VSS Notary and Immigration Services

I needed to notarize the letter of attorney in a foreign language and I was going to obtain an apostille by myself, just by going to the regional Los Angeles Secretary of State office. When I called VSS I was told that to get an apostille my document has to be translated into English and only then it can be notarized and apostilled. This was my first time doing such thing, so I agreed to e-​mail my document to VSS for translation. I was told that the price for translation is $ 35 and signature is $ 10. Then a man over the phone asked me if I wanted to obtain an apostille for my document, I said that I do, but I’m going to get it myself, on what he told me that only an official notary can go to the secretary of state office and get an apostille, and they won’t do it if I’ll go there myself. So I have to pay $ 100 on top for VSS to get an apostille. I would have to pay $ 140 for notarizing and apostilling just one single letter of attorney.
But before I sent my document for translation I called to the Secretary of State information line, and their representative told me that whatever that man told me is not true. First, the document can be in any language, it doesn’t have to be in English, because apostille verifies notary’s signature, but not the content of the paper. And second, anyone can get an apostille, it doesn’t have to be a notary or attorney. So I notarized my paper at the closest UPS store for $ 10, and I paid a fee for apostille $ 26, and I did it in one day. There was no line in the secretary of state office whatsoever. Very easy and way less expensive.
So bottom line: these guys are either incompetent, either they just wanted to rip me off. So don’t get all the services they’ll tell you need, check first if you really have to do that!