Posted by pat/WA on 12/9/08 11:49am
Msg #271492

FASS

FASS requires NNA membership and NNA background check. NNA price is $99 and it does not matter if you are already a member the price is $99.00

Reply by Roger_OH on 12/9/08 12:16pm
Msg #271496

It's pretty simple...

If you want to work for FASS, get the BGC from NNA; if you don't want to work for FASS, then don't get the BGC from NNA.

Wherever you decide to get the BGC, at least the cost is tax deductible as a business expense.

Reply by pat/WA on 12/9/08 12:23pm
Msg #271497

Re: It's pretty simple...

You are right and I have paid and requested the BGC

Reply by Yowheelz on 12/9/08 12:38pm
Msg #271498

Not so simple.

I had the NNA BGC and still couldn't get on with FASS. They said they were not taking any new signing agents.

Reply by pat/WA on 12/9/08 12:50pm
Msg #271503

Re: Not so simple.

I have been doing signings for FASS for years and I was shocked when they had this NNA requirement. But I did it and I hope I have not been dropped from their list.

Reply by Jcobb on 12/9/08 12:44pm
Msg #271499

Re: It's pretty simple...

Recently LSI has requested background checks, mine was over 2 yrs old, so needed to be current. LSI was offering a short time $30 special (all reports). Last month NNA had sent a letter for $99., but I had membership until 2011. , so didn't have a need for the "freebies" offered (extended 1 yr. membership, etc. ) that was included in the $99. fee. Yesterday I got a rude call from Horvack (NNA). telling me the BAC was expired. I told him that I'd gotten it for $30 thru LSI. He shouted,"why did you do that?" to save money, and explained I had a membership to 2011 so didn't need the NNA add-ons. He did not try to assist in adjusting the cost of their signing certification when asked. I asked him to lower his voice. (he didn't) He said, have a good day and hung up. I called NNA customer service to let them know about this rude call. The customer service person said they would charge $45 for the certification exam and to send them a copy of Lexix Nexis results to customer service when I got it. I was shocked at the NNA callers approach to my "going around them" (my words) to save money. ( if you needed all of the benefits, $99. would have been reasonable, here I'm talking about duplication of benefits.)
I Wonder how many of you seasoned notaries DO NOT belong to NNA and how does that effect your business in terms of business?

Reply by Yowheelz on 12/9/08 12:46pm
Msg #271500

No longer a member, couldn't see the benefit n/m

Reply by Calnotary on 12/9/08 12:49pm
Msg #271501

Re: No longer a member, couldn't see the benefit

Never been a member and never been asked for membership on the hiring entities.

Reply by Yoli/CA on 12/9/08 1:02pm
Msg #271505

Re: No longer a member. Waste of money. n/m

Reply by Carole Breckbill on 12/9/08 1:18pm
Msg #271507

Re: It's pretty simple...

I've received sufficient value to renew my membership. This has been a minor source of referrals; NotRot is the major one!

Reply by GWest on 12/9/08 1:27pm
Msg #271510

Re: It's pretty simple...

Had my own run in with the NNA. I renewed my membership in March '08, as I was required to have this for one of my clients, and received my Certificate for "NNA Certified and Background Screened NSA" which was good til 03/2010.
Because of the LSI email received last week, I checked the SigningAgent.com site and my Certification was gone. When I called they stated that there was a problem with the website and it was being fixed. I check my profile again yesterday and found that it still did not have my Certification. When I called they checked further and stated that my Background Screened had expired in November. I advised that I had a Certificate that states it was good until 03/2010 and if this was not correct why didn't they advise me of this. She stated that they are changing the program to combine the NSA Certification and Background Screening to renew at the same time and are in the process of contacting those of us obtained the Background Screening separately.
So those of you who obtained the Background Screening two years ago when all this started, and have an NNA NSA Membership, you may want to check your listing.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 12/9/08 1:37pm
Msg #271514

Been a member since 2006...

In the last year the number of calls I've gotten as a result of that listing has dropped off drastically (to practically nothing)...so my certification and BGC both lapsed and I won't be renewing them and my membership expires in 4/09, which won't be renewed...no benefit seen to keeping the membership.

Reply by Jcobb on 12/9/08 2:00pm
Msg #271522

Re: What memberships give you the edge?

I have received more calls from Notary Rotary than any other, what do you find? others?

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 12/9/08 2:14pm
Msg #271525

Re: What memberships give you the edge?

Notary Rotary membership has been very good to me....and I have a couple others that work for me too...in addition to direct marketing.

Reply by MonicaFL on 12/9/08 6:36pm
Msg #271555

Re: What memberships give you the edge?

When I first started this business I joined the NNA but NEVER EVER got a call from anyone who said they found me thru the NNA. NotRot is the BEST place to be.

Reply by GY_CT on 12/11/08 1:36pm
Msg #271739

Re: It's pretty simple...

I'm a "seasoned notary" and I've never belonged to NNA and never would. (Has it affected my business? I doubt it. How would one know? One does not want to be affiliated with NNA-dependent SAs anyway.) The best service the "notary community" could do for itself would be a universal boycott of these scam artists. The latest scam is this BGC issue. SA's are sending emails out claiming lenders are "insisting" on BGCs (a rather preposterous notion in itself from the industry that wrote trillions of dollars in bad paper and without flinching routinely asks for document backdating) and notaries have to go through NNA to get the BGC. There's not even a convincing attempt to make the emails look different, company to company.

In the FAAS case they charge $99 for a $45 service and give an NNA membership for "free." What a deal. And, as you yourself found out, even that "free" membership doesn't carry you very far. You should have been offended, but not shocked, that NNA was mad at you for "going around them." You're their bread and butter. Their entire "business model" is based on schemes to force notaries to pay for NNA "services" --and not only once but over and over and again and again.

Reply by Les_CO on 12/9/08 2:45pm
Msg #271529

FASS is a $50 company. If you want to work for $50, sign up.

Reply by jojo_MN on 12/9/08 7:57pm
Msg #271564

I know a few notaries in this area that ARE NOT members of the NNA and they get business from them. I wouldn't meet their lowball fees, so they had to get "fee approval". Obviously they don't call back. Imagine that. I have the same excperience with a couple other companies that tell me the same thing--I need to be a member of NNA and get the BGC. I jumped through their hoops before by re-signing with NNA. Won't make that mistake again.

My page wasn't even showing that I was BGC'd. When I renewed last year, they assured me that it would show on my profile. When it didn't show, they said that they changed their rules and you have to be re-certified for it to show up.

Reply by Frank/NC on 12/9/08 9:45pm
Msg #271569

Doesn't matter what they require. They are just another low ball operation. The problem is that business is SLOW but these companies always get someone to do their work after they hear a price and say,"I have to get it approved and I'll call you back". They still keep finding people out there that will work for peanuts.