Posted by notaryinmo on 5/18/09 7:57am
Msg #288811

Unethical notary

I know of a notary who not only passed the Missouri online test, but then took the same notary exam for two other family members, so that now all three of them are notaries.

Even though I have no proof of this, I do have actual knowledge of it. I'm debating on contact the SOS, but since I've no proof, it's a he say/she say thing.

Reply by Dennis D Broadbooks on 5/18/09 8:02am
Msg #288812

Would You Please PM On This? n/m

Reply by Ti/Ga on 5/18/09 8:06am
Msg #288813

Any reason why you want to get involved in this? It will come back to bite the involved parties soon enough...

Reply by notaryinmo on 5/18/09 8:13am
Msg #288815

Ti: It's simplly a matter of me being perhaps too ethical for my own good. I hate when some people think they can cheat to get what they want.

Besides that, one notary taking an online exam for other people - how does that make notaries appear when they've no clue what they're doing since they didn't study for or take the exam?

Reply by MW/VA on 5/18/09 8:15am
Msg #288816

IMO online exams of any kind are ripe for fraud. Can you imagine the # of online college degrees that aren't been earned by the recipient.

Reply by notaryinmo on 5/18/09 8:17am
Msg #288817

I completely understand, MW. I've already spoken to the MO SOS about not having the online exams, but to have people actually showing up to take the exams with needing to show proper ID.

If we can't trust a notary to prove who they are, how can we trust them to uphold the duties of the commission?

Reply by Ti/Ga on 5/18/09 8:53am
Msg #288821

Everyone has to pay a price for what they intend to gain. Fraud will show up soon enough if they pursue their notary commission....If they knew the job they could have passed the test....The online exams of any kind really need to be proctored.....

Reply by HKB on 5/18/09 9:33am
Msg #288824

I think all on line exams are proctored at least in Indiana. I hold a real estate license for the state of IL and when ever I have to renew it via CE I have to take an on line exam and the proctor can not be your relative or friend and has to be a teacher/ principal, librarian or a realtor (there are a few more categories which I do not remember now) but for sure they are proctored.... atleast here in Indiana.

Reply by Charles_Ca on 5/18/09 12:17pm
Msg #288851

Great philosophy, now we can get rid of courts, the police &

the whole criminal law system.

Reply by MW/VA on 5/18/09 9:49am
Msg #288831

IMO I would report it. It is fraud. The SOS will be able to verify that there are multiple members on one family applying. Setting up a "family" business is a great thing, as long as it is done according to the law. We notaries are very sensitive about fraud in the industry.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 5/18/09 11:08am
Msg #288845

But how do they prove those people didn't take the test themselves? I'd hate to think that if my husband and his sister ever decided to become notaries I'd end up being accused of fraud simply because we're all from the same family....

Reply by notaryinmo on 5/18/09 11:19am
Msg #288846

I would think that if an SOS would contact the notary(ies) in question, a simple over the phone test would determine if they were really the same person who took the test. If they were the same one who took the test, they should at least remember some of the questions that were on the test and not be surprised by a question. If not, further investigation could be done (like tracing ip addresses back to the computer). Now this might not work in the case of family being so close but with those at least 50 miles away, people would think twice about driving to and fro for the sole purpose of taking an online exam. A still better option would be to have all online exams proctored to prevent fraud in the first place.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 5/18/09 11:24am
Msg #288847

Unless you've got some solid information to back up your allegations, I'd be real careful reporting this - I can see where you want to, but you also don't want your complaint appearing nothing more than a case of "sour grapes" - you also don't want it to turn out to be false and you end up, at the least, with egg on your face....or worse, on the receiving end of a slander suit.

Good Luck

Reply by MW/VA on 5/18/09 12:44pm
Msg #288855

Very valid point, especially with no proof.

Reply by Linda Juenger on 5/18/09 1:03pm
Msg #288858

How can they be certain they have the correct person on the phone? Anyone else can take the phone test for them also.

Reply by Glenn Strickler on 5/18/09 12:17pm
Msg #288852

Sounds like a defamation lawsuit waiting to happen ....

unless you have documented proof of your allegations. If it isn't written down, it didn't happen.