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Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 10/2025 

Your Privacy Matters 

At MER Notary Services, I am committed to protecting your privacy and safeguarding your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how I collect, use, protect, and store your information and your rights regarding your data. 

By using my website or services, you consent to the practices described in this  Privacy Policy. 

1. Information I Collect 

I collect only the minimum information necessary to perform notarizations, comply with  Virginia law, and provide you with excellent service. 

Personal Information 

When you schedule an appointment or use my services, I may collect: 

  • Contact Information: Full legal name, email address, phone number, mailing  address 

  • Identification Information: Government-issued photo ID such as a U.S. driver's license, U.S. state identification card, U.S. passport book, U.S. passport card, U.S. permanent resident card, or foreign passport.

  • Identity Verification Data: Credential analysis of identification documents, Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA) questions and answers, and biometric verification tools such as facial recognition or liveness detection.

  • Document Information: Documents you upload for notarization, including any  personal or sensitive information contained within those documents 

  • Payment Information: Credit/debit card information, billing address, transaction  history (processed securely through third-party payment processors)

  • Session Information: Audio-video recordings of remote online notarization sessions, which are required by Virginia law. 

Automatically Collected Information 

  • When you visit my website, I may automatically collect: 

  • Technical Information: IP address, browser type and version, operating system,  device type, screen resolution 

  • Usage Information: Pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, referring  website, date, and time of visit

  • Cookies and Tracking Technologies: Small data files stored on your device to  improve website functionality and user experience (see Section 8 for details) 

Information from Third Parties 

I may receive information from third-party services used to perform notarizations,  including: 

  • RON Platforms: Pactima, NotaryCam (identity verification results,  session recordings, platform usage data) 

  • Payment Processors: Secure third-party payment processors used for invoicing and payment processing.

  • Interpreter Services: Idiomatic USA (interpreter availability, session coordination) 

  • Scheduling Tools: Jotform, Google Calendar (appointment details, contact information) 

2. How I Use Your Information 

I use your information for the following purposes: 

To Provide Notarization Services 

  • Verify your identity in accordance with Virginia notary law 

  • Perform notarizations and witness services 

  • Create and maintain electronic journal entries and audio-video recordings as  required by law 

  • Deliver notarized documents to you or your designated recipient 

  • To Communicate with You 

  • Confirm appointments and send reminders 

  • Provide technical support and troubleshooting assistance 

  • Send invoices, receipts, and payment confirmations 

  • Respond to inquiries, questions, and feedback 

  • Send important updates about your appointment or my services 

To Comply with Legal Obligations 

  • Maintain records as required by Virginia notary law (electronic journal entries and  audio-video recordings retained for 5+ years) 

  • Respond to subpoenas, court orders, or legal requests 

  •  Prevent fraud, identity theft, and unauthorized notarizations 

  • Comply with tax, accounting, and regulatory requirements

To Improve My Services 

  • Analyze website usage and user behavior to improve functionality and user  experience 

  • Identify technical issues and optimize platform performance 

  • Develop new services and features based on client needs 

To Send Optional Communications 

  • Send occasional service updates or announcements

  • Request reviews or testimonials after a completed notarization

 

I will never sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for their marketing purposes. 

3. How I Protect Your Information 

I implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect personal information.

Secure Platforms 

  • I use RON platforms (Pactima, NotaryCam) that meet MISMO, HIPAA,  and Virginia legal standards 

  • Platforms use encrypted data transmission and secure storage methods 

  • Audio-video recordings and electronic journal entries are stored on secure, tamper-evident servers 

Limited Access 

  • Only I (Monique Edwards-Robinson) have access to your personal information and  notarization records 

  • Third-party service providers (RON platforms, payment processors) have access  only to the information necessary to perform their services 

  • All third-party providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and comply  with applicable privacy laws 

Data Minimization 

  • I collect only the minimum information necessary to perform notarizations and  comply with Virginia law 

  • Client-uploaded documents stored on my local systems or temporary cloud storage are deleted within 7 days of notarization completion. 

  • Documents stored within Remote Online Notarization (RON) platforms are retained according to platform policies and Virginia law

 

Secure Payment Processing 

  • Secure third-party payment processors used for invoicing and payment processing.

  • I do not store your credit card information on my systems or devices 

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Physical Security 

  • All devices used for notarizations are password-protected and encrypted

  • I do not store client documents or personal information on personal devices 

  • Backup systems and mobile hotspots are secured and encrypted 

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No system can guarantee absolute security, but I take reasonable measures to protect your information.

