What should notaries be cautious of when dealing with identity verification?

When a notary is involved in identity verification, exercising a high degree of reasonable care is of utmost importance. This principle emphasizes the need for diligence and thoroughness when confirming a signer’s identity to prevent fraud and ensure the integrity of the notarization process. Notaries must verify not only the signature but also the identity of the individual presenting documents, using current and valid forms of identification to establish their credibility.

By exercising reasonable care, notaries demonstrate their commitment to following established procedures, which include checking the validity of IDs and asking questions if something seems amiss. This careful approach helps maintain the trust in the notary system, as it not only protects the notary but also safeguards the interests of the parties involved in the transaction.

In contrast, other options highlight practices that notaries should avoid—such as only verifying the signature, accepting expired forms of identification, and relying solely on professional recommendations—are inadequate or unreliable, and would undermine the notary's responsibility to perform proper identity verification.