Don’t Fall For Fake IDs

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One of the most important jobs of a notary is to correctly identify the signer so that fake IDs can be spotted and forgeries avoided. A notary may be subject to a criminal or a civil liability if the identity isn’t proper.

With a million people in the United States without a proper ID, correct identification is a huge issue. Adding to this there are more than 43 million immigrants to the US who have various kinds of international IDs.

Sometimes circumstances are presented that are not clearly defined too. Signers may have old library cards, expired driver’s licenses, foreign passports, or even inmate cards that may make this process complex. Sometimes people change their names or transform their looks or just don’t have a proper ID to show.

The following practices can help a notary in such cases:

Be aware of the state laws and rules regarding IDs

Every State in the US has different laws laid out for this purpose and the notary must be well aware of the laws specific to the state they operate in. The ID must be issued by the federal or state government, must bear a signature, photograph, and a physical description.

In most states, the following are acceptable IDs:

• Federal ID (e.g. military ID card)
• Passport
• Green card or a lawful permanent resident card
• A county, state or local government ID

The signer’s photo on the ID doesn’t resemble him/her

The notary must be aware of what could be fake IDs so that impostors can be spotted. There can be cases where the photo on the ID or the description on the card does not match the signer, or the ID is expired, or the signer has gone through a physical transformation or gender change.

The ID presented must be carefully examined, keeping in mind the following:

• If the notary has any reason to believe that the signer isn’t who they say they are?
  In such a case ask for another ID or use a credible witness.
• All the information on the ID must be examined and taken into account, the signature, description, and photo.

The signer has no acceptable ID

Many Americans do not have government-issued IDs, in such a case when the signer has no proper ID to present, or they do not have an acceptable ID for identification, a credible witness can be used to identify the signer (depending on the state of operation.)

The ID may look altered or odd

If the notary feels everything about the signer seems official but even then something seems wrong, he must stall the process.

• It is an alarm of concern if the format of the ID may seems different than the usual?
  A notary must be well-versed with how a state ID looks, the security features, the hologram embedded and ghost photos and micro-printing, so that they can identify fake IDs.
• Does the ID look like it has been modified?
  If an extra layer of lamination is added to a driver’s license or some visual signs of tampering with the ID are seen, then the ID isn’t acceptable.

Coast2Coast Signings is a global signing service dedicated to providing the most convenient, efficient and professional signing services. Our goal is to provide our clients’ with excellent customer service, a knowledgeable staff, and the ability to find experienced notaries wherever and whenever they are needed. Our team is on staff 24/7 to fulfill any of your signing needs. With a combined 50 years of experience, our mission is to help fulfill our clients’ needs with the utmost respect and adaptability. Coast 2 Coast is the only signing company proficient in completing signings on a global scale, on any coast and in any country.