4. How I Share Your Information 

I do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for their marketing purposes. However, I may share your information in the following limited circumstances: 

With Your Consent 

  • If you request that I send notarized documents to a third party (attorney, title  company, lender, government agency), I will share only the information necessary  to fulfill your request 

With Service Providers 

  • RON Platforms: Pactima, NotaryCam (to perform identity verification  and notarization services) 

  • Payment Processors: Helcim, ACH, Paypal, Square, CashApp, Venmo (to process payments securely) 

  • Interpreter Services: Idiomatic USA (to coordinate professional interpreters) 

  • Scheduling Tools: Jotform, Google Calendar (to manage appointments) 

  • Email and Communication Tools: Gmail, WhatsApp (to communicate with you) 

  • Cloud Storage: Dropbox (to securely store documents temporarily) 


All service providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and use it only for the purposes I authorize. 

For Legal Compliance 

  • To comply with subpoenas, court orders, or legal requests from government  authorities 

  • To investigate or prevent fraud, identity theft, or other illegal activities 

  • To protect my legal rights, safety, or property

  • Comply with Virginia notary laws governing remote online notarization

Business Transfers 

  • If MER Notary Services is sold, merged, or transferred to another entity, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. You will be notified of any such change and given the opportunity to opt out. 

5. Your Rights and Choices 

You have the following rights regarding your personal information: 

Access and Correction 

  • You may request a copy of the personal information I have collected about you • You may request that I correct any inaccurate or incomplete information 

Deletion 

  • You may request that I delete your personal information, subject to legal retention  requirements 

  • Note: I am required by Virginia law to retain electronic journal entries and audio-video recordings for 5+ years. I cannot delete these records during the retention period. 

Opt-Out of Marketing 

  • You may opt out of receiving promotional emails or newsletters at any time by  clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any marketing email 

  • You will continue to receive transactional emails (appointment confirmations,  invoices, receipts) even if you opt out of marketing 

Do Not Track 

  • My website does not currently respond to "Do Not Track" signals from browsers 

  • You may disable cookies in your browser settings, but this may affect website  functionality 

How to Exercise Your Rights 

To exercise any of these rights, please contact me: 

  • Email: notary@mernotary.com 

  • Phone: 757.737.5363 

  • I will respond to your request within 30 days.

 

6. Data Retention 

I retain your information for the following periods: 

  • Client-Uploaded Documents: Documents stored on my systems or temporary cloud storage are deleted within 7 days of notarization completion. Documents and recordings stored within RON platforms are retained according to Virginia law and platform policies

  • Electronic Journal Entries and Audio-Video Recordings: Retained for a minimum of five (5) years as required by Virginia law

  • Contact Information and Transaction Records: Retained for 7 years for tax,  accounting, and business purposes

  • Website Usage Data: Retained for 2 years for analytics and improvement purposes. After the retention period, all data is securely deleted or anonymized. 

7. International Clients 

I provide notarization services to clients located outside the United States. If you are  located outside the U.S., please be aware that: 

  • Your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States

  • U.S. data protection laws may differ from those in your country 

  • By using my services, you consent to the transfer and processing of your information in the United States 

GDPR Compliance (European Union) 

If you are located in the European Union, you have additional rights under the General Data  Protection Regulation (GDPR), including: 

  • The right to access, correct, or delete your personal data 

  • The right to restrict or object to processing 

  • The right to data portability 

  • The right to withdraw consent at any time 

  • The right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority 

To exercise these rights, please contact me at notary@mernotary.com. 

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies 

My website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve functionality and user experience.

 

What Are Cookies? 

Cookies are small data files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help the website remember your preferences and improve performance. 

Types of Cookies I Use 

  • Essential Cookies: Required for website functionality (e.g., session management,  security) 

  • Analytics Cookies: Help me understand how visitors use my website, such as through tools like Google Analytics.

  • Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings 

How to Manage Cookies 

You can disable cookies in your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may affect website functionality and your ability to use certain features. 

For more information about cookies and how to manage them, visit  

www.allaboutcookies.org. 

9. Third-Party Links 

My website may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., RON platforms, payment processors, social media). I am not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these third-party sites. 

I encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit. 

10. Children's Privacy 

My services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. I do not knowingly collect personal information from children. 

If I become aware that I have collected personal information from a child under 18, I will take reasonable steps to remove the information from my records.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy 

I reserve the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date.

Your continued use of my services after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy. 

If I make significant changes, I will notify you by email or by posting a prominent notice on my website. 

12. Contact Information 

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your  personal information, please contact me: 

 

Thank you for trusting MER Notary Services with your personal information. Your privacy and security are my top priorities.

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