Prestige Notaries: Non-payment Issues: Unacceptable

Notary Experiences
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Hi Notaries,

I’m posting this mainly for newer signing agents who contract with Prestige Notaries for closing assignments. As you see from the many threads on this platform, it is obviously that they are notorious for late payments and non-payments.

Well, here’s what’s going on: I have fallen prey to their deceptive payment practices (allegedly)! It all started on October 24, 2024, when I did a seller’s closing for them. Since I’d already did a closing for them in the past (and received payment on time), I took this 2nd assignment. Keep in mind, I’ve already seen on this platform how they move with regards to non-payment/late payments. But because I’d gotten paid by them before, I decided to take my chances and work them again. BIG MISTAKE!! Not only is payment past their net 37 days, but Heidi, who in her words, is the middleperson for their accounting dept (but can’t direct me to anybody in accounting - SMH), been trying to explain to me that their 3rd payment party provider (Checkbook.io) experienced a “payment processing glitch” where any payment that was scheduled to go out on November 29, 2024 (my payment date! Hmmm…how convenient?!) would now been sent out on December 21, 2024 (if that’s to be believed). I keep telling her how their back-office glitches are not my problem. I did a flawless closing and expected to be paid immediately at this point.

After numerous calls/emails with Heidi on why I haven’t been paid yet, I told her today while attaching a 2nd Past Due Invoice:

“This situation is unacceptable and unprofessional. Prestige Notaries should not expect any notary to accept excuses for nonpayment when your payment policy is clearly stated on the order form. I have been patient and maintained professionalism, but the payment issues on your end should not be my responsibility. Your company should have procedures in place to address payment delays, ensuring prompt payment to notaries even during accounting issues. I will inform Title that Prestige Notaries has not yet paid me, despite already having received payment from them. It reflects poorly on Prestige Notaries that there is no backup system to ensure notary payments are made on time, especially when accounting problems occur. I, too, have expenses that depend on this payment.”

I promptly forward the email thread to Title stating succinctly what transpired and ended the email by stating:

“I simply want to alert you to the situation regarding Prestige Notaries. Their payment practices leave much to be desired, and I believe this should be taken into consideration when hiring them for future closings.”

Let’s see what happens comes December 21st…hmmm.

Note: When I told Heidi that I will be contacting Title, she kept saying, “I’ll let Jennifer know that you will be speaking with Title.” Yeah, do that Heidi! Was that code for: “kiss your payment good-bye!” LOL!

What I love about Notary Cafe’s forums is that notaries can share their experiences with SS and alert others of those SS that need to be avoided.

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@csmallsnotary & ALL Notary Cafe members:

Here is a listing of 50+ threads on the topic of this business entity & their non-payment issues:

https://forum.notarycafe.com/search?q=%22Prestige%20Notary%22%20order%3Alatest

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The following direct Notary Cafe url links will be insightful & helpful to you in this situation:

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:swan:

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Yes! I now have this bookmarked. :hugs:

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I used to do a lot of work for Prestige and 37 days is business days so it’s closer to 60 days and if you forgot to invoice them the day of service the clock would re-start based on when you invoiced. I always got paid but who can wait that long? Not me. I simply had to stop taking their assignments. I gave them another chance this year but was unhappy with having to go ask about payment. I mostly work now with services that pay either 30 days or twice a month. It’s unfortunate because I found Jennifer to be a wealth of knowledge who really helped me gain experience.

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@johnsonps306 Your business model mirrors mine.

Also, there are several loyal clients that pay at the time of the signing or within a few calendar days. I’m very grateful for the ongoing support of those business entities.

:swan:

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Direct title orders are my favorite. 10 days. But very rare. They all have notaries. I would get direct orders a lot in 2021 because interest was low and the inhouse notaries couldn’t keep up. Here’s hoping rates keep dropping.

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That is why I took this assignment although it pays net 37. I submitted the invoice and now I’m chasing to be paid. I took this assignment, although I’ve seen here they are notorious with non-payments and late payments. But because I got paid on the 1st assignment, I took the chance with them and prayerfully I’m not coming up snake eyes!

