Like other victims, I too took out a loan with this company 3 years ago for a measley $100. I too, thought I had paid back what I owed them AND sent them the verification paperwork they requested to have the account closed but they kept taking money out of my account.
Finally, I had to close the previous account and opened a new one. The company contacted me in March with a generally threatening letter stating (like in Shelly's case) that they had contacted me, etc, etc. I know for a fact they hadn't — now in my case, I had moved, but if the had my email address from when I took out the loan and I never got anything from them. Anyway, when I first spoke with the representative Princeton Harris, he explained to me what happened and stated that there was a small balance left - because I had the money at that time I said better to just get rid of them... We agreed to set up an arrangement.
I found out a week prior to the debit taking place that I would not have the money for them and I called him back to arrange payment on a different date for the same amount& he said "no problem" (his exact words). The payment went through as we arranged the second time so I thought the matter was closed.
The next month - they had taken another charge of the same amount out of my account. I called my bank and they told me who it was. Long story short, I called Princeton back and he flatly lied to me stating that he never would have said it was ok to arrange a new settlement and I owed the money anyway so "what was my problem". Also he stated that the only "notes" on the account were from the original agreement we made - and since I breached it, it was my own fault. He continued to deny that we had spoken in the interim.
I asked to speak to his manager (who 2 people verified was supposed to be his manager) William Mashburn... in speaking with him, he stated that they would not refund my money but that they would waive whatever I still owed ($80) and close the account. I directly asked him whether this would mean no more debits from my account and he said YES. I received a letter from them stating that the $80 would be waived and that they would close the account (although it took him forever to send it).
I said, ok - nothing I can do now, but at least it's over with. Yesterday, I checked my account and they had attempted to draft another amount of $110 and caused my account to overdraft. Another long story short, I called them back again and this time when I told Princeton that I had the letter he told me he didn't remember it and that I needed to fax it to him. Luckily I was at home and couldn't, but when I thought about it I asked him why he wouldn't remember working on his own account if he was the "account manager". He then became beligerent and said "oh well, that letter was sent to you in error." He stated that their "computers" would not recognize that arrangement because of the first arrangement. He told me that the person who I was told was his manager (and that he connected me to on previous occassions when I asked to speak to his manager) was not his manager - it was simply a "senior associate" and that he had no power to send me the letter.
When I said that that was not what he or this "manager/senior associate" William Mashburn told me, he said that it was not his problem and that I should have just paid the $100 dollars that I borrowed. When I asked him to speak with his manager, he kept telling me that the situation did not need to be escalated to a manager because it was my own fault. Every time I asked for a manager or supervisor - he told me that they would tell me the same thing he was telling me. I told him that good customer service would dictate that he simply connect me with someone that could help and he said "Customer service? You aren't a customer anymore so I don't need to do customer service." Finally, he put me on hold for 10 minutes and attempted to come back and say no one was available... By then, I had a customer service rep on another phone who AGAIN confirmed that William Mashburn was indeed his manager. I spoke with him AGAIN and his story changed as well - he would not answer my questions and stated that I should have just paid the $100 that I borrowed.
I stated to him that I had the letter HE sent to me with HIS handwriting on it stating that the account would be closed and he acted surprised. Then he tried to turn it again to say that I still owed them an amount and I should have just paid back the money in the first place. I hung up on him and called back and asked for the names of the President/Owner and I was given Del Kimball and the name of a manager over these two and I was given the name Brad Weathers - all by a very helpful customer service rep named Jennifer.
I have left two messages for Brad Weathers with no response. I called back and spoke with a collections rep to ask if there was a manager over this Brad Weathers because I hadn't been able to reach him - when she asked for my info, I told her that I hadn't had a good experience with the reps there and really just wanted to speak with a Manager.
She kept pressing me for my info and got angry when I wouldn't give it to her - finally she said that if I hadn't gotten Brad then there was no one else I could talk to. I told her that's all she had to say, thank you and hung up.
I'm going to my bank this afternoon and I'd like them to hear the story that these guys cook up next.
I'd love to get a class action suit going or something... As far as I'm concerned what they are doing is fraud.
Nanette
Hackensack, New Jersey
U.S.A.
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