Posted by Dianna Baker on 11/19/07 10:24am
Msg #221948

The Final Step, LLC

DO NOT ACCEPT WORK FROM THIS COMPANY!!!! This company has not paid the notaries they have hired for the last 8 months! They will not pay you. You will be given every excuse in the book and you will still not be paid. Gary the owner of this company will even admit that he has been paid for the loan that you have closed for him but will still not pay you. Please folks stop this guy. He is somehow getting work through 'The Lending Tree'. Problem is - he refuses to pay his notaries claiming he has to keep his employees paid. I have never been stiffed as bad as this. I have also been notified by 12 other NSA's that say The Final Step owes them $100's of dollars as well and they cannot collect either. Dianna Baker, CNSA, Glendale, Arizona

Reply by Calnotary on 11/19/07 10:41am
Msg #221951

Dianna with more than 20K loans closed you did not know this was one of the worst SS in the industry?

I closed one loan for him almost three years ago. He took more than 60 days to pay and I had to call to get paid. After that I never accept anymore signings from him.

Now every time I receive a order if I don't know the company I still accept it, but if they come with a bad rating
here in NOTROT, I go ahead and cancel. NOTROT is a place to check SS's paying record!!

Reply by Dianna Baker on 11/19/07 10:52am
Msg #221953

I was on the road when I got the call. I did not hear the name of the company well and was so rushed I just accepted the job & ran back to my office to pick up the confirmation. I DID note that it was a crappy company with a horrible rep. I called Gary and said I don't want the job 'you don't pay your notaries'. He LIED and said I would be paid off the HUD. I then accepted only if he agreed to overnight a check to me. I dropped the docs, and of course I have no check. The Lending Tree 1-800-942-3683 x3782 Donald Sumpter claims that they no longer use The Final Step for their loans anymore. (Which is not true because a NSA told me he got a call last week to close a lending tree loan for The Final Step - he turned it down because I'd warned him). I got hit on this one. I am simply warning everyone to please make sure you hear the name correctly (one of my good friends in Kansas just got screwed the same way) & even if they promise you the moon. DO NOT ACCEPT WORK from The Final Step. I knew better - so now the least I can do is warn everyone and hopefully we can get a class action law suit against The Finals Step and/or The Lending Tree for using them continuously knowing that they do not pay the notaries. Regarding I should know better after closing over 20k in loans. You are right, I should have. I will not EVER repeat the mistake, but I can make sure another NSA does not get shafted by this con. Gary is a crook - he is a liar and a thief.

Reply by sue_pa on 11/19/07 11:25am
Msg #221968

you should have known better as you and the others stated. Unfortunately, we all 'should have known' in probably than more than one instance with more than one company. My thought - you did the right thing when you realized they were not one of the most reputable companies out there -you called and discussed why you wanted to return the order. When he said you'd be paid off the HUD and then turned around and said he was to overnight you a check, those statements counter acted each other. If you are being paid off the HUD, the check comes from whoever disburses - title company or lender. He would be out of the picture when it comes to overnighting the check. If I were in this position (actually I wouldn't have been because I would have refused the loan outright when I realized it was not a good company - I wish and hope every less than stellar company goes out of business and one of those ways is for them to be unable to fill the orders with competent closers), when I received the HUD I'd have called the title company directly and said that my agreement with the Final Step was that I was to be listed on the HUD in order for me to complete the job - would have told them why too. They, in turn, would have said impossible, FS lied to you as we don't place notaries on the HUD, or they would have called FS and gotten permission to revise the HUD and list you .

Reply by Dianna Baker on 11/19/07 12:25pm
Msg #221976

Sue, I agree with all that you have said. I feel I did what was necessary prior to completing the job. I don't think publicly flagging me as if I am an utter moron is relaying what I was trying to get across. Final Step could not get me added to the HUD. They said they'd overnite a check. None of which obviously happened. I am simply trying to get across to everyone - don't work for them. They lie, they steal and they are not going to pay you! I think we've also added valuable info such as names, phone #'s and email addresses. All crucial to other NSA's not being paid by this lousy company. Thanks.

Reply by Philip Johnson on 11/19/07 10:44am
Msg #221952

Why don't you start with the TC's that hired him

and if you don't get satisfaction, then start climbing the Lending tree. (pardon the pun) You should be able to find someone in the Lending tree organization who during this time of turmoil does not need another bad story.
May I suggest you start with Matt Packey their Chief financial officer, of course you will not reach him but you will reach Allison Vail @ 704-943-8339. I will assume that she will hear your concerns and probably work this out with you.

Here's her email as well: [e-mail address]
I would also assume Mr. Packey's is [e-mail address]


Good luck.

Reply by Dianna Baker on 11/19/07 11:02am
Msg #221959

Re: Why don't you start with the TC's that hired him

Thanks, left a message for Ms. Vail. I also spoke with Thao at 1-949-726-4525 with the Lending Tree. She claims they just stopped giving work to The Final Step last week. She also claimed that 'they only found out last week that The Final Step is not paying their notaries. But, that it is not their responsibility to pay the notaries.'.

Reply by Philip Johnson on 11/19/07 11:09am
Msg #221961

That's what the underlings will always say.

3 out of 3 times for various things i have gotten satisfaction by dealing with the big guys. Go ahead and send a courteous but firm email to Mr. Packey explaining your situation and I bet you'll be satisfied.

Reply by SShoreDude on 11/19/07 12:28pm
Msg #221978

Well, the good news is...

It is nice to hear the lost that big client Lending Tree. Almost makes the money I lost worth it.

Reply by Philip Johnson on 11/19/07 12:52pm
Msg #221982

Wow. You gave up way too easy, if you don't hound him

to the ends of financial ruin.

Reply by SShoreDude on 11/19/07 1:31pm
Msg #221990

Dont Worry

Don't worry Phil I am in the Maryland Legal System as we speak. I will post how that goes.

Reply by Dianna Baker on 11/19/07 4:57pm
Msg #222031

Re: Dont Worry

Let me know how it goes. I am very Pi...d off at this guy. I want to make sure he never hires another notary again! I just want to be paid. I am hounding him and then I will go after Gary, his company The Final Step and Lending Tree for all of my collection & legal fees!

Reply by Nancy M. Misenar on 11/19/07 2:04pm
Msg #221997

Re: Why don't you start with the TC's that hired him

I contacted Thao 2 weeks ago and made the complaint about Fianl Step, she called and told me that if he did not return my call to let her know, well he returned my call and was mad as hell at me for bashing him. Hey this guy is a bonified lier and a theif, and I am being polite in this statement. Gary said my check would go out last week will see if it is in the mail today, I am going to take legal action against him. I may be in Montana but the **it can fly far from where I am.......

Reply by Phillip/TX on 11/19/07 2:16pm
Msg #222001

You go Nancy!!!! n/m

Reply by Phillip/TX on 11/19/07 2:16pm
Msg #222002

You go Nancy!!!! n/m