, sorry. There’s only been one time I refused to do a signing. The woman saying she was so and so presented an ID and it didn’t look like her. Than her first signature was ZERO like the ID.
I asked and she told me what sounded like heaps of bovine matter. And I looked at her and the husband and said “I can’t accept this ID to verify your ID especially when your signature is nothing like the ID”.
Know what she said? Let me practice a minute.
Uh - that’s a hard pass Missy. I left. I had only been a mobile for about 3 months. I texted my mentor and told her what happened and she said pack up and leave. Say nothing else.
I got paid 100%. It was really weird. There’s a big fear factor in saying “I can’t do this”. You want to get paid you want to finish you want to make the hiring company hire you again.
But you have to listen to your gut. I felt it was so hinky. When I talked to the signing company they were like no problem. They don’t want a bad closing either.
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This one was in the Houston, Tx area. Again, I AM NOT INVOLVED.
I’m sorry - I read your post and thought I read what I did not read.
So everyone SHE WAS NOT INVOLVED MY BAD.
@slcaldwell201 Your introductory statement makes it CRYSTAL CLEAR that you are in NO WAY involved & are simply “sharing & caring” the report to elucidate it for other Notary Cafe members.
Thank You 
Yes, I understood from your remark and I replied to your I head about “X” story with links to articles involving notary fraud. I agree it is an area of interest and do this for the new notary signing agents in this forum.
With this administration’s abolishment of the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, we notaries need to stay vigilant and pay attention to red flags we encounter.
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The Critical Role of Notaries Publics in Combating Fraud
It is truly disheartening to witness the persistence of fraudulent activities in our society. Unfortunately, this type of malfeasance has been a constant threat for many years. Despite the implementation of various security measures, thieves continually devise new ways to circumvent the system for their illicit gains.
This ongoing battle against fraud underscores the vital importance of the role of Notaries Publics. Whether we are providing our services in person or online, the integrity and diligence of our profession are imperative. Notaries Publics serve as trusted gatekeepers, ensuring the authenticity of documents and transactions. Our vigilance helps to protect individuals and institutions from the pervasive threat of fraud.
By meticulously verifying identities, witnessing signatures, and maintaining detailed records, we create a robust line of defense against fraudulent activities. Our work is not just a procedural formality; rather, it is a crucial component of the broader effort to uphold trust and integrity in legal and financial matters.
As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of fraud, the commitment of Notaries Publics to their ethical responsibilities remains steadfast. Our role is indispensable in fostering an environment where individuals can have confidence in the legitimacy of their transactions, thus contributing to the overall security and stability of our society.
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Home Title Lock is worth having. Home title lock.com informs homeowners if their title is being tampered with! It’s worth the monthly fee! Title is open to the public…
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@slcaldwell201 & to ALL Notary Cafe members:
Many counties now have a FREE email-based ALERT SYSTEM in-place where a landowner/homeowner reaches out to the County Clerk online (or via phone) & can add their email to that ALERT SYTEM, which is associated with their name & property.
The system is designed to provide an ALERT to the landowner/homeowner if ANY documents are filed with the Clerk on that land/home.
This is a FREE SERVICE provided by the County supported by your real estate taxes.
So, check there FIRST before paying for a standalone “title protection” service.
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Very well said!! I feel a strong responsibility when doing Notary work and I guess that stems from the class I was required to attend to get my certification. We are truly the gatekeepers. Just as I wouldn’t want to be scammed, I certainly don’t want that for any of my customers.
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Did the news say this was done using RON technology? As a RON notary, my experience is that it is very difficult to have a signer commit fraud. The signer and ID are both scanned for authenticity and matching the signer to the ID. The ID is usually the first thing that gets rejected and I, as the notary, am the last line of defense for the identification portion. The signer also has to answer 4 out of 5 questions correctly just to be able to get onto the platform. Miss the questions twice and they are locked out of doing the closing for at least 24 hours. If they fail again, they are permanently locked out of the platform. This helps protect the identity of the true signer. They also set their own signature electronically and it cannot be altered by anyone but the signer. And, the documents cannot be altered by anyone when when the signing is completed. Finally, once the signing is done, the signer has to use a password to the account that has been set up in order to retrieve the documents. Unless the notary deliberately did this by bypassing all of the security, RON is the most secure way of handling this.
@rparker Thank You for your post. 
As always, appreciate your thoughtful & insightful responses as well as your ethics clearly demonstrated in all your transactions.
Just one additional point to add to this segment: “The signer also has to answer 4 out of 5 questions correctly just to be able to get onto the platform.”
These queries must be answered in a very abbreviated amount of time (just a few minutes).
Makes me wonder if the hefty title insurance one pays helps with any of this…
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Title insurance only protects a title company though.
Depends on the policy…most homeowners have purchased Owner’s Title Insurance when they buy the property…it’s required in some states. I’ve a!so seen Owners’ policies offered with refinances with a form included to accept or reject the coverage.
P.S. Also, to clarify, the standard policy paid for (not including owner’s) covers the lender…not the title company.