What should a notary do if they suspect a fraudulent document?

When a notary suspects that a document may be fraudulent, the appropriate course of action is to refuse to notarize the document. This is because the notary’s role includes verifying identities and ensuring that the documents are legitimate and created in good faith. By proceeding with a notarization of a potentially fraudulent document, the notary could be facilitating a crime, which could lead to legal consequences for both the notary and the individuals involved.

Notarization is meant to provide an assurance of authenticity to third parties who rely on the notarized document. If there are indications of fraud, such as discrepancies in signatures or suspicious circumstances surrounding the signers, the notary has a responsibility to refuse service. This protects the notary’s commission and upholds the integrity of the notarization process.

The other options may involve steps that occur after a notarization has been conducted, which does not address the immediate concern of ensuring that the signing process adheres to the proper legal standards.