I was contacted by Centurian Signing company via SOFOS Debt Reflef. I was fine with doing the notarization until I came to this Face to face Sale Representative page.asking me to say that I provided a sale presentation and a location, date, and time and that I did not deviate from the script. I asked the client if someone provided a sale presentation to you, and she said yes and told me who it was… To make a long story short if I could, I did not sign that page because I did not provide a sale presentation to her. To sign it I felt I was signing something that I did not provide. I also felt this was unethical. Once I contacted the company and said that I couldn’t verify or sign that I provided a sale presentation, they said under the FTC that I must sign and if I don’t that they will have to get another notary and I will not get paid. I contacted the client back to ask for the sale presentation name and number which she provided, and she told me to keep her informed about the status and to call her back if there was any issue and I passed that on to them. Once again, they brought up the FTC federal laws and I countered by telling them that I work for the Secretary of State as a Notary and must adhere to their regulations. Centurian informed/ threatened me again with the FTC and said they will get another notary and I will not get paid in which I replied no problem. I did call the client back and informed her via voice mail that they will send someone else out. They texted aging and told me to cease and desist from contacting the client and that I was unethical and should be banned. Also, they said they will contact the Secretary of State. The emails between us have been going back and forth. I contacted the NNA and they also informed me that I was under no obligation to sign a sale presentation especially if you did not perform one. To sign that form verifying that I did, would be lying. While other notaries may sign this form, on the surface taking away all agencies and using Common sense-no one should sign documentation saying that they did perform a sale presentation and they actually did not. I do expect another harassing email from this signing agency in which I would tell notaries to stay away from. All this for a mere $50. It would be very helpful if either this sale presentation was omitted from the documentation or signed by the Sale presenter before or after, as the notary should not be forced to sign this. Any thoughts, suggestions on how I should proceed, or do you feel this is fair.? Stay away from Centurian!!!.
Thanks for the warning. Personally, I steer clear of debt consolation anything and lawyers in my business
They ask you to sign that to circumvent the law that says these (questionable) Debt Relief programs must include a face-to-face meeting with a co. rep. In most cases, these are truly horrible deals–which is why most seasoned notaries refuse to do them. Well, that and the lies you have to agree to commit to writing.
@aheyward34 my only $.02 here is their threats are laughable … as Arichter pointed out, FTC regulations require that these deals include a “face-to-face” meeting with a COMPANY REP; so let them report you, the notary, to the FTC … they are the ones breaking the law, not you, as you are not employed by the company, you are not a company rep - you are an independent contractor and a notary public (and by the way, for future reference, you do not work for the Secretary of State…you are in independent Notary appointed by the SoS). So if they report you, they will be admitting they broke the law - a federal regulation - by requesting you to misrepresent yourself
Yes, we stay away from debt consolidations Good luck and I hope this doesn’t concern you too much - they have no basis to report you to anyone
As @Arichter stated above, this is a service that isn’t included in my service offerings for all the reasons she identified (and then some) . . .
I received one of these debt relief signings a couple of years ago. When I read the presentation I was to give the signer, I immediately realized that if the signer didn’t fully undersand what they were getting themselves into that the law firm could blame me. I immediately contacted the law firm and said to remove me from this closing as it was not an area of my business that I wished to pursue as a notary signing agent.
Really feel I dodged a bullet with these type of signings. I not only saw red flags in the presentation slides, I felt that it didn’t sit well with me in ever wanting to do one as the fees were huge.
I stay away from debt relief. I waa told take trsining and theyvsaid ivwas a para legal. Nope. I refused trsining and told them im a notary. Not a para legal. I only certify the signature. Then i got yelled at by the c salesman when they refused to sign. I dont approve of their practices thatci feel are deceptive. I dint get any of their rrferenced tobthe FTC, but feels bogus to me. FTC may regulate them, but not notories. You are not an employee. Stay away from this kind of signing.
I have been offered & given 2 different “signings”. When I received the orders, that is when it said watch video and give presentation for debt relief. I was also supposed to introduce myself as a rep from this debt relief company. I immediately replied and informed them that I do not do presentations, will NOT represent a company I do not know, and my E & O does not cover this type of liability. I told them to reassign. I specialize in loan docs not debt relief and presentations. I am not going to push their product. Crazy!
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