123 Notary Removal

So I really just wanted to vent about an unusual call I received tonight. A man by the name of Jeremy Belmont calls me after 8 PM (EST) from California phone number 213-705-3318 and proceeds to ask me if I have time to complete a brief survey about 123Notary. So, I say yes and then he proceeds to first ask me how to give an oath at Starbucks? I asked him what did he just say? I thought I did not hear him correctly and asked what was this about? He rudely chimes in that if I can’t answer the question then I must not be a good notary and that I was being removed from 123Notary. He then hangs the phone up. I’m left questioning was that a prank call? What was that all about? I google the number and sure enough others have encountered Mr. Belmont too and in fact his is the owner. He administers a random phone test and if he doesn’t like your responses, you’re removed. I checked 123Notary.com and sure enough I was removed from the listing and login deactivated. I take solace in knowing that it’s his company’s loss of a good resource and I’m glad I’m not out any money, because trying to get him to refund any membership fees paid may have been a problem.

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I had the same exact experience with him. Called me while I was cooking dinner and then said the same thing and started asking me question and I did almost exactly what you did…I asked him why was he asking me this and who was he? He told me I better answer quickly as I was being timed and I again asked him who he was and he hung up on me. I later realized he was associated with 123Notary and sure enough when I looked on the website he had removed me from the site. The guy seems somewhat crazy and I’m pretty sure I don’t want to be listed on his site anyway!!

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His site/his rules. Even tho’ I think he’s shooting himself in the foot, it’s his call.

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I got the same call. I never understood his first question and when I told him I couldn’t understand the question he went in orbit. I have had one other dealing with him. I think he is a off his meds.

I had a very similar experience. He called me at dinner time and I could not understand him. At first I thought it was a prank call also. He asked some bizarre question like what would you do if you were told to use green ink and couldn’t ask questions. When I said this was crazy, he yelled something like you think it’s crazy I’m removing you! I called 123Notary’s number and got Carmen who confirmed he was calling notaries and “screening” them. Totally unprofessional is one thing I can think of to say. I’ve been a notary since 1992 and a signing agent since 2003. Like a previous comment, I think he is losing good resources. I’m glad I didn’t waste money on his website. There are better sites out there (like Notary Cafe).

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Different question but same results. I even answered his question correctly but I disagreed with him because of state laws, etc. Haven’t received another referral and I am no longer listed. You win some, you lose some. I have great relationships with other companies and I don’t need him.

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I was driving in rush hour traffic and was suprised by his call… Its his site and “his rules”. I appreaciated the phone quiz and spent a good 10-15 min interacting with Jeremy. The “element of surprise” is part of the tactic in my opinion.
123 is my best lead producer. I am glad I passed. -WitnessPro

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I got a call from him a couple of days ago. It has been freezing cold, bad weather and I have been out all day doing signings. I was exhausted. He talks really fast and in run on sentences. I asked him why is he calling and asking questions like that and he said, he wants to make sure that anyone listed on his site was a great notary, as if he paid money for all notaries to take the course, training and putting money in our pockets. He is rude when you ask him questions and because I kept saying excuse me…because I could not hear what he was saying, he said he was removing me. I think he does this to people who have not bought a membership. I’m glad I haven’t paid the fees but I bet if you pay the fees he will not be calling you. Something is definitely wrong with him.

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Jeremy is a rather “unusual” fellow. He called me once several months ago with some off the wall question, that apparently I answered to his satisfaction. More recently, I received an email from him stating that if I did not take the online class on his site and pass the test for it, I would be booted off. I responded with an email telling him my credentials, where I got certified, etc. He called immediately. Asked a few more off the wall questions and said “OK. You pass. I’ll mark that down. Good-bye.” He thinks he is the Notary Police.

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From my own personal experience and seeing many posts about this subject in many other forums plus seeing his own posts on the subject on his site, all you need to know is he has 2 rules: 1. He is always right. 2. When he’s wrong, see Rule #1.

What he’s ‘trying’ to do is weed out notaries that don’t know what they are doing BECAUSE he gets complaints from hiring parties about a notary they found on his site and, apparently, takes it very personal… He follows (as he understands it) NNA’s ‘Best Practices’ (which he doesn’t seem to understand is the law nowhere). He seems to be ‘trying’ to be the best directory, but I believe he’s forgotten who his paying customers are.

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stay FAR away from Jeremy Belmont and 123 Notary – I was involved with the directory until I was asked for more money by this guy – I told him that I am not going to continue with him or his directory – this next thing I knew-- my CC that was used to
pay for my membership was used by someone in his company for dinner and gas- called my CC company right away and yes it all happened right in the same area that JB lives! not saying or blaming anybody but received a call from him a week later and he was NOT very nice!

