Posted by Cheryl Elliott on 10/30/03 9:36am
Msg #185

TUSS wants background check on all its signing agents

I don't think I've made $300 with these people year to date. I am not going to give them license to check my background, which is squeeky clean, due to privacy issues. I think it is enough that the State of California does its own background check with the US Department of Justice, livescan fingerprinting is shared with FBI, CIA, State of Certification, local county in which your bond is filed. No signing agent worth their salt will buy into this! It's not like we're dealing with money, or even cashier's checks. We're simply the middle man, messenger, carrier of documents. There is some other agenda here, there offering to give free credit reports, etc. We all know nothing is FREE, right?

TUSS wrote:
Re: Background Check Consent Form

Dear Valued TransUnion Signing Agent:

TransUnion strives to provide real estate settlement services of the highest caliber. Our lenders rely upon our quality control efforts. You have been a valued participant in our network of signing agents. We appreciate your service and look forward to a long and amicable association with you.

Due to recent national and world events, in order to ensure our Lenders and their borrowers receive the highest level of professional and quality signing services, TransUnion is modifying its signing agent network requirements. Beginning in January of 2004, we will implement a membership program. As part of the membership qualifying process, TransUnion will require background checks at a nominal charge to its members. The tax-deductible membership fee will be taken from your next signing payment.

We are seeking your permission, as well as that of all other signing agents in our national network, to obtain a report of your background. Once you’ve completed the membership qualifying process, you will be eligible for our preferred vendor status. We will be offering you direct deposit payments, a free credit report and other future business opportunities.

As a condition of your continued participation in our closing network, we ask that you sign and return the enclosed consent form. Since we recognize that no one is perfect, adverse information on a background report will not automatically disqualify you from continued participation in our network. However, if you deny us permission to order a report of your background, we cannot allow you to participate in our network any longer. Any adverse results will be communicated to you through our vendor management team upon completion.

We trust that you understand the importance of undertaking this security measure. A TransUnion associate from our vendor management group will be contacting you to discuss this information. In the meantime, if you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us directly at [e-mail address] or 877-800-2867 option 5.

Please return signed consent form to the address above or via fax to 302-397-2334.

Very Truly Yours,


TransUnion Settlement Solutions, Inc.
Vendor Management Group

Reply by Ninna Mantooth-Lopez on 10/30/03 9:52pm
Msg #186

This is nuts! This is the first I've heard of this. I know that lenders, as of October 1, have implemented the borrowers completing and signing an Applicant Identification Verification due to the events of 9/11, but now TUSS is wanting the signers to be checked out as well... and pay a fee to do so? Cheryl, I'm with you and I feel that we probably aren't alone in our thinking. I can't imagine that TUSS will have much of a database of notaries once they realize that notaries are not going to go for this. Thanks for the heads-up.

Reply by Cheryl Elliott on 11/1/03 7:43am
Msg #188

Re: Re: TUSS wants background check on all its signing agents

I have not yet heard one notary say they thought this was a hot idea that worked in their favor. TUSS called me yesterday to do a signing and did not mention it. I'm sure they've figured out they've hit a wall with notaries on this background check requirement. I understand they are taking this action due to Chase Mortgage requirement. Still.....

Reply by Birddog on 2/27/04 7:23pm
Msg #1045

A sugar coat carrot. Privacy is very precious and I wouldn't volutarily give it away to some faceless people I don't know. As a matter of principle I wouldn't do business with them, besides, you don't get paid until the service is done and done properly. That should be good enough for them. Beyond that, my life is none of their business. My state has standards in of by itself before receiving a commission. The "company" Transunion is trying to data mine your private information and no doubt will turn around and sell it. That you can be sure of.

Reply by pan/nd on 2/27/04 7:49pm
Msg #1046

I'm with you.

I told TUSS to go to heaven.

It cost me a grand, but principle is priceless.

Reply by Liz on 2/28/04 9:33pm
Msg #1063

OK maybe I didn't catch the first question. I looked. Please post again,

Reply by dmitchsr on 3/3/04 10:01pm
Msg #1081

I think there is an older post about this...isn't there? But

Feb. 29th I received a phone call from CreditInfonetto do loan signings. They sent me their agreement via email. When I looked at it, it is an agreement signing up with them to obtain credit reports. I was wondering whether they still believed that I'm still in the mortgage business or not? But this is certainly not a Notary Signing Agent Agreement. It requires a lot of information, and in the vast sea of words, one gives them permission to do background and credit checks on you. And even if they don't, it's still too much information to give up for this industry or type of work! This is classic information over-kill, the same as TUSS.

Reply by Anonymous on 3/5/04 8:51pm
Msg #1095

Re: I think there is an older post about this...isn't there? But

I received the same thing....tried to contact and advise them that I did not need credit checks on clients...I wanted to just sign up as a notary. Well they never returned any other docs...not even a W9.
TUSS called me today, faxed info....wrong county, no address for borrowers. I attempted to contact them twice by Fax to clear this up and I also put a "P.S." that I did not authorize any background checks from their company nor did I wish to have money deducted from my signing fee for any background check fees. I wanted to be sure they received this in "black & white" that way there was no mistake about it.
I have yet to hear back from them.
I am beginning to think that people are ignoring me.....lol