Posted by Anonymous on 9/24/03 12:27am
Msg #96

I no longer do 24/7 signings

This co. issued me a rubber check for $50 and has also refused to pay for a $75 job with e-mail docs. They won't even respond to my inquires. Work for these guys at your own risk. Personally, I won't work for a co. that lacks minimum business ethics. BobSmith

Reply by TAgey on 5/18/04 9:43pm
Msg #2123

24/7 and all other non-paying companies

I am fairly new to this business and I have been check EVERY business I come across with the BBB. I found 24/7 to be in good standing because NO reports have been made on them. If you have not been paid, or have any other problems with a company PLEASE report them to www.BBB.com. This is a reliable way for newbies to check companies out and see if they are of good standing or have had complaints registered.

It is one of the frustrating factors of this business to go to different sites and find out that a company that you thought you just researched and signed up with is a bad source.

Thank you for your time and any advice would be appreciated. Also, I am in the Warrenton, VA area and am looking for a mentor.

Tonja Agey
[e-mail address]

Reply by Pattijay412 on 5/19/04 10:12pm
Msg #2153

Re: 24/7 and all other non-paying companies

Tonja:

24/7 is a pain in the a--. But they do pay, around 60 days later. I use them if it is slow. I started in Jan, I signed up with just about every org you have to pay for that I could. Bad idea, Signing Agent .com is where everyone finds me. 50 states may not get you a job but it's full of advice, just bought her book. This is the area I get feed back from, great people here, you can't go wrong. It's a slow process, just market, I sign up daily with agencys I find through reading these pages and others. Found some great ones here. Be patient I find older notaries that have built their data base and are doing fine, I have a great one too, but not like an agent doing this for a year or 2, Just hang in and do great work! You will get companies that call you first, go the extra mile, they appreciate it.

Reply by BrianLA on 5/24/04 1:58pm
Msg #2247

Re: 24/7 and all other non-paying companies

I posted a few weeks ago about how rudely I was treated by the owner of 24/7 when I was trying to find out where my payment was. Basically, she just hung up on me in the middle of the conversation, then hung up on me when I called back. I did eventually end up getting paid (check dated 4/12, postmarked 4/30) and had left a message for them to remove me from their list of notaries.

Now normally I'm ultra professional at what I do, but the extremely unprofessional and rude treatment I've received from 24/7 over the past year has really rubbed me the wrong way. They really treat their notaries like crap. They'll call you 50 times when it's related directly to a signing, but don't want anything to do with you if you're asking a payment question. They have never once returned a phone call or email from me.

Anyway, they didn't remove me from their database. I'm sure this will horrify some people in here, and while it's DEFINITELY not the way I normally do business, I have no regrets doing it to this f***ed up signing service.

They called me for a signing this past Thursday, to be done Friday. While I couldn't believe they were calling, especially since it was the same guy I had complained to 3 weeks earlier. I saw an opportunity for revenge so I accepted the signing. Got the docs the next day, immediately put them in in the return envelope and dropped them off at Fed ex.

24/7 called me earlier in the day to confirm the signing (apparently, the confirmation of the notary at the time they accept the signing is not enough for them), I let it go to voice mail, as I did with the next 3 calls. Finally, when they called about an hour after the signing was supposed to happen I answered. It was the same guy who I had talked to about my rude treatment by the boss.

He asked what happened with the signing, that they were waiting for me and I still wasn't there. I asked him if he remembered my call to him a few weeks earlier about Liz hanging up on me when I was inquiring about payment. He replied "ummm" in a way where I could just see his face falling as he remembered it. I said "you remember, it was about 3 weeks ago, and I was horrifed that the boss would treat her notaries that way? Yeah, well I remember it too. Bye" and hung up.

Was it petty and small and unprofessional of me to do that? Absolutely. And I would do it again in a second. Hopefully (although unlikely) they'll realize that how they treat their notaries DOES have an effect on their business. They now had the task of explaining to the title company why the signing didn't happen, and why they would be receiving the docs back unsigned, which probably didn't make the title company very happy.

I don't plan to make a habit out of doing stuff like this, but since this company doesn't give a flying f*** about their notaries, I thought it was fair for me to give them the same level of contempt they've given me in the past. And I gotta tell ya, it felt GOOD to do it.

Reply by Dennis D Broadbooks on 5/24/04 2:13pm
Msg #2248

This HAS to be a Joke!

