Thank You, Notaries: Celebrating the People Who Protect Our Signatures

Every November 7th, we celebrate notaries. Established in 1975, Notary Public Day has honored notaries for more than 50 years for their public service, their ethical duty, and their contributions to national and international commerce.

It's a profession that carries a multitude of responsibilities. Appointed by each secretary of state, notaries deter fraud by verifying the identity of the individuals signing documents and confirming they are signing of their own free will. Whether it's a family buying their first home, an adult child signing a power of attorney, or a small business owner closing a deal, a notary is the impartial person who helps make sure every signature can be trusted. To every notary in our communities: thank you.

A role built on careful examination 

Traditionally, fraud prevention meant carefully comparing a physical ID with the signer sitting in front of you. Notaries relied on their judgment to stay acutely aware of the signer's behavior while examining the ID for signs of tampering or misuse.

Today, that work carries more pressure than ever. In a digital age, notaries face real challenges identifying and stopping signer fraud.

Human oversight in a digital world 

When Remote Online Notarization (RON) entered the profession in 2012 with Virginia, it brought notaries and signers a refreshing convenience. It broke down scheduling barriers and barriers dictated by a map: so long as notaries are in their commissioned state, they can connect with signers across the world through interstate recognition. Logistics aside, RON also brings a suite of tools beyond the traditional paper setup, making notarization more efficient for signers and notaries alike.

At Proof, we've seen firsthand what RON does for a notary's business model. Whether they're embedding it into a traditional in-person practice or converting to 100% RON, notaries are able to quantify the benefits.

Fraud has evolved, and so have notaries

With the advancement of RON, bad actors began testing new fraud attempts, including the use of deepfake technology. How could a notary possibly catch fraud from behind a computer screen? Many were skeptical.

The answer is that notaries don't have to do it alone. Proof has worked to build a product suite for notaries and signers alike with fraud prevention at the forefront of every product roadmap.

As a notary on the Proof Notary Network, you have tools to support your identity verification at the start of each notarization:

• Identity Alerts: an element of credential analysis that alerts the notary to closely inspect specific aspects of the signer's uploaded ID.
• Deepfake Assessments: when a potential deepfake is detected, the notary can run a guided assessment with the signer still on camera.
• Fallback to a Trusted Referee: notaries may qualify for the Trusted Referee program, which provides a human-level check when a signer's identity proofing attempt fails.

Security and convenience in a digital world  

Earlier this year, Proof launched the ability for signers to enroll in Digital ID. After completing a successful IAL2 identity proofing transaction and biometric scan, returning signers can complete a remote online notarization with their saved identity, approximately 30% faster than before. Returning signers can bypass traditional Knowledge Based Authentication (KBA), authenticate instantly by completing Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) and a selfie scan to complete their notarization.

Proof's Digital Certificate has also opened up opportunities for notaries on Proof. Three of Proof's five On Demand states can accept biometrics as a form of identity verification, which has increased demand for PA, NV, and VA notaries on the platform and resulted in thousands of exclusive notarizations.

Notaries serving as guardians of trust 

This November 7th, we want to say thank you to every notary, on Proof and beyond, for the care, integrity, and vigilance you bring to every signing. As fraud attempts grow more sophisticated, your role has never mattered more, and we're proud to build the tools that help you protect the people you serve. Notaries are the guardians of trust across all of life’s most important moments. 

If you've had a great experience with a notary, take a moment this November 7th to tell them thank you.