Thanks for the alert!
On April 11 a company called Global Finance called offering me a deal for folks who had gone through bankruptcy to get their credit history back in good standing. They offered a non-secured VISA card in addition to their services for cleaning up my credit rating for a one-time fee of $221.95. I said yes, but told them I did not have the money at that time and we agreed on a date of May 8.
On May 13 a man named Pat Murphy representing Credit Education Group (CEG) called me at work telling me that Global Finance was no longer in business and I should stop any checks promised them. I stopped payment on that check number three different ways as soon as our phone call ended. He stated that CEG now had Global's clients. Pat offered me the same VISA card offer with lots of perks for a one-time fee of $227.00. Notice that Pat's original offer was $227.00; but, when I was transferred to Ron, the Confirmation Clerk, he quoted me $297.00. After speaking to Pat again about that, he apologized profusely and said that he could not mis-represent the fee as that was illegal! Silly me. I agreed to the terms and we ended the call. Pat willingly gave me a Customer Service phone of 1-866-310-0695 in my initital conversation with him, but when I asked Ron for an address he had to put me on hold twice to find out what to tell me! He gave me: 10624 South Eastern Avenue #A-435, Henderson, NV 89052.
A couple minutes after we hung up, I thought I should call the 1-866 number to ask what Federal and State agencies they were licensed with and the license numbers. The woman who took my call became nervous and rude at my question and said she was not authorized to give out that information. I asked to be put through to Pat Murphy, because he said to call him at that number anytime I needed to speak with him. She said she was unable to do that because she didn't know where he was located (city or state). Then I asked to speak to her manager or someone who could answer my question, to which she replied the manager doesn't take calls. Upon further pressure, she me another number to a location in Las Vegas (1-888-646-8386).
Instead of calling that number, I looked up Credit Education Group on the national Better Business Bureau website. The address that popped up was 6929 JFK Boulevard 20-294, North Little Rock, AR 72116 with the phone as 1-800-704-9552. Here's what the report said:
Customer Experience - Our file shows disconnected phone numbers, returned mail, or both. The company appears to be out of business.
Licensing Information - This company is in an industry that may require licensing, bonding, or registration in order to lawfully do business. The Bureau encourages you to check with the appropriate agency to be certain any requirements are currently being met.
Additional Information - The Arkansas Better Business Bureau has received returned mail from the Post Office for this business as "return to sender, no such company at this address".
It goes on to say that the company is reported to actually be located at the address in Henderson, NV.
I then searched on Yahoo! For Credit Education Group and the first listing was yours - CREDIT EDUCATION GROUP RIPOFF...!!! I immediately called my bank and explained this fraud and requested an immediate stop payment on any electronic transfers of $297.00. My bank's customer service representative did as I asked and then advised me, since this was an electronic transfer without a check number attached, to go to the bank and close my account and open a new one. I did. When the teller looked up my account, no such amounts had cleared from my account yet. But, they told me to study my next couple bank statements to be sure that all transactions are mine and not Global's or CEG's.
Am I ever glad I used Yahoo! And found your site - it was the catalyst that kicked me into action to protect the limited resources I have. I will be reporting this company to the National Better Business Bureau. I strongly urge anyone else reading this site and my story to do the same.
Trish
Hopkins, Minnesota
U.S.A.
0 comments