My husband and I were in financial trouble. We were steadily sinking lower and lower in to debt. One day i decided to look for a consumer debt conseling service to help us through in our time of need.
I decided to go to the first place I knew to get as much information about it as I could... THE INTERNET!!!
I looked at many different places online and checked out all of the businesses on The Better Business Bueraeu's website. I figured that I had done enough research (because the BBB would tell me of these people were a scam. Right?) to make a good decision. Well for some reason or another I decided to go with Berkshire Financial Solutions (maybe because they seemed the most eager to "help" me.
Before signing up with Berkshire I questioned them about every aspect of there business and I even stated that on the BBB website there had been complaints, after telling my consultant Gia Bruno about these complaints the top executive of this business called me personally, James H Leighton, ESQ. Boy was I excited he had me pumped I thought for sure this company has to be for real if this man is calling me an ESQ (what is an esquire?) is calling me personally (boy was I a sucker).
So i started sending these people my hard earned money every month, exactly $370.91. (may be chump change to some people but to a young newlywed adult, still in college its everything).
They told me if that my creditors will keep calling me but that I dont have to talk to them. Well who really wants to talk to the big bad wolf? Not me! So I didnt answer the calls and kept sending my money every month without realizing that these people have not paid my creditors one cent!
One day I realized I had better check to se the progress to see when I will be DEBT FREE! I called Berkshire to get a copy of what companies they had paid, when and how much? They said oh yes mam right away we will send that shortly.
This report never came! I called back and all of a sudden the phone numbers I had were not being answered! I kept calling and calling and leaving messages and not one returned phone call. I went on the internet and found out other phone numbers for their company and out of a list of 30 phone numbers only one worked.
I finally got a human voice so I asked this man calmly about my account.
He said (this is where it gets a little funny): Oh I can't answer any questions because I am (and I quote) the "Computer Guy".
I said: well can you transfer me to someone that can help me? He said: Oh. No mam the phone lines are down right now and nothing can be transferedbut they will be up again by Thursday I said: OK Thurs, Can I quote you on that?
He said: Oh no mam I am just the computer guy you cant quote me on anything and any way the phone company always lies.
I ask you when has the phone company ever lied? Do you know who this goof ball was that I was talking to? The same Head Hancho that called me directly in the beginning this James H. Leighton.
He was the last person I talked to from Berkshire.
I did everything in my power to get my money back but as many of the lawyers that i talked to the fees to get back the money would be more than what I lost. So I was screwed out of close to $2000 and that is not including the late fees I was charged and the severity of my debt problems I am in now.
I ask you, who helps the little guy?
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