Posted by SoCalcloser on 8/22/08 12:11am
Msg #261161

Your thoughts on a suspicious signing today...

I got a call from a loan officer to do an edoc signing 2 days ago. I only received a number for the signer's son to schedule the appt and after so many messages and possible appt times that didnt go through, I finally scheduled a time to meet. We met at a coffee shop and when I looked at his ID, his age didnt seem to match up, unless he didnt age well but the older man seemed to be in his 60's not 50. Then maybe I was paranoid, but the font for the dates looked different and lighter shade of red than than norm, everything else looked ok. As you may have heard, California has a very high number of mortgage fraud, so Im extra cautious.

A few things happened, when I asked for him to verify his ss#, he looked in his folder to verify numbers that were written down , he had a sheet all prepared with info on it. Then I asked where he would like to have the check sent, he again looked at his folder for the addresss, but then made a phone call to his son with the same name to verify where he should have the checked forwarded to, he said the check will be sent to his son. He didnt bother to look at any of the docs, he just signedYes there are people out there that don't read docs, but they at least glance at the note and seem disappointed when I tell them the closing statement didnt make it in time, which he was not. Maybe since he was from another country, he couldnt really understand the docs, but Im looking at the whole scenario.

Finally, when I asked for a thumbprint, his imprint was too faint, basically no imprint, so I asked for a left thumbprint, that one had a bandaid on it, how convenient. When I asked him to use his index finger, he smudged it by twisting it on my book and then had to ask him again, this time I had to physically assist him so that it is clear.

I called the LO and said something didn't feel right with this borrower, that I will need to meet with him again to verify a 2nd form of ID, he didnt have one on him. She agreed to hold off on sending docs until I could verify his 2nd ID. I spoke with the son again, and he said his father would be available tonight to show me his ID. When I called to confirm our meeting, he said the LO is sending another notary to get the docs signed again. Nice of the LO to call me and let me know, like I had nothing else to do tonight. This amazes me as I spent time discussing this issue with her all day and she seemed happy that the borrower had his passport to show me. The LO response after I was made aware of the new plan was that she is sorry and she will send me another one real soon. She then said borrower didnt have his passport until tomorrow and she couldnt wait anymore. Strange that borrower didnt have it tonight at his home where we were meeting.

Im furious right now, and going to send them an invoice for the full amount.

Since this is a first experience for me, I'd like to know your thoughts and if you had something similar happen to you before?

Reply by Gerry_VT on 8/22/08 12:18am
Msg #261163

It's so much nicer to read about a notary who wasn't sure everything was kosher, so didn't go through with a signing, rather than a notary who finished a signing and is now writing about maybe s/he shouldn't have.

Reply by desktopfull on 8/22/08 12:36am
Msg #261164

I would be informing the SOS of the incident and any regulatory authority over lender's, TC"S etc. You did the right thing by insisting on more info from the borrower since his ID was questionable. You called the LO, but you didn't indicate whether you notified the TC, if not, I would notify them ASAP.

Reply by JulieD/KS on 8/22/08 9:24am
Msg #261197

And, furthermore, to add to what desktopful said, I would inform the loan officer that I was going to be reporting this incident to the SOS. Loan officers just want their pay and it's apparent that this loan officer doesn't care if there is proper ID. I've encountered of lot of LOs like that.

So, I'd put the LO on notice that this suspicious signing is going to be reported. You might also call someone higher up in the LO's company. After all, it's the company that will bear the brunt of this fraudulent transaction.

Doesn't this kind of stuff just IRK you?

Reply by MistarellaFL on 8/22/08 9:29am
Msg #261199

good catch

It sounds like the son was going to sign for the father, and since you smelled something fishy, they decided to have another NSA sign them when Dad was available, so there would be no "witness" to the fraud factor.
I'd bill them, too.

Reply by goodgirl on 8/22/08 10:04am
Msg #261204

Re: good catch

You definitely did the right thing. I agree that you should report this ASAP to the proper agencies. LOs only want their money. They could care less about the repercussions of faulty ID.
Sad thing is, if you had gone thru with this and not been astute enough to ask questions and refuse to take fraudulent ID, when the $hit hit the fan down the road, they would have come back to you as the notary who didn't properly ID your client.

Reply by Becca_FL on 8/22/08 10:04am
Msg #261203

Every lender has a fraud department and that's who I would call to report my suspicions. Once a report is made to the fraud department you can bet that the file will be put under a microscope before funding.

Reply by Derrick/MT on 8/22/08 10:07am
Msg #261206

If I understand this correctly, you went through with the closing even after you did not feel comfortable about who you where IDing. Why?
If you feel something weird is going on then more than likly some weird is going on.

Reply by SoCalcloser on 8/22/08 12:24pm
Msg #261236

Honestly, I felt there was something fishy but I wasnt too sure,and thought that I could verify a 2nd ID later, it was when we got to the thumbprint that raised the biggest red flag. I initially told the LO after we were done, that I will send her all the paperwork with my notarization crossed out, that I couldnt go through with it. She told me to shred the paperwork. Then she called me back to see if there is something that I could do after speaking with the son. She told me that signer is willing to show me whatever I want to see to prove his identity incl passport and to go to his house this time to meet with him. I thought to check it out and if it still didnt feel right then I wouldnt go through with it.

Reply by Trenton Hall on 8/22/08 5:10pm
Msg #261308

IMHO, ID and fingerprints and oath should be done before anything else. Different/off colors on the ID, even the card itself should have made you, NEED, MORE. I hope your journal is upto date on this.