If you really did what you've just stated in this posting, there isn't a signing company or lender in the world who'll touch you with the proverbial 10 foot pole in the future. You haven't just shafted 24/7; you've also thrown the borrower's loan down the toilet. You'd better get yourself a good lawyer & if this posting gets in the right (or wrong, depending on your perspective) hands you've just sealed your fate in a court of law. If true (and I'm still coming to grips with whether someone's pulling our leg or not), this is one of the most unprofessional, irresponsible displays of behavior I've ever seen discussed by anyone...much less the perpetrator bragging about it on a public message board. I wish you well in court.

Reply by Management level response on 5/24/04 2:48pm
Msg #2249

Reply

It was wrong for the signing agency to do what they did. However, a wrong does not make a right. It was equally wrong for the signing agent to do what he / she did. Both sides need to come to grips that everyones aging in not a net 30 and furthermore if there will be late payments to notaries / sigining agents it only makes sense to communicate that.

--good luck to you both.

Reply by 24-7 on 8/25/04 5:32pm
Msg #6695

Re: This HAS to be a Joke!

Dennis,

It is not a joke, he really did it. It is Brian Lynch, who lives in Los Angeles. He neglected to say that he had not been paid for the prior signing because he botched it so bad, that I had to pay $800.00 in interest while we fixed it.
In the past, we used to give notaries a second chance if they made an error. Mr. Brian Lynch has made it so that I am unable to do so.

Reply by CaliNotary on 8/25/04 7:00pm
Msg #6701

Re: This HAS to be a Joke!

You expect us to believe that a signing agent screwed up so bad that it cost you $800, then you used him for yet ANOTHER signing after that? In Los Angeles, which is saturated with signing agents?

I find that more than a bit hard to swallow.

Reply by HisHughness on 8/25/04 5:58pm
Msg #6696

Re: This HAS to be a Joke!

DENNIS!!!! It's WONDERFUL to see you back!!!! Please don't go away again!!!!

Reply by HisHughness on 8/25/04 6:14pm
Msg #6697

Re: This HAS to be a Joke!

Folks, please overlook that last post. I did not notice that Liz had gone all the way back to May to respond to a post. I thought Dennis had decided once again to grace us with his presence.

Liz, if you are going to read past posts, let me suggest that you read the one posted here in the last two or three days about a notary who had a problem with a discourteous staff member of a signing company or a title company. You might take that to heart.

Finally, I at last realized why I parted ways a year ago with 24-7. It was the crappy attitude that you have displayed in this forum. That attitude was engendered NOT engendered by any closings I did that cost you $800 in interest. I suspect it was more a product of you being you than any external factors. Try using some simple courtesy; you'll probably see a marked diminution in the number of negative 24-7 posts.

Reply by notary on 5/24/04 6:04pm
Msg #2250

Re: 24/7 and all other non-paying companies

Brian, I LOVE what you did!

I don't have the guts to do something like that.

My act of petty revenge:
When the $50 SSs call me, I say I am busy and then give them the name and number of a specific notary in my town. This notary does messy work and demands that the SS stay on the phone with her throughout the signing appointment.

Reply by Dennis D Broadbooks on 5/24/04 7:47pm
Msg #2253

None of Us Should Have the "Guts" to Do That!

What you don't realize or fully comprehend is the damage Brian/LA is doing to the entire signing industry. The two of you should form your mutual admiration society in some other line of work. You're not doing the rest of us any favors with Brian's ignorant actions & your approving comments.

Reply by lan/tn on 5/24/04 8:12pm
Msg #2254

Re: None of Us Should Have the "Guts" to Do That!

An action like that SHOULD result in removal of the notary commision. States and lawyers are just looking for actions like that, to revise state laws and throw all the money to the lawyers. STUPID.....STUPID!!!

Reply by teri on 5/24/04 8:18pm
Msg #2255

Re: None of Us Should Have the "Guts" to Do That!

Yes, I would seriously be angry at 24-7...but that is no reason to put innocent people in jeopardy. The borrowers did nothing to you. As a professional, your responsibility lies with the customers you serve---ultimately the borrowers, as without them, there would be no signing agents. A different tactic might have been to take the signing and advise the title company that you have major concerns about being paid for this signing based on your history with 24-7 and that you request some reassurances before proceeding. Basically, you let them know you took the signing during a weak moment and you will certainly perform admirably, but any efforts they can make on your behalf to ensure your payment would be appreciated. This would have accomplished your goal.
Personally, I never would have taken the assignment in light of your history with the signing company....and I tend to try to live by the Golden Rule....When you have a refi or a home equity personally and experience a rate lock expiration, I certainly hope that you do not have any notary assigned who has an axe to grind with a signing company.

