Look up the GA State Bar on-line and find out how to file a complaint. I just did this with another attorney in CA, and faxed a copy of my complaint letter to the attorney's office along with a note on the cover page saying I was planning to file the complaint the following day. Got an e-mail within 5 minutes promising my payment to be FedEx'ed to me. CopperheadVA   CopperheadVA

I don't normally disagree with Linda but I have to here...sort of: If these are loan signings you did, being as GA is an attorney-only state, I'd think twice about contacting the GA bar about this....they'll likely tell you you're not supposed to be doing loan signings to begin with, so not sure how much help they'll be - not to mention what sanctions you may be subject to, if any. If it's not loan signings you're owed for, but regular general notary work, then yes, the GA bar may be one avenue for you along with small claims court. Now, on the other hand, if you're an attorney (and therefore doing loan signings legally) you already know how to handle the non-pay situation. Good Luck!! Linda www.notarydepot.com/notary/lindah http://www.notary.net/websites/LindaHubbell   LindaH

Good point, Linda! I had forgotten about the Georgia attorney-state caveat. CopperheadVA   CopperheadVA

This indeed was our mistake. I voluntarily paid Mr. Miller a $50 late fee, which he can verify.  lawlgn

Do not work for this company, 61 days and no pay and he is threatening me, the audacity. JPMyra in NH dba JP-Online Services www.JPOnlineInNH.com  JPMyra

Threatening you how?   Lee-AR

Where is "Logan Thompson" (city and state - is that the full name) and in what way were you threatened?  vince

The only "Logan Thompson" I know of, and can find, is Logan Thompson, LLP, a real estate attorney in Georgia. Is this the one to which you refer? http://www.loganthompson.com/

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Never drive any faster than your guardian angel can fly. I am not an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Florida, and I may not give legal advice or accept fees for legal advice. Visit us online at http://www.PAWnotary.com  PWinFL

JPMyra: Is Logan Thompson the contact person? What's the company's name and what city/state are they located in? You have not given enough information.  Lisa T.

I just found another discussion here about Logan Thompson....I guess Logan Thompson is both a he and an it....a law firm out of Atlanta, Georgia. http://123notary.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3486  Lisa T.

Ms. JPMyra failed to send us her tax form. As it was our first dealing with her we needed this to pay her properly. She became irate that she did not receive her payment and threatened all sorts of slanderous actions. We responded appropriatly. In addtion, she was paid within 2 weeks of us having finally received her W-9. If anyone has concerns about this, I am happy to provide documentation regarding this. -Eric Logan  lawlgn

If we are to think positive, why did you post the devil [?] Just curious....  Lisa T.

Devils advocate maybe (an opposing or contrary viewpoint)[8)].  vince

Oh Lisa T , I don't know the devil made me do it! haha no good reason , I stamp all my post with it, I guess I'm a bit onrie.. (is that the correct spelling) on-rie?[}:)] Don't read to much into it[:D]  tomthenotary

I didn't read anything into it....I was just wondering... [:X]  Lisa T.

quote:

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Originally posted by tomthenotary
Oh Lisa T , I don't know the devil made me do it! haha no good reason , I stamp all my post with it, I guess I'm a bit onrie.. (is that the correct spelling) on-rie?[}:)] Don't read to much into it[:D]

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ornery  vince

Is LSI still in business? I tried to contact them and their phone just rang. I will try again. and I agree they are one of the best companies to work for. ddt  Chocolatequeen

Premier Reverse Closings... 5828 Lonetree Blvd Rocklin, CA 95765 Business: 800.542.4113 Fax: 916.782.0912 Website: www.prclosings.com Love working with these people - pay fair and within a couple weeks of signing - organized, clean packages - not huge. I hear they were the former All Reverse Title ... great company. Linda www.notarydepot.com/notary/lindah http://www.notary.net/websites/LindaHubbell   LindaH

800-722-0300

quote:

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Originally posted by Chocolatequeen
Is LSI still in business? I tried to contact them and their phone just rang. I will try again. and I agree they are one of the best companies to work for. ddt

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  BigTom

It's an "electronic" signing...a signing done on a computer - signers have been issued a digital signature, you access a website to see the documents and they read and click, signing online. Some docs may need to be printed and "wet" signed if they're to be recorded and the recorder doesn't accept e-recordings. Google "e-signings" for more info. Linda www.notarydepot.com/notary/lindah http://www.notary.net/websites/LindaHubbell   LindaH

I just tried calling American Doc. Services. There was no answer. I let the phone ring 15 times. Diane J. Elliott  sailing

Completed an assignment for this company 10/28/09. Will let you know how they pay their notaries.   dspencer

As Linda so eloquently stated, "Ummm ..... who?"

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Never drive any faster than your guardian angel can fly. I am not an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Florida, and I may not give legal advice or accept fees for legal advice. Visit us online at http://www.PAWnotary.com  PWinFL

I wonder if "Closing" and "Good" companies have similar ownership and share space[:)]  vince

Umm....who?? Linda www.notarydepot.com/notary/lindah http://www.notary.net/websites/LindaHubbell   LindaH

I think you are right. Whoever is in your area is not accepting the job so he is hoping you will. I agree this forum is great! gjk  gjk-fl

I too have been stiffed by Jack and the crew. I will never work for them again! Kim Mackey was a great help on the first no pay, she took care of it right away. The next one a year later she just read my email and never responded and never paid. PJ   Phyllis John

"Jack's reply was that he could pay me directly from the HUD, and that I had his word that I would be paid. What does "pay directly from the HUD" mean? If they are the title company and not paying the Notaries does it matter that you are listed directly on the HUD? " Just a quick FYI - means you'll be listed on the HUD as a Payee and your check will be cut immediately on disbursement. If he truly does this that's great..you'll have your money within a week (or at least you should)...the downside is if the loan rescinds, nobody on the HUD gets paid, including you. He called me this morning for a signing later today and I agreed but had a bad feeling about it - seemed to remember some bad reports on this company. Thank you 123 members - after finding this I called and turned the signing back. Work is at a premium these days and so is money - I can't afford to work for nothing... Linda www.notarydepot.com/notary/lindah http://www.notary.net/websites/LindaHubbell   LindaH

The most recent post about this company is from last year. I just want to let everyone know that they are currently ignoring my attempts to collect from them for a job I did in July, 2009, so they are still at it. I have left phone messages twice for Kim Mckay but she does not return my calls.   vabarb

exact same situation July work, no calls returned   5165

I hate to say it, but I warned y'all. gjk  gjk-fl

KIM will not return calls or pay. DO not work for this company   jjohns

I have a couple of VA notary friends who had the same problem and recently secured payment from REO. Just let them know you are contacting the PA Dept of State Professional Compliance Office and filing a complaint about them not fulfilling their end of the contract: http://www.dos.state.pa.us/bpoa/cwp/view.asp?a=1104&Q=432617 Go ahead and file a complaint and fax a copy to REO with a demand for payment. Also, if REO is owned by an attorney you can file a complaint with the PA State Bar. Check the Sec of State records on-line to see who the registered agent is for REO Land Services. CopperheadVA   CopperheadVA

[I have been paid.  jackie12

Problem resolved, I have been paid   jjohns

Well, I think your moral issues are right on cue.[;)] This is exactly how the likes of SOX stay in business, year after year after year. You'll chalk it up, as will thousands of other newbies every year. You'll either stop feeding them, or you'll move on to another means of extra money - as will thousands of others. Then, along will come another thousand to step into your spot. It might not FEEL like a direct hit, to you - but to the industry as a whole, it's like a cancer. It allows huge companies to do massive volumes of work (at little and sometimes NO cost) that would otherwise go to people who actually do this for a living.  Renee

Try signing up with Nation's Direct. They pay VERY low but from what I hear, at least they pay and you could get some experience in signing loans. Once you get the hang of it, raise your fee and you can work for better-paying companies. Always check out a company's payment reputation ASAP after accepting a job. 123Notary and NotaryRotary are the best websites to do this. If you find that the company has a poor payment rep, turn the job back to them ASAP. Do not get sucked into "giving them a chance" or "we had an issue a while back but we are all caught up now" or whatever lame excuse the company gives you. CopperheadVA   CopperheadVA

How many jobs have you done with them? I have done several assignment with them with no problem and then they stuck it to me so I will have to see a lot more positive action on their part before I'll work with them again. They know they messed up because they haven't called me in six months since and I used to get called a few times a month before the mess up. I hope you have better luck with them.

quote:

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Originally posted by 13746
Did a signing 5/9/09 and got paid full amount 5/29/09. Hopefully this trend will continue for them.

