Apparent fraud. Attorneys edge notaries out.

A Florida man imprisoned for sexual battery and kidnapping presented a notarized statement from the victim saying the acts were consensual. (He also asked to have the victim's clothes returned to him.)

Problem: the victim and notary said they knew nothing about the affidavit--the judge believed them. (A web site supportive of the prisoner has not been updated to reflect this development.)

No word on whether anybody has checked the notary's journal.

Massachusetts reportedly now requires attorneys to supervise all real estate transactions. Many other states allow borrowers to simply sign the documents in the presence of a notary. The report does not say how much this oversight will cost the borrower.


--brought to you by 12 Tips to Make More Money as a Notary Public. Probably tax deductible as business expense--ask your accountant. Available for just 99 cents from Kindle or Nook. Or instant PDF download

Impostors allegedly got documents notarized in Florida

A process server in Florida claims one or more notaries notarized signatures of impostors claiming to be her. She suspects the widely varying signatures were attempts to speed up the home foreclosure process.

Questionable process work is so prevalent defense attorney have given it a nickname: "sewer service."

There is no allegation the notary was aware of the deception.

It's a good reminder to keep your eyes open and not skimp on the identification procedure.


Applicants to be a notary in New Jersey need the endorsement of their state legislator.


---This blog is brought to you by 12 Tips to Make More Money as a Notary Public. Probably tax deductible as business expense--ask your accountant. Available for just 99 cents from Kindle or Nook. Or instant PDF download

Saving money -- what is "long distance"?

I call a friend 2,500 miles away every afternoon. I never pay a penny in long distance.

If you call clients and are getting hit with a toll or long distance, find out about Google Voice.

With a Google account and a phone, you can set up a GV account. They'll even give you a new number if you like. There are lots of tricks GV can do. You can program it to direct certain people straight to a tailored voice mail message, to ring certain phones, to ring a phone only during certain hours.

But the reason I like it is free long distance. I don't know how they do it. But they're saving me bucks. (True, for business I could deduct the expense later. But I'd rather not have the expense.)

Google has said no charges through the end of the year. So you might want to not give the number to clients in case you opt out later. Though it's possible Google may make 2012 free as well.

In any case, for now, here's a genuine bargain.

I don't get any money for passing this info along. Just telling you about something that works. Nice.

More tips on saving money: 12 Tips to Make More Money as a Notary Public. Probably tax deductible as business expense--ask your accountant. Available for just 99 cents from Kindle or Nook. Or instant PDF download

A governor, a theft, email and the Ottoman Empire--good day for news

Wisconsin's governor wants to take supervising notaries away from the Secretary of State.

In Walnut Creek, CA, a thief breaking into a car really made out: a notary seal and journal were stolen.

In Texas, notaries can now elect to receive their commission by email.

Just to complete your collection, an Ebay auction is offering a notary stamp from the Ottoman Empire, allegedly dating from 1919. For a mere $129.99. There were no bids on an earlier auction at the same price. You'd think she might dip the starting bid a bit. Seems a tad pricey for a blue stamp with a black overprint.

More great news in 12 Tips to Make More Money as a Notary Public. 99 cents (probably tax deductible as business expense--ask your accountant). Available for
Kindle and Nook or for Instant PDF download:

More email security

If you email clients, you might worry that all your contacts will one day get an email saying you're stranded in London and please send money. Ooops, you've been hacked. James Fallows, writer for The Atlantic, describes the experience in an article published this week.

As he recommends, I finally got off my duff and signed up for Gmail's 2 step verification. It was painless and easy. I chose to use a land line phone because the cell phone set up looked more complicated.

Now when I sign into my email I put in the user name and password as always. Then I wait for Gmail to phone me with a code to type in. So if a hacker guesses my password, he also needs access to my phone to get into the account. Probably one day they'll figure out how to do that.

But for right now, I'm feeling pretty safe. (Now I just have to worry about Gmail burping.)

I was impressed at how Gmail thought this out. If my land line is down, I can elect to have the code ring to another phone. If I'm out and about (and not near the land line), I have 10 back up verification codes.

This starts from the main Google account page if you're interested.

Babysitting a notary public?

One web site advertising mobile notaries says "Our notaries are required to fax for review all notarized documents ... " (emphasis mine).

