Spark (an Information Analysis System based in Russia - http://www.spark-interfax.ru/) launched a new service for the verification of notarized documents.

This new service allows Spark users to compare an original notarized document against the information stored in the registers of the Federal Notarial Chamber (containing information from and details of more than 100 000 notarized documents from 2010 onwards). Formerly, in order to verify the authenticity of a notarized document, the person or entity seeking verification had to contact the notary who had certified it.

The service is available either for users of the demo-version of Spark (available for 1 month for a single payment of 1.200 RUB) or to subscribers of the full version.

There are other additional options to check and/or verify notarized documents:

• Vestnik Gosudarstvennoy Registrazii ( http://www.kartoteka.ru/notariat/) is another service for the verification of notarized documents; a single document costs 120 RUB to verify.

• Reestr  Zalogov (https://www.reestr-zalogov.ru/#/ ) is a free database provided by the Federal Notarial Chamber containing information on mortgages.

• Reestr Otmenennih Doverennostey (http://reestrdover.ru/) is a free online register of invalidated powers of attorney.
   

Russian legislation stipulates the form of a notarized document in order to protect the interests of business transaction participants in most important situations. Fraudsters or counterparties acting in bad faith usually use counterfeited notarized documents. Therefore, good business practices require that an individual or entity check and verify notarized documents to insure and protect its business activities.