I applied for a loan 08-01-07 at 888-862-6543, supposedly Global Financial from an ad I found in a local newspaper. I received a call 08-07-07 from Hazel McNeal with a loan approval, 877-879-0874 ext #14# is her number. She faxed my loan documents on the same day. I signed and returned the loan documents the following day.
On that day I was told to send $1,620 US Dollars for a "collateral payment" to the lender, Georgina Riggin, Red Deer Alberta Canada. I was told the only way to send the payment was by Money Gram and that when the collateral payment was received, loan proceeds of $60,000 US Dollars would be wired into my bank account within 2 hours maximum.
The first Walmart (Money Gram location) told my husband it appeared to be a fraud and to do some checking before sending the money. So I contacted the Better Business Bureau in Omaha NE as this is where USA Lending Center claims to operate from and was given a negative report.
I then called USA Lending Center and put Hazel McNeal on a three way call with the Better Business Bureau and she convinced me that the Better Business Bureau had information on a similar named fraudulent company.
I also spoke to a supervisor, April Kennedy, at ext. #06# and was convinced that the company was legitimate. My husband and I discussed the issue over night and agreed to send the money on 08-09-07. I spoke again to April Kennedy that morning before sending the Money Gram and was reassured again and told if I didn't receive the wire of $60,000 US Dollars in 2 hours I could retrieve the $1,620 US Dollars from Money Gram at Walmart.
In one hour, Ryan Snow, ext #20# with USA Lending Center called and said another $1,620 US Dollars was needed before he could release the wire of $60,000. He said the lender, Georgina Riggin, was requesting an additional "collateral payment." This is exactly what the Better Business Bureau told me had happened in the previous cases. I allowed Hazel McNeal to convince me that the Better Business Bureau had the information in the wrong company's file.
I refused to send the money and demanded my $1,620 US Dollars be returned immediately. Ryan said refunds take up to 45 days and there was nothing he could do to get it to me any faster.
I started investigating further and found that the address where Hazel told me they were located, 14301 FNB Parkway, Suite 211, Omaha, NE 68154 is occupied by a company called Sogeti. I called them at 402-492-8877 and was told to call the Better Business Bureau as someone has been fraudulently using their address. I also spoke to the property manager, CB Richards Ellis, at 402-334-2070 and was told USA Loan Center was not a tenant in Suite 211.
Each time anyone calls from the company it comes up as a restricted number. When Ryan Snow called, after I had sent the Money Gram, 416-777-7777 came up on the caller id. I called the number back and was told it belongs to Star Classified in Canada.
I was also told that the number was "stolen" in some way and entered into a phone system and being used to make long distance calls at Star Classifieds expense.
I have spoke to the company several more times and am now being hung up on when I call.
My attorney has found that the website is registered to Beth Moore in Toronto, ON. Here phone number is 416-260-1280 which is answered by the loan application center that I originally called but everyone there claims she doesn't exist.
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