Reply by Grayce on 5/24/04 6:32pm
Msg #2251

Re: 24/7 and all other non-paying companies

I really can't believe that one of my fellow "Professionals" would do such an act. You havern't hurt 24-7, only yourself and the Borrowers. Have you forgotten your oath?
We have all wanted to take revenge at times, but you cannot hurt innocents.
You report these companies to the lenders and title companies who use their services. And you simply continue to refuse to do their work. Through the message boards we can get the word out and if everyone simply says, "NO" they will go away. Others have.

Reply by Dee/RI on 5/24/04 8:40pm
Msg #2256

Re: 24/7 and all other non-paying companies

All I can say is that I hope you never apply for a loan, count on the money and then have an unprofessional signing agent screw you royally. Really the only person/people you hurt are the borrower(s). You don't know their situation or their ungency for the $$$. And don't give me the BS about you needing your money. The measley $50 you may or may not get paid is peanuts compared to screwing up someone elses life/finances.

I don't know how you sleep at night.

Reply by Janetl/soca on 5/25/04 5:03am
Msg #2267

Re: 24/7 and all other non-paying companies

Well, obviously, you got your revenge and the borrowers got the shaft. Aren't you proud of yourself. Now you have lowered yourself to their standards, not caring about the borrowers, just caring about yourself. Now that you feel so good about yourself, why don't you just quit this business. You make us look bad.

Reply by Sylvia/FL on 5/25/04 8:01am
Msg #2269

Re: 24/7 and all other non-paying companies

This has to be the most unprofessional act I have heard of in my years in this business.
The borrowers should be suing you if your unprofessionalism causes them any extra fees.

And no, 24/7 won't explain to the title company the reason why the signing was not done, they will just tell them the notary was unprofessional and they will probably put you on a black list, and word does get around among signing services about certain notaries.

And you said you wold do this again in a second! Unbelievable!!!!!!

Reply by Ninna Mantooth-Lopez on 5/25/04 8:02am
Msg #2270

Re: 24/7 and all other non-paying companies

BrianLA (wondering if you're in Louisiana... or does it mean L.A. California)... anyway, did you really think through what you were doing?... what you would ultimately cause?... and ultimately who it would affect the most? I'm thinking that you didn't. After reading some of the replies here, though, do you realize now what you've done? You said "it felt GOOD to do it"... that in of itself shows what type of person you are... not to consider all of the consequences... or maybe you did consider them and they didn't concern you... because in the long run... you exacting your revenge and "feeling good" about it was your ultimate goal. If nothing happens of this, consider yourself a very lucky man.

Reply by Kathi/Maine on 5/25/04 8:11am
Msg #2271

Re: 24/7 and all other non-paying companies

You are the epitome of what every professional signing agent strives NOT to be. The borrowers were most likely the ones that got hurt the most in your "act of revenge". Not fair, unprofessional and in my opinion, disgusting behavior.

Reply by Anonymous on 5/25/04 8:22am
Msg #2272

I don't see BrianLA making anymore comments???

No rebuttal Brian??

Reply by Anonymous on 5/25/04 10:03am
Msg #2276

Re: I don't see BrianLA making anymore comments???

It's time to stop beating up on Brian. He's gotten the message, and so has everyone else who surfs this forum: Adhere to your professional principles, for your own good and for the good of the profession.

Reply by Chuck on 5/26/04 3:30pm
Msg #2320

Re: I don't see BrianLA making anymore comments???

The silence is defening. Brian probably expected to be hoisted onto his collegues' shoulders and paraded around as a hero

Reply by Anonymous on 5/26/04 3:36pm
Msg #2321

Re: I don't see BrianLA making anymore comments???

Probably hiding under a rock somewhere. Shamefull.

Reply by anonymous on 5/27/04 7:10am
Msg #2336

Re: BrianLA

we all know what he did was wrong. the borrower is the one that suffered the most from this. but why don't we just quit beating a dead horse. he know knows how everyone feels. lets move on!!!!!!!! stop poking and prodding at him.

Reply by Dennis D Broadbooks on 5/27/04 7:36am
Msg #2338

Maybe WE Know He Did Wrong...

...but the question remains as to whether BRIAN knows it. In my 3+ years in this business this is the most asinine thing I've ever seen posted on a message board. I've stated before & I'll say it again; there's still a nagging doubt in my mind as to whether this event actually occurred. But even if this is a fable someone made up for fun, it's still a valuable lesson for anyone new to this business to learn up front. You don't monkey around with other people's money! You do your job whether you get paid or not by some of these fly by night $50 outfits. To even think otherwise is as unprofessional as can be & you need to find another industry to peddle your services to.

BTW, why don't you stop prodding & poking at those of who take this business seriously? Move on!

