It was supposed to be a routine real estate closing.

A quiet home. A stack of documents. A seller ready to sign.

I arrived on time. The table was cleared. Pens were lined up with military precision. The signer greeted me with a handshake and a confident smile.

But within minutes… something felt off.

The documents were there. The ID was there.

But the signature on the ID?

It didn’t quite match the one on the documents.

And the signer? Suddenly less confident. More nervous. Hands shaking.

I asked a simple question.

“Can you confirm your legal name as it appears on this document?”

There was a pause.

Too long.

Then came the truth.

He wasn’t the seller.

He was the seller’s brother.

The actual seller? Out of the country.

And he “just figured it would be fine” if he signed for him.

Spoiler alert: it was not fine.

This is where the signing ended immediately.

Because impersonating someone in a real estate transaction is fraud.

And as a notary, it’s my legal and ethical duty to spot red flags, stop the process, and protect everyone involved, even if that means the deal comes to a screeching halt.

Real estate transactions are high-stakes. One wrong signature can cost people their homes, their money, or worse. That’s why identity verification isn’t optional. It’s the foundation of trust.

So if you’re closing a deal, buying, selling, or signing anything important, be the person who shows up honestly, with proper ID, and a real signature to match.

Girl Friday Notary Services

Notarization may be boring, but I’m not!

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