Okay, this is how it goes. Last year, after my house burned down, I needed a washer and dryer, so I went to Aaron's to get them. They charged me 1400 for the pair, which I could have gotten at Lowe's for 500 (a set). At that time I did not care. I needed the set because I had kids and we all needed clean clothes.
They said that as long as the payments were relatively on time, there would be no worries. So around my husband's birthday (4 months later), I bought him the 62-inch plasma that he wanted so badly. That made my payments to them go up to 193 a month. At the time we were both working and could afford it.
In the middle of May we ran into a little problem with my check and could not meet the payment until the following week, so my best friend (who was living with me at the time) paid them using her credit card. In July everything was supposed to be okay. I was back on track with my checks and had everything going great. I had to go to NY for a funeral and decided to hold off on paying Aaron's until I got back, as a precaution. It would be paid a week late at most, and I called them.
On day 5 of my stay in NY, my friend called me and said there was money missing from her account and that Aaron's had taken it out without permission. I called them and asked why they did that. Their answer was that the credit card was on file for recurring payments and they were simply doing their job. So I called their DM and asked him if this was a fair practice. He assured me that it was an error on my store's part and that as soon as I made my payment to replace it, her money would go back on the card.
So I made the payment, and a week and a half later she got her money back. Never mind that her car payment and grocery money were what they took. They ruined my friendship with her to a point.
Today I got a call from her, and she says that Aaron's once again took more money out of her account. (Her card number was not supposed to be on file, and mine was.) After what happened last time, it was plain to see that they do this out of habit. I called them and demanded that her money be returned to her card and that both of our card numbers be removed, as that was the last payment and I would come in to make it in person. They said, "No ma'am, we took the money out of your card and it will not be refunded." But they were wrong. When I read them the last four digits of my card number, they said, "No, we used the card ending in..." I told them it was not my card and that the money was to go back today. They said okay, as long as I made the payment in its place.
I said that last payments have to be made in person (their rule, as you have to sign paperwork). They said no, they wanted their money now. So I gave in and let them make one last transaction. This is a big problem and a privacy issue.
On another note, they called my mother that same week looking for me and told her that my account was past due and that they were going to sue me for the products. They said that if she did not make the payment, it would go on her credit as well as hurt mine. She was not thrilled at that idea at all. She said she would call me first and call them back. She called me and told me what was going on, and I called them and asked why they were calling and threatening my mother. They simply said, "Well, it got your attention, didn't it?" That time I was a day late, and I had called them the week before to say that my paycheck would come in on the 16th instead of the 15th. This is crazy. I am also filing a complaint with the BBB.
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