Reply by anonymous on 5/27/04 7:54am
Msg #2340

Re: Maybe WE Know He Did Wrong...

i do take my jod very seriously!!! i dare you question that. i have done this for four years. all i was saying is we don't need to keep talking about it. lets talk about something that someone has a ? about and help that person. i have moved on, you obvious have not by attaching me. i'm not defending brian for one second but like i said before. lets just post ? and help others out.

Reply by Dennis D Broadbooks on 5/27/04 8:37am
Msg #2344

Am I Missing Something Here...

...or were we not helping each other out here by defining the absurdity of what Brian did. I personally don't think we can talk about something like this too much. It needs to be hammered home with emphasis. When a fellow Notary is doing something that threatens all of us, we should never be silent & let it pass by. We STILL don't know if Brian got the message or not. He hasn't bothered to respond to a single posting on the subject...even the solitary one supporting his actions! What I weary of is the "Kumbaya" attitude among some of you Rodney King sycophants who ask "can't we all just get along?". If this indeed did happen, Brian needs to find another line of work. Who knows what his next faux paus might be? I for one won't apologize one iota for making this a major discussion topic. It's way too important for the future of all signing agents & we can't begin to discuss it enought. JMHO!

Reply by anonymous on 5/27/04 8:48am
Msg #2345

Re: Am I Missing Something Here...

i will take what you say with a grain of salt. you and i are not the bad guys here, brian is. there is no need for us to quarrel over this any further. good luck to you in the future.

Reply by ej1 on 5/27/04 9:07am
Msg #2347

Re: Am I Missing Something Here...

Well, as a new agent even I know that what Brian did as a Notary was so unethical. More so, as a individual with such animosity towards someone that hangs up a phone on you and then you want to retaliate!
Each one of us, holding the positions that we do must continually act in a respectful and professional manner in all business matters even IF someone gets us aggravated with them. There are a set of guidelines to go by and policies and procedures to handle things in a professional manner and to go outside those is wrong way of handling the situation.
What Brian did, if he actually did, definately was not thought through by him and in a selfish act he did not consider the ramifications of his actions. This is a serious job and one that must not be taken lightly. You have the borrowers 'life' in your hands when you sit at that table with them.
So far, with the signing services/lenders that I have worked with I feel that they have not been communicative with me in a professional manner as I would like them to be but it is at no fault to the borrowers. Just because the signing company doesn't respond in a timely manner doesn't mean that I go out and mess up the whole deal with the borrowers! I just learn and take notes of who I will and will not deal with as far as doing any contracts with in the future.

Reply by Lawrence Goodwin on 5/27/04 1:50pm
Msg #2369

Re: Am I Missing Something Here...

When I first read Brains post, I thought it WAS a joke. But the more I read, the angrier I became. It was appalling, unprofessional, beyond reasoning and maybe criminal (??) I would be very surprised, even appalled to learn that the ss did not pursue legal action.

Brian, if your reading these posts, I do hope you have E&O insurence.

Reply by HisHughness on 5/27/04 8:50pm
Msg #2411

Re: Am I Missing Something Here...

Responding to Dennis D. Broadbooks:

Best I can tell, the posters on this forum have >>not<< been silent and they have not let BrianLA's defalcation pass by unaddressed; the point has not only been hammered home, it has been jackhammered home; and despite your perfervid contentions to the contrary, we >>can<< talk about any issue too much if it comes to dominate discussion to the exclusion of other, more productive lines of comment.

It is essentially immaterial for the purposes of this forum whether WE know if Brian received a message or not; again, best I can tell, no one elected anyone on this board to enforce ethical canons, though we obviously are free to comment (at reasonable length, I would think) on ethical lapses. What matters most is that WE received the message.

If it renders me a Rodney King sycophant to want to get fresh insights from this forum, rather than recycled harumphing, then sycophant I am. (One of the issues that we could be exploring in lieu of BrianLA's misadventure is whether racist comments should be tolerated here.) At least, though, if I have access to comments on other aspects of my profession than the one that has rankled you so grandly, I shall be a better educated sycophant.

Sorry to be so tardy about responding to the original post (well, actually it was the original post to about the 20th power). I was out earning a living, which is made easier by the many differing views I access here when the waters don't get so roiled up by somebody slinging incendiary sediment everywhere.

Reply by Dennis D Broadbooks on 5/27/04 10:17pm
Msg #2414

I'll Only Address One of Your Comments...

...as the rest can only be construed as meaningless drivel. There isn't a racist bone in my body & my Rodney King comment should most certainly be tolerated in the vein it was intended. To insinuate racist overtones is part & parcel of the liberal mentality of which you must evidently subscribe. It won't be long at all before BrianLA is canonized by the likes of you & bestowed an honored place in the signing agent Hall of Fame. He'll be transformed before our very eyes into a victim like good ole Rodney & elevated to an exalted status. His "misadventure" will become folklore & legend to the disenfranchised signing agents of the world.

