Recently, I have received not one but to requests for notarizing documents. The first was requesting a Zoom, FaceTime call to visually review the documents to be signed vs. forwarding them, encrypted, of course. A lot of back and forth from June 13th to June 26th, not able to meet at the times offered. So I gracefully declined to continue and directed them elsewhere.
The second came just today. An unknown person is looking for a notary “officer” to handle their loan modification documents. I inquired if they were a realtor, a loan officer, or a title clerk, as these would be the logical folks to initiate this type of notarization. No reply as yet.
I’m treating these contacts with skepticism, specifically in the wording used in their emails. It doesn’t follow that a homeowner would venture into a RE transaction WITHOUT a professional assisting with the transaction.
I’ve had these types of emails as well, both were determined to be scam related and if a link is received, the sender is hoping one would click on it to install malware. There is no need for a video conference. It can all be handled with a phone call.
The sender just emailed the request for a Zoom call. I may be a conspiracy theorist, but in this day and age of AI, if there is any chance of recording my image and voice to scam others, I’m out. If they ever get your signature and seal, your career could be over! You will NEVER be able to pay back the charges against your E & O insurance and Bond for fraudulent use of your commission. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Well, the Zoom is a known scam that has been being talked about for months now. The loan modification, its quite possible legit. I get requests for modifications and credit lines all the time. Usually it’s credit unions that will send paperwork to clients to go to a notary on their own.
@mevigna This type of Zoom SCAM request has been truly rampant over the past 4 to 5 weeks. The following are a few of the numerous ALERT threads on the topic of Zoom call requests/scams:
Yes, I have received requests from previous clients to notarize subsequent transactions, but these new ones are from random people I am not familiar with. AND they are requesting the Zoom conference before the actual signing to review their documents. The NSA is prohibited from commenting about any document to be notarized as to a document’s validity, albeit legal, financial, or otherwise. If they are unsure about the validity of their documents, they should contact their lender and/or title company for clarification. That’s what I do AT THE TABLE with questions about the documents. My job is to provide Lenders and Title companies with the identities of the signers, present the documents, ensure they are properly signed and sealed, and returned to Title promptly. That’s it! If I got something wrong about any of this process, please comment to clarify errors. Thank you.
Since I saw first saw the warning on the zoom scams, I’ve been getting these requests multiple times a day. I will never book an appointment without actually speaking to anyone on the phone, unless it’s a sign in service that I’ve worked with before. If they can’t have a Simple phone conversation with me, then I simply can’t help them Not worth the risk.
These scammers have been targeting notaries for the past six months, as far as I know. All our instructors/mentors have been talking about them. They say not to even answer them - just delete the email. I keep wanting to play games with them but it’s a waste of time, I guess.
trust document training is prevalent on You tube and facebook also. i guess that there is some little known secret to completing these assignments requiring paid professional tutoring. it bothers me to see notaries preying on other notqries
I have notarized different RE documents by private folks, QC docs. And I’ve had people hire their own notary even to sign their whole closing package which was me. BUT yes, I recently received an email with a person wanting tax affidavit, occupancy affidavit and 2 others specifically stated in the email. Then they asked if he could send them to me to verify they were completed and I told him as a notary that wasn’t my job and to verify with the agent that sent them to him. I knew when he asked this it was the scam. Right after that email I get another email with an attachment. I immediately blocked and reported as spam.
I have just received an email from Garcia Kend asking my availability to do notarization for tax documents. I responded that I am not available. I got ‘this response Thank you for your response and for outlining the details needed, Jennifer.
Before we schedule a date and time, would you be open to a brief Zoom meeting? I believe a quick conversation would help us discuss the notarization requirements, answer any questions, and ensure we’re both on the same page before moving forward.
It should only take a few minutes, and afterward we can easily agree on a suitable date, time, and location that works for us both.
Please let me know what you think.
I look forward to hearing from you and hopefully speaking with you soon.
Thank you.
@notaryjen81 This is a known scam that is going around the community. Tax documents do not need to be notarized. The reply you received appears to be auto generated as your response was not read by an actual person. Additionally, there should be no need to have a video conference call, i.e. Zoom, Google Meet, etc. to go over documents for a notarization. Most likely, those that do accept a video conference link from outside their own domain, may have malware attached to it. The sender can always call.
It is becoming increasingly evident that these scammers are continuously evolving their tactics to bypass our defenses. I was recently approached via email by someone claiming to be in urgent need of remote notary services for a specific set of documents: an Occupancy Affidavit, a Compliance Agreement, a Correction Agreement, and an Owner’s Affidavit.
At first glance, the request seemed perfectly legitimate and professional, which prompted me to engage in an email exchange with the sender. He responded by stating, “Thank you for your response. I’m hoping to have the documents notarized as soon as possible, preferably within the next day or two, depending on your availability. Before we schedule the appointment, would it be possible for me to send you the documents for review? I’d appreciate it if you could confirm that everything appears complete and ready for notarization.”
I replied with caution: “Hello Donald, that will be okay. I will review the documents for completion to ensure there are no blank fields or incomplete lines. Your documents must have the appropriate notarial acts or certificates, such as a Jurat or Acknowledgment. Please note that I am not an attorney and cannot provide legal advice regarding which certificates to use. You can fax your documents to me.”
Predictably, he attempted to send the files as PDF attachments instead of faxing them. My antivirus software immediately intervened, flagging the files as malicious and blocking the download. I promptly informed him: “Donald, due to a security warning, my virus protection will not allow me to open your attachments. If you cannot fax your documents, I suggest you meet with a notary public in person.”
Needless to say, he never followed through with a fax. While the request initially appeared to be for standard general notary work, the specific combination of documents—which are typically found in loan packages—raised significant red flags that I simply could not ignore. This experience serves as a stark reminder to all of us to remain hyper-vigilant regarding unsolicited file attachments, even when the sender’s language seems professional and the inquiry appears to be standard business.
percent Accurate! 
RED FLAG. 
