Posted by James Dawson on 11/14/10 4:39pm
Msg #361282

should I send the check back?

As if may life isn’t fulfilling enough. I got a check for a signing I never did from a SS I’ve never worked for!

Let me explain. My wife deposits checks I receive on Fridays into an account set up for my notary work and art sales. On Sundays, I take the check receipts she places on my desk and enter them into a spreadsheet. Date, SS/TC/Walkup, client/BWR, type of Doc, fee, comments.

Among the receipts was a check from SS I have never worked for. I looked them up in S/C, they are rated 2 star so now I know I’ve never worked for them. I try to match the borrowers name with my journal entries (for the past year) nada. The date services performed, nada. I cannot find an email rcv/sent ( I keep them for four months) to that SS during the time it happened..

Yes I can prove this but my question is…..should I send the check back? Would the person who sent it to me be fired? cover it up? not pay the notary who actually did the work?

Reply by SueW/Tn on 11/14/10 4:46pm
Msg #361286

Call the SS and notify them there's been an error in payment. If you've already deposited the check let them know you cashed it in error and that you will be sending them a check in the morning.

Reply by Calnotary on 11/14/10 4:52pm
Msg #361287

WAIT till the check clears the bank!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Remember it's a 2 star company, maybe it will return NSF.

Reply by SueW/Tn on 11/14/10 4:54pm
Msg #361288

Re: WAIT till the check clears the bank!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

True Calnotary...however two wrongs do not make a right.

Reply by Calnotary on 11/14/10 4:59pm
Msg #361291

Re: WAIT till the check clears the bank!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am not saying to keep the check, one time a few years ago one SS send me 2 or 3 checks a month and I called them to say that they were making the mistake, and they kept sending me those checks. I had like ;7 or 8 checks and I just put them in an envelope and send them back. Never heard from them.

Reply by James Dawson on 11/14/10 4:55pm
Msg #361289

I could always blame it on my wife LOL n/m

Reply by jba/fl on 11/14/10 5:19pm
Msg #361294

Does it belong to you? n/m

Reply by GOLDGIRL/CA on 11/14/10 5:39pm
Msg #361296

Don't do anything right now!!! This falls under the "no good deed goes unpunished" category. Wait a while until the payor discovers the error and contacts you for reimbursement, at which time you blame it all on your wife or a big misunderstanding or whatever ..... besides, if you sit on it a while, it may come back to you that you indeed did the signing. After all, how would a SS that you claim you have never worked for, never heard of, be sending you a check? We can barely get them to pay us when we have done work for them. Also, some of these agencies operate under different names. (At the end of the year when the 1099s come in, they have names of companies I've never heard of and I have to match them to my checks.) So wait while the dust settles and then if they made a mistake, go ahead and fix it.

Reply by GOLDGIRL/CA on 11/14/10 5:42pm
Msg #361297

This is assuming the check is made out to you ....

or is somebody's else's name on it ?

Reply by James Dawson on 11/14/10 5:53pm
Msg #361299

Re: This is assuming the check is made out to you ....

I already checked to see if there were two notaries with the same name. I know I never worked for them 'cause they're mention often here and also have an "agreement" that must be signed in order to get payment! LOL

Reply by OR on 11/14/10 6:01pm
Msg #361301

Re: This is assuming the check is made out to you ....

I would not cash it for any reason. From what I read here the companies that dont pay are the ones that usually have bad worst attitude. Not worth the troubles. I would call them and offer to destroy the check or send it back. I have been paid twice for a job and I always called and let the company tell me what to do.

Reply by James Dawson on 11/14/10 6:34pm
Msg #361306

Re: This is assuming the check is made out to you ....

I posted my wife deposited Friday..........

Reply by OR on 11/14/10 6:48pm
Msg #361313

Re: This is assuming the check is made out to you ....

I think you should all them and offer to write them a check for the amount of the check you cashed say sorry and send it to them. You should not feel like it is ok to keep money for a job you did not do like a its a bonus for what they did or do to others. That money belongs to someone else. They need it to pay their bills with. The other Notary is already out for the cost of doing the job. All around it stinks for the other Notary.

Reply by James Dawson on 11/14/10 5:57pm
Msg #361300

Goldgirl check p/m n/m

Reply by SueW/Tn on 11/14/10 6:13pm
Msg #361302

James, your original question was

"should I send the check back? Would the person who sent it to me be fired? cover it up? not pay the notary who actually did the work?"

IMHO this situation is a no brainer. You didn't do the work (your words) and the check was sent to you by mistake. Whether someone on the other end gets fired or not isn't the issue, the issue is that there is a NSA who obviously isn't going to be paid as long as the company believes they've already paid her/him. Hanging on to it, or worse yet depositing it in the bank and waiting for them to "discover" their error only compounds the issue for the person who, in fact, deserves the check.

I knew within a dollar how much work I had on the books and I'll bet you do too. At the very least the SS needs to be notified that they've paid you in error and when this happened with me I pointed out to them in high octaves that there was another notary waiting patiently to be paid and I hoped they would expedite that payment.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 11/14/10 6:22pm
Msg #361303

Re: James, your original question was

"IMHO this situation is a no brainer."

