After reading the existing reports on FCCC, I wish I had known about this site before I became involved with FCCC. As of Oct. 17, the DOJ and Attorney Generals office now list for the consumer, "Credit Counseling" companies that are legitimate and "really" not for profit.
I did a fair amount of research prior to signing up with "Consumer Debt Management & Education, Inc." which is the "front" company for FCCC. Right from the beginning, they are dishonest about their intentions. "Consumer Debit Management & Education" is a Marketing company that completely mis-leads individuals that contact them. I went thru all the question and answer sessions with CDME and signed up with them - gave them "power of attorney" to deduct monies from my checking account all under the pretense that they were the company I would be working with. They received up front from me $1,015.00 as a "setup" fee to be refunded at the completion of the program. CDME did in fact auto deduct those funds from my account.
To my surprise and dismay a couple of weeks later (this was the end of July) I was contacted by a company calling themselves "Family Credit Counseling Corp." who proceeded to explain to me (by a person who barely spoke English) that I had to sign a second "power of attorney" for them to start deducting money from my account to pay my debts. I was upset and not willing to allow this "new" company to deduct any monies from my account. After arguing, discussing, and talking to three different people at FCCC, they finally explained in a round about way what I had already concluded and that was that they use "tele-marketing" folks to "work-up" their deals. Since I do understand business and how things work I agreed to make this change and I let them know I would be, closely monitoring my account to make sure no "funny" business was going on and that I would "alert" my bank to the same. I also let them know that since FCCC was not who I had contacted originally I would be watching very closely how they were handling things.
Therefore - I admit that even a "savvy" person can be taken.in the month of August CDME took $1,015.00 from my account (this amount is equivalent to the amount I was to pay each month). Then starting on 9/10/05 FCCC took $494.00 and on 9/25/05 they took $521.00 - this was per our agreement to satisfy my monthly payments. I checked with my creditors at the end of September and payments had posted to some of my accounts. I checked back two weeks later and the balance of my creditors had received payment. Thru 10/13/05, all was well although I was not happy that these first payments were actually 1/2 month behind. Remember my monthly pmt is $965.00 with a 50.00 "contribution" and on 10/13/05; FCCC had deducted a total of $1,550.00 plus the $1,015.00 (to be refunded at the completion of the program). Therefore, to think that they were not "funded" to make my monthly pmts on time is ludicrous.
Now we are at 11/15/05 and I have received some nasty collection calls. So I called FCCC on 11/15/05 to inquire what the problem might be. I sat on hold for a while but I did get a human on the phone and was told that things were behind because of hurricane Wilma. Wilma hit on 10/20/05. Well I live in FL also so I gave them the benefit of the doubt and asked for a supervisor to call me. I was told one would contact me in 24 hours - no call. I am an understanding type so I let it go for a few days. Now we are at 11/22/05 and I am again receiving "collection" calls. My creditor was "demanding" payment! They had not received a payment since 9/27/05 - today is 11/22/05. Again I called - I was told that they were a "little" behind because of the hurricane and that my "debt counselor team" would contact me within 24 hours. HA!
I was also just told by the "person" who answered my call - that all of the creditors have been contacted and that they are all willing to work with FCCC because of the hurricane! HA - I guess someone forgot to tell that to the computers that are racking up over-limit, late and interest charges at 30%!!! Not to mention the "collections" person who just gave me an ear full.
Keep in mind that the auto-deduct has faithfully been deducted from my account - hurricane Wilma seems to have not affected that process. As of today FCCC has received $3,539.00 (not including the $1,015.00 setup fee - to be refunded at the COMPLETION of the program) of which my creditors have received a total of $965.00 as of today 11/22/05!!!
So here I sit contemplating what to do to fix this mess. My creditors are not allowed to offer me any suggestions. If I pull out of the program all of the additional $4,300.00 of late fee's and over limit fees and interest on my debit stays and I will have to pay it and I was not over-limit or more than a few days late with payments to begin with. NOT to mention the $1,015.00 SETUP FEE that I will not get back because I am not completing the program.
So anyone who thinks that this is "credit help" is not in the same reality with the rest of us. For that person who is defending these folks let me say - I am responsible for my debt and no one else. I have the troubles that I have because I live in a different state than my folks and last January my Father because seriously ill. What I mean is - they told us numerous times that he was not going to make it and since he is 74 and not in good health we were prepared to deal with that. HOWEVER, that meant that I was financially helping my Mother and flying home to help her every 3 to 6 weeks for seven months until he could finally be moved to a nursing home. Unfortunately we cannot all be prepared for this type of financial set back and extending myself with credit was not a wise choice - but these are my parents. What is not right is that the lending institutions of this country are allowed to boost interest to 30% for a payment being made a few days late. If not for that - we would not need debt counselors! I was never trying to "get out" of paying my debt - I just wanted to pay it off in "this LIFE TIME"!
So, at this point my debt is drowning me. I will be contacting a "credit" attorney tomorrow and I will write to the Attorney General of FL tomorrow and give them a call to boot.
If someone out there wants to defend this "rip-off" company - PLEASE reply to my post - I would love to hear the rationalization of what they have done in my situation.
Do not use Family Credit Counseling Corporation of Lauderdale, FL or Consumer Debt Management & Education, Inc. Of Charlotte, NC. Trust me they do not EDUCATE the consumer - they swindle them.
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