What should a notary do if they suspect fraud in a transaction?

When a notary suspects fraud during a transaction, the appropriate action is to stop the notarization process and report the incident to the relevant authorities. This choice aligns with the notary's primary responsibility to ensure the authenticity of the documents being notarized and to protect the integrity of the notarial act.

Fraudulent activities can involve presentation of forged documents, impersonation, or other deceptive practices that could lead to significant legal ramifications for all parties involved. By halting the notarization, the notary prevents the legitimization of potentially fraudulent documents. Reporting to authorities ensures that proper investigations can take place, potentially preventing the victimization of others and maintaining the trust in the notarial system.

The other options are not appropriate in this context. Continuing with the notarization despite suspicion would compromise the notary's ethical obligation and could contribute to further fraudulent activity. Reporting solely to the parties involved doesn’t ensure proper action is taken and leaves open the risk of further issues. Requesting additional identification might not be sufficient to address the underlying concern of fraud and could still result in the notary unknowingly facilitating a fraudulent transaction. Thus, stopping the process and notifying authorities is the best course of action to uphold the legal and ethical standards of notarial practices.