Hi Karen.  Sorry to hear you too are having problems with these people.   They sent me a check to induce me to do a search for them (I wouldn't do the search until they brought their account current) but then they stopped payment on the check.  I have already turned them over to my collection company (Wexford & James - who collects for a percentage) for that bad check and for all other invoices that were outstanding from May and June.   You can't be afraid to collect what is owed to you, even if it means losing a client.  It is far better to lose a nonpaying client than to keep working for a client that is never going to pay you.  It is interesting to note that they also wrote you a bad check.  In Iowa, there may be a possibility that you can bring criminal action against indviduals who KNOWINGLY write bad checks or write checks knowing that they are going to stop payment on them.  Since we are both in Iowa, my situation might help bolster your case for collection on the bad checks, and vice versa.  Please feel free to drop my name if you need to in order to collect or contact me for further details on these guys.  It makes sense to me now that you say they are merging with Security Title.  Is that by any chance Security First out of Freeport/Galena/Rockford Illinois?  I was told that the owners of these two companies have or did have some sort of familial (husband of ex-wife or something) relationship, so that would make sense.  Although I have not had any problem collecting money from Security First, I did have constant problems with them threatening to yank all their accounts from me if I didn't lower my fees, or reduce fees on specific searches, etc.  I eventually lost their work also because I would not continue bending to their command.  Someone said it best when they said "if you bend over now you might as well stay bent over."  At any rate, Security First paid timely, but it was like pulling eye teeth to get them to pay me what we had agreed on, so I don't know if they will honor all of All American's back fees or not.

Another Iowa abstractor I know is having problems getting money from All American also.  And they are her biggest account.  I have already suggested to her that she pursue collection procedures forthwith and stop doing work for them as well.

If I can give you any other info, including contact info for my collection company, just let me know.  I take this "fee-stiffing" stuff personally.

Jill Kissell
A-1 Abstracting
Norwalk, Iowa