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  active

I have done closing for Genuine Title and was paid in a timely manner in the past, Now it appears they are sticking me, I have done 4 Pre-signing for them in May, I have emailed /Fax and called and still have not received my payments. BEWARE of this company!I do not like chasing companies down for my $$$$$ Christine Jones  ArmCollect

It took a while, and many false promises, but... I finally got a check from Kosty for 2 signings completed in Feb and beginning of March. He seems to wear 1 notary out at a time, then prolong payment as long as possible. With all of the procrastination and lies, I was fearful of the check, but it went thru. Persistance paid off!!  susiet57

Got a call at 6:30 p.m. this evening (Sunday, November 1st). Lady said they had gotten themselves into a bind and wanted to know if I could do a closing for them tonight. She said they would pay me $250 and all I had to do was date everything for Friday, October 30th! I told her that she couldn't pay me enough money to do something illegal like that.   SFCRet

quote:

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Originally posted by SFCRet
Got a call at 6:30 p.m. this evening (Sunday, November 1st). Lady said they had gotten themselves into a bind and wanted to know if I could do a closing for them tonight. She said they would pay me $250 and all I had to do was date everything for Friday, October 30th! I told her that she couldn't pay me enough money to do something illegal like that.

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I'm assuming you mean this company called and asked that? Or was it the borrowers...just want to be sure. And good for you for refusing!! Linda www.notarydepot.com/notary/lindah http://www.notary.net/websites/LindaHubbell   LindaH

Kosty has asked me to backdate and I refused. I accepted an assignment but couldn't confirm with the borrower because the only number I had was her work number. I called Genuine that evening to let them know I couldn't confirm and wasn't going to the closing. I never heard back from Genuine until the next day when Kosty told me I had to do the closing and date it for the previous day because it was my fault I didn't close it the previous night. I said I wouldn't do that and he said they'd find another notary. I've never worked with them before and they're now marked with a "no-no" on my phone.  Doris_CO

I would have gone to the appointment even if I had not been able to confirm with the borrower. However, your circumstances may be different with possibly rural or mountainous areas and long travel distances. Genuine Title has a horrible payment reputation anyway, so no big loss on that job. CopperheadVA   CopperheadVA

There were other reasons why I didn't go. But, the main reason was not being able to reach Genuine to verify they would pay full fee if the person was not home. As I stated, they did not return my phone call that night and I have no desire to print and drive any distance for free. I've never worked for Genuine before so I didn't have any previous experience to fall back on. I did talk to the borrower the following day and the docs were wrong anyway. She was listed as a "single man". My signing would have been the second signing for her because the first set of docs were the same - vesting as a "single man".  Doris_CO

It was Genuine Title that called. I posted on 5/7/09 about my first run-in with these folks. I've gotten several calls since then, even though I have asked them to remove my name from their list. The call Sunday night was just so outrageous that I thought everyone should know about these folks. I just hope they weren't able to find anyone willing to backdate.  SFCRet

Like others, I worked for Genuine and they paid with no problem. Then I did a closing for them in a town about 60 miles from me. Genuine Title messed up the escrowed items and those docs had to be redone. I had to go back to the borrowers again. Long story short, I had to fight tooth and nail to get my money. I sent Carmen's letter to no avail. I even asked a couple of people on this forum for help and with their help, I recovered my pay-$300.00. They know who they are and I thank them for all their help. Stay away from this company. gjk  gjk-fl

Pays at about 65 days, then check bounces, then he does make it good in another 10 or so days, including your bank charges. Great business plan, eh? Never again.   Lee-AR

I have always gotten paid from them but my story is very much the same. When my invoices hit 90 days I call Paul and he ALWAYS says the checks just got cut today. My check comes within a week, so he must write the check as soon as I call. I've never had any bounce, though.   gobeavs

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I called and faxed their Title co. for payment (Job done 11/08)and they said they would forward it to Dynamic Field (Crooks) Solutions and I recieved 2 checks and it was short $30.00 rcv'd approx in July '09. I am a very polite person, BUT I WOULD NEVER WORK for this company ever!!!![xx(] J. Eickson  nobledocs

I have done several jobs for Dynamic. They paid the first time when I reminded them. Then I did 8 more in the next 2 months, with 2 of them having to go twice and print twice. They owed me $595. After refusing to do another signing until I got paid I received a check for $330. Doesn't make sense. I emailed them and requested which signings the $330 was for, so I can keep my records straight. That was a week ago. Haven't heard anything yet. I will not work for the company again.   rrice

I have one invoice now 50 days out, no pay. John Wells  jpwells

ALL NOTARIES STAY AWAY FROM DYNAMIC FIELD SOLUTIONS!! THEY DO NOT PAY! Even if they do, it can take months. When you try to call them to inquire about payment they give you the run around or they don't answer, or the phone is disconnected. I called and called for a payment and it seems like they only have 2 employees working there. Once I got a hold of one of the two on their staff she told me that they were having financial difficulties and they couldn't pay right now. This was not my problem as they collected funds from their client on the work I did. After getting a hold of the Mortgage Broker who sent them the business and got him involved then they paid. This took a few months but it took getting in touch with their client to push them to pay! No worth the headache! Not sure how in the world they are still in business!  lisa777

These deadbeats are able to stay in business because Notaries don't take the time to research companies before they work for them.I am not trying to be mean, but this company has a very bad reputation on paying their Notaries for services rendered.If you had spent a few minutes checking them out on this site and Notary Rotary you would have discovered they are crooks.Times are tough I know, but you have to do your homework.It doesn't make any sense to work for people and then not get paid. I'll get off my soapbox now and ask: Are you going to let them get away with your hard earned money, or just say, I'll let it go? The latter will also allow them to continue their criminal ways. By the way, they burned me too.I did check them out, but there wasn't much listed on them.I filed suit against them and secured a judgment. I will continue to file the necessary forms to collect.I might not see a dime of my money, but my judgment is listed on her credit report.That will make her life difficult, and that gives me a certain amount of satisfaction.Good luck to you.   jschultz

Someone will always take the assignment either because they don't know or they need to ...however if everyone owed money would report this company to the title companies involved in the loans, these SS's would soon lose all their clients (the TC's - their bread and butter) - I can't imagine title companies wanting to continue to use services who don't pay their contractors. Linda www.notarydepot.com/notary/lindah http://www.notary.net/websites/LindaHubbell   LindaH

I did one for Dynamic Field Solutions on 7-10-09. I have made at least 15 attempts to collect. Mostly i have received no response, but when i do it is some excuse. I have learned to check out signing companies reputations. I sent an email on 10-13-09 with a CC to my attorney... still no response! I'll be sending a certified letter today! NEVER TAKE AN ASSIGNMENT FROM THIS COMPANY.   a1mobilenotary

I have been working with Dynamic now for about a year. I'm suprised to read about the reviews they are getting. I know that if I don't use their instapay I have to wait about 6 weeks for payment. But they also state that on their assignment. I have always been paid for my work, I've never had to hassle them. I know everyone has different experiences with different companies, but I have appreciated the work that they have been send me and would refer them to others. By the way, this is my first posting, I think this is a great way to look up companies before accepting an assignment. Joe Richard   JoeNotary

You are one lucky guy Joe! My guess would be that this ripoff company has gone through most, if not all of the Notaries in your area. If they don't pay you, there's no one left to call. I will give you a nickels worth of free advice: keep an eye on your receivables with these deadbeats.Don't let them run up too much of a tab, otherwise you'll get burned like the other 100 or so Notaries they've cheated.   jschultz

<<<I know that if I don't use their instapay I have to wait about 6 weeks for payment.>>> What is instapay? <<<I have always been paid for my work, I've never had to hassle them.>>> Are they lowballers? A lowball fee is $XX. A professional fee is $XXX. You accepting lowball fees?   Lisa T.