My thoughts exactly. If you didn't do the work, someone else probably did. The company thinks they paid for that assignment and the notary is waiting for a check. And this is all beside the point, however, because it's money you didn't earn. Period. If we expect a ss to always do the right thing and always pay for work done, it works both ways.

The only caveat I would add is that if, in fact, the check was already accidentally deposited, I would wait until you're sure it clears before you send it back to ensure that you're not the victim of a scam. That way you won't end up having sent back payment for a check that is no good and being out that money - plus the NSF fees...

Reply by James Dawson on 11/14/10 6:45pm
Msg #361310

Re: James, your original question was

I posted this in part hoping someone might know something about this.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 11/14/10 7:00pm
Msg #361317

Got it! Guess that part got lost somewhere along the line. n/m

Reply by James Dawson on 11/14/10 6:44pm
Msg #361309

Re: James, your original question was

I Posted my wife deposited the check on Friday.

No I didn't know what checks were deposited.

I have income property, some of the tenants I don't know as I don't handle that either.

The check was in my name and I have no intentions on keeping it although the p/ms are ALL for it!

You have never posted a positive thing about anything I have every said so what's the interest?..and I am definitely not in TN so we do not share the same views.............Newbies....please observe what happens next.

Reply by jba/fl on 11/14/10 7:46pm
Msg #361336

Re: James, your original question was

"The check was in my name and I have no intentions on keeping it although the p/ms are ALL for it!"

This is scruples and ethics 101 - a no brainer for a below average intellect. Why would those who PM suggest keeping funds that do not belong to them? I can understand them PM'ing as I know if I felt that way I would be ashamed to say so on the public, read by everyone forum.

"You have never posted a positive thing about anything I have ever said so what's the interest?.."

I don't recall Sue ever posting nothing but negative things about you - are you a bit thin-skinned here? The remark is snide for sure.

"and I am definitely not in TN so we do not share the same views......"

No matter where another is in this country, I share like views with many. If we are talking common courtesy, ethics, morals, scruples, I probably share like feelings and values with many, not just my immediate area. Is there really something to the phrase "Ca: Land of Fruiits and Nuts" beyond the joking and ribbing regarding some random bizarre behavior? Or for any section of the country - you know, the rednecks, the Southern Bubba's, so stupid they can even punch their ballots correctly and so on?

".......Newbies....please observe what happens next."

What kind of remark is this? What is that to signify? Are you again going to pull out that tired cliche that you are being picked on? Please don't. The way to have avoided this was to not ask for and comment on each and every reply. This is your can of worms - own it.

Reply by SueW/Tn on 11/15/10 4:40am
Msg #361364

Re: James, your original question was

Well James...what a "surprise" to get a post like this. First of all the ONLY time I've responded to any of your posts was when you determined "we are family" and I didn't agree with that statement. If you recall that was the same thread where you also threatened posters here with whatever level of intimidation you think you've got. Between you wanting to change everything about NOTROT to your playing that "you're a racist" game with Cali I'm beginning to think you've got a hidden agenda. Second, I had exactly the same situation a few weeks ago and posted here with the same thought that perhaps the NSA involved would contact me, my post was Mess. #360415. As you will see by my post no one was aware I had checks in my possession and I solved the problem with the help of some NSA's that had company information. I waited to destroy the checks involved (there were 2) until the President of that company notified me she was aware of the problem and it had been solved.

"Newbies...please observe what happens next" your ritual slam, said over and over again. Newbies OBSERVE THIS: This job does NOT require a Phd, it requires common sense, values, integrity and the ability to think on your feet. James would like you to think you've entered the Twilight Zone and no one here will help...not true. Hopefully you'll have more sense than to get yourself into a situation like he does and then be stupid enough to post. That comes straight from the hills of Tennessee and proud of it!

Reply by jba/fl on 11/14/10 7:47pm
Msg #361337

Nice lesson for the newbies - how to cheat? Why would you post that here for those who read this board other than just notaries?

Reply by MonicaFL on 11/15/10 4:49am
Msg #361365

I also received a check one time that didn't belong to me and I immediately sent it back with a note. Needless to say, never heard back from them. So it does happen.

Reply by SharonMN on 11/15/10 9:48am
Msg #361383

Send them a monthly statement showing a credit for the amount of the check. Maybe they will ask for a refund or give you a signing. If not, I wouldn't worry about it.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 11/15/10 10:03am
Msg #361385

Disagree

If he didn't do the job the money goes back...period. "Wouldn't worry about it?" - yes worry about it!! Keeping it is wrong - it's unjust enrichment - not his money - that money belongs to someone else if he truly did NOT do the job and someone else did.

JMO

Reply by Tess on 11/14/10 6:31pm
Msg #361305

If you were inclined to ever work for them, you could also notify them of the situation (including the accidental deposit) and let them know they now have a credit on your books for one signing. This is how most companies handle a overpayment.

Reply by James Dawson on 11/14/10 6:47pm
Msg #361312

True but I will send it back because I still would never work for them based on the S/C comments.

