Beacon Consulting Services, BCS America, Tradeline ripoff Rochester New Hampshire
was referred to BCS America dba Tradeline through a mortgage company in June of 2004. The mortgage representative referred me to call BCS America and that they could raise my credit score 100-150 points around 90 days.
At that time, the mortgage company would reevaluate my credit situation and assist me in getting a home loan. I called the number I was given from the mortgage company, Mr Ron Harris at 480-924-8629. Ron Explained that what I was told from the mortgage company was accurate. The program consisted of pulling all three bureaus and disputing inaccurate information.
I asked Ron to fax me information on the program, which he faxed me two sheets explaining the basics, just as both he and the mortgage company had done. Based off the information and the way that the company was presented to me, I gave Ron the authorization to deduct my checking account in the amount of $425.00. Within a day, I recieved an email, like they had promised, explaining "how the credit system works." This was promised as letter 1 of 15. The following week, I recieved letter 2 of 15.
On June 30, 2004 I recieved an email from Ron that contained letters that I was to mail to the credit bureaus. I reviewed the letters and found that everything he wanted me to dispute was factual credit accounts. I explained this to him immediatly and he told me to send them anyway. I did.
After a month, nothing was happening. Ron was not calling me for anykind of updates and I never recieved another email or letter. I called Ron and asked him what to do. He told me to wait.Here it was already over 30 days into this "program" and nothing was happening. At the same time, I was trying to get ahold of the rep from the mortgage company, who understandably was going through health problems that prevented him from returning my calls. I called the mortgage company back around July 27th and spoke with a manager by the name of Craig Smith.
I explained the situation to him and he said he would pull the file and call me back. To this day, when I call he is with a client. To this day, I have had no returned calls from the mortgage company.
I called Ron Harris around the second week in August explaining that everything that they had promised was not happening. I had also recieved a letter from one of my creditors accusing me of fraud for attempting to dispute the accurate acccount! I told hime that I was very disappointed with the entire ordeal and wanted a refund. BCS had done absolutely nothing they had promised. He told me there would be no refunds. I asked for the corporate number, which he did provide as 603-332-0995.
I immediatly called and left a message, provided my work, cell and home number for someone to call me back. After two days, I still heard nothing. I called back again and this time a female receptionist answered and told me all the managers were in a meeting for the next few hours. Again, I gave her all my contact inforamtion. Still no returned call.
I kept calling on a weekly basis trying to reach someone to no avail. I then decided to pursue the better business bureau.
On September 7th, I ran across the owners email address brucemcinnis@hotmail.com
I emailed him the letter that I sent to the BBB for his review. This is the response I recieved:
Mrs. ,
We appreciate your request, but it does not make much sense. We have 3 full time employees doing ONLY Customer Service, Monday through Friday 9 am to 4 pm est. They often sit here with not much to do because this is not an emergency business where people call in needing something right "now". So to say you have called here and left messages and they are unreturned is ludicrous. If you called even one time during normal office hours....your call would have been returned within 24 hours. That is our policy.
Hopefully you read the contract you electronically signed and retained a copy of it. You can go online to the website and print one to review. We are in a contract for an entire year. As your anniversary date approaches....we will do an evaluation on your account. Each deletion or change to your report will have a value of $50 per change per bureau. This work performed is added up and if there is a refund of any monies.....it will be sent to you.
We are NOT a credit repair company.....we are an educational company with a do-it-yourself disputing system we assist you with. You were instructed in the Instruction Letter to completely review the dispute letters you were sent....if anything was erroneous, you were to contact the office immediately. We make it very easy to contact us ....603-332-0995..... bcsamerica@hotmail.com ......145 Old Dover Road, Rochester, NH 03867. We have over 600 active clients coming in monthly who are not having any of these problems.
Please re-review your position and forward all correspondence to us immediately.
Thank You,
H. Bruce McInnis
President/CEO
BCS America
Cc - NH BBB
Cc - Heustess permanent file that THEY listed it as a credit repair company.
-------Original Message-------
From: s h
Date: 09/07/04 19:36:57
To: brucemcinnis@hotmail.com
Subject: Re:
I did find your BBB report. Ironically you are listed as being in the "credit repair services" catagory. How odd?
_
>From: "bruce mcinnis"
>To: "Shannon "ronharris121"
>Subject: Re:
>Date: Tue, 7 Sep 2004 18:44:40 -0400 (Eastern Standard Time)
>
> Sorry,
>
>We forgot to respond to the Educational System question. Every single
>customer had received numerous emails ..... each with either an attached
>lesson or the latest email to everyone had the new password to the MEMBERS
>LOGIN button ( bcsamerica ) on the website. I can guess that you haven't
>been receiving your emails?
>
>Again......research the complaints at the BBB.....5 1/2 years..........2
>complaints. A record few companies ever attain.
