Making Sure the Law Is On Your Side

If you like to enter sweepstakes to win big prizes, you will eventually have to learn how to fill out an affidavit to claim your prize. The affidavit completion process involves the services of a notary to validate your information and confirm compliance with the sweepstakes rules. A notary, also referred to as a signing agent, acts as a trusted authority in legal affairs and witness for contract signing. Sweepstakes holders utilize notaries as their legal advocate when confirming the winner qualifies to collect the prize. The notary will confirm the three following pieces of information during the affidavit signing process. Read on to learn more information.

Prove Identity

You must prove your identity to verify that you are the designated winner of that sweepstakes. Confirming your identity may also certify that you meet the eligibility requirements listed in the sweepstakes contract. The contract may specify a targeted age, location or other qualifying information linked back to your identity.

Notaries will simply compare the full name and birth date written on the affidavit with your photo identification card to confirm your identity. Make sure your name is spelled right on the contest forms and identification card for a perfect match or you may need to forfeit your prize.

Confirm Delivery Address

The sweepstakes holders need to verify that the prize will ship out to the correct person by validating the delivery address. Therefore, for verification purposes, your physical address for prize delivery needs to match the information on your photo identification card. Your notary will check the delivery address line by line to verify an exact match.

With the address confirmation requirement, you cannot elect to have the prize sent to an alternate location, such as your workplace. If the shipment address is in an area at risk of package theft, you may be able to opt in for signature required delivery. For this delivery option, you must have an adult wait at the address to sign for the package when it arrives.

Agree to the Terms

When you sign up for the sweepstakes, you must abide by all of the terms in the official rules. The terms often include eligibility, response date and winner selection requirements. The rules may also indicate specific prize usage restrictions, including when you can take the trip or how you may spend the money.

Although the notary cannot validate your compliance with the rules, signing the affidavit acts as confirmation that you abided by the indicated sweepstakes rules. When the notary stamps your form, it indicates that you claim legal compliance with the written terms. Any misrepresentations or deviations from the terms will likely disqualify you from collecting the prize.

Meeting with the Notary

After receiving notification that you won a prize, you will usually receive a full affidavit packet to fill out. The packet may arrive in your email inbox or through the local mail service. Whether the affidavit was sent digitally or through the mail, arrive at the notary's office with the blank forms and your updated photo identification card. The notary needs to witness you filling out the forms, especially the signature and date sections. Before you leave the house, verify that all of the pages in the packet are present. The notary cannot complete the verification process without looking over the entire contract.

Before the notary verifies your information and witnesses the form signing process, you must complete a verbal acknowledgement of understanding. After completing verification, the notary will sign and stamp the paperwork to validate the forms. You will need to mail or fax in the original forms to the indicated address of the prize giver, though you can make copies first for your own records.