Posted by jba/fl on 6/16/13 1:47pm
Msg #473562

Abuse of the PM's - my opinion only.

If I say something in public, I expect a response in public. To send me a PM, especially to chastise me for something I believe in, seems a bit snarky, snide, underhanded, lacking transparency, cowardly (in fear of public debate?) and other stuff I have just decided is not worth my time.

But, the point is: I spoke on a public forum - respond to me in the same place. Don't PM me.

So - Howard Blum - you have aready said you would never use my services (you have) and now you would never agree to my contractural terms when agreeing to an assignment (you have). Leave me alone....get your jollies on the forum. I am now blocking you. Save your keystrokes, and just enjoy your day.

Reply by ToniK on 6/16/13 2:24pm
Msg #473563

Like!!!

people who do that dont want everyone to see how much of an a**hole they are. Thats why they send private messages, emails or make prank phone calls. But we all know about Howard. He is even like that on linkedin...

Reply by GOLDGIRL/CA on 6/16/13 3:54pm
Msg #473571

Funny you should mention Howard Blum ....

..... you are hardly the only one he PMs with threatening and nasty messages. It's apparently his signature method of communication now ... ever since he got outed on NR using his wife's account to post in an (sorry) attempt to throw everybody off. In any case, judging by several PMs I've received from other notaries, he's making a habit of this! Something is seriously wrong with this guy. So, if he thinks he can lurk in the PM background targeting selected notaries with his vitriol and threats ... well, guess he's been outed again!

Anyway, it is irritating to receive PMs to public posts. However sometimes it kinda makes sense. I once responded to what I considered a great post by good notary, but she PM'd me that she thought I was being sarcastic and mean (which I have been known to be!). I told her I tried to be extra sincere in my public post .... so we PM'd back and forth a bit until we (hopefully) got everything settled. I'm not so sure that everybody in the world needed to read all that between us and was kinda grateful it was in a PM. Plus, alot of people just never post here even tho they read everything. They're too scared (or smart!). But they still want to contribute ...

In any case, you can't make any sensible judgments about PMs, public posts, or anything else when it comes to Howard Blum. So don't use him as the standard!

Reply by desktopfull on 6/16/13 4:38pm
Msg #473575

Re: Funny you should mention Howard Blum ....

Why not report him for abuse to Harry. There's no excuse for that type of behavior on this website. Let Harry handle it, more than one notary has been booted from NotRot.

Reply by 101livescan on 6/16/13 10:01pm
Msg #473604

Re: Funny you should mention Howard Blum ....

Kettle calling the kettle black above, calling us all schizo's...whose the schizo??


Interesting, no one is responding...no one gives a shit.

Reply by Notarysigner on 6/16/13 5:14pm
Msg #473578

Outrageous!!!!!!!!!!

I am friends with a lot of you and I've been advising you to remain calm (when you told me about these p/ms) because there is more to come. Now is the time.

All of you, my friends, are saying the same damn thing about this --- ! This is not funny, it's sad and shouldn't be taken lightly, something is wrong.

So, I'm saying this to you all, POST EVERY TIME EVERYWHERE when you get an harassing email, the email account, total message in it's entirety and send me a "forwarded copy" of the email so I can log the ip addresses ( all out of the same city) as I have been doing.

It's funny to me how women are the only one's being attacked in this manor but it is not funny that it is happening.

Reply by BrendaTx on 6/16/13 5:22pm
Msg #473579

Re: Outrageous!!!!!!!!!!

Yep...never heard of him attacking a man.

Reply by MW/VA on 6/16/13 6:43pm
Msg #473587

Yes, what's with that??? I haven't seen him post on the

forum, because he became nasty & critical. I've never worked for him, but wonder about
an ss that carries that kind of attitude toward notaries.

Reply by jba/fl on 6/16/13 6:58pm
Msg #473588

Not since March 30th has he been public

I guess he just wants to return to the scene of the crime.

There is a place for PM's - don't get me wrong. And some things can be hashed out there instead of the forum to the benefit of all. But if anyone PM's me nasty attitude and nasty words, I will bring it here. I know I can sound harsh and judgmental from time to time, most of which is because I just want to say something quickly and don't take the time to couch my thoughts in the social niceties such as Brenda, Janet and Marian, among others, for example. And sometimes, I admit, I am a bit witchy, but hopefully most of you will just pass over it and chalk it up to a bad day, or some such. Just don't say that is the way of the Florida gals because that would paint LindaH with the same broad brush strokes and she is just not deserving of that but there are a few of us, just as CA has a few as well.

