I have represented this company for several DRPs, much against my better judgment. They pay $50 unless there is distance involved. I have had to reach out to them for payment in every case, but usually was able to get paid w/i 30-45 days. But for a signing I did in August, it is not the payment that is the problem, it is the fact that the poor client (an elderly A/A veteran who desperately needed financial help to make his small SS payment stretch to pay his living expenses and take care of his 95 y/o mother with dementia) who has tried to reach his account representative to no avail since the signing. He started calling me about 2 weeks ago because I always leave my business card with signers (notary protocol). After his first call I reached out to TriStar and advised them that he needed to speak to his account rep. I was assured they would call him that day. (The TriStar Agreement states they will be in touch with the client w/i 48 hours of the signing.) I asked the client if he had spoken to the rep since the signing. NO. I was not surprised, I was disgusted! Yesterday I received 2 more calls from the client stating that he wanted to talk to the rep and no one would call him back. So I called again yesterday and again this morning. I finally spoke to Patrick Green, Notary Services Supervisor. I basically told him that not only was TriStar's payment program lacking, but the program being sold to the poor unsuspecting clients is very close to fraud and possibly elder abuse. I asked to speak with someone in the Program Services, but was not given that opportunity. I advised Mr. Green that since I had not been paid the promised $50, my fee had increase to $80, the additional fees for Customer Service for the 3 phone calls I had received from the signer. He stated that he would get my payment out promptly. I thanked him and advised him that if the signer did not get a call back today from his representative or someone in that department, that I was going to report them to the MS AG's office for Elder Abuse. Further, I would advise the signer to stop payment on his program until he was contacted and he was satisfied with their action. I know I overstepped my role as a Notary, but as a human, I had to act.
BOTTOM LINE: Do Not Accept Work For TriStar Consumer Group (Bruyette and Associates). |
