I was seeking a Consumer Credit Counselor to help me resolve a couple of credit card collections situations, including a frivolous lawsuit from Citibank.
I recieved a courtesy letter (which is really a convenentially disguised ad) from Consumer First Consultants, Inc.informing me that they could assist in settling my Citibank suit out of court. I made an appointment.
Upon arriving, it looks more like a boiler room operation with one girl researching civil cases and a small Asian guy running off hundreds of courtesy letters to people.
I waited and was escorted to a back office by a high-strung chick, who sat me down, and without asking me any questions or inquiring into my financial situation she writes $200 on a manila file folder and bellows, "For we star I need to know if you can pay that!"
I said, no, I was currently unemployed. There was no way I could pay $200 a month to settle a $4,000 credit card debt. Nor would I, if I had $200 to pay on a single credit card I wouldn't be here.
I said the best I could probably do was $100 a month, including consolidating my other debt into a DMP. She shook her head furiously, proclaiming, I no can do. Circling and re-circling the figure $200.
She also added rather vehemently that she would require another $750 to respond to the lawsuit and take it out of court as her Fee. Keep in mind this is someone who is a credit counselor and perhaps a paralegal at best. Not even a lawyer.
She then added, "If you no pay, they take you to court and when you get job, they garnish wages!" I simply shrugged and said, I guess so. "YEAH!" She reiterated. "They garnish your wages then!"
Whatever Consumer First Consultants, Inc. But it certainly NOT credit counseling as advertised. They are a for profit consultanting for that has no interest in negotiating on behalf of the consumer.
I would stay away.
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