Fax machines, really?

[RedskinsDave]

So I am selling my place in Virginia and have had a million documents to send to the title company and the bank. This kills me. The person at the bank emailed me some documents to sign so I did, scanned them and then emailed them back all in pdf. She then sends me an email asking me to fax them as well. I asked why and she said it just has to be done that way. I suggested maybe sending them carrier pigeon or on the Wells-Fargo wagon is they would like to try other antiquated forms of correspondence.

You would think some sort of efax would be an option but they all require a monthly subscription. The UPS store wanted $2 for the first page and $1 for each additional. At that rate, it would be cheaper to overnight it.

I think I know why we have issues with the mortgage banking industry. They probably are still using abaci to do their amortization tables.

[Ibleedburgundy]

Honestly though, when you consider the weight of stone tablet print outs, $2 per page really isn't all that bad. I hear the masons are unionized these days and independent scribes just don't have the same quality.

[RedskinsDave]

Honestly though, when you consider the weight of stone tablet print outs, $2 per page really isn't all that bad. I hear the masons are unionized these days and independent scribes just don't have the same quality.

I thought there were little people inside the machines who relay the information to the other little people in the receiving fax machine.

True story: My sister-in-law worked on the hill for a congressman and they hired former Arlington Board moron, er member, Al Eisenberg to work for them. He went in to send a fax and after a few minutes came out and said, "I am sending the fax but it keeps coming back." He apparently thought the paper was being sent to the other end.

[Keino]

What's crazy is that in the commercial world, everything is done by pdf.

[BurgundyNGold]

Send the PDF to her via eFax.

[RedskinsDave]

Send the PDF to her via eFax.

I would but it requires a monthly subscription.

[RedskinsDave]

What's crazy is that in the commercial world, everything is done by pdf.

I did everything by pdf when I was doing mortgages. I don't know why these hacks don't. I would blame my broker for picking a crappy bank but I like me.

[CNYSkinFan]

I did everything by pdf when I was doing mortgages. I don't know why these hacks don't. I would blame my broker for picking a crappy bank but I like me.
LMAO

[WarEagle]

Cost-savings measure. The hack mortgage company must have rolls of thermal fax paper on hand that they'd rather use for this purpose than their fine laser printer paper and ink that your PDF doc would consume. And I'm sure their fax machine is turning all day long, too, producing curled-up copies of mortgage or foreclosure documents.

[SkinsKY]

It's not just mortgage banks. My son was denied insurance by Anthem because a newborn with a misshapen, conehead is considered "high risk" and not normal. So the kid's on state insurance because no one else would take him.

Anywho, the agency requires a ream of paper in applications and supporting documents to be faxed, but their machine keeps getting disconnected in the middle, so I have to guess where it stopped and try and fax whatever it missed.

After a while I think I have it and call the office to ask the lady if she can verify that she received the fax:

Oh, it doesn't get sent here.

Where does it go?

To another office.

Can I have that number to verify?

No.

I can't? Why's that?

They don't pick up the phone over there.

Can you call them and ask for me?

No.

So, I sent a fax that kept disconnecting and there's no way to verify that you even received it?

Well, I'll tell you what I can do. (adopting a voice like she's cutting me in on a deal.) Those faxes will come to me to be entered and when I get it, I can call you.

Great. When will that be?

Tuesday. (It was currently Thursday)

So, I sent a fax, but no one can tell me that it printed anything for almost a week? Meanwhile my infant has appointments and no insurance.

Sorry, that's the best I can do.

click.

[RedskinsDave]

Wow, Brandon. I would lose my shiza. I am just selling a place, so its no big deal in the long run. If this were over my kid's health insurance, I don't know what I'd do.

[Keino]

Wow, Brandon. I would lose my shiza. I am just selling a place, so its no big deal in the long run. If this were over my kid's health insurance, I don't know what I'd do.

It's tough, because chances are if you blow-up, nobody will be willing to help you, but you cannot just take their crap either. I remember switching jobs and therefore health insurance plans when my oldest was about 3 or 4. She has been prescribed singulair for her allergy issues. Well the new insurance company wanted us to try over the counter alternatives before paying for the Singulair. So I called to tell them how absurd this is. That her doctor has made a medical recommendation and has for years, and we trust our doctor over some bean counters trying to save themselves a buck...and oh by the way, my Premium check cleared this month.

I got zero results, until I got ghetto-fied and started dropping F bombs all over the place. Cut the BS and approve my daughter's medicine or my next phone call is to the Maryland Insurance Administration to file a formal complaint against your company for breach of contract and reckless endangerment of my child. I will happily see you MFers in court when I sue you for your MFin conduct and I will call every local news station to loudly tell my story of how I have been passed on to 5 different people, none of whom are capable of making a simple decision to pay for a very standard and necessary medicine that our previous insurer had no problems paying. Every time after this diatribe they attempted to get a word in edgewise, I would cut them off and say the only words I should be hearing is that you are approving payment of the MFin medicine and that I can go to the pharmacy and pick it up. They approved the medicine that day.

