Pre-paid Legal Services does NOT provide what they claim, AT ALL. I was told the legal plan was $35.00/month. It isn't. It is $25.00/month. The PPLS salesman tacked on ID Theft AND Legal Shield without my permission. Kroll, Inc. - the partner that provides the alleged coverage for ID Theft, wrote to say "uh huh - you had ID Theft. We're not responsible. Write to PPLS." I had already told Kroll that I had written to PPLS for 1.5 years now, including letter of 2/27/07 BEGGING for a reply.
If it had been only ID Theft unasked for but paid for that would have been bad enough. However, the alleged legal "help" I received made a bad situation much worse. It was already life threatening because a gun-shooting abusive felon was involved. His girlfriend and her mom asked me to call 9-1-1 if the felon returned while they were loading up the U-Haul in their unannounced mid-day escape from his abuse.
The attorney, Daniel J Smith, who allegedly reviewed the documents sent a letter to the landlord WITHOUT CONSULTING ME, WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE, WITHOUT MY CONSENT making demand that I would NOT have made, releasing claim that I did not want released, other errors of fact, and then (!) misspelled two of three names involved!
I was unable to learn that he had done this until 5 days later. He said that "it was not his intention or intention of the law firm to put my life in additional jeopardy." Oh, that helped a lot... Not his "intention." He said he would review add'l info and send a 2nd letter to "rectify" situation. 18 days after he receives the info from me, I have to call the office AGAIN - where is 2nd letter?
I received an email from "survey" with no subject line and an attachment. I'm desperate enough to open email risking my computer's hard drive. His message tells me to make any changes I "feel" necessary - it's the SAME letter with a NEW error that he could have avoided if he'd read just HALF of my cover letter.
I'm more than angry. Michael J DuPont takes over case and I receive first "consultation" re issues on 12/1 - 2 months later.in January, DuPont is saying that I have to pay a retainer fee (refuses to tell me how much) to deal with the problems that Smith aggravated in October! I have retained his voicemail message on cassette.
Smith's first letter breached contract clause I: C - atty is to review docs and then consult by phone. Did NOT happen. Pre-Paid Legal's response to my letter in January? 0 Prepaid's response to my letter of 2/8? They unilaterally cancelled the contract (guaranteed renewable according to their annual report) and according to member's contract can be cancelled only in event of member's "fraud or nonpayment of fees."
Of course, they did manage to snatch another $9.95 for unauthorized ID theft "on behalf of Kroll, Inc." the day before they cancelled the contract! When Keri Prince/Gen'l Counsel for PPLS reponded to the complaint I sent to the Atty Gen'l of Minnesota - they offered to return the authorized & UNAUTHORIZED fees in exchange for a release of claim and action against all of them (agents, directors, etc.)
Hello? They rescind the contract, keep the money, and then (in response to Atty Gen'l) 3 months later: offer to return money they were NEVER authorized to take in the first place in exchange for a release of claims?
There is more to this pathetic tale of corporate greed and deceit - what can be said about lawyers who did what Smith & DuPont did? I've created a yahoo group where I'll post the documentation regarding this situation. If sharing my personal experience with these companies helps even one person avoid the grief and fear and illness I have suffered - it is worth the effort.
The Yahoo group is called Friends of Reverend PJ (just go to www.yahoo.com, click on groups, and search for "reverend pj." Request membership & I'll get back to you quickly. If you're in Minnesota, please let me know - maybe together we can accomplish what we can't as one. Even if you're not in Minnesota - if you want to help other folks avoid what we've been thru, let me know.
They've "threatened" now to sue me for slander-libel. Facts are facts, truth is truth. Some of the docs have been loaded on the Group site and the rest will be soon. Read the docs and decide for yourself - As far as I know, citizens of the US are still entitled to opinions and are able to draw their own conclusions.
PJ
Minneapolis, Minnesota
U.S.A.
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