Top Apps for Notaries

Here are a couple of suggested top Apps for notaries.  I have used these apps this year and found them very helpful.  You will be able to find these Apps when you do a search on your Smart Phone.  These Apps will help notaries take their business to the next level.  

iNotary - an electronic notary journal that replaces a paper journal.  Designed to drive productivity, safeguard notary journals, and shield notaries from liability, according to the website.

Google Maps -  Comprehensive accurate maps in 200 countries, voice-guided GPS navigation for driving, biking and walking. There are also transit directions and maps for over 800 cities, live traffic and incident reports.

The Weather Channel - features over 200 meteorologists and ultra-local TruPoint 15 minute forecasting technology.  This app helps you plan the best notary travel day possible.  The App features include forecast plans for the day, week, or even the next 15 minutes.

GasBuddy - This App will help you save money every time you want to fill up.  It will help you find gas stations in your local area with the cheapest gas.  This App features include a chance of winning $250.00 worth of gas every week, and you can even earn points for reporting gas prices.

Paypal -  This is an App I use all the time.  If you are a mobile notary, this App or another App that allows you to receive payments via major credit cards is a must have.  This App allows you to receive payments over the phone as well as in person.  One of the features of this App is that it will allow you to snap a photo of a check to add money to your Paypal account for free.






Please feel free to share any other Apps notaries can benefit from.

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National Foreclosure Proceedings Hit 95-Month Low: The foreclosure crisis may finally be nearing its end. According to the latest report from RealtyTrac, foreclosure proceedings dropped dramatically in November.

What Would You Do: The Case Of The Missing Figures

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Indiana Notaries help feed the Homeless

On December 7, 2013, Lewis Notary Services Inc. held it's 1st Annual Indiana Notary Public Day in Carmel, IN.  At this event notaries brought several pounds of food to give to less fortunate people via Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana.

Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Inc. was founded in 1980.  Since then they have consistently been fighting the crisis of hunger.  Their mission is simple and direct:  To lead the fight against hunger.

Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana solicit, store and distribute food and critical grocery products to qualifying agencies who serve the public directly.  Among those agencies are food pantries as well as soup kitchens, halfway homes and emergency shelters.

I would like to take this time to encourage notaries across the country to give to a food bank or a charity in their area today.  Then tell us about the experience.  We lover hearing inspiring notary stories.

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Through The Eyes Of A Signing Agent: For Danielle Finger of San Francisco, California, life is a juggling act. In addition to working as a full-time paralegal, she has been taking on loan signing assignments since 2003.

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Donating food from Indiana Notary Day to Gleaners Food Bank for the less fortunate.

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Maryland Notary Day was Saturday, November 23, 2013.  It was a highly successful event with over 100 notaries in attendance.  Elaine Wright gives us a review of the event.

 

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4 Holiday Scams Every Notary should know

As we get into this holiday season, I hope everyone is in the spirit of brotherly love and great season cheer.  I  am also hoping everyone is bracing and properly preparing themselves for the new round of Holiday Scams.  I will highlight 4 Holiday Scams that seem to be making the rounds this year.

1)  FedEx / UPS follow-drop-pickup scam.  This scam was actually highlighted on the "Today Show" Tuesday, November 26, 2013.  This scam has a couple different ways it can be done.  It involves criminals following FedEx and UPS trucks in residential neighborhoods and watching for them to make drops at the front doors of homes.  When the driver leaves the criminals run over, pickup the packages and take off.  Notaries need to be aware that if they are receiving documents via FedEx or UPS at their home, which may be unoccupied at the time of delivery, criminals may be luring.  As an alternative you may want to have your packages delivered to a location that they can be received by an actual person.

2)  Checks in the mail scam.  During this time of year many of you, like me, send checks to love ones that are quite a distance away.  Sometimes we put those checks in the mailbox in front of our home and place the flag up telling our mail carrier to pick up this mail.  The problem with this is that it also sends a signal to criminals to intercept checks, gift cards or other items of value.  With checks, criminals can lift ink off (using things you can buy at any hardware store) and rewrite the check to themselves for a higher amount.  To ensure your packages arrive on time take them directly to the post office or hand them directly to your mail carrier.





3)  Smash and Grab.  This is an interesting scam that can affect notaries directly.  This scam can also have several different variations.  This scam involves criminals targeting older people and women at shopping malls or retail stores.  Once the person gets out of their vehicle the criminals run up and grab their purse or wallet.  Not for money but to get access to the person's drivers license or state issued identification information.  Local news reports that these criminals have gone so far as to dress in a disguise as the victims and visit the victims bank to gain access to their accounts.  Sometimes trying to get Powers of Attorney notarized to gain access to the victims finances. 