I tried to send a message on notary dash’s platform under that assignment that I’m waiting for payment and it looks like I can’t even leave a comment. So I don’t know if they banned me from the platform or because it’s a closed assignment, I’m not able to leave a message. But if memory serves me, I was able to leave a message under another closed assignment from another signing service. So they may have banned me since I informed them that I will be contacting title regarding non-payment - which I’ve already done. And I left a complaint review on BBB. But no matter what, I’m keeping this professional and if I get paid, great! If not, they don’t have to answer to me, but to God.

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@johnsonps306 Thank You! :heart_eyes: They’re my favorite, too! :tada::heavy_heart_exclamation:

@johnsonps306 Yes, my experience is the same when interest rates were lower than the current low rates.

:swan:

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The notary instructions usually include Jennifer’s cell number.

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Well, I’m coming out of the loan signing game and sticking strictly to general notary work. And if direct assignments from a title or lender comes through, then I’ll take those. But I’m no longer taking assignments from SSs. It is not worth the headache or ill feeling in my soul behind others’ deceptions. :hugs:

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On this particular order, Jennifer’s cell number was not given. I’ve been talking with Heidi who’s the middle person for accounting. What I found off putting was the moment I mentioned I was contacting title, she kept saying “I’ll let Jennifer know that you will be contacting title.” As if to say, “I can kiss my payment goodbye!” In my opinion. :sweat_smile::laughing::joy:

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They can’t withhold payment because you contact title. Block you from future orders?

Oh ouch LOL.

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How do you find these services? I am with 4 main agencies. Snapdocs, Signing Order, Mortgage Connect and Notary dash. The best one is mortgage connect they pay out within two weeks very reliable. Snapdocs as long as its Vendor pay is fairly quickly, but the other two are horrible. If you would please share your wisdom. I’m in Louisiana, if that matters. Thank you.

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@thurstonnotaryservice you can google top ten website for notaries and get a list. Some require two years experience for access. try signatureclosers.com and loan-closers.com. Go on title company websites - sometimes you’ll be directed to signingorder.com because that’s how they schedule their work. There’s a website for title companies but they won’t accept your application until you have two years experience. Hope that helps.

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Ugh, they are the absolute worst in the industry. I wrote letters to them and they treated me like a piece of dirt. The best thing you can do would be to go on Google and post a review. How have they managed to stay in business?

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F-I-N-A-L-L-Y! After 47 days, I received payment from Prestige Notaries!

And let me tell you, in all professionalism I will never do business with them again. My experience has been a bit of a pill to swallow. Notaries should not have to chase down payment when services were not only completed, but flawless in execution. I’m truly not understanding what’s the problem here, other than some of these companies are being duplicitous.

I’m not outright saying Prestige Notaries are duplicitous in their business practices, but you must be cautious in dealing with any client that you have to hound and chase down for payment. Praise Jesus that my time with them is over.

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I’m sorry you were treated in such a negative way! It is really sad how some of these companies treat notaries as third class citizens when they chose to assign us to do their signing! It’s like they’re doing us a favor by paying us :woman_facepalming:t5:!

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Speaking of Prestige, has anyone signed up with them through a “Discount Service” through Office Depot? It’s called ODP National Accounts Customer. I signed up about 5 years ago through them. I am experiencing my business credit card being hacked about every 8-9 months. I’ve broken it down to one of two places that this might be happening. I started analyzing my records of various places I used my business cc and their site is one of them. I’m working with my banks investigative fraud division. Just wondering if anyone is having similar issues using their site?

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How were you finally able to receive payment?
I am currently going through the same issue with them now. Except the middleman is “Pamela Cline” who advised I “have to get in touch with accounting.”

They went from saying net 30 to now “Net 60 (if) the client pays on the 60th day” via checkboo.io.

Please let me know :pray:t5:

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I took a job from Prestige Notaries on July 30th and I am still chasing payment at this late stage in December. Like you I will never work with this signing company again.

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