BTW, you've made a very nice stab at raising the linguistic bar on the board. Keep up the diligent verbal gymnastics...you just might make it to the big time some day. Harumph!

Reply by HisHughness on 5/27/04 10:35pm
Msg #2415

Re: I'll Only Address One of Your Comments...

Thank you for the kudos, Dennis. The good news for my publisher is that I have one admiring fan; the bad news is that you paid no royalties he can use to help refit his yacht. NOW can we get on with the business at hand? I don't do signings because I have to; I do them because I actually enjoy the work, and the incessant abrading of one already over-sanded nib is fast robbing me of some of the pleasure I take in helping people each day.

Reply by Dennis D Broadbooks on 5/27/04 10:45pm
Msg #2417

Well, You Know What They Say...

..."imitation is the sincerest form of flattery".

Reply by BrianLA on 5/27/04 3:10pm
Msg #2380

Re: I don't see BrianLA making anymore comments???

Actually, I didn't have any specific expectations. I was interested in seeing the responses and now I've seen them. I never planned to respond to each one or to try to convince anyone of anything.

Reply by ej1 on 5/27/04 5:19pm
Msg #2394

Re: I don't see BrianLA making anymore comments???

What I am seriously sitting here hoping Brian that this was a test, a test of the emergency broadcast system for this board... just testing US people of our moral obligations and ethical obligations to our profession.
I am hoping that you did this just as that, a test to see how we would respond to this sort of scenario. Lemme pinch myself and wake up because that would be a nightmare for me every night if in all actuality i would ever do such a thing. Seriously, I pray for you. I pray that if it is the truth and you have had time to really think about what you did that you will vow to somehow change your methods of dealing with people on a revenge level and THINK before you jeopardize not only the borrowers but you and your family. That was actually very destructive actions for everyone involved IF it actually happened.

Reply by ann - onymous on 5/25/04 9:51am
Msg #2275

Re: 24/7 and all other non-paying companies

Too bad all the notaries don't stick together & boycott those unethical signing companies. This way they can all go out of business. But we don't stick all together. You will get someone new & maybe desperate to have work. I would rather be home, then do a signing for a company like that. I quit them a long time ago. But they are still in business, why? because we don't stick together & boycott the company. The title company could either hire a notary on their own & pay signing agents more money to do the signing, or they won't get the signings done. I would not have done what you did because you only hurt the borrowers on that. I always put the borrowers first. I would find out who the title company was & lender and report what 24/7 was doing to notaries & I would market my services to them. I would also try & get other notaries in my state to take over on finding signing agents to help out with all the work they get & split the fees. That would be getting even in a more constructive way. They would lose their client & you could maybe have had an opportunity to deal direct & eliminate the middle man. Now I really feel you could have ruined it for yourself. Well this is my opinion on this matter. I am sure there would be a lot of notaries out there to help out with signings if they would stop using 24/7. Not only that their are plenty of great signing services that would love to take that business too. I am sure if the lender & title company knew what was going on & it would be bad business for them too. I am sure they would not want that.

Reply by ERFernandez, Clermon, Fl on 5/25/04 12:07pm
Msg #2281

Re: 24/7 and all other non-paying companies

Although it is regretable that 24/7 treated you shabily, you have the option to refuse work from them. In my opinion you attacked the innocent borrower in this, also, you breached the ethics required to be a Notary Public. I would hope any company that knows who you are would refuse to use you. You are a disgrace to this profession. You were commissioned to serve the Public not have a tantrum and trounce all over their rights. You may have possibly cost those borrowers thousands of dollars. YOU ARE WRONG!!!!!!!

Reply by Mary/AL on 5/25/04 12:56pm
Msg #2285

Re: 24/7 and all other non-paying companies

Unbeleiveable! and you are proud of yourself? You should have just refused the signing. I hope it still feels GOOD when you are sued!

Reply by 24-7 on 8/25/04 5:29pm
Msg #6694

Re: 24/7 and all other non-paying companies

Thanks Brian Lynch, LAPRIDE Mobile Notaries.

Reply by Julie-MI on 5/25/04 12:13am
Msg #2264

Re: 24/7 and all other non-paying companies

The BBB deals with CONSUMER complaints. As a mobile notary/signing agent, we are NOT consumers and our complaints are worthless.

Do not use the BBB as a guide for your business. If you need a new furnace and have to shop the yellow pages, THEN you use the BBB.