Buyer Beware! These people are an Advanced Loan Fee Scam outfit working out of New York. I was contacted by them at the end of September regarding approval for a Bad Credit Loan. When I finally got a hold of someone in the organization, they told me I had been approved for a $15,000 loan but that I had to satisfy certain upfront "FEES" before the loan could be funded. These fees were for and Insurance policy to "protect the Lender", 3 mos. Of advance loan payments. Well, being desperate, I came of with the money, signed their agreement and faxed in to the representative, who assured me that my funds would be wired into my account overnight and I would have then in the morning.
Well, I got up the next morning, checked my account and NO MONEY had been transferred. Well, I called the next day only to find out from the Head of Account Representatives that I would have to pay a Brokerage Fee and an additional 3 mos advance. I explained that the representative had assured me that the loan agreement I signed and faxed back included ALL FEES (tax, title, license, drive off the lot). Well, I was told by his supervisor that I was "misinformed" and that in order to secure the loan, I would now have to come up with these additional fees. I asked the supervisor to give me a letter of Guarantee, stating that if I satisfied these latest requirements I would get the loan. Well, I got the letter, but guess what... NO LOAN!
When I called back again to discuss this, I was told by this guy that one of the Lenders "had pulled out" of the deal and that additional security was required from the remaining "LENDERS" Well, you have thought that I would have pulled the plug on this deal, but guess again, I came up with the money (which they ask you to wire to an individual in Canada using Western Union). Wait this gets even better. I now was dealing with the Head of the Financial Department, who told me what a GREAT DEAL I was getting considering my credit status.
Well, as I mentioned before I came up with the additional money and sent it to a person in Canada, whom I don't even know, only to get a call from the Head Financial guy asking me to call Western Union and change the name of the recepient to another person, because the orginal one was sick. At this point, the ALARMS should have been going off full blast... HA! Throughout the day, I had been checking in with Western Union to see if the funds had been picked up, but to no avail. Well my last call to them was the straw that broke the camels back. I wound up talking to a rep in the WU Fraud department, you informed that this was a SCAM!
I wanted to throw up right then and there. He advised me as to what steps of action to take immediately and I did just that. The next day I discussed this with the Finance guy and told him what had happened and he just dismissed the WU rep and said that if I wanted my loan to be funded I still needed to get them the money. Well, I said enough is enough and requested my money back. I was informed that it would take from 3 to 6 weeks to receive my refund of close to $4,000!! Well, 6 weeks passed the week after Thanksgiving.
I call these guys only to talk to a new individual since the Finance Head was on vacation. You'll love this. He tells me that in order for me to receive my refund, I have to PAY THEM another $580 for a Cancellation and Processing Fee! Can you believe it! I have been trying over the last couple of weeks to get in touch with these clowns, but to no avail, because their phone system is NOT WORKING! So at this point, I am going to file a complaint with the NY State AG's office and go after these people. I am trying to be positive and hopeful about getting my hard earned money back, but I'm not going to hold my breath.
I guess there's something to the saying "Stupid is as Stupid does" Please be careful of these people!!
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