I can't believe he could contact me for a signing, as I posted him as a non-payer. I was finally paid after posting him on another site's resolution link. Someone else called and set up the signing for today, but goofed when he forwarded an email with title docs addressed to Bill. I emailed that I wouldn't be doing the signing and why, but said that upfront Paypal would remedy the situation. I haven't heard back and don't expect to.   suzi

Just an update: Rick from Vista National called, and at first was abrupt about my refusal to do a signing because of Bill Gimbel's reputation with E-Volve It. He then agreed on the Paypal option and I received notice that a Paypal payment was on the way. I won't know until the 15th. if it is verified by Paypal, but now they should be able to do instantaneous Paypal transactions before a signing. It's the only way we should do work for them.   suzi

I missed a call from Rick at Vista National. I returned the call. He had already found someone else to fill the job. Thinking I hadn't worked for them before, I looked them up. Low and behold. I had done work for them before. It took the involvement of the title company and 6 months before I received payment from Mr. Gimbel. Diane J. Elliott  sailing

From taxguide.completetax.com Cash Method Accounting http://taxguide.completetax.com/text/Q11_2206.asp The cash method of accounting is very simple to use, because it's usually obvious when you receive money from a customer or other payer, or when you pay an expense with cash, credit card or a check. When money comes in or goes out, it's recorded and recognized for tax purposes. By contrast, the accrual method requires you to recognize transactions when they occur, not necessarily when the cash changes hands. Accrual Method Accounting http://taxguide.completetax.com/text/Q11_2208.asp Under the accrual method, you record business income when a sale occurs, whether it be the delivery of a product or the rendering of a service on your part, regardless of when you get paid. You record an expense when you receive goods or services, even though you may not pay for them until later. Linda www.notarydepot.com/notary/lindah http://www.notary.net/websites/LindaHubbell   LindaH

I to was owed money from 21st. What I did to get paid was I sent them my invoice attention accounting dept, using their FEDEX account to send my invoice next day air. I wrote them a letter along with my invoice telling them I will use their fedex account to send my invoice every week next day air until it is is paid. I received my check 5 days later. Face it they have to pay FEDEX and they dont want this news getting out. So now you now how to get paid send your invoice to accounting using their fedex it worked for me be sure and include the letter. Edward Fadden Orlando Notary Covering all of Central Florida, Orange-Lake-Seminole-Osceola and Volusia Counties. 407-619-7777 orlandonotary@embarqmail.com  a1etron

quote:

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Originally posted by a1etron
I to was owed money from 21st. What I did to get paid was I sent them my invoice attention accounting dept, using their FEDEX account to send my invoice next day air. I wrote them a letter along with my invoice telling them I will use their fedex account to send my invoice every week next day air until it is is paid. I received my check 5 days later. Face it they have to pay FEDEX and they dont want this news getting out. So now you now how to get paid send your invoice to accounting using their fedex it worked for me be sure and include the letter. Edward Fadden Orlando Notary Covering all of Central Florida, Orange-Lake-Seminole-Osceola and Volusia Counties. 407-619-7777 orlandonotary@embarqmail.com

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I would not do this....they can either refuse delivery OR accept it and dispute the charges as unauthorized - and guess who's going to get the chargeback? Especially with this company who's probably going under anyway - raided by FBI, license yanked in CA, barred from conducting business in numerous states.... Just don't take work from them...period. MHO Linda www.notarydepot.com/notary/lindah http://www.notary.net/websites/LindaHubbell   LindaH

Besides that, they could claim you were not authorized to use their account number. In which case, criminal and civil suits may be launched naming you as the defendant.

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Never drive any faster than your guardian angel can fly. I am not an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Florida, and I may not give legal advice or accept fees for legal advice. Visit us online at http://www.PAWnotary.com  PWinFL

As I have stated before, I did three jobs for them way back before I realized what they really were. I still have not been paid for two and I am charging that up to experience. Bottom line for me - does not matter to me whether they are legal to operate in my state or not - I have to go to bed with myself at night and I like to sleep with a clear conscience. I can not do that if I work for 21st Century - no ifs, ands or buts. [:I]  Angel444

I used 21st century as the sender and receiver, and being named in a civil suit and criminal suit for a $30 FEDEX ??? PWin have had you paranoia/sanity level checked lately. And they did authorize me to use their account how else did I get their account number. Plus these guys are losers and they are gone. I got paid for my 21st Century work, them, how bout you? Edward Fadden Orlando Notary Covering all of Central Florida, Orange-Lake-Seminole-Osceola and Volusia Counties. 407-619-7777 orlandonotary@embarqmail.com  a1etron

quote:

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Originally posted by a1etron
.... And they did authorize me to use their account how else did I get their account number.

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They authorized you to use their account number for the return of their documents, not to FedEx them your invoice - in your own words...."I sent them my invoice attention accounting dept, using their FEDEX account to send my invoice next day air. I wrote them a letter along with my invoice telling them I will use their fedex account to send my invoice every week next day air until it is is paid" Glad this worked out for you, Ed, and you got paid - but I'd not suggest this method to anyone for the reasons I previously posted. You're lucky they didn't dock your pay the cost of the next day air fees which, IMO, they'd have every right to do. MHO Linda www.notarydepot.com/notary/lindah http://www.notary.net/websites/LindaHubbell   LindaH

They are a bad company. The have not paid me for a signing I wnet to on July 21st  delro

Could someone out there provide me with their (Fidelity/21st Century) information - fax, email, address? Thanks. Joanne docs@adksigning.com  9633

If you did work for them you should have this info in your confirmation.....but here's some info listed elsewhere at least for 21st Century - there are numerous other names they go by but most trace right back to this info - can't confirm how good it still is since they were raided by the FBI in September, but here you go: 9607 Business Center Dr Bldg 13 #D Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 Business: 909.483.1748 Fax: 909.111.1111 Toll free: 888.483.1748 Website: http://www.21stcenturyremod.com Good Luck!! Linda www.notarydepot.com/notary/lindah http://www.notary.net/websites/LindaHubbell   LindaH

They will PAY PAL you. All you have to do is ask. They are aware that some of us have had trouble. I just did one for them not to long ago. We agreed on a fee and once the job was complete I emailed him (before I dropped the doc's) and they PayPaled me. (200.00) I verified and moved the money and then dropped the doc's. Carmen   crtowles

Carmen I like the amount you got! I don't think I have gotten more than $100; good for you and the next time they call, the amount will be pushed upward. Thanks for the post. Joan Bergstrom 24/7 To Riverside & San Bernardino Counties. State Notary exam teacher for www.notaryclasses.com www.joanbergstromnotarypublic.com joan.bergstrom@yahoo.com Cell: 951-522-4919   joanbergst

I had a positive experience as well. I was paid as soon as I called to tell him the signing was complete. I did have to fax back the packet but I did not mind as it was to an 800 number. I have to say they are #1 in my book for fast pay. I wish more title companies and ss would pay like that. Have a great Friday everyone and Happy Halloween! Susan Bryant  susanbryant

i have always been paid, the one time it took longer, the rep. had left on sick leave, but when i emailed to check on it, I was asked just to resend the invoice and i was paid within a week.  saenz

for them on October 8, 2008 I still have not received payment. I was contacted for the job from Mr. Michael Aiello from Bryn Mawr, Pa. I called him several times he flat out lied to me he told me that when I accepted the job that I was told that I would not be paid until the case for this gentleman went to court as of this date I have not received payment nor have I heard back from JG I was not instructed on this I told him and he kept telling me I was!! He was awful so I called and from the operator transferred to A/P they told me I would receive payment they would cut me a check This made Mr. Aiello very angry! I knew all of this was bull. Did you ever receive payment? I looked up JG through BBB web site and looked at complaints about them that the number was 40 in the last 36 months and 25 in the last 25 months. Wow it also stated that the Selling Practices had 14 complaints with 14 resolved. I am not sure who to contact at JG to try to receive my money do you? [xx(]  dynamic1

got called for a signing for them yesterday. after reading the comments on here, i told them they had to overnight me a check first. i was denied my request, of course. i'm SO glad to have this communication between notaries so we don't get ripped off by companies like J.G. Wentworth. they can afford all those stupid commercials, but can't afford to pay their notaries?? ridiculous.   eefairy303

I completed a settlement signing for them in September 2008 and was given the run around by voicemail and excuses for months and still am not paid. I was told since the settlement did not go through, they did not want to pay me. I was also told to go to the client and try to collect. Yeah right. I was not hired by the client. I was hired by JG Wentworth. I would caution anyone thinking of working with this company. As Carmen said, ask for Paypal payment upfront.   s2cusa

What a fool I've been! Why didn't I look here first! Something about this just didn't feel right. I should have listened to my intuition. Guess that I got suckered in by them. Diane J. Elliott  sailing

I just looked at the J. G. Wentworth site. There is a link to the BBB on their site. All of you who haven't been paid should post your non-pay dissatisfaction there. Diane J. Elliott  sailing

I received a call from JG Wentworth out of Brynmawr, PA back in mid September needing me to travel and meet with a client who was cashing out a settlement. I did a search on another message board and found very mixed reviews - about 50/50. The reviews were a year old and either people loved them or hated them. I went ahead and took the assignment. The man I spoke with, Jaron Pendergast, said that they typically pay when the transaction funds. I just called because I haven't received payment yet (my invoice says payment is due within 30 days). Jaron's personality changed when I inquired about payment (funny how that happens). It turns out that their transactions can take months to fund, and based on the conversation I just had, I think I'm going to be chasing them for a while because I'm getting the runaround. Yes, I should have asked up-front when the transactions fund, but I FOOLISHLY assumed it would be within a week or so as is the case with most loans. I noticed that the vast majority of the people who like/love this company are coincidentally the ones who collected up front via overnight check or Paypal. I strongly recommend collecting up front from this company - otherwise you'll be waiting a while......(sigh) another lesson learned the hard way....by the way, I checked on other boards and many people have had payment issues, some of them mentioned Jaron Pendergast by name in their replies.  AZSigner

I get plenty of Reverse Mtg requests, the application and the closing, without paying for certification. It seems there are a lot of these websites wanting money for this or that....I'm sticking with this website and a couple of others that have a long standing in the industry already. Usually whoever calls me tells me where they got my name and I get plenty of work just on a couple of websites. I see no need to pay for something that might just be making that person money and then you never get any calls because no one is looking at that website anyway for NSA's. gjk  gjk-fl

You don't have to pay ANYONE to become qualified to handle the Rev Mtge signing. IF you want to know who to contact, please let me know... pdoren@hotmail.com  pdoren

OM Gosh! Unless there's something I don't know (and there's plenty!), what the heck would someone need to get "certified" for on RM's!?? Friends, all loans are the same -- it's just paperwork. ID your clients, have them sign the way they are prompted, notarize the docs that have the notarial verbiage and collect your money. Don't get wrapped up in the paperwork - have fun! Enjoy your clients and feel confident that you'll be able to get RM jobs and close/sign them properly because you always do your job legally and correctly. Do not contribute to those that capitalize on the newbie and/or desparate notary who's looking for work - there's no guarantee that you'll get any jobs and there's tons of outstanding signing services that need you and want you and would love for you to sign up with them for free! Please email me if you want to talk about this - don't waste your money. kelly ox www.SigningAgentCoach.com Kelly Robertson, California Notary Education Instructor One-of-a-Kind, "How To" Workshops for New Notaries & Signing Agents @ http://www.LoanSigner101.com   Kelly

THANK YOU Kelly...I could not have said it better myself![:D] ~C  crtowles

Reverse Mortgage Course? I see no need for such a course and this reads of economic exploitation. Either you know how to close a loan, or you don't! I enjoy reverse mortgage closings, though they often take longer, and sometimes much longer if the person is frail or disabled. We can all hope to live so long as many of the borrowers whom we serve. Be patient with them and allow enough time that you do not rush them and create a negative impression. Burton F.  n/a

Read: Reverse Mortgages for Dummies It will give you all the general knowledge you will need to answer a general question on a Reverse Mortgage. The loan signing part of it is so similar to other loan signings that you shouldn't have any problem. www.joanbergstromnotarypublic.com Joan Bergstrom 24/7 To Riverside & San Bernardino Counties. State Notary exam teacher for www.notaryclasses.com www.joanbergstromnotarypublic.com joan.bergstrom@yahoo.com Cell: 951-522-4919   joanbergst

I paid the $59 in 2007 and never got any call from this company for a rev mort or any other closing; so that waa waste of moola. I just tried going to their website and they are nolonger in business from what I can see. Trina Hensley  thensley

BankServ.com has a free training mod on their webiste for RM.  tomthenotary

I looked at the bankserv.com website, but could not find the link to the training mod. Is there somewhere special on the site that I should be looking? For those who do RMs, how did you learn to do them, how did (do) you let Lenders know you do RMs and how do you charge for them. Does knowing how to do a RM get you more business? Sorry for all the questions, but I am curiuos to know if it is something worthwhile learning how to do. Thanks, Aviva, Notary, SEPA  avivaj14

thank you all for providing relevant information on signing for reverse mortgages. does anyone feel this mortgage type will become more popular now due to the economic conditions? thanks Sharon Berry www.sberrymobilenotary.com weekends*after hours*short notice*  smobile

I am glad I saw this particular thread as I am trying to get a grasp on this issue of using "reasonable reliance" to determine someones' identity. I just encounted an irate borrower who threw the papers all over the table and on the floor because of the ID issue. Her current ID said Jane D. Doe but her documents read Jane Doe and the Deed read Jane F. Doe. This lender required a 2nd ID which could be bills,etc.. Jane F.Doe was on all her bills and credentials. I called the lender and immediately was told to adjourn. The meeting was downhill and ugly after I announced I had to take the papers and leave. "Reasonable reliance" with this person able to present different paper after paper with Jane F. Doe on them, a picture/description and signature would have left me no option but to conclude that she was indeed Jane F. Doe. I can handle the confrontations, in this case I thought she might need a demon exorcised. But in truth, I had reasonable evidence that she was Jane F. Doe. If a drivers license expires the day before the closing why does this persons' identity become questionable? I don't believe it is a law in Ms.as far as black and white but highly recommended. When can I exercise this "reasonable reliance"?  snoopdogMs

I figured out how to change the post. Now that the name issue is remedied I hope someone will reply. I know that the simplest answer around the ID is to refuse if the picture ID has an initial or other differentiation. Are we not allowed to use "reasonable reliance" if there is enough evidence to support their identity? It is my understanding that credible witnesses cannot be used in Miss..I am concerned that I am misusing my authority to accept or reject if this person has overwhelming evidence that they are the individual on the papers.  snoopdogMs

I guess my first question is "What proof did you have (besides bills) that Jane D. Doe = Jane F. Doe. Linda  LindaH

