It was a month or so ago. I was asking Notaries Notary questions about what you can and cannot do. Unfortunately, Notaries often don’t take Notary rules seriously or have just never been adequately trained. The “more, but not less rule” is no good unless you understand which direction the rule runs. The ID can have more than the document, but 40% of Notaries think that it is okay if the name to be notarized on the document has more meat on it than the name on the identification. Good God! My point here, is that the whole point of having a Notary is to verify people’s identity who signed documents. The Notary profession helps to deter and prevent fraud as a result. But, if Notaries do whatever, and don’t follow state rules, then the purpose of having a Notary is defeated or undermined.
To put it shortly, the entire point of a Notary is to say No. If you feel uncomfortable or awkward saying No, then you should not become a Notary. In many Middle-Eastern and Asian cultures it is considered bad manners to say no, so they say, maybe, or later, or perhaps next time, or make up some excuse for not saying yes. Since they can’t outright say no, they beat around the bush. But, as a Notary, you might be facilitating fraud by not saying no. So, get used to saying no. Stand in front of the mirror and say, “No…. NO…. NO!!!!” Do it the way Joey from Friends practices saying, “How you doin’?” in front of the mirror dozens of times mastering his facial expression and verbal inflections. Take pride in saying no. However, for those Notaries that don’t like saying no, worry not! There is a solution. Become a Yes-tary.
But, what do Yes-taries do? Yestaries say yes to illegal requests. Unfortunately they cannot be commissioned and don’t have a stamp. But, maybe they should have an unofficial Yestary Public stamp just to make their job more comedically offiicial. What would be the duties of a Yestary? If someone wants to be Notarized as Mickey Mouse but lacks sufficient ID, you say, YES. If someone claims to be Kim Jong Un and looks Korean enough to you, say yes and stamp his document. If a Taiwanese client wants you to stamp a loose piece of paper because their government requires such a Yestary act, you can do it as a Yestary, but not as a Notary. Because a Notary’s job is to say No!
But, what if they won’t pay your travel fee if you say no? It is actually illegal in many states for a Notary to notarize a document in which they have a beneficial or financial interest. I feel that if the Notary will not get paid a travel fee if they refuse to notarize, then they now do have a beneficial interest of a sort and would be willing to break the law so they would get paid. Get your travel fee up front before you see the signers or the documents or the identifications. That way if a signer isn’t there, or if the name on the ID is not matching, or some other problem, you can forfeit your Notary fee, but still get paid for your trip. Remember, your job is not to please the client, but to uphold the law even if that means hurting someone’s feelings by saying no. Hurting someone’s feelings is better than going to court as a result of facilitating fraud or having your commission revoked!
One last note, it has been reported that some Yestaries have gotten a rare intestinal disease from saying yes too much to illegal requests. Some call it an illness, I call it karmic retrobution. The disease is called “yesentery” and comes from ingesting unclean Notary requests. If you get this disease, just consult your doctor and take some prescribed antibiotics. Good luck!
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Seven error free ways to identify a signer
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15288
ID: a growing problem
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15074
Credible witnesses: The process explained
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16695
Global Notary
Many Notaries have done jobs for Global Notary. But, what are they saying?
http://www.123notary.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2517
lsaversl
“Just got a call from Global Notary-print 2 sets (150 each), drive 50 miles round trip, fax back 150 docks, for a whopping $30.00-I was about to tell them (are you insane), but just said I was very booked up.”
Minnesota7
“I completed some 15 closings up here in northern Minnesota for Global because they had no choice but to pay my travel fees. Only 2 or 3 travel where we go. In town I refused their starting fee $40. I would burst out laughing. My problem was they would call and ask if I was going to be on time, every closing. The last two they actually called the borrowers to see if I was there. Some snot nose brat called me from global and said don’t take it personal, they do that to all notaries. I asked for the home phone number to the Owner of Global so I could call him or her every morning at 4am and ask them if they were going to be on time for work that day. Now I have received 3 different 1099’s from them. They need professional help. I got along ok with one scheduler but I told him to see to it that they take me out of their system and don’t ever call again. Plenty of good companies still out there. MN7”
Joelbenedict
“I made an error in the date of the borrower certification. I then scanned 201 docs back without catching my error. Global Notary sent me an email giving approval to drop the docs. I called the next day to confirm that I had approval. I dropped the docs. Four days later, Global Notary contacts me to notify me that there was an error in the borrower certification and that Old Republic (the title company) had rejected it. I completed an acknowledgement, scanned it back to Global Notary, cc’d Old Republic. Two days later, Old Republic approved the acknowledgment and Global Notary told me to overnight the acknowledgment at my own expense or for a $20 reduction in my fee. I didn’t have my notary stamp or the document at home–this was six days after the signing. I printed another copy of the acknowledgment, filled it out by hand, and faxed it to Global Notary. I paid for the label online through USPS’ website. It cost $18.11 to Express mail it flat rate. 10-24 minutes later, Global Notary called me to tell me that Old Republic likely wouldn’t approve the handwritten copy. I griped to corrections about their not catching the mistake in either of the two approvals and expecting me to take the expense hit.
Their response was that they do what they can. I couldn’t get them to budge on any kind of action to prevent it from happening again, or even that they had made a mistake in not catching my mistake. The day after, Global Notary contacted me to tell me I’d have to ship the acknowledgment that was approved on day four because Old Republic had rejected it. I went over Global Notary’s heads and called Old Republic; I told Old Republic Title the same thing I’d told Global Notary, that Kentucky doesn’t require notary stamps, our signature and serial numbers are considered our seal; Old Republic said that the lender had rejected it. I had the approved acknowledgment with me this time; I paid for the shipping and put it in a box (a non-USPS flat-rate regular cardboard box). It cost $16.99. Now I’ve got to wait and see if there’s any more noise with this signing. I took it for $85, printed out 422 pages of docs, drove 26 miles total, have put at least 11 hours into this signing, and took a $35.10 hit in expenses. This is probably my sixth signing with Global Notary, but this one has been a poor experience. The other signings I got for $60-70.”
M.Quednau
“Never leave your fax machine unattended before it is finished. Just because a borrower “thinks” he knows what he is doing you ALWAYS check for errors. Always ask about fax backs before you agree on a price taking that into consideration before you agree to do the signing. Sounds like you should have been more proactive in checking for mistakes and making sure the fax went through and if the fax didn’t go through wait till you come back after the holiday (since it was only one day) and tried again to fax. Global pays on a timely basis. If I were you I would rethink working for them again if they were willing to pay your price. I think all the calls are because one hand doesn’t know what the other is doing. None the less it is very annoying. ”
NotaryMark
“I am aware that Global Notary Inc are low ballers, however their tactics and fees have finally become preposterous.
Yesterday I was called for a Mortgage signing, i verified it was a normal signing on the phone, then verified there was about a twenty page fax back, ok I said for $75. Yes thats low but it was close to where I live and a quick return.
HOWEVER…on documents arrival I find that the fax back is nearly fifty pages and this is a refinance where the total pages of documents are 187! So that would be X2 prints 374pgs and a fax back!!
Unfortunately I had to cancel this appointment because of a family crisis, sudden and unexpected”
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The 90 days no payment list of signing companies
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15887
The met my fee list of signing companies
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16979