So let me get this right. The notary is going to show up at your home, plug in a fax machine and use your long distance to fax to a central office. Then you two are going to wait around while someone OKs the notary's work.

Is this a selling point?

Personally, I'd rather deal with a competent notary who didn't need to be babysat. One who doesn't need to lug a fax machine into the house ("Hey, watch the wall!") and connect to my phone line.

Yikes!

Better ways: 12 Tips to Make More Money as a Notary Public. Just 99 cents (probably tax deductible as business expense--ask your accountant). Available for
Kindle and Nook or as Instant PDF download:

How early to renew in California?

The California Secretary of State wants you to take the notary public exam 6 months before your license expires. The Secretary thinks you complete your continuing education (3 hours or 6 hours) before the test. The test vendor's site, though, says they'll let you test without proof of completion.

What happens if the Secretary doesn't renew you before your current commission expires? Do you have to take another 3 hours of CE?

The Secretary's site doesn't address the issue. Taken literally, it seems to say if you submit the education and pass the test the day before you expire, nothing new is needed. You can't practice as a notary until you're re-commissioned (which, apparently, could take half a year).

Notaries tell me though they took the 3 hours CE (because they already had a 6 hours CE under their belt) and were told to take another 3 hours when the Secretary had not renewed them before their commission expired.

Bottom line is, save a couple of bucks and get that test in 6 months before you expire. Ouch.

In a March 11, 2011 memo the Secretary says processing time for business documents has fallen to 40 business days (about 2 months). It's not clear if notary commissions are business documents but the memo is posted on the notary site.

How this reconciles with the 6 months advice isn't stated. So sounds like the prudent thing to do is still renew way early.

More clues on making being a notary a great business at 12 Tips to Make More Money as a Notary Public. Just 99 cents (probably tax deductible as business expense--ask your accountant). Available for
Kindle and Nook or as Instant PDF download:

If you want to perform weddings ...

A few states, such as Maine, authorize notaries public to do weddings.

In California, a notary with special training from a county clerk can issue confidential marriage licenses but is not authorized to solemnize marriages.

Some notaries there are going the next step performing the ceremony not as a notary but as a minister.

If you'd like to try, check with the country clerk and make sure this won't be seen as a conflict of interest. (The clerk's office probably does both--issuing licenses and performing the ceremony--but it's better to ask up front about you doing the same.)

The second step for a California notary public will be qualifying as a minister. Family Code 400(a) reads "Marriages may be solemnized by any of the following who is of 18 years or older ... a minister ... of any religious denomination." This isn't as hard as it sounds.

The Monastery (Universal Life Church) will make you a minister online for free in seconds. You can print out your credential. (If anyone requires more documentation, the Monastery will supply that for a fee. A Letter of Good Standing, for example, costs $18.)

They claim if you get static from the local clerk's office, they will provide legal counsel: "Legal Counsel is available to all ULC Monastery Ministers experiencing problems with registration." (Doesn't say anything about being free though!)

I don't get any kickbacks if you use them. I have tried their online system and it works easily. It's the quickest, least expensive way I know to get the credential to perform weddings so am passing it along in case you need this.

Update: 4-22-11: In Armenia, notaries perform weddings. Rampant overcharging for these services (one might call it "bribes") has the Prime Minister promising to crack down.

Lots more tips available in 12 Tips to Make More Money as a Notary Public

99 cents (probably tax deductible as business expense--ask your accountant)
Available for
Kindle or Nook or as an instant PDF download:


Image courtesy of Sharron Goodyear

$10 a signature -- can you make money doing this?

Notaries in California are limited in what they can charge--usually $10 a signature.

Can you multiply that? Gabriel Ortiz in 12 Tips to Make More Money as a Notary Public says absolutely.

He reports there are 3 steps:

1. Become a better notary--provide more service
   
2. Don't spend more money in the business than you have to.
   
3. Use your commission to branch out into watching people sign mortgage loan documents, celebrating weddings and proctoring traffic school exams.

Gabriel spent 9 years working with notaries in the mortgage business. One of his friends (during the refinancing boom) made $50,000 one year leveraging these tips.

At 99 cents, this is a must have item. (Check with your accountant to see if this purchase is tax deductible as a business expense.)

Available on Kindle ... Nook ... Instant PDF download: