Posted by GOLDGIRL/CA on 8/11/10 4:48pm
Msg #348524

Paranoid in CA

Every other month, I get an e-mail inquiring about general notary work. It's usually asking me to do something CA notaries are not allowed to and then asking me what how much I'd charge. I set them straight about what I can and cannot do and always say that CA law sets notary fees at $10 per sig and so on - and I NEVER hear from them again! I swear it's a sting!

This never happens with phone calls I get asking for GNW. We settle it in one call and then meet and sign. I was actually going to post about this the previous time it happened - some alleged financial firm in Australia wanted me to certify the ID of a potential client. They kept asking and asking about my fee, which I refused to discuss until we got past the part that I can't certify ID. This request followed several other similar ones over a period of a year or so - all every other month. Anyway, today, right on schedule, I get an e-mail from somebody who wrote: "Hi. I need to be sworn in to the State Bar of California. I looked you up on (the number site) and was wondering what your rate was. I am in (gives location). Please get back to me at your earliest convenience?"
Yikes, this is getting to be too bizarre.... is it just me?

Reply by Michelle/AL on 8/11/10 4:59pm
Msg #348525

It isn't just you. I also get questionable calls that go nowhere and leave me thinking "Hmmmm?"

Up until recently, I was Certified Acceptance Agent for the IRS. The IRS sent out a letter telling us that their agents would pose as actual customers to see if anything fraudulent was being performed. I'm pretty certain I received a call from their agents.

As far as general notary work, I'm of the opinion that other notaries in my area (no one here on NotRot) are calling me posing as customers to find out what I charge and the various duties I'll perform. They are very vague when I start asking them questions.

Reply by James Dawson on 8/11/10 5:30pm
Msg #348527

My experience mirrors Michelle's except after I ask them how many Docs, when they say just one I tell them any UPS can handle that for them.

Reply by Cari on 8/11/10 6:41pm
Msg #348531

sounds like phising scam.... n/m

Reply by Glenn Strickler on 8/11/10 8:34pm
Msg #348551

Emails such as that, I mark as "spam" and that will be the end of that. Get a few a month from various sources.

Most of those emails come from an offshore server, indicating it is indeed a scam.

Reply by lucky/ca on 8/11/10 8:43pm
Msg #348552

I think that is really frightening.

How did they get your contact information?

Was it from Notary Rotary?

I am also in CA and fortunately haven't received those and hope I never do.

All the best with that.