Good question. The picture and description (Jane D.Doe) on the license matches that person sitting in front of me who has documents readily at her disposal, found in different places that have Jane F. on them. If she is not Jane F., then this moment has been staged, documents stolen and Jane F. is tied up somewhere in the back because we are in the office where Jane F. is the owner and operator within this office. This closing also required the husband, who arriving with 2 kids, would also be an imposter. A lot of crimes would have to occur if Jane D. is not Jane F.. Even if I walked out without closing, I would have to call the cops because someone is impostering Jane F. in her work domain. What is reasonable reliance? I want to get to the bottom of what my job as a notary is. I agree with Joe Ewing that if I don't have the faculties to make a proper assessment in various circumstances then maybe I don't need to be a Notary. I think the Notary should look at much evidence if a current ID has a name problem that is not blaringly obvious that fraud is not being attempted. Then if I conclude based on reasonable evidence,that Jane D. is Jane K. then I will call the Lender and let them make the final call. For the time being I go by the black and white rule until I can find a satisfactory definition of reasonable reliance. What are the allowable perimenters that fall within this definition if there is a photo ID that creates a question? And as posed in the previous post, if someones license expires the day before the closing, how does this change their identity and please don't answer with the pat answer of not being current. This question is from a practical standpoint. I am still Jane Doe March 25 even though my license expired yesterday as Jane Doe.  snoopdogMs

Linda, I failed to answer your question directly. There were bills and a copy of her real estate license on the wall. But the content of the previous post tell the rest of the story concerning an imposter in Jane F's office.  snoopdogMs

Snoop - this is from the MS notary handbook: "Before performing a notarial act, a notary must be certain of the identity of each person whose signature will be notarized. A notary should exercise a high degree of care in determining the identity of any person whose identity is the subject of the notarial act. A notary must never accept any signature as genuine based on the word of a third party." Your handbook is very vague as to what is acceptable as far as ID is concerned - so only you will know if you've exercised "a high degree of care" in making that identification - I guess that's your reasonable reliance. Linda  LindaH

Thanks Linda for replying. The code also reads "A notary who fails to perform notarial acts in accordance with the law may be sued for damages caused by his or her official misconduct". I could just see a lawyer questioning me on the witness stand asking me could I not have discerned with a high degree of care that Jane D. was Jane F..In this case I would have had to say yes. Bingo! Better have some good insurance. Today I am going to sign up for a LLC as I have a lot to lose in the event someone thinks I have abused my office concerning the ID issue. Why don't the Lenders require the borrowers to send them a photo copy as part of the loan process to get a head start on this problem? Then as notaries we can check the license for tampering as the Lender would not be able to detect that on their copy. Sure would solve a lot of headaches.  snoopdogMs

...sign up for a LLC as I have a lot to lose in the event someone thinks I have abused my office concerning the ID issue ... When you create your LLC, check with your attorney regarding protection against "liability as a public official." I don't believe your LLC will offer any protection to you as a notary PUBLIC; i.e., your notarization blocks come under your actions as a public official commissioned by your state - NOT as a private business. Not following your state laws regarding identification is "official misconduct," which if proven is probably not going to be covered under your E&O policy either. The LLC may provide some protection for your actions as an "indepedendent contractor signing agent." Just a personal viewpoint. Check this out with YOUR STATE officials and a good business planning/entity creation attorney.   BobbiCT

Does anyone have any additional information? Also see: http://www.123notary.com/california_notary/   jbelmont

The Florida SOS office also has emphatically stated (and published in the Governor's Reference Manual for Notaries, pg 42) that a Notary Public is personally liable for their actions. However, if the notary is acting for a company as an employee where the notarial act is a part of their job, then the company as well as the notary may be held liable for any actions brought against the notary in the performance of their job. (See Florida Statutes §117.05(6))

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Never drive any faster than your guardian angel can fly. I am not an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Florida, and I may not give legal advice or accept fees for legal advice. Visit us online at http://www.PAWnotary.com  PWinFL

You may want to look in your local yellow pages to see if there is a company the provides toner recharge or recycled toners. They are much cheaper than the local staples or office depots. I know we have one local in my area of Vermont and they also deliver for free. Worth a try. Good luck.  Tammy Hinchey

The best place I've found online to buy authentic brand toner cartridges - if you buy them new, is provantage.com Toner for my multifunction Brother machine costs $175 just for the black cartridge. At Provantage, it's $133. Toner for my monochrome backup laser printer is $67.99, at provantage it's $48.33 Before I became a Notary, I had a small inkjet printer that suited my needs just fine. I didn't know anything about laser printers or toner, etc., so when I needed to buy a laser printer (as loan docs require) the Brother multifunction machine was half price, so I thought "WEEEEEE HEEEEEE !!!, Boy did I get a good deal !! [:D]. The first time I had to replace the toner and found out what EACH costs, it then became "BOOOOO WHOOOOOOO !!!" [:(] I learned the hard way, unfortunately....it's a great machine but.....YIKES!!! Thank goodness I discovered Provantage.com My hubby is against me refilling the cartridges, demands that I buy new brand names cartridges....I told him he would have to pay for it and he said "ok" so I buy new ones.   Lisa T.

I have been using LD Products remanufactured toner cartridges in my HP printers with absolutely no problems. LD Products warrants their cartridges the same as HP warrants their own. But LD Products sells the remanufactured cartridges at a fraction of the cost. For example, a C7115X toner cartridge from HP will cost $90.00. The same cartridge from Provantage sells for $67.15. The remanufactured cartridge from LD Products sells for $34.99. That's one-third the cost as compared to HP and one-half the cost as compared to Provantage. LD Products provides the following information concerning their remanufactured cartridges: Our Compatible replacement for your HP 15X Black Laser Toner Cartridge is professionally re-engineered to produce the highest quality printouts for your HP Laser Printers, meeting or exceeding the HP OEM C7115X (Original Equipment Manufacturer) standards. Replacing 85% - 90% of the internal parts with brand new ones, including OPC drums and wiper blades, our compatible 15X is an excellent choice over costly brand-name 15X Laser Toner cartridges and Supplies. While most competitors simply refill the toner cartridge and hope the drum and other key components last we fully disassemble the toner cartridge and rebuild it to ensure the highest quality prints. Why Buy expensive OEM 15X Toner cartridges when our compatible replacement for HP C7115X / 15X Laser Toners are guaranteed to deliver excellent, dependable results, page after page? Use of our Compatible 15X Laser Toner Cartridges does not void your Printer's Warranty. You can depend on our Compatible HP 15X toner cartridge which is backed by a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee! (Disclaimer: I'm not in any way affiliated with HP, Provantage or LD Products. Just a happy camper that has used products from all three vendors.)

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Never drive any faster than your guardian angel can fly. I am not an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Florida, and I may not give legal advice or accept fees for legal advice. Visit us online at http://www.PAWnotary.com  PWinFL

I love LD Products for toner! They not only refill the toner, but they replace the chip and much of the innards of the cartridge. I can buy four LD HP11X cartridges for the price of ONE cartridge from HP. Like Kandy, my spouse used to *insist* that I only buy HP brand, but I just got so fed up with paying $200 per cartridge that I began buying from LD Products and haven't looked back since. They have a coupon code good thru end of November - "FALL2009" gets you 10% off your order. Free shipping on all orders over $50. As for paper, I buy that from Costco. CopperheadVA   CopperheadVA

I am the judge and jury and I know who the companies are who post reviews. I scrutinize the companies if there is a reason to. I don't want to release that information to the public since it will cause too much drama. So far after two months using this system we have published only about four negative reviews that were heavily scrutinized. Positive comments were the vast majority. This system is clearly beneficial to the notary although they are very squeemish about the whole system.   jbelmont

<<<<I am the judge and jury...>>>> Heeheehee! That is too cute!  Lisa T.

