Posted by Happy in Fl on 9/20/04 10:22am
Msg #8430

Additions to Avoid List

Thankyou Hugh- and Sylvia and all others- who shared to help us all- save time- money- and energy- in trying to make an honest living in our profession..Here are additonal gleanings (over the last 3 months of research-) from all the Forums-past and present- now on my list- of Companies I"M watching out for:
Avoid List

Allied National Closing Service
American Notaries Association
Advantage Equity Services (Msg. #5085)
ASAP Signing Services (both - Fair Oaks- and Bakersfield)
Allegiance Title (out of Clark N.J.)
A Lady Will Assist
ASAP Loan Docs (Southern California)
Accurate Sign-ups
Coast to Coast
Cal Docs Notary (Have to pay $99./ yr. to be listed with them) (msg.#4804)
California Notary and Document Services
Caldocs/ESS Notary (msg.# 6150)
Doc Pro Signing Service (Irvine California)
Express Signing Nationwide
Express Signings (Riverside,Ca.)
Florida Certified Notary Signing Agents
New World Mortgage (msg.#5124) (Poway, Ca.)
Pro Signing Services (New Beach, Ca.)
Professional Settlement Services (See info. on Resource Title below)
Professional Settlement Solutions (msg. #4976)
Progressive Land Title (msg. #6137)
Resource Title (Owings,Md.) (wanted Notary to back date docs--because womens husband died, while loan was in process-- Title Company, Loan Co.and Borrower all agreed- even sent Notary an affidavit saying it was okay- to do so-- Notary refused as it was against the law-- so they found another notary who did, her reason was "I do it all the time")

Signing Registry
Select Signings (msg.#4246)
T.J. Antczak
United Document Services, Inc.
USA Notaries (msg.# 7226)
United Signing Services
United Closing Service

I have others, not listed that are very low pay- and others that charge fees to be added in to their Data Base etc. Again these are from Postings I culled - and simply added these to my list to not sign up with- and to avoid.. As Sylvia stated (msg#.8252) "As with any list, use your own judgement when contacted by any of these companies."

Reply by Roger/OH on 9/20/04 11:37am
Msg #8442

Re: Signing Registry?

I'm curious how The Signing Registry appeared on your list, as it is not an signing service; it's a professional forum run by notaries for notaries. There is a membership fee, but I think Sylvia and Hugh will agree that this group is well worth it.

Reply by Happy in Fl on 9/20/04 12:07pm
Msg #8445

Re: Signing Registry?

I have it on my list because there is a $50 per year fee . There are many others, not on this list, that also charge a fee- . I choose not to pay to get in a data base- that may or not even pay off with signings.. Of course the choice is up to each individual... one has to pick and choose.

Reply by Joan-OH on 9/20/04 4:47pm
Msg #8458

Re: Signing Registry?

I think you are confusing the signing registry with a signing company that charges to be in their database to get assignments. The signing registry's database is more like 123notary, notaryrotary, gomobilenotary, NNA....all of which people pay an annual fee to get listed on....liken it to an online yellow pages.

The database is just a very small part of it. You will never meet a more professional group of Signing agents most with an extensive signing, escrow, mortgage & title background. It would be the LAST group I would give up even if I never received a signing from their database.

Joan-OH

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 9/20/04 6:25pm
Msg #8462

Re: Signing Registry?

Hmm Happy, in that case you need to add the NNA - signingagent.com to your list. You have to pay to be in their database too.
Like others, I endorse the Signing Registry. It is much more than a database to be added to.
They have a very professional message board, a newsletter, a mentor program, and an excellent training manual. You get a lot for the $50 a year membership. I am in my 3rd year with them.
None of the databases may pay off with signings. As a Signing Service I look to the Signing Registry first for notaries to fulfill the signings. I know when I find a signing agent there that I am getting a signing agent with some experience.

Reply by BrendaTX on 9/20/04 4:00pm
Msg #8456

Re: Signing Registry?

I also endorse the SigningRegistry.com. The forum is private and everyone logs in. So, no matter what the question, you are going to get a helpful answer--if it's not helpful, believe me, the unhelpful person would hear about it "pronto!" You'll get information in the SR that you will not pick up elsewhere.

I am a frequent poster on NotaryRotary.com, not so much on the SigningRegistry.com. Not sure why that's so, but I do lurk around on the SR nearly daily and add a post here and there on occasion.

Reply by Happy in Fl on 9/20/04 7:15pm
Msg #8465

Re: Signing Registry-

I humbly apologize- I have them on my list as requiring a fee- thats all-- I didn't intend to list those organizations- but only some of the Signing Services that charge in order to obtain work.

Reply by Bob-Chicago on 9/20/04 4:39pm
Msg #8457

Bashfull In Il

Sorry I couldn't pass that one up
I know that Happy qualified as the list as YMMV, but I personally have had a profitable relationship with a lot of Companies on Happy's list as well as the orignial List of Hugh's. Just because few people have had problems, does not mean that you should avoid those companies at all costs. You should be more cautious and possibly ask more questions before accepting a job from a Co on the list. Remember, however, if you turn down or cancel a signing because you learn of an alledged bad rep, then you have a 100% chance of not being paid for that job. Use your head and trust your instincts. Credit granting in our business is an art.

Reply by Brenda Stone on 9/20/04 5:35pm
Msg #8460

Happy, Tell me about "American Notaries Association" - that's one I have not heard of, or do not remember if I have heard it.

Reply by Y from jersey on 9/20/04 7:02pm
Msg #8464

Lone Star Notary in Texas does not pay. Has anyone done business with them?

Reply by BrendaTX on 9/20/04 7:40pm
Msg #8467

If you have it, post address, phone numbers, fax number, and a contact name.

I have never done a signing for them, but I believe I read on notarybeware.com that they are in Centerville, Tx.

Now, Centerville is a mighty small place--really, really small. .

But, there are two signing services there...which is possible, of course, but they are either the same place, or one knows the other. And, my neighbor is from Centerville. I swear, no matter what I mention to him about that little town, he knows the person that owns it, or is related to someone who knows the person that owns it.

I am curious about Lone Star Notary as well...so, if you give me some additional info, I might be able to dig around and find something out.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 9/20/04 8:35pm
Msg #8470

This was:
Loan Star/NJ Notary Services back in May 2003. I did one for them. Was strange.
The confirmation they sent me, was the confirmation they got for the signing from Atlantic Closings with the fee blacked out. I called the borrower's number and it was either he or his wife was out of town, but the signing could not be done on the assigned date. I called Loan Star and left a message, they never called back. Then a couple of weeks later I got a confirmation fax from them, it had been rescheduled. They never called me to check if I could still do it, and I called them and left a message that I couldn't do it for the time they had it set for. They never called me back. But I got the docs from Atlantic Closings. So, I juggled signings around a little and did the signing. They did pay me on June 30th (signing was done on May 16th)

The information on the confirmation is:

Loan Star and NJ Notary Service
PO Box 792
Centerville, TX 75833
903-536-1208 Fax: 903-536-1943
SUSAN TUBB - Cell - 936-348-0531
[e-mail address]

Reply by Loretta Cisneros on 9/20/04 9:57pm
Msg #8473

You can add the following, as far as I'm concerned: NOTARY U-S . They are out of Garden Grove, California. I did a signing in May, 2004, and I'm still waiting for my check. Thank you for your list. I'll keep it close to me for future reference.