The heat is on! As summer kicks into full gear, life may seem like a sunny poolside barbecue for many. But for Remote Online Notaries, it's the season of grilling, not on the barbie, but over client identifications. While the world is sipping margaritas poolside, we're busy playing detectives on the digital frontier, validating identities. Just as the sun doesn't take a day off in summer, neither does the responsibility of ensuring a client's identification. Think of the identification verification process as preparing a poolside BBQ meal. The ingredients: signer name, photo, and expiration, must all pass the freshness test. Firstly, let’s grill the client's name. Just like ensuring the meat at your BBQ isn't past its sell-by date, it's crucial to confirm the authenticity of the client's name against all the documents provided. When verifying a signer's identity, imagine it's like figuring out if the pool's water is warm enough for a swim. Your job is to dip your toes in, using the provided ID, and decide if the person is really who they say they are. Just like each summer day has a different temperature, there's no one-size-fits-all rule for every situation. Sometimes, you'll need to make a judgment call, like deciding if it's ice cream or popsicle weather. When in doubt, you can always ask for an alternative form of ID that your state deems acceptable with the correct information. The next ingredient is the photo. But this isn't as simple as throwing the meat on the grill and coming back a few minutes later. Pictures may look straightforward, but you need to look deeper, sort of like checking that your BBQ chicken isn’t just seared on the outside but raw in the middle. You want that meat thoroughly cooked inside. Look for features, aging effects, or changes that may suggest a mismatch. Does the signer’s birthday say you should be seeing a “Baywatch Babe” but instead you are looking at a “Bengay-watch Babe?” Use your best judgment. And for the libations, don’t overlook the expiration date on the ID, like forgetting to chill the beverages for your BBQ. Different states have different "best before" rules, just like how some like their steaks rare and others well-done. Ensure you're following the regulations for the state in which you are licensed. One tip that's as refreshing as a summer lemonade is to make verbal commentary during the audio/video recording about the ID. You might say something like, "We're both July babies, it seems," or "Don't forget your ID expires at the end of this year." This practice not only helps to encourage friendly banter, but also ensures thoroughness and leaves an 'audio notation' in your electronic recording that you did your due diligence in checking the ID. But remember, while poolside chitchats are fun, don’t let any sensitive information slip once you leave the party. In the end, when the sun sets and the BBQ embers cool down, remember this: the ultimate responsibility falls on your shoulders as the host of the BBQ party. The RON platforms provide the tech, like the grill and the patio chairs, but you're the one flipping the burgers and mixing the drinks. If there is a party foul, YOU as the Notary will ultimately be held responsible. As notaries, we bring the human touch to this online gig. We're like the lifeguards in this vast digital sea, ensuring each notarization swims safely back to the shore of integrity. So, let's roll up our beach towels and meet this summer with sunblock levels of diligence. After all, it’s not just any old season, it’s the sizzling summer season of identity verification. Let's keep the beach vibes high and the fraudulent IDs low!
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