Posted by John_NorCal on 6/27/05 8:06am
Msg #48075

NNA Seminars

Seems like NNA will keep churning them out.. Here's part of their latest email.

"Because the NNA is the most experienced notary training provider in the state -- and one of the few state-approved training providers -- our June seminars immediately reached full capacity. Answering the overwhelming demand for Notary training, we've added additional dates and Saturday classes to our seminar schedule"

Hold fast people!

Reply by BrendaTX on 6/27/05 8:14am
Msg #48076

Re: NNA Seminars and other so-called teachers...

One of my cohorts on the Texas NSA Network is a sweetheart of a guy named Sid. Sid is one I fondly refer to as the network's Notary Police. He keeps me in the loop on notarial acts he finds suspect.

The other day he forwarded me a faxed letter from the State Notary Commission. This was a letter claiming that notaries must get in compliance by taking a class with them. It was not the Secretary of State or course, and the group sending out this fax was not the "state notary commission" by any means.

For Texas Notaries: If you get anything that states you must take a class...don't call the NNA, call Dora at the SOS office in Austin.

Texas Secretary of State - Notary Public Unit
PO Box 13375
Austin, TX 78711
Phone: 512.463.5705
Fax: 512.463.0873
Email: [e-mail address]
Website: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/index.shtml

Reply by BrendaTX on 6/27/05 8:35am
Msg #48080

Re: NNA Seminars and other so-called teachers...

Wait a minute, let me correct my "so-called teacher" statement. I should not have said it like that in this context. I don't know how well or not so well the NNA teaches. Should not slight them...however, I don't like the hype and tactics used to excite and/or scare notaries into spending money by any organization.

Reply by Margaret/Florida on 6/27/05 8:44am
Msg #48082

Re: NNA Seminars and other so-called teachers...

I have been doing some research online regarding mortgages. I have pulled up Mortgages for Citibank to see who the new title company is. In doing this I check out the notary page. These are all new notaries who have gotten there commission through the NNA in April 2005, they expire April 2009. How these documents are getting recorded, I don't know. They are stamping over their signature and on top of mortage wording etc.

Reply by hcampers/fl on 6/27/05 10:03am
Msg #48096

Re: NNA Seminars and other so-called teachers...

Well I have stated many times that I took the course with the NNA and wasn't happy with it. I also informed them of this. What I did do was read and ask questions before I ever went to a signing appt. Will I still make mistakes? I'm sure I will. Will I learn from them? I'm sure I will. Will I ever pay for training with the NNA? I'm sure I WON'T!
b.

Reply by Stephanie_CA on 6/27/05 11:50am
Msg #48144

Re: NNA Seminars...Free Enterprise n/m

Reply by Terri_CA on 6/27/05 7:15pm
Msg #48285

Stan owns the private mailbox place where I have a box. Stan recently had to sit in TWICE a class due to the expiration date of his commission. He notarizes thousands of documents a year. (Right next door to a Wells Fargo.) Ok, first he tells me that his "experienced" instructors constantly referred attendee questions to their "Hot Line" for answers since they were there to "Pass the Exam." He was quite annoyed with this tactic.

Then after the first class, he called the "Hot Line" for something, turned out to be that "experienced" instructor from the first class who wouldn't answer the question he had during her class.

Ok, then he gets the letter from the CA SOS, yeah, you passed, but now take the mandatory 6 hour class. So he does. That "experienced" instructor was asked the following by an attendee, "If I renew my commission do I need to start a new journal?" (BTW CA Notaries the answer is no). The "experieneced" instructor gave the following answer, "Well, let me think, I've been a notary for 4 years, I will be renewing my commission soon. I have about 12 entries in my journal for notary acts I've completed in the last 4 years, so I guess I will continue to use the journal I have, so the answer would be that you can continue to use the journal you have and you do not have to begin a new one."

Stan was floored, this was an "experienced" notary instructor? He stated that when he renews in 4 years, he'll be taking his 3-hour refresher from another company

Terri
Lancaster, CA

Reply by tj_CA on 6/27/05 8:30pm
Msg #48315

I am an instructor for another approved course in California -- I have heard many horror stories such as this one, but the one that takes the cake is this one:

I had a student who was taking our course after she had taken NNA's and failed. She told me that she found out after the class that the instructor wasn't even a notary yet and, in fact, took the test with them after the class!! I was flabbergasted! I remember taking an NNA course approximately 10 years ago and nearly dying of boredom -- AND, I tried their "hot line" a couple of times to no avail. The moral of the story is, I guess, do your homework before signing up with a course and make sure that they have minimum standards for their instructors (e.g., notary experience, number of years, etc.). Although the course is now REQUIRED in the state of California, you still have a choice as to whom should instruct you. My two cents worth! (I purposefully left out the name of the seminar company I work for because I didn't want to be accused of advertising! :-)