Old boss changed report and signed my name.

[Alison Swain]

You did not have control over your signature.

Bet you won't make that mistake again.

Way I figure it, you got no choice but to make a formal complaint against your boss. Prepare to take some lumps over the signature thing. That might be a bigger problem than you realize.

I was wondering how long it would take someone to make that point. In Florida, they'd lop off one cajone for that alone.

 

[McPheeters]

Originally Posted by Scott Kibler
"You did not have control over your signature."
"Prepare to take some lumps over the signature thing."


Individual state laws notwithstanding, where does it say that the OP is required to maintain control of his signature?

 

[meierd2000]

Everyone on here has made some good points, and also in private messages to me. All the reasons I haven't done much is because I'm worried about what could happen to me. The state will more than likely look at the ones I did under him, and may say that I can't count the hours anymore, and I wonder if my license could be in jeopardy. Maybe I should let sleeping dogs lye and let Karma get him. The lady that called from the state didn't act too interested anyway. I would love to take him down just for revenge sake and cause what appraisers like him do to the rest of us and the industry. But I worry what can happen to me. I've been thinking about grad school and just getting into a new industry, I've been doing this full time since Oct 2005 and I'm about over it, especially with all that is happening and heck, business is really slow anyway. I've taken a part time job because of the lack of work. From what I read a lot of others on here have as well or are leaving all together. I really wonder if it will be worth all the mess and hassel it'll probably cause for me.

 

[wickedness1]

I've only read the first couple responses on this thread, but wanted to put in my two cents.

When my husband was in training, his "mentor" was doing the same thing. Sending him out to inspect all the while telling him that he/she was inpecting the houses at another time (YEAH RIGHT, but whatever hubby could never prove he/she wasn't inspecting them).

So, time goes on & he/she goes on vacation. Another trainee goes out to an attached dwelling & my husband prepares the report & waits for the super's return from vaca so he/she could "inspect", review & sign the report and send it off to the client. My husbands version of the report clearly stated several times that the dwelling was attached, the pictures showed it as attached & all of the comps were attached & from the subject's same neighborhood (about 3-4 streets of attached dwellings).

Low & Behold..Super comes back from vacation, the subject is now described as detached, pictures were re-taken perfect so you can't tell its attached & value was upped by about $40k.

Guess what..my hubby sent the report to the state with an annonymous complaint stating that the subject photos are doctored & that the subject is in fact an attached dwelling. We're waiting for the states investigation to wrap up & we're praying for a revocation.

If I was in your shoes, I would be getting your complaint in the mail immediately, that's your license on the line & our profession's reputation.

 

[wickedness1]

Everyone on here has made some good points, and also in private messages to me. All the reasons I haven't done much is because I'm worried about what could happen to me. The state will more than likely look at the ones I did under him, and may say that I can't count the hours anymore, and I wonder if my license could be in jeopardy. Maybe I should let sleeping dogs lye and let Karma get him. The lady that called from the state didn't act too interested anyway. I would love to take him down just for revenge sake and cause what appraisers like him do to the rest of us and the industry. But I worry what can happen to me. I've been thinking about grad school and just getting into a new industry, I've been doing this full time since Oct 2005 and I'm about over it, especially with all that is happening and heck, business is really slow anyway. I've taken a part time job because of the lack of work. From what I read a lot of others on here have as well or are leaving all together. I really wonder if it will be worth all the mess and hassel it'll probably cause for me.

The whole problem with your mindset is:

You leave this industry, think this whole scenerio is behind you! Guess what your WRONG, this is fraud..PERIOD

If fraud is ever proved & this is a federal loan, then you could be brought up on federal charges. This could happen tomorrow, a month from now, a year from now or 20 years from now. Yes, you might get your hand slapped by the state b/c of the signature thing, but it beats prison time with a felony record!

Wipe the fog away from your eyes, get a complaint on record so that you can cover your ARSE! Accept a handslap if need be, but your leaving the profession, so who cares if the state takes away some of your hours under this old mentor?

 

[TJSum]

I'm just asking here, but with many Appraisal Companies, how can one keep total 100% control of ones signature. Usually every appraiser in the company uses the same appraisal software, they complete a report and send it to the owner of the company so that he can review and then apply his/her signature. I am thinking this is the procedure for the company involved with this post.

I know the software offers a "lock" when the signature is applied, so that the form can not be altered, but if two signatures go on the report, only the last to sign can actually lock the report (as far as I know, maybe this is wrong), or else they will not be able to sign off on the report.

So there has to be a degree of trust between the two signatures involved. If this is how the OP's company is set up, the owner could go in and alter any previous appraisal completed by someone else by typing over any report that already has the signature. The first appraiser could have "control" over the signature, but not total control of the contents of the report until it is locked when the second signature is applied.

 

[McPheeters]

Yes, you might get your hand slapped by the state b/c of the signature thing,


Could you elaborate on "the signature thing"?

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

I'm just asking here, but with many Appraisal Companies, how can one keep total 100% control of ones signature. Usually every appraiser in the company uses the same appraisal software, they complete a report and send it to the owner of the company so that he can review and then apply his/her signature. I am thinking this is the procedure for the company involved with this post.

I know the software offers a "lock" when the signature is applied, so that the form can not be altered, but if two signatures go on the report, only the last to sign can actually lock the report (as far as I know, maybe this is wrong), or else they will not be able to sign off on the report.

So there has to be a degree of trust between the two signatures involved. If this is how the OP's company is set up, the owner could go in and alter any previous appraisal completed by someone else by typing over any report that already has the signature. The first appraiser could have "control" over the signature, but not total control of the contents of the report until it is locked when the second signature is applied.

That's not how Alamode works. It becomes locked when any signature is placed on it. If ANYTHING is attempted to be changed in the report, a pop-up will warn that the signature will be removed if you want to alter something. As long as the supervisor doesn't change anything, it will allow a supervisor's signature to be placed on it without unlocking it. If the supervisor wants changes made, s/he can do that and then send it back to the appraiser on the left to check over and add their own signature again.

It is NOT 'industry' standard to allow others access to your digital signature!!!
It is NOT USPAP compliant to do that which makes it against the law in most states.
The 'everybody else is doing it' is NOT a legal defense!!!!!

If your software doesn't allow it to be set up like this, you really need to think about getting a different software.

 

[Smokey Bear]

California will slap you with $1000 fine for each instance your sig was used without your knowledge/permission, and full USPAP class. AND, they consider it forgery on the part of the person who used it. I know of one appraiser whose license was revoked because of using someone's sig w/o permission.

 

[Webbed Feet]

California will slap you with $1000 fine for each instance your sig was used without your knowledge/permission, and full USPAP class. AND, they consider it forgery on the part of the person who used it. I know of one appraiser whose license was revoked because of using someone's sig w/o permission.

I see. So if you email me an appraisal report I hire you to do, and after I get it I have hacked your signature out of your "locked" report in about 20 mins and then proceed to use your signature a few hundred times on fake appraisal reports with your name on it, the CA board will later fine you several hundred thousands dollars for my act of fraud that was out of your control.

Hey! Nice board!

Webbed.