Posted by Pamela Hoyle on 5/27/10 7:11pm
Msg #338647

Provident Law Group - Retainer Contract

Just got a call from Provident Law Group to print out 16-18 pp for a client, verify their id and insure they sign in the right spot on the form. No notarizations required. Supposed to be a contract for a retainer. I don't collect any funds, etc. Anybody heard of them?

Reply by CopperheadVA on 5/27/10 7:50pm
Msg #338654

Haven't heard of them, but is this a retainer for loan modification services?

Reply by GOLDGIRL/CA on 5/27/10 7:56pm
Msg #338655

No. But as a general rule of thumb, I stay away from requests like this. I may be losing businesses, but it concerns me that these "law groups" are calling us as notaries but aren't using us as notaries. Why? Maybe to lend credibility to whatever it is they are doing. If I'm not notarizing anything, then why don't they just call the local cab company and give the driver the job? Anybody can ID someone and follow the stickies on the docs. Just seems strange. I'd have to ask myself why am I there? What exactly am I doing? What is my liability?

Reply by kcg on 5/27/10 9:41pm
Msg #338672

This company is asking you to have papers signed for a retainer which will be used toward fees to "attempt" to get a mortgage modified.

They will not ask you to collect any upfront checks but one of the documents allows them access to the person's checking or savings account so they can take their fees out as the process goes along. They will also have the client pay for your services. Sorry, it smells to high heaven

Please check with the AG to see if this is legal in your state.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 5/27/10 9:46pm
Msg #338673

If this is truly a law firm...and I'd check the state Bar

Association to find out about each member of this purported "law group" - no attorney works for nothing unless they state up front it's pro bono - they're all going to require a "retainer" to hire their services...that's not unusual and may not be illegal, especially in this type of work. Contingency work is done on personal injury and worker's compensation claims (and maybe some others, but very few).

An attorney has nothing to sell but time and expertise..which is why the meter starts running the minute they pick up the phone - especially in these types of non-contingent matters.

If you're not collecting anything but merely having an attorney's retainer signed, I don't see the problem.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 5/27/10 10:08pm
Msg #338677

Re: If this is truly a law firm...and I'd check the state Bar

Interesting comments:

http://www.trustlink.org/ViewQuestion.aspx?QuestionID=2998

Reply by Pamela Hoyle on 5/27/10 11:19pm
Msg #338684

Re: Provident Law Group - a goose egg!

Rec'd a PM telling me that they were into mods....and oddly enough, even though I was told the confirmation would be emailed to me within 15 minutes here it is 4 hours later and nada. So...I think I will follow all your good advice and not do it. If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck and quacks like a duck...they aren't gonna cook my goose!

Reply by C. Rivera Chicago Notary Services on 5/28/10 7:14am
Msg #338711

money is probably going to be wired to the law group...

They do foreclosures/loan modifications. They claim to HELP but they don't IMO.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 5/28/10 7:23am
Msg #338713

Re: money is probably going to be wired to the law group...

IMO what happens between the homeowner and the law firm after the fact is between them. You can't save everyone from themselves...and it's really not our job to do it.

I don't understand why these companies even involve us other than they think it makes them look good to send a notary. No notarizations required and we can't explain anything anyway ... personally I think they should just FedEx the docs directly to the homeowner with written instructions and eliminate the middleman - us..

MHO

Reply by C. Rivera Chicago Notary Services on 5/28/10 7:43am
Msg #338715

benefit for us is we charge as 'courier' fee NOT notary....

big diff in prices for me!

Reply by CF on 5/28/10 8:16am
Msg #338729

Re: money is probably going to be wired to the law group...

The, ultimate, problem is that you have no way to prove that you did not collect the funds!!! They can say anything they want too....and then you will have to pay the legal fees to prove that you did not. Who is to say the homeowner will not throw you under the bus? At the point of legal interaction they will be po'ed that they were duped; and you were the only front person that they saw!!! JMO- I do not want to spend thousands of $$ proving that I did not do anything wrong....and I still not sure that I would even be able to prove my innocence b/c I believe that having anything to do with the process is illegal! Short of contracting a lawyer and spending my hard earned money to get the information....I am saying NO!!!

Reply by CF on 5/28/10 8:08am
Msg #338727

Re: money is probably going to be wired to the law group...

I got a request from through a SS a couple of weeks ago and posted questioning if people were taking these orders. My confirmation had a contact at the, supposed, lawyers office. I, nonchalantly, called this person and asked some pointed questions. He gave me all the answers that I needed to know that this was a loan mod...although never saying that himself. I, immediately, called the SS and gave back the order. I was argued with by vendor management that this was, perfectly, legal and that many notaries in my area perform these requests; and that if it was not legal they would have heard about it. After the arrogance of this person....I inquired that if I am sued are they going to represent me? Well, after that the conversation was over....b/c I know that I am the one hanging out and blowing in the wind all alone if something comes back to bite me.

I will not have my name attached to anything like this. Good luck to those that are making a small amount $$$ to perform these services and you loose your a$$ on it in the end!!! It never ceases to amaze me that people will perform services for pennies and take on the risk that these orders bring with it.

Reply by anita55109 on 5/28/10 7:57am
Msg #338723

I too was approached by them and the homeowner is to write me a check on the spot for my services. Well thats all fine and good but I don't want to be a part of a homeowner getting mixed up in a bad deal. I checked them out on www.ripoffreport.com and they have one feedback which is good. Same deal there and the homeowner was satisfied with the outcome. I've not done this job yet as the homeowner had to reschedule due to not having the funds required to start the proceedings. I doubt that it will ever go because I just don't understand if you have $5000 to do something like this then why are you behind in your house payments?

Reply by MW/VA on 5/28/10 8:35am
Msg #338736

Be sure to check your state's laws on loan mod applications.

It is illegal in many states, including attorneys who charge a large up-front fee & call it a "retainer".