Posted by Marian_in_CA on 6/20/11 6:44pm
Msg #387001

Bad Notary Manners

I just had a notary to my home for quick appointment. I do not know this person... and she's from well over two hour away. I did not pick her.

She was supposed to be here "between 3 and 3:30" -- she got here after 4, and she never apologized for being late, nor did she call. I actually had to call HER to see where she was.

I should have known when I saw all of the NNA gear she pulled out. She didn't fill out the certificate (an NNA loose form, of course), and said, "Oh, I always do those once I get home."

And, just to screw with her a bit, since I was kind of ticked... I actually refused to give my thumbprint at first since it wasn't a deed or POA being notarized (and therefore not required in CA). She insisted, "Oh, I require it. You have to!" I simply set her straight... but then I gave the print anyway to be nice. She said she didn't realize it was optional.

On her way out, since she didn't fill out her certificate, I had no idea who she was... I asked for her business card. Oh yeah... on of the cheesy NNA ones. Those things are CHEAP!

When she left, my husband said, "She's a crappy notary, isn't she?"

He's learned well.

Reply by MW/VA on 6/20/11 7:35pm
Msg #387011

I'm not quite getting this one, Marian. Why didn't you just tell her you were a notary & corrrect her where necessary? IMO it's better than letting them go on making the same mistakes. We know that XYZ doesn't prepare them, but they don't necessarily know they're misinformed.

Reply by HrdwrkrVA on 6/20/11 7:46pm
Msg #387015

Agreed- esp trying to screw w/ her for fun! Lord knows

how many times we do get these last minute deals & esp w/ her being 2 hrs away??? She shud have called of course and she was already probably dreading this cuz it probably had all the earmarks as 'a signing from hell', which sounds like you made sure it was! Btwn 3- 3:30, over two hrs way & she got there at 4 doesn't sound THAT bad (except she shud have called). W-O-W.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 6/20/11 8:16pm
Msg #387021

Re: Agreed- esp trying to screw w/ her for fun! Lord knows

She wasn't in town for just me....she had several appts, and they weren't big things...just two docs. I didn't really "mess" with her much, I just initiallyy said I wasn't required to give a print because it wasn't a POA or deed. I'm super nice.... But I was annoyed. In the end, she did learn the rght thing.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 6/20/11 8:05pm
Msg #387018

Oh, no! I did... Iguess I should clarified that better. When I said - set her straight, I told her I was a notary and I explained it to her. I told her she couldn't refuse if I did. I think she just got more confused because she said, "Then whydo the certificates require a thumbprint, too?"

I was already running late (since she was) so I just did it and gave her the info to read later. The fact is, most people in CA never blink when asked to give a print, so they just all assume it's required.

By the end, I'd let her know the NNA is not her friend. .

Reply by HrdwrkrVA on 6/20/11 8:12pm
Msg #387019

Also, what does her "cheesy bus card" have to do w/ her

skills as a notary? Maybe that's all she could afford - and we all know how business has been booming lately! Sounds like you had an axe to grind (bad day/ headache, etc) & were just looking for someone to take it out on. Oh yeah, and a superiority complex...again why not just set her straight (nicely, but that sounds like that wouldn't be your forte)?? JMO

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 6/20/11 8:18pm
Msg #387022

ahem... I did tell her

NNA business cards are expensive, BTW...

Reply by CH2inCA on 6/20/11 10:03pm
Msg #387031

Assuming too much...manners...manners

My seal, and journal are NNA, I just happen to like their journal. Found that I liked the layout
better than the 'all on one line' journal.
Because I used to be a member, I used the NNA settlement award to by some 'cheezy' certs, and print pad.
AND I always request a thumb print, every single time. I like the uniformity of it in my journal. ;0)
Not because I don't know any better. I really feel that people expect that final part of their notarization.
Maybe she was aware also and wanted to let you keep your 'more knowledgable' feeling.
None of it means I was trained by NNA.

But I've seen this assumption made here before.