I think that there should be a suggestion/complaint box. Then people that use the service will be able to give feed back, and we will be able to take action to better our service! cheers [url="http://www.laorangecountymobilenotarypublic.com"]orange county mobile notary[/url]  California Mobile Notary

I won't pay for a listing that sets me up as a sitting duck for anyone to take a shot at. Jeremy told me to have faith in that he wouldn't allow anyone to post negative remarks that are unfounded. I have never given bad service, and am certain that I would never "earn" a bad review, but my point is, I am not going to pay someone to give others access to bash me. I have worked hard to build my reputation and refuse to trust anyone to protect it. That's my job and mine alone. It's for that reason I won't be renewing my listing here. There are too many directories out there. Now it appears that if you pay enough, you can get a better position in the listings. That seems a bit unfair to the folks who have already paid for a listing and didn't know they would have to pay more to have a decent placement. Jeremy doesn't appear to me to have our best interest at heart, but he is trying to make a living. That's apparent.  corki2

Paying for a higher listing has always been available on this site. When I first started in this biz in 2005, some guy from outside of my county had bought up all the top listings in every county or zip code in the surrounding areas so he would get the call first. I believe he farmed out any jobs he couldn't do. He let go of many of his listings when biz slowed down about 2 years ago. Not saying I like it, but that's the way this site is set up. CopperheadVA   CopperheadVA

Hi Debra, You are very long winded about this, but your profile has no negative reviews. Of 6000 notaries only about 12 have a negative review after 6 months of having this system. I don't allow anything to be posted until after I heard both sides of the story. You are not vulnerable at all here. You have prejudged my system and come to all types of false assumptions.

quote:

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Originally posted by corki2
I won't pay for a listing that sets me up as a sitting duck for anyone to take a shot at. Jeremy told me to have faith in that he wouldn't allow anyone to post negative remarks that are unfounded. I have never given bad service, and am certain that I would never "earn" a bad review, but my point is, I am not going to pay someone to give others access to bash me. I have worked hard to build my reputation and refuse to trust anyone to protect it. That's my job and mine alone. It's for that reason I won't be renewing my listing here. There are too many directories out there. Now it appears that if you pay enough, you can get a better position in the listings. That seems a bit unfair to the folks who have already paid for a listing and didn't know they would have to pay more to have a decent placement. Jeremy doesn't appear to me to have our best interest at heart, but he is trying to make a living. That's apparent.

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  jbelmont

Hi Debra, You are very long winded about this, but your profile has no negative reviews. Of 6000 notaries only about 12 have a negative review after 6 months of having this system. I don't allow anything to be posted until after I heard both sides of the story. You are not vulnerable at all here. You have prejudged my system and come to all types of false assumptions.

quote:

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Originally posted by corki2
I won't pay for a listing that sets me up as a sitting duck for anyone to take a shot at. Jeremy told me to have faith in that he wouldn't allow anyone to post negative remarks that are unfounded. I have never given bad service, and am certain that I would never "earn" a bad review, but my point is, I am not going to pay someone to give others access to bash me. I have worked hard to build my reputation and refuse to trust anyone to protect it. That's my job and mine alone. It's for that reason I won't be renewing my listing here. There are too many directories out there. Now it appears that if you pay enough, you can get a better position in the listings. That seems a bit unfair to the folks who have already paid for a listing and didn't know they would have to pay more to have a decent placement. Jeremy doesn't appear to me to have our best interest at heart, but he is trying to make a living. That's apparent.

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  jbelmont

I sort-of don't mind the reviews, sort-of... I always go over and beyond for closings, sometimes late at night or very early in the morning. I feel confident in myself, that I don't have anything to worry about, and of course all positive reviews only help me get more work. With that said, I VERY much appreciate that the notary's side will be fully listen to FIRST, I know myself, I had to have emergency surgery a couple of weeks ago, went to the hospital 2o'clock in the morning, to find out I needed surgery right away, thank-goodness for Blackberry Phones, because I was able to access my email from the ER and had to cancel on a purchase closing that was schedule for the next morning. That client understand and was nice about it but her/she could have gotten really mad and tried to leave a bad review without giving any details. Since 123notary screens all negitive reviews, my side of the story would have been heard and of course the cancelation was unavoidable.   kandy1099

I have worked for Nations Direct out of CA for 2 years+. I would like other notaries feed back on there payscale. thanks. bones   bones67

Many companies that offer a "pay scale" do so with a level that is not suitable for providing a professional service designed to keep an independent contractor properly compensated. It nearly seems that they were in competition with each other as to how low they could go and still get people to accept fees that would not even cover the actual costs associated with being a mobile notary. Many of the companies will allow a pen and ink and initialed correction of what you will charge for the various listed services. You would need to make a business decision about how low your fees should be allowed to go and the circumstances that will allow you to accept them. My business model requires me to charge a fee that allows me and my business to exist. Years ago the NNA had published minimum fees that were designed for a notary signing agent during “the training phase.” Those fee levels would not come close to supporting my business in today’s market. But, calls are still being made asking folks to accept these levels and even lower at times. As costs have gone up, fees need to be increased with the companies that decide to continue to use the services offered. Yes, the work level may drop a bit, but overall income may increase and properly reflect a small increase in net income over expenses. Fee increases may be phased in over time with the companies you serve, rather than risking everything coming to a halt. For instance, an increase on an annual anniversary date of your first signing with a company. The one thing that is truly satisfying is accepting work at busy end of month and not wondering why you are having to turn down reasonable offers because of being too busy on barely profitable work.  vince

Credible witnesses personally know the document signer and take a verbal oath stating this and they do this in the presence of the doc signer. The credible witnesses must present to you their valid ID's to be recorded in your journal and they will sign your journal. I notarize at West Valley Detention Center and Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center and all inmates have an ID card that they must have clipped to their jumpsuit at all times. It has their photo, booking number (same as serial number), and complete description. I called the facilities and was told these ID cards were issued by the CA Dept. of Corrections. Call the county jail personally and ask the attendant what type of ID the inmate has. Plus you need to call the county jail anyway to find out their requirements for notarizing at the jail, plus their hours, when the inmate's mealtimes are....you don't want to show up at mealtime and be stuck waiting around, etc. You cannot take a purse or phone in the facility, so you must leave it in the car. Buy a clear plastic tote bag to take only the minimum in the facility which will be your ID, notary certificate - take the original and make a photocopy, sometimes they'll accept a photocopy, other times they want to see the original, your seal, journal, thumbprint pad and a pen. You could miss calls for other work so I hope you are charging well for this. Good luck.   Lisa T.

Just called one of the jails in that county and they do not have ID's, the best they can do is "maybe" run the booking photo, but it will not have a signature or serial # etc. So I would guess this is a no go as far a getting something notarized right?

quote:

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Originally posted by Lisa T.
Credible witnesses personally know the document signer and take a verbal oath stating this and they do this in the presence of the doc signer. The credible witnesses must present to you their valid ID's to be recorded in your journal and they will sign your journal. I notarize at West Valley Detention Center and Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center and all inmates have an ID card that they must have clipped to their jumpsuit at all times. It has their photo, booking number (same as serial number), and complete description. I called the facilities and was told these ID cards were issued by the CA Dept. of Corrections. Call the county jail personally and ask the attendant what type of ID the inmate has. Plus you need to call the county jail anyway to find out their requirements for notarizing at the jail, plus their hours, when the inmate's mealtimes are....you don't want to show up at mealtime and be stuck waiting around, etc. You cannot take a purse or phone in the facility, so you must leave it in the car. Buy a clear plastic tote bag to take only the minimum in the facility which will be your ID, notary certificate - take the original and make a photocopy, sometimes they'll accept a photocopy, other times they want to see the original, your seal, journal, thumbprint pad and a pen. You could miss calls for other work so I hope you are charging well for this. Good luck.

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Lita Caddick CaddicksNotary@verizon.net www.CaddicksNotary.com  Lita

Unless somehow the attorney can contact the inmate's family member to see if they would know where the ID is amongst the inmate's personal affects, then, you are correct..... it's a no-go. The jail won't allow credible witnesses on the facility grounds.  Lisa T.

