If you work in mortgage, title, or real estate, you've likely seen headlines warning that remote closings open the door to fraud. Some caution is understandable; deed and identity fraud have been climbing for years, largely because so much property ownership information is available in public, searchable records. Fraudsters target owners who are absent, elderly, or deceased, gather enough personal details to forge a transfer, and sell a property that was never theirs.
But if you’re weighing whether to trust the technology, take care to distinguish between closings done poorly and closings done remotely. The difference matters: done right, the technology can provide stronger safeguards against fraud than the traditional processes it replaces.
Here’s what some of the most common myths in circulation get wrong.
Myth #1: 'Appearing' before a notary means being in the room
Notary law requires a signer to "appear" before a notary, meaning present themselves so the notary can verify their identity directly. The myth assumes a remote session can't satisfy that requirement, as though the signer is hopping on an ordinary Zoom call. In reality, signers appear before a notary on a secure, recorded video session with layered verification built in, and reputable platforms rely on more than just holding an ID up to the camera and snapping a still.
The reality: A properly run remote online notarization (RON) platform gives you layered checks that most in-person closings don’t: automated analysis of the ID's security features, knowledge-based authentication questions, and a live selfie match against the photo. That's more rigorous than a notary glancing at a driver's license across a desk, and the session itself is encrypted end-to-end.
Myth #2: In-person signing is inherently more secure
The myth assumes that seeing a signer in person creates a stronger record of who they are. It doesn't. A traditional paper notarization has no independent record at all: the only evidence is the notary's own journal entry and memory, with no photo, video, or other proof of what the signer actually looked like. The notary's own identity is just as exposed: someone can copy a seal from publicly filed documents and forge a signature to impersonate the notary entirely.
The reality: RON captures an audiovisual recording of the entire transaction, giving you direct visual proof of who actually signed, something a paper notarization journal entry cannot provide. On the notary side, most states also require a digital certificate: a cryptographic key issued only to that notary, which they use to generate their electronic signature. That signature proves it came from that specific, verified notary, and it makes the document tamper-evident, since any change made after signing becomes detectable.
Myth #3: Identity verification only happens at the closing table
The myth assumes there's exactly one moment to catch a fraudulent signer: the closing table, where a rushed notary who's never met the signer before often gives the ID little more than a glance. If that signer isn't who they claim to be, there’s nothing to stop the closing from moving forward.
The reality: RON lets you verify a signer's identity days or weeks before closing, not just at the table. Run the signer through a notarized identity affidavit ahead of time. It uses the same authentication questions, credential analysis, and recorded session as closing day, just early enough that a mismatch surfaces while there's still time to act, not after the closing has already happened.
Myth #4: All RON platforms carry the same level of risk
The myth assumes that if fraud happens in a remote closing, it exposes a flaw in RON itself, as though every platform works the same way once you go remote.
The reality: RON platforms vary enormously in what they actually check. Credential analysis and knowledge-based authentication aren't optional extras. They are required by law. Some platforms go further and add a live selfie match too. Others cut corners entirely: a static photo of an ID and a signature captured on a tablet, without meeting that legal baseline at all. The fraud that people are reacting to almost always traces back to the second kind, not to remote closings themselves, and you control which kind you're using. Require every RON notarization you're involved in to go through a MISMO®-certified vendor, the same way title insurance underwriters already require specific practices through their guidelines. Put it in your closing instructions or your company's published policy, and the platforms that cut corners never get into the loop in the first place.
Where DocMagic® stands
DocMagic has held MISMO RON certification since its RON solution launched, and partners with leading identity verification solution providers that meet or exceed industry standards for credential analysis.
In addition, DocMagic’s RON solution includes knowledge-based authentication, live selfie capture, and encrypted, recorded sessions. It allows you to verify a signer's identity well before a closing is scheduled, whether that's for a single affidavit, a seller-side package, or a full loan package.
Standards are what separate a well-run closing from a vulnerable one, whether it happens in person or online.