Reply by CH2inCA on 6/20/11 10:15pm
Msg #387035

That's "buy" not "by"

Posted with my iPhone. Obviously, I need practice.
A few days ago, my daughter sent me a text inviting me to dinner.
I was in Visalia doing a signing, trying to be brief I responded. "can't I'm in Visalia doing a job"
Autocorrect, is not my friend, she received the message, " can't I'm in Visalia doing a jon"
Her response, "the notary thing not working out, mom?"
OT- I know sorry!

Reply by JanetK_CA on 6/21/11 3:34am
Msg #387052

Priceless!! ;>) LOL!!! n/m

Reply by jba/fl on 6/21/11 7:31am
Msg #387054

Funny as all heck! Starts my day laughing heartily! n/m

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 6/20/11 10:19pm
Msg #387036

Re: Assuming too much...manners...manners

Oh, I agree. In her case, she really DID think it was required for all notarial acts.

More than. Anything, I think it was the total package. The lateness, no apologues, not filling out the cert, etc. It was just, as a whole, really unprofessional. The people who sent her knew I was a notary, as well.

Reply by LKT/CA on 6/20/11 11:09pm
Msg #387040

Since you had no idea who she was, does that mean she didn't bother to call and confirm the appointment (introducing herself as the Notary who will meet with you, confirm all parties have current ID, and give her name)? Since she pulled out all of her XYZ gear, I would have insisted that she complete the certificate(s) in my presence. And if she was improperly dressed (cleavage or skirt too short), she would have not gotten past the front door. I certainly would have called the hiring party to give feedback regarding her tardiness and I would have mentioned it to her. I agree with you, Marian.....she does sound like a crappy Notary.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 6/21/11 2:27am
Msg #387049

She was dressed okay... but I guess, by the time she showed up, I was not amused. I did call her on the certificate thing, but I insisted I get her business card before she left because I didn't even know who she was.

I think like I said earlier... it was about the "whole package" -- this was a super short appointment (10 minutes), and I know she was seeing several others in town, too, for similar things. I get that she had a long drive... but she seemed so flippant about it and never even apologized. And I could not fathom how she would be late if she's not even completing the loose carts!

I know that not *all* notaries with NNA gear are idiots... but I do know that of every single bonehead mistake I've seen? They've all been done by notaries with an NNA seal -- every single one.

Reply by 101livescan on 6/20/11 11:16pm
Msg #387041

Did you have to pay for this crappy service? She has failed basic training...poor girl.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 6/21/11 2:28am
Msg #387050

Thankfully...no! n/m

Reply by FlaNotary2 on 6/21/11 8:48am
Msg #387060

To play both sides of the fence, I do think

that the NNA can be a good organization in some instances. They definitely have a presence in the notary world, they are the most active of the major notary associations, and their qualities are typically high quality.

Personally, I think any business card that doesn't have raised lettering is "cheesy" (this is JMHO, and I am sure there are people here that use the NR business cards, etc.) I consider myself to be a public official and want my business cards to reflect that. It's all personal taste. I think the NR cards look like they are very nice but I think it isn't enough bang for the buck; same with the NNA.

Now, I know that NNA can do more harm than good to this profession. I think the NNA is the only professional association that I know of which actually solicits more people to join that profession. Organizations like the National Association of Realtors; Florida Bar; etc., want to protect their profession's prestige. Having more people become realtors to the point that you have a realtor on every corner means they have less value. It hurts the profession at every level. The NNA is not the only culprit with this (Huckleberry Notary Bonding is another big one in Florida), but the NNA claims to be our advocate and yet harms our profession every day by soliciting more people to become notaries.

I will say that I see my fair share of documents notarized in California. From this board and from my own research, I know what a California-compliant notarization should look like, and 95% of the time that I see clueless errors, the seal is manufactured by the NNA. This has brought me to the conclusion that the NNA is so concerned with bringing more people into the field that they neglect the training aspect of the association. They are concerned with quantity rather than quality.

I am with you here Marian. I cringe at other notaries making errors. If it is someone I know I will usually correct them. Sometimes I have to bite my tongue. I had my own real estate closing a few months ago and the notary signed and stamped the certificate before she even passed it to me to sign; the certificate did not comply with Florida law, and she did not administer an oath. She did not see my original ID, only the copy that the title company made. Of course she did not keep a journal either. She got paid $65 for that signing. If anyone turned me off to the NSA profession it was that notary.