Posted by Yvette Kelley-Wells on 12/19/06 8:23am
Msg #166660

STAY AWAY from this Company!

Donald Hatfield
Secure Signings , Inc.
phone -410.549.0544
fax - 410.549.9826
email - [e-mail address]
[e-mail address]

I have done a number of closings for this company in the last two months one on 10/25/06 and another on 11/4/06. Mr. Hatfield does not return calls or even acknowledges the fact that he owes you money. At times he threatens and deflects - very unprofessional. As has been posted on this forum before, Notaries are getting stiffed by companies like this who owe funds for services performed. It gives signing agencies a bad name in this business and discourages professional notaries.

The only recourse we have is going to court which is timely and costly. Another recourse is letting the Title Companies and Lenders know that firms like these are being associated with their business as well. That they should be careful and mindful of the business practices of firms like Secure Signings Inc (Maryland).

It is a shame that there are notaries out here who rely on these monies to support themselves and their families and are constantly getting stiffed!

Reply by ML/PA on 12/19/06 9:13am
Msg #166668

And when you call the title companies about the dead beats you might also recommend some of the reputable signing companies ( like Negretes) who are respected by us. I have done that so hopefully they will give their business to the companies that we know are honest and push the bad ones out of business.

Reply by DevinBluDres on 12/19/06 9:22am
Msg #166672

I totally agree with you and I do that as well. I recommend the companies that pay and pay on time to Lenders and Title Companies alike.

Reply by hcampersFL on 12/19/06 9:24am
Msg #166674

Re: STAY AWAY from this Company!-DevinBluDres

Promote yourself and your business. Don't give away the opportunites that come knocking at your door.

Reply by hcampersFL on 12/19/06 9:22am
Msg #166673

You have got to be kidding me??? Nothing against Negretes they are a good company, but I don't think I will be promoting them above myself.

If I have to call the title company about a SS not paying me the first thing I'm going to do is ask for the name and number of the scheduler that they use. Then after I talk to them about not being paid for the signing I did I will call and introduce myself to the scheduler and get an email address for them. Explain the situation and follow up with an email telling them about myself and how I can make their life easier.

I will also follow up with a card and a note to them at the title company. I may never get a call from them but if I do I will at the very least get paid a decent fee for my work.

Reply by ML/PA on 12/19/06 9:30am
Msg #166680

Of course I meant IF they insist on using signing services. I always will try to get direct business from them but there are some title companies that do not operate like that because they do not want to spend the time finding a closer. Almost 100% of my work is directly from title companies but there are a FEW signing companies that I will do work for and if I can't get the business directly from the TC then I would rather get it from a signing company that I will do business with.

Reply by PA_Notary_II on 12/19/06 3:16pm
Msg #166735

ML/PA

You inquired in Sept about SLC Services in Pittsburgh. How was your experience w/them?

Reply by DebbieT on 12/19/06 6:47pm
Msg #166771

I did one job for this company on 8/3/06 and he finally paid me 11/3/06. Very late but I got paid. This is one to add to a no do list.

Reply by Secure Signings, Inc. on 1/2/07 9:27am
Msg #168641

Re: STAY AWAY from this CLOSER

Ms Wells neglects to tell about the fact that she accepted an assignment from us , received docs (which was confirmed with her) and decided not to go to the closing. Several calls were made that evening to find out why she did not go to the scheduled closing?? Also called several times the following day. NO RETURN CALLS. We were very surprised when a week later we started receiving calls as to where a payment was for a previous closing. This was also not the first time we had problems with this closer not showing up for closings. This closer in very unprofessional , If you schedule with this closer you run the risk of a no show. Dont take the chance. We never did receive an explanation for the no show. BEWARE!

Reply by DevinBluDres on 1/10/07 5:03pm
Msg #170204

Re: STAY AWAY from this CLOSER

Mr. Hatfield is stone cold lying about the events that took place, but I am not very surprised. He has neglected to tell all on this forum that he had not paid me for previous closings that occurred in October and in November. And continually harrassed me via email, until I reported him to AOL and I reported him both to the title company and the Maryland BBB for both those closings then he sent payment 180 DAYS LATER. When he did pay me he put a little note at the bottom of the check stub that was extremely unprofessional (statement at the bottom of the check read: b****). So you tell me who is unprofessional. I have been doing this for 5 years and I have never dealt with a more unprofessional firm. I did decline a closing from his firm because he did not pay me for (2) previously completed signings- I think that is good enough explanation/reason. I have never in my 5 years of business not showed up on a closing without reason.

So Please BEWARE of doing business with him and in the future I will be sure to have checked this forum for dubious signing agencies before I go on a job. If I had done so - search on Secure Signings - I would have never entered into a business transaction with him.

Reply by Randall Emier, Alane and Lucas on 2/3/07 2:16am
Msg #173887

Message Deleted

This message has been deleted by a forum moderator.

Reason: Advertising

Reply by BrendaTx on 2/3/07 7:50am
Msg #173890

Grif/Harry - you might want to remove this post... n/m

Reply by PAW on 2/3/07 7:56am
Msg #173892

And the other ones like it.

Send a "contact us" request to Harry. I'm sure he'll look at it the same way we do.

Reply by BrendaTx on 2/3/07 8:39am
Msg #173897

Re: And the other ones like it.

**Send a "contact us" request to Harry. I'm sure he'll look at it the same way we do.**


I wish I knew that for sure but I am not sure it's a problem any more.

The worst: Lately I have noticed that "Elayne" is also allowed to put out a cattle call for signing agents--twice. I did that for a title company one time and it was removed from the board. I wasn't getting anything for the referral...just looking for an agent in an obscure Texas area because I had a title company I do a lot of business for seeking a notary for a closing. Found out that it was strictly against the rules.

I say this is "the worst" because if signing services are allowed to list where notaries are listing then what's the benefit of having a listing like Notaryrotary.com??? The title company can come here, put in a zip code and use the signing service rather than call the notary directly. It's bad for NR and for the notaries who are in saturated areas.

And, if NR is going to allow advertising in the forum, then I suggest the entreprenurial sorts open an advertising agency and make money off of their hard work and ad dollars. If you can't beat them, join them. (Not really, but you see what I mean.)

If this kind of post is allowed (PPL) then I think anyone can list their own MML or products without permission.