Individuals known as sovereign citizens may try to take advantage of the coronavirus crisis to protest or retaliate against law enforcement and government officials. It is important for notaries to avoid completing transactions for this group.

Sovereign citizens believe the federal and state governments, law enforcement and the judicial system has no authority over them. They refuse Social Security cards, driver's licenses and oftentimes, avoid using zip codes.

"These so-called protests or retaliations are not notarial acts that a notary can perform," said Marc L. Aronson, president and CEO of PAN. "In some cases, a notary is being tricked into participating in paper terrorism."

A special agent with the FBI's Philadelphia Field Office said when sovereign citizens get arrested, "they don't believe they have committed a crime and they believe they have the right to retaliate."

The ideology of sovereign citizens centers on the belief that there are two governments: the "illegitimate" government that everyone thinks is genuine and the original government that existed before the conspiracy allegedly infiltrated it. To them, the original government was a perfect government that never interfered with citizens and what they wanted to do. Sovereign citizens believe the government tricked Americans into becoming "citizens of the United States" by providing privileges, such as driver's licenses and Social Security, and therefore, those who partook of these privileges, gave away their sovereignty.

"Notaries public must follow the law and perform only the official acts they are authorized by law to perform, such as acknowledgments and verifications on oath or affirmation," said Marc.