Hopefully this will not happen again.

Reply by 101livescan on 6/16/13 7:20pm
Msg #473590

Forum should be about Service, Integrity, Respect & Quality

It is frigging embarrassing for me to have to do this....I thought, Howard, you had learned to pull in your horns an to quit bashing the professionals on this board. Initially I was advised to collect these subversive emails and present them to your local law enforcement agency. If I ever hear from you again, that is exactly what I plan to do.

I know, good press, bad press, any press will help. I don't this this is the kind of press you want for your business, is it?



Email No. 1 from [e-mail address] (aka Howard Blum)


----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Rich Man <[e-mail address]>
To: [e-mail address]
Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 4:15 PM
Subject: Fraudsters




According to the Consumer Sentinel Network there were 2,061,495 cases of
fraud filed in CA courts during 2012.


Are you going to list every single one of them all whether they have
anything to do with notary work or not?

Email No. 2

From: Rich Man <[e-mail address]>
To: [e-mail address]
Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2013 7:18 AM
Subject: re: Homeowners Insurance, Dogs and Trampolines




Rant, rant, rant



What the hell does your post have to do with notary work?

Are you suffering from dementia?

Email No. 3

From: Rich Man <[e-mail address]>
To: [e-mail address]
Sent: Saturday, June 15, 2013 8:54 AM
Subject: re:VA Loan post

So now you are selling mortgages too?


That one gets sent to the CA Attorney General's office and the consumer financial protection bureau for prosecution.


YOU ARE IN VIOLATION OF THE LAW QUOTING MORTGAGE RATES.

Now Howard, I'm respectfully requesting you remove me off your contact list before I am moved to:



Contact the District Attorney for harassment and terrorism, perhaps even stalking (it appears I'm in great company). I thought I was the only one you were bullying, but it seems not!

And/or post this on LinkedIn, where you are presently proliferate until you get kicked off that website, of your own doing.

This is pretty bizarre, and why do you think we're all so stupid to not be wise to you and your modus operandi.

Reply by BrendaTx on 6/16/13 9:43pm
Msg #473602

Wow. I had no idea this was continuing. n/m

Reply by Notarysigner on 6/16/13 7:51pm
Msg #473598

I really could give a shit Howard!

As promised..everybody needs to see emails, P/M from this guy!

"James,

Why do you assume it was a harassing email?

She posted no part of the PM I sent her because there was noting threatening, nasty, insulting, rude or anything remotely like that.

It was a plain response to her post and how we would deal with receiving an email like the one in the prior message.

Never once did I even mention anything about her personally.

As I have said in the past, the forum is nothing but a toxic cesspool, which is why I will never post there."

His most favorite phrase "toxic cesspool". this is someone eho dataminds for notaries on ALL sites looking for notaries. They need to know who they are dealing with before someone gets hurt.

Reply by Robert522TX on 6/16/13 8:15pm
Msg #473600

What SS does he own? n/m

Reply by ladyknc on 6/17/13 6:52am
Msg #473613

Pro Mobile Notary - Howard Blum

I believe what you guys are posting. Amazing how many "5 star ratings he has". Could he possibly have gotten "friends" to post these 5 star ratings on his behalf???
Even the best companies I have ever worked for - do not have this many.
It is so obvious to me that 1 star then 5 star postings such as on his page - seem rather "not real".
Just my opinion. Kind of like the scams from the idios overseas who are trying to trick people out of their money. Amazing how obvious it is that they are scammers. Grammer errors, name combos are a great indication. Anyway - thanks for sharing the issues about him.

Reply by MonicaFL on 6/17/13 7:07am
Msg #473614

Re: Pro Mobile Notary - Howard Blum

He and I had a few bouts on LinkedIn - Mr. Know-it-all!!!!

Reply by LisaWI on 6/17/13 8:02am
Msg #473619

Re: Pro Mobile Notary - Howard Blum

I see I am in good company. I received a private msg as well. Ive never done any closings for him, but yet I received a msg threatening to not send me work if I ever went through Skysail for payment.......

