Thoght I would pass on info on problem I have had with a Connecticut signing service.
On February 9,2005, I was contacted by a signing service that I had not heard of nor done business with, namely American Real Estate Services of Branford Connecticut. Jacquie Purcell, the person who contacted me seemed very nice, agreed to my fee, and assigned me two closings for Industry Partners Title, of Saratoga Springs New York. As always I inquired about thier payment terms and she assured me that American cut checks every Tuesday. That seemed great to me! I completed the signings without incident, submitted my invoice via fax, and awaited payment. After three weeks I inquired about payment and was told by Jacquie that the payment had been sent the previous Tuesday. Finnally one week later the check arrived,( dated for four days after she told me it had been sent) and I deposited it . Immediately after recieving payment Jacquie contacted me with two more assignments, which after she agreed to my fee, I accepted. These also signed without incident, were returned, and I awaited payment. After several weeks, and several voicemails left by me inquireing about payment I recieved a check for a reduced amount. I immediately called to investigate and was told by Jacquie that the docs had to be resigned because the wife had not signed. I told her that the wife had not been listed on the docs, there was not a RTC in her name and that in fact she had been the second witness that is required in CT. Jacquie told me I should have known, that she had tried to contact me to resign, and upon not contacting me had resigned them with another notary. Both my cell and office phone have missed call summaries, in fact she did not try to call! I discussed with Jacquie that if IPT had not listed the wife on the docs for whatever reason, it is not my job, responsibility, or legal ability to modify the docs. Jacquie suggested that I contact R. Schmidt at First Gaurantee, the lending arm of IPT. I did contact IPT and emailed John Rastkis. He was of little help, only forwarding my emails on to Jacquie. How many times have we all been drilled to only sign where names are printed and exactly as printed, and told that we are not attorneys. Jacquie then told me the usual lines we all get when trying to collect money,ie; we are paying you more than we get, the title company wont pay us so we cant pay you, etc...
I reminded Jacquie that I did not contract with the title company but with her and for an agreed upon fee. Jacquie would not agree and I felt that a lesson learned about American had been learned and that they would be on my NO-NO list from here on. I deposited the check only to have it bounce!!! It was submitted by my bank three times before being returned to me NSF. I tried many times to contact Jacquie concerning the check, both by email and by phone. She did not respond. I again emailed John Rastkis at IPT to ask for his help, he again forwarded it on to Jacquie and did not respond to me. Jackie finally did repond to me via email very irate and insultive toward me and through several continuing emails accused me of being a "wacko". Yes Jacquie also accused me of slander, and threatened me with a slander lawsuit for contacting the title company and asking for thier help. I only provided factual information (not slanderous). Finally last Thursday, 3-28-05, I made contact with Jacquie. ( I called from a different line so that my caller id would not show). She answered and acted like everything was rosy, assured me that she would overnight a replacement check including the fee that my bank charged me, and also to include an additional $25.00 to split the difference on the shortage. She seemed so sympathetic to the plight of notaries, assured me that she also was a notary that performed signings and did not feel it was our duty to modify docs or correct deficiencies on the docs. Well four days later and I still have not recieved my "overnight" check. In fact she sent an email saying that she would only replace the check, and not pay my fees incurred or the additional $25.00. I have had enough. I went to the police who informed me that I can file for a warrant for her arrest as well as the other partners. The police called her to give her one last chance to comply. Again she claims to have sent out the payment via ups and gave the police a tracking number. The tracking number comes up invalid at the ups web site. Go figure!!! At the suggestion of the police, I will wait to see if it arrives tomorrow. Jacquie all along kept telling me that she was just an office manager and that the "higher ups" were controlling the decisions. Well as it turns out Jacquie is a 25% owner! Also involved are Allison Purcell, David Polverari, and Peter Saunders, according to what Jacquie told the police. Jacquie also told the police that because American is an LLC company they are not accountable for the check. Can you imagine? What a way to do business!!!
I will keep you informed of any updates.
John
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