>
>H. Bruce McInnis
>President/CEO
grew up in a time when a contract was a handshake. Over the last 20 years that has changed. I have had to put contracts in place to protect me against people that would use me and try and take even the little fee I might charge for my services, whatever it may be. BCS America clearly provided a service for you. As you know when you heard about us......we were referred....we do not advertise......only people who have used us and have had results refer us. Isn't that amazing! We delivered everything we agreed that we would. It amazes me that everyone else can reach us and you can't. Even the BBB can reach us and we can respond to them so easily. As easy as a phone call..... an email, like tonite......you reached someone within minutes....simply amazing! I can bet you even have results back from the credit bureau investigations that you haven't forwarded to us.
I assure you that we will respond to slander. We have documented proof of what we have electronically signed and communicated with you. We have proof of the dispute letters drafted for and sent to you. We are not taking this lightly and would rather mediate this peaceably, but will do what is necessary.
Please forward the materials sent to you by the credit bureaus so that we might complete your process with you and that you might not violate your contract by failure to comply.
We await your results,
H. Bruce McInnis
President/CEO
I continued to explain to Bruce that I was never explained the refund policy nor did I ever sign anything, physically or electronically. I offered to fax him what Ron did give me and he ignored that offer.
In other emails the same night, he called me an "angry lady" and still insisted that I had signed. I am still waiting for proof.
The horrendous attitude I recieved from the owner alone makes me sure that I do not want to do business with this company. He told me I should have called around to find out about his company because "thats what he would do" I have never had to call around to watch my back with a company before. I can assure that I will now.
This morning Septembe 8th 2004, I recieved this email:
Log on to www.tradelinesystems.com ....click on Members Login .......password is
Enjoy learning the series!
More to come!
BCS America Staff
This email was more of a giant F- Off than anything.
BCS has done nothing for me to warrant retaining a fee of $425.00 They refuse to show me were I signed anything. He claimed he was trying to mediate- If mediating things is telling me what an "angry lady" I am and how "ludacris" I am than thats another side.
I want a refund. I pray that no other person has to deal with these people. I hope that this message is read by anyone thinking of employing them. If you work with them, be ready to be threatened by "what ever is necessary" and berated.
BCS AMERICA
145 OLD DOVER ROAD
Rochester NH 03867
603-332-0995
bcsamerica@hotmail.com
Shannon
Avondale, Arizona
U.S.A.
11 Updates & Rebuttals
Shannon
Avondale,Arizona,
U.S.A.
agreeing to a refund and appologized for all the confusion
#12Author of original report
Thu, October 14, 2004
After heated tempers (from both parties) had cooled, Bruce did fax me where he belived I had signed a contract. I explained to him that I had never seen the contract before and I had not signed anything. He is agreeing to a refund and appologized for all the confusion.
Ms ALBANY- Your comment was well appreciated. Consumers helping other consumers is what helps us assert our rights. However, as far as the racist term, I am an extremely stubborn person but I don't believe I would ever use that term. It can be highly offensive as well as irreputably damaging. Aside from that you seem to be a wonderful person and I thank you for taking the time to write the letter. If you ever need assistance with a company, you know were to find me. I would be more than happy to return the favor.
I wanted to write this to serve notice and to give credit to BCS for finally ending this nearly two month long ordeal. Thank you
Shannon
Avondale,Arizona,
U.S.A.
agreeing to a refund and appologized for all the confusion
#12Author of original report
Thu, October 14, 2004
After heated tempers (from both parties) had cooled, Bruce did fax me where he belived I had signed a contract. I explained to him that I had never seen the contract before and I had not signed anything. He is agreeing to a refund and appologized for all the confusion.
Ms ALBANY- Your comment was well appreciated. Consumers helping other consumers is what helps us assert our rights. However, as far as the racist term, I am an extremely stubborn person but I don't believe I would ever use that term. It can be highly offensive as well as irreputably damaging. Aside from that you seem to be a wonderful person and I thank you for taking the time to write the letter. If you ever need assistance with a company, you know were to find me. I would be more than happy to return the favor.
I wanted to write this to serve notice and to give credit to BCS for finally ending this nearly two month long ordeal. Thank you
Shannon
Avondale,Arizona,
U.S.A.
agreeing to a refund and appologized for all the confusion
#12Author of original report
Thu, October 14, 2004
After heated tempers (from both parties) had cooled, Bruce did fax me where he belived I had signed a contract. I explained to him that I had never seen the contract before and I had not signed anything. He is agreeing to a refund and appologized for all the confusion.
Ms ALBANY- Your comment was well appreciated. Consumers helping other consumers is what helps us assert our rights. However, as far as the racist term, I am an extremely stubborn person but I don't believe I would ever use that term. It can be highly offensive as well as irreputably damaging. Aside from that you seem to be a wonderful person and I thank you for taking the time to write the letter. If you ever need assistance with a company, you know were to find me. I would be more than happy to return the favor.
I wanted to write this to serve notice and to give credit to BCS for finally ending this nearly two month long ordeal. Thank you
Shannon
Avondale,Arizona,
U.S.A.
agreeing to a refund and appologized for all the confusion
#12Author of original report
Thu, October 14, 2004
After heated tempers (from both parties) had cooled, Bruce did fax me where he belived I had signed a contract. I explained to him that I had never seen the contract before and I had not signed anything. He is agreeing to a refund and appologized for all the confusion.