Ummm, first you have to call me for work......then we shall see IF I will work for you.....which after this nice little msg, probably not.........

Reply by 101livescan on 6/17/13 8:31am
Msg #473625

Re: Pro Mobile Notary

Well, Lisa, I've never worked for him either.

There are no accidents in this world. I am surprised that if he is so brilliant, why he send emails and PMs to notaries that are traceable by IP address, no question about who is the author, under the guise of new aliases. Sorry this guy has no moral compass and he is morally and spiritually bankrupt!

I have now blocked him from sending me emails...beware he can always open new email accounts and send more hate mail. I'm on alert for his ugliness at any time.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 6/17/13 9:33am
Msg #473634

I have a problem with this - wonder if anyone else does

"I received a private msg as well. Ive never done any closings for him, but yet I received a msg threatening to not send me work if I ever went through Skysail for payment......"

Now, I've never worked for HB and have openly said I would not use Skysail (my business is such that I can keep track of my own accounts receivables on my own and have a great collection percentage) but..

In what universe is it acceptable that an, or anyone, can dictate to an independent contractor how they manage their A/R's??

Not in mine, I can tell you that. And that goes for Negrete's too (who I have only worked for once) - who has openly posted he will not use any notary that uses Skysail.

JMO

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 6/17/13 9:38am
Msg #473636

Sorry..s/b "that a company..or anyone..." n/m

Reply by Luckydog on 6/17/13 9:52am
Msg #473638

Re: I have a problem with this - wonder if anyone else does

Bully's like to play on here under cover. When they cannot take the heat, they use that route. Lesson learned, when you answer any "PM" they know who you are if you use an alias. I get numerous from him, that seems to be the going thing. Just ignore him, he and others are cowards who hide and criticize in secret instead of out in the open. We each can have opinions whether you agree or not, but some people take it to another level, and call themselves professionals.

Reply by John Tennant on 6/17/13 2:14pm
Msg #473666

Are people that hide behind an alias cowards? n/m

Reply by MW/VA on 6/17/13 5:30pm
Msg #473705

I agree on that point, Linda. Just because they may

support another platform doesn't give them the right to dictate to those who choose to use the Fee Guarantee program with Skysail. IMO this is a personal issue with those ss & the developers of the Skysail program.

Reply by anotaryinva on 6/17/13 9:52am
Msg #473639

I agree, when someone wants to respond in that way it would be big of them to post it openly. The abuse I see is when someone receives a PM and copies and pastes and then posts the recd pm openly. Personally I think it's rude.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 6/17/13 3:12pm
Msg #473675

Agree. And thoughts on bullying messages.

The whole point of a PM, i.e. a "Private Message", is that it's intended to be private and the sender has NOT given permission for it to be made public. I think it would be very sad for that assurance go away - and could potentially hamper what has become one of the valued features of this forum.

Having said that, I strongly disagree with the use of the PM system (or emails, for that matter) for bullying or bashing of a poster. That kind of message serves absolutely no constructive purpose, imo. It's not going to change anyone's mind - and if that is, in fact, the goal of the message, then why not make your point with facts and reasoned opinions, rather that insults and negativity? Correction: it won't change anyone's mind about the issue at hand, but it will likely change their mind about YOU. This applies regardless of the subject matter - even if we're talking about something that most agree is negative. [Think about it!] If you want to be effective, find another way of making your point, like presenting real, useful information, instead of just spewing invective.

If the point ISN'T to change someone's mind, but just to be offensive and attack someone, regardless of who they are, well... shame on you!

Here's my suggestion to anyone moved to write an attack message in response to some statement that pushed their buttons... Go to a different screen, write out everything you'd *really* like to say, then search for whatever useful info is there, and only include that in your post. Trust me, you'll not only feel better having gotten it off your chest, you'll avoid having your personal reputation diminished by harsh words stored here for posterity. (Guess how I know... I can't count how many times I've written out what I thought were verbal masterpieces, only to discard them completely after letting some time go by - and thinking about it a little - before posting! )

BTW, for what it's worth, this message is NOT written with any one person in mind. So to everyone reading this (I'm including myself here), please stop and think if any of it might apply to you. IMHO, you might be much better off for it...

Reply by anotaryinva on 6/17/13 4:38pm
Msg #473690

Sage words Janet n/m