There has also been cases where criminals will visit assisted living facilities and go from room to room looking for identification information to use to gain access to victims finances.  Notaries have to be very careful and take extra caution when notarizing any type of Power of Attorney Forms that could be linked to this criminal activity.





4)  Fast Food Doc Drop (I know the name is silly but....)  This is more of a crime of opportunity.  The reason why I put this one in is because I have recently been traveling and have heard two different title representatives from two different companies mention this same crime to me.  They said that notaries, after a closing, would go to a fast food restaurant with the docs and either leave them in plain site on their car seat or on a table in the restaurant, giving anyone access to them.  Criminals would see them and take quick pictures of the Loan Application and use that information to gain access to victims financial information.  I have personally witnessed notaries bringing docs to FedEx and UPS Stores to drop them off.  The notaries would then leave the docs on a table and go over to the other side of the store.  The docs would be left unattended for several minutes giving everyone access to them.  We all must be more diligent with security protocols in regards to the borrowers information.  

Do you know of any other holiday scams that other notaries should be aware of?  Please feel free to leave your comments...





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New Forms Designed to Improved Consumer Understanding, Aid Comparison Shopping, and Prevent Surprises

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a rule requiring easier-to-use mortgage disclosure forms that clearly lay out the terms of a mortgage for home buyers.  The "NEW" mortgage forms will replace the existing federal disclosures and help consumers understand their options, choose the deal that's best for them, and avoid costly surprises at the closing table.

Examples of The Loan Estimate Form

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This is good news for notaries performing loan closings.  The current forms help prevent "bait and switch" tactics, thus making each closing run more smoothly.

For More Info on the Consumer Protection Act and New Forms

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The general crime rate in November and December seems to be climbing year after year.  Mobile Notaries should remain diligent when it comes to their personal safety while travelling to and from appointments.  Here are my Top 10 Safety Tips for Mobile Notaries that go out on regular assignments.

1.  Make sure you don't open emails and files you are not expecting.  Every year criminals are getting more and more innovative using phishing techniques.  Phishing is a common trick used by identity thieves to gain your personal information.  This crime involves sending e-mails or creating sites that appear to be from a legitimate company and asking you to confirm personal information such as bank account numbers, passwords, birth dates, or addresses.  Just be very careful.

2.  Make sure your vehicle is properly maintained.  Routine maintenance, oil changes and oh yes.....gas.  That means making sure you have plenty of gas in your vehicle at the beginning of the day.  I have started out to my last appointment of the day, gotten about 5 miles from the location, and discovered I was out of gas.  The last gas station happened to be 5 miles in the opposite direction.  Not fun at all.

3.  Don't carry all your credit cards with you.  Only carry one or two at the most at any given time.  By only having one or two cards with you and limiting the amount of cash on your person, you lower your overall loss if you have them stolen while out in the field.  

4.  Head out to your appointments a little early.  Roads will be wet and slick in some areas.  Also, during the holidays (Black Friday Shopping, etc.)   people seem to be in more of a rush.  Arriving a little early could save you that important client.

5.  Stay Vigilant at ALL Times.  Be extra alert and attentive about the time of day you go to your appointments.  If you leave early in the morning or midday, be aware of school buses on your route.  They make frequent stops and starts with children running around everywhere.

6.  When leaving to go out on appointments take a little extra time to make sure your doors and windows in your home are locked and your security system (if appilcable) is turned on.  If you go out at night leave one or two lights on to deter burglars from entering your house.  Unfortunately home invasions are going up across the country.  In several cases, when the criminals are caught, they state that they only look for homes where no one is home.

7.   When going out to your vehicle either before an appointment or after an appointment, inspect your vehicle and ensure everything is the way you left it.  Once in your vehicle, always fasten your seat belt and ensure you can see clearly out all the windows.

8.  Carry a couple of bottles of water in your vehicle.  Every year I hear at least one story about how someone has slid off the road in a rural area and was stuck, trapped in their car, for days.  The water they kept in their car sustained them until help arrived.

9.  Be Purposeful in Your Movements.  This is especially true when coming and going from your vehicle.  Make sure you are not walking with headphones in.   You want to be able to hear things as they happen around you.  Also try to face people and greet them as you walk by.

10.  Don't text and drive.  Texting while driving is incredibly dangerous and takes your focus completely off the road.  Statistics show texting while driving has been linked to tens of thousands of accidents and fatalities.  Numerous studies have pointed out that texting while you're behind the wheel is actually more dangerous than drinking and driving.    

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