As of January 1st, 2020, National Paralegal & Notary (NPN) will be charging
an annual membership fee of $29.00. This fee will be deducted from the
first payment you receive in 2020. The fee will be charged once per year
and will not be charged again until the same month of the following year.
I have done a dozen or so for them in past 6 months and they use Snapdocs.
They pay slow but its a decent wage. This is a bold attempt in today’s climate.
Anyone pay for membership? What are results so far?
All I can say is…unbelievable gall on their part. So, basically, they want you to pay the fee SnapDocs charges them to find you. As you seem to have at least some consistent business from them, it’s your call. However, I’d be tempted to decline and find out if they need you more than you need them. Not paying their extortion would not de-list you from SnapDocs and they’d still have the option of contacting you. Seems to me to be just a new variation on how to ‘game the SD system’.
I agree! This is a new one in the industry. Its a clever move for the bottom line. If the other Companies on SD follow suit, that will be the end of Snapdocs! I do get regular business from NPN and take assignments whenever “they are on my route”… negotiation is key! Especially with SD platform.
I’ve done a few signings for them and find them to be slow pay, and unresponsive. I was offended when I received this notification after the fact, told them so and declined to join their club. Expect my full fee. They replied I can’t work for them unless I pay. That’s fine with me-I don’t pay to work for companies. It’s extortion. Good riddance!
So they didn’t tell me this until after I did my first assignment so the payment will be automatically deducted. They didn’t give me a chance to say no I don’t want to pay the fee.
I get regular solicitations from them to do debt settlement and loan mods. I do not accept these assignments as the signers have a history of avoiding lenders and their agents usually because they are trying to collect past due debts. The signers need multiple texts and calls from me just to schedule the appointment. A lot of loan mod fees are low. I believe that I have a higher probability of testifying in court because a loan mod customer says they never signed the mod docs. I also have seen some exorbitant fees charged for debt settlements.
I got the same notification after my first deal with them right after the beginning of the year. I was not happy about it but I before I got a chance to complain, they sent me several more assignments. I’ve done 5 signings for them in the past couple of weeks. On the last two, they were both further than I normally travel so I counter offered a much higher fee and they agreed. I just did one today that they sent through as a request to me for $50 (debt settlement) but being out of my normal travel area, I countered with $90 and they assigned me to it with a confirmation of $110. They have been easy to work with, very appreciative of my work, and generous. I’m not upset about the $29 fee at this point. I do think they should be disclosing that up front though.
As a practicing professional, it is recommended that you record thumbprints in your journal. Your liability is diminished. “In order to preserve the integrity this decision, I request your your thumbprint as supporting documentation of your identity and willingness to do so” … that is my statement when requesting thumb impressions. Let’s face it, if you walk into Bank of America and do not have an account and wish to cash a check for $10… your thumb impression is taken. This is a simple request (not a requirement) for Notarial events. I have been contacted in the past about previous signings that I have overseen by Attorneys inquiring about the actual identity of the actual signor, My subsequent response included my reference to be in possession in my official record of “a thumb impression on file” . Thus supporting my observation and employed protocols for identification if signor,
This is my first comment ever. Seeing what other notaries are saying about this new NPN membership fee is what brought me here via a google search. I am glad most agree with my perspective. I would encourage ALL notaries to refuse to pay this membership fee.
This is a serious business, not a “Work-From-Home” Scam. If notaries are willing to PAY to get work, where will it end? Everyone will start doing it and that fee will go up… Every. Single. Year.
I am in a rural area between MN and IA and carry both commissions to stay busy. I already pay for those as well as yearly E/O Insurance, background checks, and MN Closers license, besides the normal ink, paper and fuel that we all pay. Lot of driving in my area, too.
I complained to SnapDocs as well, that they would allow themselves to be a party to such a practice. I hope others do the same. We should all draw a firm line or this will be the future.
I am livid with them right now…I never agreed to being a member and never received any paperwork about it. I received my check which takes forever to get and it was short 29.00 for a membership fee. I have been calling and emailing to get my money back and they have not responded to me at all. I had already decided I wasnt doing anymore signings for them because it takes 2 months to get paid. I want my money back and I don’t know what else to do. Beware of this company…I wondered why vendor pay stop their acct. They are thieves! What can I do to get my money back?
I totally agree…I am so angry with them…they took my money and I don’t ever wish to work for them again…I told them I pay enough fee to be a notary and that I’m not paying no more fees…I am demanding my money back especially because I never agreed to be a member and I knew nothing about that. What do you suggest I do to get my money back?
chosen028, i was promised a refund… here is the email i received from Lisa Munyon after compaining:
Good Evening Brian,
NPN has moved to a membership model for 2020. You were sent an email that notified you of this change after you completed your first signing for us in January. Below is a copy of the email and I have attached the membership benefits document as well. As stated in the email, the membership is optional, but I don’t show hearing back from you that you wanted to opt-out. We are happy to refund your annual $29 fee, but please note that membership is required to continue to receive work from NPN. We can add the refunded membership fee to your upcoming check at the end of March or I can have it refunded via Paypal tomorrow. Please let me know how you’d like to proceed.
I’m updating my previous post here that was almost two months ago. They kept $29 from my first check of the year from them, and while I agree it should be disclosed right up front before working with them, I’m still not upset about it. Since January I have gotten steady work from them and every single appointment they have paid me more than the original fee offered on Snapdocs. I’ve had them pay me up to $110 for appointments that came through as $40 on SD. They pay once a month without issue. They paid a decent print and trip fee for signer that decided not to sign the first time I went there. They are now sending me newsletters with helpful info, and they enrolled me into Notary Jane Notary Listing. I doubt it will turn up much, but hey, you never know and it would be $50+ to join on my own and they did for free.
I’m not saying it’s ideal, I’m saying they have been great to work with to the point that I don’t mind the yearly fee now that I know about it. It’s steady work at fair pay and I know I’m going to get a check from them.
I’ve done work for them occasionally. I prefer not to pay the fee b/c they tend to be larger packets for the pay received. Good thing though, they honored my request for return of fees. I did a closing prior to their notice and they took the fee from my check.
They took the fee from my first payment according to Lisa it was because they advised me in an e mail and I did not opt out. I would imagine I would have to opt in in order for someone to legal take payment. She was willing to reimburse me 20 of the 29 fee. I honestly think its wrong the way its done. They would have to require you pay the fee outside of transaction and will be looking into it. It was a coincidence I saw the check had I not it would have just been deposited. Don’t pay to have them use you. They are already making money off of your work!! Per transaction!
Did a signing for them on 9/28. Was told that signings for Sept would go out on 10/31. I opted out of their annual fee. Then on 11/7 Lisa said checks went out that week. Today is 11/13 and still no check received. Waiting on Lisa’s reply back again. Slow paying company for me. I hope that since I “opted out” they don’t want to hold my check.