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Jeremy is crazy. Always calls late at night. Last time he called me he sounded drunk. Not worth your time or energy!

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I ordered a couple online courses and then the website didn’t show my order. But my card was charged. So I called the number that was on my statement, the number was disconnected. Then called the company and spoke to a woman that was very angry. And said that was Jeremy’s personal number that is no longer being used and that only Jeremy could look into this. Then my account was deactivated. And I never got the courses or my money back. The only thing they did do was reactive my account. I know there are business owners that are not professional, I just cannot believe he is still in business. Isn’t there someone we can file a complaint to? Maybe BBB…

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I have taken his test, passed, and was certified by his site. Then he called and asked me a question that had to do with California notary law. When I explained to him I was in Virginia and did not need to follow California notary law we got into a heated discussion. He removed my certification. He will receive no more money from me!

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The same thing happened to me, he called me up a few minutes before 9:00pm he asked me on subscribed by who’s name do you put after by? then he asked me, if you have 4 people signing with 8 different documents how many entries do you put in your journal I told him according the Arizona law you only need to make one entry however all the docs need to be listed. He then preceded to argue with me about how wrong I am. I informed him that I am doing it the way I was taught by the Secretary of States office, my journal has been views by the Secretary of State, several Judges and several different Detectives there has never been an issue with my journal. Then I hung up. He also removed me from his site which is no big loss to me I didn’t get much business from it anyway

The next day when I calmed down I e-mail him saying how inapproate it was for him to call me a few minutes before 9:00pm on a Sunday night then argue with me. His reply, if you don’t want calls then don’t answer the phone.

I then did some research, with the BBB he has an F rating where my business has an A rating, I also check with the California Secretary of States office, he isn’t even a Notary.

Now how do you think knows more about Notary law?

Tammy, yes you can report him to the BBB. I have and so have others. He’s not trying to weed out only notaries who don’t know much, he’s also trying to weed out people who are high on his list without paying. I have been one of those customers for years. I have had a couple of ridiculous phone calls from him as well. One of those was to become Elite Certified by him because I have over 30 years in escrow. He argued with me about the First Payment Letter, saying there was no such thing, lol, but then said I passed because I got everything else right and that he would look into that form. I commented on one of the sites that he’s probably mad since I’m in the 3rd spot on the first page (because there are not that many of us in my area) and have never paid him a penny. The next thing I know, my account is gone. He’s got a screw loose for sure.

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Several weeks ago, I too, received a call around 8pm EST. He told me who he was and that he wanted to take a minute of my time to ask some questions. I answered them but one question he told me I was wrong. I told him to look it up as I was NOT wrong. Once he pulled up Florida rules, he said yes, I was right and that Florida was stupid and not doing things correctly! Needless to say, I have been a paying member for a few years but have never taken his course as it has the same questions with California answers. I wanted to call him and ask since I passed the test why didn’t I have one of his “Elite” certifications. LOL, He is definitely a different breed!

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Actually, I am a paying member and he did call me as well, during my listed working hours. I don’t answer the phone on my off hours, it goes to message. I do sometimes respond to email after hours though. I also knew Jeremy was the owner of 123notary (it’s no secret) and can ask me whatever he wants. I passed his quiz and had a brief conversation. No problem. I’m not saying others did not have a legitimate complaint, just that like Witness Pro, I didn’t.

That’s all well and good Angela - and I’m glad it worked out for you. But you’re in California - so the shoe fit well for you. The problem many have is he is not tailoring his notary test to the individual states. So a notary in all other states must answer the questions according to California law, even though those answers do not apply and may or may not be correct per other states’ laws. If you don’t answer according to California notary law you fail - and IMO there’s just something not right with that picture. (see multiple posts above for examples)

Also want to add here, to everyone, you’re being tested by someone who is not a notary and who is not a certified notary instructor.

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I was ‘fortunate’ enough to get his call today. I told him his reputation preceded him and not in a good way. He tried to argue with me about the exact wording I would use for a hypothetical jurat given to someone that lived in California. I told him this call was a waste of my time because all we would end up doing is go round and round about whether or not the answer I gave was the answer he was looking for- regardless of the Nevada Revised Statutes, the fact that I am a Nevada notary not a California notary, and that my job as a notary wasn’t to make up the wording but to have the signer recite the exact wording on the jurat. I then proceeded to give an example of a situation applicable to the state of Nevada, such as giving an oath to a credible witness. I then reminded him that he is neither an active notary nor is he familiar with state specific notary practices with the possible exception of California. At that point he said thank you and hung up on me.

Do you think I passed? :rofl:

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