Fifteen years ago Sandra St. Claire experienced an identity theft more scary than you can imagine. More scary because it involved not just her but numerous other people—her clients—and she didn’t know which or how many clients had been hit. There was nothing to do but wait and see who got attacked and how.
She and her husband had recently purchased a Mail Boxes, Etc. franchise in Washington State. They offered multiple services, the “Etc.” part, and, of course, rented out mail boxes, 200 of them.
One night a “client,” who was also a thief, broke into the place and stole the St. Claires’ business and personal checks. He also reached into multiple mail boxes and took what he fancied.
He immediately withdrew money from the St. Claires’ personal account so they closed it and opened a new account at the same bank. Within two weeks the thief was able to withdraw $200 from their NEW personal account by walking into the same branch where they had opened it. The clerk hadn’t asked for ID. The businesses were neighbors. Who needs to check the ID of your neighbor after all?
It turns out that the crimes were committed while thief was out on bail from a charge brought in Oregon, across the river. He had stolen some Mail Boxes, Etc. computers from stores in the Portland area but could not be held without bail because he had not physically harmed anyone.
Twelve angry store owners including the St Claires, some of whom had bought firearms and started spending nights in their stores, attended the man’s hearing some months later. The judge sent him to jail not because of his crime, but for his own protection. He stayed there two years.
This experience led St Claire to be ultra vigilant in her work as a signing agent/ Notary Public to protect the identity of all the people who sign in front of her. She invented the Notary Privacy Guard to protect her clients and she has created a series of short videos to educate you about Notaries Public and how to protect your private information when using one.
Bottom line . . . the state you live in may not have rules that protect you or your privacy in transactions that involve signing a paper where you give personal information. IT’S UP TO YOU TO BE INFORMED SO THAT YOU DO NOT PUT YOURSELF AT RISK.
Here is the first of the videos. JUST WHAT, EXACTLY, IS A NOTARY PUBLIC?
