Notary Public Underwriters Blog
Risky Notary Pride – Posting Images of Your Notary Stamp
- Details
- Published: June 29, 2026
Traditionally, the primary ways that the average person could view a notary public’s stamped or embossed seal image on a document were:
- to have access to the original document or a saved copy of it retained as a private record by the originator;
- to have access to the original document or a saved copy of it retained as a private record by the recipient; or
- to locate and view a saved copy of the original document because it was filed and stored as a public record.
All of these access methods have key privacy hurdles: they require the requesting party to a) know some sort of information about the title, nature or purpose of the document that required notarization; b) know where the document or an image of it might be physically or electronically stored; and c) have the authority or permission to actually access and view it.
Recently, however, a newly-minted notary public’s posting of photos celebrating her commission made it much easier for an unscrupulous person to impersonate the legitimate notary.
In side-by-side photos, the notary shared images of (1) her self-inking notary stamp; and (2) her official journal of notarial acts.
While the journal photo showed only the book’s cover, the photo of the self-inking stamp showed the entire top of the stamp. Most notaries reading this will know that the top of a self-inking stamp is covered by clear plastic and, beneath that, there’s usually an entire stamped impression of the notary’s official seal.
Well… this is exactly the information that the notary presented to the world via social media. She redacted part of her name, but left her full commission number and other key information untouched.
This notary’s enthusiasm is great, but we worry that she is now at risk of being impersonated. Any unscrupulous person could have a duplicate stamp made at any stamp shop that isn’t familiar enough with notary stamp requirements to demand credible proof of commission.
These sorts of “whoopsies” that open the door to fraud are exactly why expert, experienced notary stamp manufacturers like Notary Public Underwriters always obtain proof of an active commission before making an official notary stamp or embossing seal. We know the format and appearance of official notary proof of commission documentation for every U.S. state and the District of Columbia. We require that it be provided to us before we fulfill any order for an official notary stamp or embossing seal.
Notary Public Underwriters ensures that all requirements for proof of commission are met before we make an official notary stamp or embossing seal, and we never bend the rules “just this once” to accommodate anyone.
Browse our offerings at www.notarypublicunderwriters.com to learn more about our expertly produced line of notary public supplies, notary education and training courses, notary handbooks, and more. Each notary we serve is a uniquely special person to us. We’re “Exceeding Expectations One Notary at a Time”!
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