Getting caught lying on notarized documents

hoyaguru

Senior member
Jun 9, 2003
893
3
81
If you go to a notary public and get something notarized, what does that mean exactly? And if you knowingly put false information on it, and get caught, what can happen to you?
 

Pantoot

Golden Member
Jun 6, 2002
1,764
30
91
A notary is only there to verify that the person who signs it is the person that they say they are.
Lying on a document signed by a notary is no different than one signed by a stranger, other than you can't claim that it wasn't that signed it.
 

OCGuy

Lifer
Jul 12, 2000
27,227
36
91
Originally posted by: Pantoot
A notary is only there to verify that the person who signs it is the person that they say they are.
Lying on a document signed by a notary is no different than one signed by a stranger, other than you can't claim that it wasn't that signed it.

This man knows of what he speaks.
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,924
45
91
Originally posted by: Pantoot
A notary is only there to verify that the person who signs it is the person that they say they are.
Lying on a document signed by a notary is no different than one signed by a stranger, other than you can't claim that it wasn't that signed it.

This.

Whether you can get in trouble for it depends on what the document was.
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,459
854
126
Originally posted by: Yukmouth
Three years in a maximum security penn bro don't do it

Um, lying in and of itself isn't illegal. We'd need to know the context of the lie.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
62,846
11,257
136
In many states, the person receiving the notary service done has to "swear an oath," whether vocally or by his signature, attesting that the information is true and correct. Lying about this can result in persecution for perjury.

Of course, the severity of the perjury and what kind/type of documents may determine whether or not prosecution is justified.

I'm probably going to take the Kahleeforneeya Notary class this fall and become a Notary Public myself...
 

OCGuy

Lifer
Jul 12, 2000
27,227
36
91
Originally posted by: BoomerD
In many states, the person receiving the notary service done has to "swear an oath," whether vocally or by his signature, attesting that the information is true and correct. Lying about this can result in persecution for perjury.

Of course, the severity of the perjury and what kind/type of documents may determine whether or not prosecution is justified.

I'm probably going to take the Kahleeforneeya Notary class this fall and become a Notary Public myself...


Then you should know you are only swearing to thier identity, not if the information is true or not.

When you notarize mortgage loan paperwork, you have no idea if they are lying about thier income, assets, if they will occupy the property, etc. You are only attesting that they are who they say they are by getting IDs in compliance with the Patriot Act.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
62,846
11,257
136
Originally posted by: OCguy


Then you should know you are only swearing to thier identity, not if the information is true or not.

When you notarize mortgage loan paperwork, you have no idea if they are lying about thier income, assets, if they will occupy the property, etc. You are only attesting that they are who they say they are by getting IDs in compliance with the Patriot Act.

Agreed. But if you lie on a notary form, it can still be considered perjury. While the Notary is only responsible for verifying the identity of the signer, providing false information about identity makes it perjury. This has nothing to do with the content of the documents...only the identity of the person signing the documents.
 

Pacfanweb

Lifer
Jan 2, 2000
13,149
57
91
Originally posted by: BoomerD
Originally posted by: OCguy


Then you should know you are only swearing to thier identity, not if the information is true or not.

When you notarize mortgage loan paperwork, you have no idea if they are lying about thier income, assets, if they will occupy the property, etc. You are only attesting that they are who they say they are by getting IDs in compliance with the Patriot Act.

Agreed. But if you lie on a notary form, it can still be considered perjury. While the Notary is only responsible for verifying the identity of the signer, providing false information about identity makes it perjury. This has nothing to do with the content of the documents...only the identity of the person signing the documents.
It's true that the notary only verifies that the signer is, in fact, who they are signing that they are.

You aren't going to get in trouble with the law, unless what you are signing is a legal document.
 

hoyaguru

Senior member
Jun 9, 2003
893
3
81
Here's the deal: I work for a company that does inspections (not telling what kind). Starting soon, a new law is going into effect that all inspectors have to have a new type of certificate. To get the certificate, there is a test that has to be passed, and the employee has to meet one of four requirements, a bachelor's degree in certain subjects, graduation from certain institutions, possesion of a license as an engineer, or 4 years of work experience in the field. A lot of employees have none of these requirements. The company has a form that we have to get notarized, saying that we have the 4 years of experience.

The company knows that several employees will be lying on their notarized form, but if the employee has this certificate, the company can charge more than double for their services. I'm not planning on taking the test or signing the form, but there are several employees who need the extra money this certificate will get them salary-wise, though they are scared as to what might happen if they get caught.

I had heard years ago that getting a form notarized makes it an "Official Document", and lying on it could get you a fine or even jail time.
 

arcenite

Lifer
Dec 9, 2001
10,658
3
81
Originally posted by: hoyaguru
Here's the deal: I work for a company that does inspections (not telling what kind). Starting soon, a new law is going into effect that all inspectors have to have a new type of certificate. To get the certificate, there is a test that has to be passed, and the employee has to meet one of four requirements, a bachelor's degree in certain subjects, graduation from certain institutions, possesion of a license as an engineer, or 4 years of work experience in the field. A lot of employees have none of these requirements. The company has a form that we have to get notarized, saying that we have the 4 years of experience.

The company knows that several employees will be lying on their notarized form, but if the employee has this certificate, the company can charge more than double for their services. I'm not planning on taking the test or signing the form, but there are several employees who need the extra money this certificate will get them salary-wise, though they are scared as to what might happen if they get caught.

I had heard years ago that getting a form notarized makes it an "Official Document", and lying on it could get you a fine or even jail time.

Sounds like a job for the Goose!
 
Nov 5, 2001
18,367
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if the certification is legally required, there are most likely civil or criminal penalties for claiming it without being qualified.
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
69,012
26,890
136
What does God need with a notary? Why join a nerd forum and necro a six year old thread just to ask about notaries?
 
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Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
67,344
12,100
126
www.anyf.ca
I probably would not chance it. If anything the government already knows all the information being asked, they just really need the form to make sure you're on the same page about the situation. Between internet based surveillance, face recognition cameras and drones in the skies, government knows your every move throughout your whole life and it's all indexed at NSA's various data centres so it can be pulled up quickly.

Then there's the hilarious stuff like forms asking for your address.... sent to your address. You'd be a fool to put a different address there. :p