I should have said: Unless somehow the attorney can contact the inmate's family member to see if they would know where the ID is amongst the inmate's personal affects, and someone will hand deliver the actual current gov't issued ID to you....  Lisa T.

Thank you Lisa, you really helped me, I wasn't aware of the creditible witness not being allowed on the grounds. I've let the attorney know.

quote:

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Originally posted by Lisa T.
I should have said: Unless somehow the attorney can contact the inmate's family member to see if they would know where the ID is amongst the inmate's personal affects, and someone will hand deliver the actual current gov't issued ID to you....

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Lita Caddick CaddicksNotary@verizon.net www.CaddicksNotary.com  Lita

THE FOLLOWING PERTAINS ONLY TO FLORIDA NOTARIES: Included in the list of acceptable forms of identification in section 117.05(5), Florida Statutes, is the Florida Department of Corrections inmate identification card for an inmate who is in the custody of the department. When a person is taken into custody and housed in a state prison, all forms of identification are confiscated and the inmate is issued a department identification card. Generally, when inmates require notarial services, those services are provided by a notary employed by the Department of Corrections. Occasionally, though, a notary outside the department may be asked to go to the facility for the purpose of notarizing for an inmate. In this instance, the notary may rely upon the DOC identification card as proof of identity. The card is made of hard plastic, similar to a credit card, and contains the inmate’s name, inmate identification number, date of birth, photo, and physical description. However, the card does not contain the inmate’s signature. Upon release from custody, a sticker is placed on the card indicating that the inmate has been released and the date of the release. The inmate may use this card temporarily until he or she can obtain a proper identification card or driver’s license from the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Florida law provides that this card may be used only “for an inmate who is in the custody of the department.” Therefore, a notary may not accept this card as identification after the person is discharged from prison. You can use a Affidavit by the Corrections Officer (see [url]http://www.pawnotary.com/forms/FL_certificates/Affidavit%20of%20Confiscation%20of%20Identification.pdf[/url]) as identification in local, city and county facilities where a Florida DOC ID is not available. Be sure to arrange a visit and clear the use of the form with the facility prior to your arrival.

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Never drive any faster than your guardian angel can fly. I am not an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Florida, and I may not give legal advice or accept fees for legal advice. Visit us online at http://www.PAWnotary.com  PWinFL

To clarify a little more regarding my statement: The jail won't allow credible witnesses on the facility grounds. A Notary is considered an "official" visitor for the purpose of "official" business - you are treated like an attorney. Regular visitors have visiting hours and must call and make an appointment. They visit the inmate in a large room at "stations" - these stations have a stool, a phone receiver and the visitor speaks to the inmate through thick plexiglass, just like we see on Law and Order or other legal TV shows. There's no privacy as there are at least twelve stations in the room. So at least twelve people are visiting their loved one or friend at the same time. Notaries and Attorneys see the inmate in a small 3' x 5' room that has a locked door. The Notary is given the key and the keytag either says LEGAL or ATTORNEY on it. There is a metal screen between the inmate and Notary and both can address each other personally, as opposed to speaking through a phone receiver and seeing them through plexiglass. There's enough room under the metal screen to pass a page or two, the thumbprinter and a pen. In fact, at one of those jails, the only part of the pen that fits through the screen is the refill part....you have to take the pen apart and use only the refill part. At the two jails I notorize at, the Notary does not have to call ahead and make an appointment nor are they limited to normal visiting hours. Believe me, I checked. I can show up there anytime I want since it's an "official" visit - and I have shown up outside of visiting hours. Credible witnesses are not "official" visitors so they are restricted to the hours and rules regarding a regular visitor. The jail would not allow them in the "official" business room that Notaries and Attorneys can utilize, at least not at the two jails I notarize at.  Lisa T.

If the ID shows James Earl Jones Jr, but the docs only show James Jones, then there is no problem, you have identified the signer. There is nothing further you need to do. As for adding the name (with a Jr or Sr) to the Signature/Name Affidavit, be sure to check with the lender and/or title company. Some companies do not want any additional information written on their documents. In your notary certificates, you should use the name as shown on the document. For you journal, you should show the name as shown on the ID with a note stipulating what the name on the documents were.

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Never drive any faster than your guardian angel can fly. I am not an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Florida, and I may not give legal advice or accept fees for legal advice. Visit us online at http://www.PAWnotary.com  PWinFL

I am curious as to how many notaries have mobile office setups in their vehicle, printers, etc. If so, what equipment is needed to have power. I live in a pretty rural area and many of my signings are quite a distance from home. Occasionally, when I have late docs, I have to drive many extra miles back to my office to get docs and return to the same area. Very inconvenient.  conotary

A laptop accompanies me when scheduled for an e-sign because the borrower's equipment cannot always be counted on to work as planned (these seem to be decreasing in frequency lately). It can also retrieve documents while on the road but I do not have a laser printer in the car. It is possible to use “a thumb” to put the docs on and print the docs at a number of area shops if need be, but that would typically be cost prohibitive with usual copy rates. A digital camera for ID’s (when borrower didn’t get as requested) and a GPS unit are helpful to have in the car as well.  vince

Why didn't I think of the digital camera for taking pics of id's! Great idea. I have done a few e-signings using the BO's computer. Generally, I do take a laptop with me, however that's not much good when there is no internet connection. I accepted one job for an e-signing. When I got there, the BO's didn't even own a computer. Guess I should have asked first. One would think that the title company would have made sure there was internet access. As a result, I looked into getting mobile broadband. The $50 monthly fee isn't worth it Diane J. Elliott  sailing

When using your digital camera to take pics of the ID, it's helpful to turn on the "macro" setting (usually a flower symbol on your camera). This helps you get better focus on close-ups. CopperheadVA   CopperheadVA

quote:

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Originally posted by CopperheadVA
When using your digital camera to take pics of the ID, it's helpful to turn on the "macro" setting (usually a flower symbol on your camera). This helps you get better focus on close-ups. CopperheadVA

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Yes, and making sure the image is clear and all print is readable.  vince

I recently upgraded to include an "Office" in my car. It was a great investment. I don't have to travel back to my office as much, I can take short notice closings and last minute changes. I have an Acer laptop which works great. I DIDN'T invest in the mobile broadband yet. I'm waiting to see if more e-signings come my way to offset the $60/month investment. I use Staples, Office Depot, and Borders to log onto the internet and download my docs. All offer free WiFi. McDonald's offers WiFi for a small fee ($2.95) for a 2hour use time. I have an HP printer that I take into the borrowers home to print the docs. I carry it in a small box. This is a little cumbersome, but I feel it's worth the extra income. I haven't met a borrower yet who was upset about it, in fact most are impressed with the set-up. I looked into setting up in the car. I fried two printers trying to use a standard inverter found in any auto store...It doesn't work. I spoke to another notary in NJ. You need a special inverter called a Pure Sign Inverter. I found it on the internet for about $300. If you are not a motor head (or know someone who is) I was told you should have it installed by a mechanic/dealer. Like I said I still drag mine into the borrowers home. But I think by next year that will be changing. Good Luck![:)] WZellars  2938

Actually, it's a pure sine inverter. I don't have enough business to warrant a mobile office. I used to have an air card and one day I was slammed and brought my printer in the car. When the borrower opened her door and saw me with my printer, she curled her lip up at me and let me know throughout the entire signing how unprofessional she felt I was. I apologized numerous times and tried to kill her with kindness, but she was a condescending b**ch to me the entire time. She also complained about me to the L/O (while I was there printing docs and I could hear her), and I'm sure the TC heard about it, however I fessed up to the TC with a status call immediately after the appointment. (I think it was sue_pa that once advised that you should always tattle on yourself to your client before the borrower or L/O has a chance to.) The TC did continue to use me for signings. Horrible experience - I will NEVER print at the borrower's home again. I don't have enough business to warrant the expense of keeping an aircard and setting up a mobile office with an inverter. I had an aircard for two years (two-year contract) and it was the one piece of equipment I've been sorry that I bought for my business. I canceled it the moment the two-year contract was up in April 2009. Good for you, 2938, for holding off on the aircard and just downloading docs where you can access free wifi. CopperheadVA   CopperheadVA

