Quick scam warning for Notaries (and how to protect yourself)
Hi Notaries!
We've noticed an uptick in reports from customers and FindaNotary.com users about suspicious business inquiries they've received recently, so we wanted to share some info.
Some of these inquiries appear to be coming through FindaNotary.com's 'Send a Message' feature, while others are happening completely off-platform. To protect FindaNotary customers, we've temporarily disabled the messaging feature as we review the activity and work on enhancements to limit misuse of the system.
However, we also wanted to make this post to raise awareness and share tips to protect yourself if you do receive an odd request.
First rule of thumb: Do not click any links sent to you unless you know they're safe. We encourage all Notaries to be extra cautious when responding to inquiries, particularly those that:
- Ask you to join an unfamiliar Zoom or video meeting
- Include unsolicited links within a text or email
- Include attachments from unknown sources
- Refuse to provide basic contact information, such as a phone number
- Contain vague or generic notarization requests with little supporting information
- Create a sense of urgency or pressure to act quickly
If something feels suspicious, don't continue the conversation or click links in any follow-up messages--and when in doubt, report these messages through the platform they were received.
We’re also here with you on Reddit! If you have any questions, the NNA Hotline team will be popping in and out of this subreddit to be a helpful resource to the Notary community.
TL;DR Suspicious inquiries targeting Notaries are popping up across platforms. Be cautious of unfamiliar links, attachments, and requests that pressure you to act quickly.