Posted by NMS/FL on 7/19/10 11:03pm
Msg #345663
Here we go again, and again, and again...
I got a call today asking if I could help with "stamping and signing" some papers. Boy, I get this all the time! I told them I don't "stamp and sign" papers, but I would help out with their notarial needs, and asked what their need was. She proceeded to tell me that there were 30 "certified" copies that needed to be done and sent to their immigration attorney in CA. I couldn't believe I was hearing her correctly and finally got her attorney's phone number in Los Angeles. The customer told me that she had worked with a notary who made the copies but that she was being asked to have them done again because they were rejected. The customer told me that the notary that did the original "certified" copies asked her to make copies of all the documents and hand-write "This is a true and accurate copy of the original" on every page she photocopied! The notary couldn't "sign and stamp" since she had to take off to Orlando! The customer said that she had made the photocopies and had handwritten this working on all pages and all I had to do was to "sign and stamp" each one! I told her I appreciated her insights into how my job was supposed to be done, but we don't "stamp and sign" documents, we do notarize signatures, and in her case, attested copies. I told her after I got off the phone with the attorney, I'd call her back.
So that's what's going on....the attorney forwarded the copies out of the country and they were rejected. No kidding, they only had a signature and a notary stamp on the photocopies! Now this notary wanted these poor people to make new copies (which they did at a stationery store) and hand write inappropriate wording on each one (which they did) without her supervision or involvement! Thank God the notary was in Orlando today. We set up an appointment and I asked the husband to bring all the documents (originals, photocopies, etc) over with him along with his drivers license.
After I did the first attested copy, with the state approved certificate working, document description, number of pages, the name of the custodian and the date on the document, signed it and applied my seal, his eyes were popping out of his head. He said, "That's why the attorney told us to see you. That's what we're supposed to have done?" I then gave him the short version of what a certificate is used for, why those elements are in it, etc. He was go grateful that he didn't engage the other notary yet again. I felt so sorry for them, having to waste time and money getting copies of things and writing all this gibberish just because another notary has never had the interest in learning what's required of them. Why are these people wanting a commission in the first place? I'll never understand. Yes, it took a very long time to do 30 attested copies, but they are done right, and now this couple can get on with their lives.
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