From what I've read you need a 1000 watt pure sine inverter to be able to power a laser printer. I have a question...you said "I have an HP printer that I take into the borrowers home to print the docs. I carry it in a small box" - being small makes me wonder - is it a laser printer and does it print legal? Just curious. Linda www.notarydepot.com/notary/lindah http://www.notary.net/websites/LindaHubbell   LindaH

I have a very small HP laser printer for my car, it is really conpact, prints legal and letter, and perfect for jobs on the go. It also only cost $89 if you find it on sale.   kandy1099

What model Kandy? Linda www.notarydepot.com/notary/lindah http://www.notary.net/websites/LindaHubbell   LindaH

Facebook is good for networking, but for marketing, you need to be on directories and/or have a website that is optimized well for Search Engine Optimization. If you find any good notary tips on facebook, please submit them to the forum. I have to manually approve links before they get posted on the forum, but the delay is only about 24-48 hours before a link would be posted. I am all in favor of new channels for finding notary tips.   jbelmont

I attended a seminar this week hosted by my local Chamber of Commerce. For the most part, the seminar was a bust. The speaker seemed more interested in promoting himself than staying on the topic at hand. However, he did offer this one tip that I'm going to try this week. Concerning Twitter and Facebook, if you add and/or follow your local news reporters, writers, etc., you can gain their "ear". By doing so you can suggest news stories for them to cover (i.e., when was the last time u tried to get a form notarized); or simply tell them that if they need to do a story on loan mods, etc., you'll be happy to give them a quote or an interview. Obviously, to do this sort of thing you really need to know what you're talking about. I live in a small city (relatively speaking) so this sort of thing could really work for me. Hmmm...I hope my competition isn't reading this post. Michelle L. Riley Huntsville Mobile Notary - We Come To You! http://www.huntsvillemobilenotary.com  inotarize

Great tip Ms. Riley! I have done just that with a number of reporters at our major OC Newspaper and they are excellent for word-of-mouth. Also, by following their twitter-stream, I can connect/follow others who can lead me to more potential clients. Twitter is working for me!! "A Quick Note" www.aquicknote.net Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/aquicknote  Shannon

Thanks for the encouragement, Shannon. I added Twitter to my website and removed the privacy setting. Today I receive a Tweet from a mortgage company that wants to follow me. Of course, I added the person. Shannon you seem to be an expert at this. Your Tweets have a purpose/goal. You are constantly giving followers reasons why they should call you. I won't copy your Tweets but you are giving me some new ideas. Michelle L. Riley Huntsville Mobile Notary - We Come To You! http://www.huntsvillemobilenotary.com  inotarize

Guess what? Within hours of making changes to my Twitter page, I get a request for a mortgage company to "follow me" on Twitter. No joke. Of course, I accepted. Now if I can get more followers like this one, I believe I could see some tangible results. Michelle L. Riley Huntsville Mobile Notary - We Come To You! http://www.huntsvillemobilenotary.com  inotarize

Thanks Ms. Riley, Glad you noticed. I'm not certain that my participation there is earning me much but I have hung in there. Just yesterday I began robot tweeting a selection of posts designed to generate calls/interest...I also participate via tweetdeck when I can... I hope your participation there is helpful to your business! Want a good laugh? Follow @badbanana he's hilarious! "A Quick Note" www.aquicknote.net Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/aquicknote  Shannon

The TwitRobot feature on Twitter now costs money to use so I'm not using it anymore. Each morning I update my Tweet message manually. This forces me to be more creative and thoughtful about the message I send out and I think that's a good thing. I am surprised at the number of area businesses that are starting to following me on Twitter. I'm not sure how they are finding out about me but I like it. Again, my goal is to make as many area individuals and businesses aware of my company name and the services I provide, so when they need a notary they will call me and not the other guys. I have a personal friend who uses Twitter to let all her friends know what she's up to each day. For instance she'll Tweet about going golfing, to the auto shop, etc. She uses this in place of sending personal text messages. All of my Tweets are business related. I'm either reminding my followers about my services or hours. When that gets old I provide some information about the notary business. Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/iNotarize Michelle L. Riley Huntsville Mobile Notary - We Come To You! http://www.huntsvillemobilenotary.com  inotarize

123notary now has profiles on facebook and twitter. Please follow us. We'll be forwarding tips and links to news and articles. I hope this is good for marketing a large site like ours. We'll find out.   jbelmont

Speaking of new marketing efforts, has anyone pursued television advertising for their loan and/or non-loan notary work? If so, would you please share how effective (cost and otherwise) it was for your business. I have never seen or heard TV or Radio advertisement for this line of work and I have always wondered why. I guess during the heyday of this business there was no need. Now it may be a cost issue. Thoughts[?] Michelle L. Riley Huntsville Mobile Notary - We Come To You! http://www.huntsvillemobilenotary.com  inotarize

The marketing tool that has expanded my business is networking through my city's chamber of commerce. When I first became a Notary, another Notary who lives in a different city and who is a member of her city's chamber of commerce recommended it and told me of all the benefits she's received from becoming a chamber member. Not only has it been effective, it's fun too! It has other benefits besides the business I receive from it. I feel more comfortable doing business with those who I've networked with over the years and gotten to know and form that mutual business relationship. Many from the chamber of commerce belong to other networking groups and have invited me to their meetings so I've been able to forge even more new business relationships - without having to join the other groups. I attend as many of the breakfasts, luncheons, mixers and ribbon cutting ceremonies as my schedule will permit. Two weeks ago, there was a multi-chamber mixer in the evening at a hotel and it was a huge success. I met and left cards with several real estate brokers, bankers and title and escrow companies and who had set up booths at the event. I HIGHLY recommend networking as a FUN marketing tool. Why does marketing have to be a drag or work? It doesn't!  Lisa T.

Thanks, Lisa, for your post. I agree with your comments about Networking. This summer I joined the Chamber of Commerce and have attended several functions that I found beneficial. This coming week I will attend a Networking Breakfast event. I'm a morning person and I find it easier to do this sort of thing (introducing myself to strangers) in the morning when I'm alert and motivated. I want to try something different this time. In addition to meeting people I want to do better about following-up with them later. Michelle L. Riley Huntsville Mobile Notary - We Come To You! http://www.huntsvillemobilenotary.com  inotarize

I learn something new....if not everyday, every other day. I notarized some documents for a radio station manager recently and she asked me if I'd be interested in entering into a "trade agreement" with them. I asked her how it works. She explained that instead of paying me in cash the station would pay me via advertisements and psa's. She showed me the agreement. I looked it over and signed it. It isn't anything long-term. When I go to the station to do work, we agree on the value of my work and she draws up a trade agreement. I really appreciate her wanting to put something in writing as opposed to keeping it verbal. Already, they have added my a link from the station's home page to my website. I am working on a news release/ad to be read over the air describing my services. So far, it's been a win-win. I hope it will continue in this vein. So far no one has told me that they learned about my business from the station's website; however, my rankings on the internet are doing just fine. Michelle L. Riley Huntsville Mobile Notary - We Come To You! Serving North Alabama since 2006. Phone: (256) 503-6595 Email: HuntsvilleMobileNotary@Gmail.com http://www.huntsvillemobilenotary.com Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/iNotarize   inotarize

I just answered on NotRot but I'll put it here too - the importance of property identification!! And what IS acceptable from a notary standpoint - how and why. Linda www.notarydepot.com/notary/lindah http://www.notary.net/websites/LindaHubbell   LindaH