I ended the conversation by saying what a shame it was that I had to act ignorant for you people (it's never offensive without a "you people") to do your jobs.

[RedskinsDave]

I basically had to do that at one point to get an email to send pdf's to. That was earlier in the process. I didn't have to reach the f-bomb level but I have no problem doing that. I told the guy I was dealing with that its 2010 and it simply isn't possible that a bank that received $25 billion from me and other tax payers to save their jobs doesn't have an email where I can send my docs. He paused for a minute and gave me his supervisor's email. I am too close to the end to bother going that route again.

[Keino]

I hate getting there Dave, because It takes me a good while to calm down once I've reached that point that I've blown a gasket. But once I was passed on to another person who couldn't give me the necessary answer, I was just beyond the point of no control. My temper is something I have been working on since I younger and I have made great strides in this area.

[RedskinsDave]

I hate getting there Dave, because It takes me a good while to calm down once I've reached that point that I've blown a gasket. But once I was passed on to another person who couldn't give me the necessary answer, I was just beyond the point of no control. My temper is something I have been working on since I younger and I have made great strides in this area.

I am the same way. Once they get me riled up, its hard to not roll that adrenaline on to something else. I should call these idiots right before I hit the gym, lol.

[guess88]

Faxes are easier to shred than PDF's. :)

Also, the cheapest and easiest option would be to buy a fax machine and then return it.

[RedskinsDave]

Faxes are easier to shred than PDF's. :)

Also, the cheapest and easiest option would be to buy a fax machine and then return it.

I don't have a land line. The government can read my mind through those.

[Dolla Bill]

There's a program we use through work that acts like an electronic fax machine, called Rightfax. You can fax pdf's and all sorts of other files as faxes.

[RedskinsDave]

There's a program we use through work that acts like an electronic fax machine, called Rightfax. You can fax pdf's and all sorts of other files as faxes.

They have to be expensive. There is no dollar amount listed anywhere on their site.

[Keino]

There's a program we use through work that acts like an electronic fax machine, called Rightfax. You can fax pdf's and all sorts of other files as faxes.

We use a program called Genifax.

[RedskinsDave]

I finally found one called GreenFax that lets you send faxes cheap. It requires you to purchase $25 worth in advance but that beats a monthly subscription.

[tuckahoeskin]

I don't have a land line. The government can read my mind through those.

So... you are a fan of Jesse Venura. Knew it!

[RedskinsDave]

So now the relocation company and title company are emailing me wondering where the bank docs are and I told them they were faxed over. My contact said she faxed them twice. I couldn't help but respond that they haven't received them and tell her that it would be helpful it we could use something other than 1970's technology to get this deal done.

[redskin_rich]

Dave, was saving 3-6% of the sale worth this hassle? Believe me, I know how much it sucks to pay someone to do what you are capable, qualified and can do better but there comes a time when you have to start valuing your time and sanity more than maximizing your profit or minimizing your costs.

[RedskinsDave]

Dave, was saving 3-6% of the sale worth this hassle? Believe me, I know how much it sucks to pay someone to do what you are capable, qualified and can do better but there comes a time when you have to start valuing your time and sanity more than maximizing your profit or minimizing your costs.

It is since I left my job to move plus the guvment gives us 5% of the sales price since I sold it and the relo company didn't have to buy it.

[redskin_rich]

It is since I left my job to move plus the guvment gives us 5% of the sales price since I sold it and the relo company didn't have to buy it.

Ah, you are a thrifty man. I can't help but have a little laugh about a staunch conservative as yourself using the system. :)

[RedskinsDave]

Ah, you are a thrifty man. I can't help but have a little laugh about a staunch conservative as yourself using the system. :)

We have sacrificed a lot so I don't really see it as using the system versus getting our just due but I get your point. ;)

[redskin_rich]

We have sacrificed a lot so I don't really see it as using the system versus getting our just due but I get your point. ;)

Yeah, no stones cast from here, just friendly ribbing.

If I may ask, what was the urgency of moving there so soon?

[RedskinsDave]

Yeah, no stones cast from here, just friendly ribbing.

If I may ask, what was the urgency of moving there so soon?

So soon? Not sure what you mean. My wife was assigned to the NY office.

[redskin_rich]

So soon? Not sure what you mean. My wife was assigned to the NY office.

I was referring to the sacrifices you said you made. I misunderstood that as part of a hurried move.