Posted by Sylvia_FL on 5/25/06 2:52pm
Msg #122263

Update on message 120673

Today I met" with Florida's CFO. I printed out the mortgage from the clerk's site and showed it to him and informed him that my notary certificate had been removed and the two people names whose signatures I had notarized had been added back on to the PA notary's certificate even though she never saw these people.
The mortgage is now going to the State Attorneys office for possible action, and I was advised to contact the clerk of the court to let them know they recorded a fraudulent instrument.

I wonder what is going to happen now. If I hear any more on it I will post.


As notaries our duty is to deter fraud and when we come across fraud whether it be backdating or illegally altered notary certificates then we are bound by our duty as state officers to report that fraud - as long as we can prove it. On this one, I have my journal entry to show I was the one notarizing two of the signatures on that mortgage, and the PA notary should know that she did not notarize their signatures (she had lined through them at the time she notarized the first person's signature)

Reply by Marlene/USNA on 5/25/06 3:07pm
Msg #122268

If the PA notary kept an accurate journal, as required by PA law, she'll know exactly what she did.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 5/25/06 3:26pm
Msg #122274

I called the PA notary after I discovered the fraud. She told me she was not required to keep a journal! I know she was supposed to.
I plan on forwarding a copy of the mortgage to the notary division in PA state just to let them know what happened to their notary's certificate. If they decide to check her "journal" - she could be in trouble for not maintaining one.

Reply by Marlene/USNA on 5/26/06 9:34am
Msg #122458

Lordy, I hope she's not a member of either PAN or USNA!

If you want to keep track of whether she gets disciplined or not, the SOS keeps a quarterly list on its website. http://www.dos.state.pa.us/, Professional Licensure, Disciplinary Actions. Could be months, tho - years. And that's only if they follow through.

Reply by Joan_OH on 5/25/06 3:38pm
Msg #122279

The rediculous thing about this whole scenario is the title company's motive is probably that they just didn't want to pay the recording fee for the 16th page of the mortgage. What do you think? $8.00?

I see a whole world of hurt coming down on them for a lousy $8.

Stupid!

Joan-OH

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 5/25/06 3:47pm
Msg #122281

Joan
It was a small HELOC mortgage, only 6 pages - would have been 7 if they had included my certificate.