Reply by Tess on 11/14/10 7:10pm
Msg #361321

If you want to be above reproach, then do the right thing and send them a check! I would however, as others have stated, and wait till it clears first.

Reply by jba/fl on 11/14/10 7:50pm
Msg #361338

And if it does not clear, only send the difference? It wasn't his to begin with; it should have been reconciled prior to deposit.

Reply by Tess on 11/14/10 8:02pm
Msg #361343

Re: ??? If it does not clear, then he is out of the NSF fee,

and will obviously not owe them anything, because he got nothing! I agree that making a deposit before reconciling, was not a smart thing to do, but it was not like he deliberately deposited it anyway.

Reply by James Dawson on 11/15/10 12:43am
Msg #361359

My wife will thank you for that :) n/m

Reply by desktopfull on 11/14/10 6:59pm
Msg #361316

Absolutely return it to the company. n/m

Reply by Mike Goodey on 11/14/10 7:22pm
Msg #361325

The right thing to do is send it back with a note explaing the mistake.

Reply by Stoli on 11/14/10 7:54pm
Msg #361339

Shame on you for asking. n/m

Reply by desktopfull on 11/14/10 8:22pm
Msg #361345

Best response so far! n/m

Reply by Penney/CA on 11/14/10 9:35pm
Msg #361350

Re: Best response so far!

ditto

Reply by James Dawson on 11/15/10 12:23am
Msg #361357

Re: Shame on you for asking.

Stoli, noboday got it but me. LOL

Reply by desktopfull on 11/14/10 8:28pm
Msg #361346

I'm beginning to believe that this is a put on anyway. n/m

Reply by Claudine Osborne on 11/14/10 9:44pm
Msg #361352

Re: No alternative

I would not hesitate to call the SS as soon as this check was discovered. Its not your money and thats really all the counts..I would not have posted this as is not a situation that needs to be debated. Money is not yours call and send it back..

Reply by James Dawson on 11/15/10 12:21am
Msg #361356

Re: No alternative Claudine..I was hoping I might be able to

reach out to the notary who did the job. It was in an area I cover and a lot of notaries in this area visit the forum.

Reply by Ilene C. Seidel on 11/15/10 7:36am
Msg #361368

Re: No alternative Claudine..I was hoping I might be able to

There's some poor sucker out there the check was meant for, send it back after it clears and wait at least 2 weeks. I had a counterfeit check given to me it took two weeks before B of A returned it.

Reply by James Dawson on 11/15/10 7:38am
Msg #361369

Re: No alternative Claudine..I was hoping I might be able to

I'm calling the SS this morning so I can get the full skinny and I'll post accordingly.

Reply by James Dawson on 11/15/10 8:15am
Msg #361371

here's the skinny.......

I called the number listed on NR....Toll free number no long in service, land-line disconnected. They have another SS at same address with similar name so I called them and left message detailing check #, date, yada yada and finally I emailed them. So now we'll see what's this all about.

Reply by James Dawson on 11/15/10 9:07am
Msg #361374

I got an email back...it said...



........... Good morning

This was for a closing that was supposed to happen on 10/6/10, docs had been printed and closing was cancelled,..................

This was from the owner of the SS ............End of story

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 11/15/10 9:23am
Msg #361376

Sooo...does this mean you actually HAD accepted an

assignment from them that didn't go? Does this reconcile your books? Or is it still not your check?

Reply by James Dawson on 11/15/10 9:34am
Msg #361377

Re: Sooo...does this mean you actually HAD accepted an

To be honest Linda I don't recall ever talking with her, I did get a voicemail asking to CB (number showed up as unknown) but I could't say it was them.....checking my emails received and sent does not show that I ever got anything from them or sent anything back to them. Their rating in S/C is two stars and as mention the phone numbers don't work. Also nothing in my calendar(s) about the named borrowers...

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 11/15/10 9:47am
Msg #361382

If this were me, I'd send the money back anyway

someone out there is waiting to get paid.

Reply by James Dawson on 11/15/10 9:55am
Msg #361384

chk p/m n/m

Reply by John Schenk on 11/15/10 9:00am
Msg #361373

I'd call them and ask them if they could tell me which closing the check was sent as you want to be sure you mark it paid. If they find one you did, keep the money. If there wasn't one you did, send it back. Simple as that. Give'em a good rating for sending checks for closings you never even performed. LOL

JJ

Reply by James Dawson on 11/15/10 9:09am
Msg #361375

I will john 'cause a lot won't pay you if the loan doesn't fund or is canceled!

Reply by Yoli/CA on 11/15/10 10:33am
Msg #361387

James:

A couple of Saturdays ago, I received a check from an SS. I never did that signing. Haven't worked with them in a looonnnggg time. They usually won't meet my fee.

I immediately called the owner. She asked me to email her the info - which I did. On the following Monday, she responded with her appreciation for the honesty and said she'd void that check; that it was supposed to go to another notary with same name in Arizona.

You may want to contact SS. Someone's probably missing their fee ....

Reply by James Dawson on 11/15/10 10:46am
Msg #361388

ck p/m n/m

Reply by Stephanie_CA on 11/15/10 12:09pm
Msg #361400

Re: ck p/m Oye Vey!!! n/m