This past week, two men walked into an auto tag shop in Bethlehem and inquired about notarizing a will and a power of attorney. During the conversation, one gentleman stole a notary stamp that was sitting on the counter.

You may be wondering - what would I do in this situation?

If your notary stamp or journal is stolen, the first step is to report it to the Department of State within 10 days. The term “loss” includes stamps and steals that are misplaced, destroyed, or made unavailable. When notifying the Department of State, you sign a statement that you do not possess the stamp and the date you discovered that the device was lost or stolen. PAN members can fill out the PAN 325 form, found on our member portal. You should also file a report with the local police department.

Submitting a statement to the police and to the Department of State will help to protect you if the stamp is used without your knowledge. Once the stamp is reported missing, you should then begin the process to replace the stamp.

You are responsible for the security of your stamping device and should not leave it in a location that can be accessed by anyone but yourself. Practice the proper notary equipment safety to protect yourself from thieves.