Ms ALBANY- Your comment was well appreciated. Consumers helping other consumers is what helps us assert our rights. However, as far as the racist term, I am an extremely stubborn person but I don't believe I would ever use that term. It can be highly offensive as well as irreputably damaging. Aside from that you seem to be a wonderful person and I thank you for taking the time to write the letter. If you ever need assistance with a company, you know were to find me. I would be more than happy to return the favor.
I wanted to write this to serve notice and to give credit to BCS for finally ending this nearly two month long ordeal. Thank you
Woman
Albany,New York,
U.S.A.
Shame on This Company!
#12Consumer Suggestion
Wed, October 13, 2004
Shame on the president and CEO of BCS America! To say that this woman is unstable because she is complaining that you did not follow through on your promises is LUDICRIS. Do you think that this woman has nothing better to do in life than to waste her time chasing you? It's not harrassment when your trying to get a debt, and in my opinion, YOU OWE HER A DEBT. Your company misled her and then refused to acknowledge her when she was unsatisfied with your service. Every company has the obligation to satisfy its customers, and it sounds to me like all it would have taken was a phone call and an apology, and then fulfillment of the company's obligation.
BCS has decided to play worthless games that only satisfy everyone reading that they are full of baloney. People don't go to the extremes this poor woman did unless they were completely and utterly frustrated. Sounds as if this company's canned response is a standard one, and this woman is not alone.
BCS represents itself as a debt relief company and should stop lying to people. I looked them up to and every website I looked at said BCS a DEBT RELIEF COMPANY. Give me a break!
I am sick and tired of arogant men that think they can rip off women and then play like they are deranged for chasing down their money. You are a misogynist and probably racist too.
Do me a favor please Shannon, and continue documenting your exploits here. They have no lawsuit, and it is an empty threat. I talked to my uncle who is a trial lawyer who specializes in product liability and corporate, and he said they have no case.
Good luck to you Shannon and I hope you get relief from someone other than BCS America!
Shannon
Avondale,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Resolved!!!
#12Author of original report
Wed, October 13, 2004
I spoke with Bruce (email) and the entire situation has since been resolved.
Anyone wishing to do business with this company, If you have problems getting through to customer service, email Bruce himself. He is very quick to get back with you via email. Maybe if I had figured that out in the beginning, all this would not have happened.
Communication is the key to everything.
Bruce
Rochester,New Hampshire,
U.S.A.
Owner
#12REBUTTAL Owner of company
Wed, October 13, 2004
I had multiple email communications with Mrs Heustess last night. It is amazing how twisted and distorted things can become when everything is not laid out on the table and discussed. Assumptions are made and people are offended. I again apologized for what has happened to Mrs Heustess and am faxing her a copy of the contract that was electronically signed and submitted to us back on June 29th. Regardless of the contract, Mrs Heustess understood certain things in her mind would happen as a result of the communication she had had with my Account Executive in Arizona. Now that it is understood....I have no issue at all with refunding Mrs Heustess her fee. There will be no slander suit....she was a mother protecting what she earns for her children and I respect her forcing a difficult issue with me. I have always been a mediator and never wanted anything negative for an experience to come of what we do for anyone. Communications via email tend to be impersonal and do not really reflect emotion....that emotion got to both of us...... intended or not.
Shannon
Avondale,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Also....
#12Author of original report
Tue, October 12, 2004
A big thank you to those who have emailed thier support. I will be sure to post anything positive that comes from this.
Shannon
Avondale,Arizona,
U.S.A.
All that I have said has been straight from the personal email of BCS
#12Author of original report
Tue, October 12, 2004
BCS America says that they are now going to sue me for slander for sharing my experiences with other consumers. I contacted several different attorneys who all laughed and said that as long as I didn't say anything that wasn't true, there is nothing they can do.
I have only posted the exact words from the company. I guess now my freedom of speech is being attacked.
I had gotten a response back from the better business bureau last week and BCS had to told them they were refunding me. I have not recieved anything other than threats of a lawsuit.
Wow! I went to this company for help getting a house for my kids, and now they want to sue me for letting consumers know what I have gone through.
I guess now I get to dig deeper into my kids savings to deal with this.
BCS America is sueing me for telling other consumers what they have said to me, word for word. Not slanderous. Did you know the meaning of slander:
slander ( P ) Pronunciation Key (slndr)
n.
Law. Oral communication of false statements injurious to a person's reputation.
A false and malicious statement or report about someone.
Key words? FALSE All that I have said has been straight from the personal email of BCS
Bruce
Rochester,New Hampshire,
U.S.A.
Unwilling to Accept Her Responsibility
#12REBUTTAL Owner of company
Tue, October 12, 2004
Mrs. Heustess was introduced to us by a field agent. She was instructed to go to our website and fill out our application and contract. Everything is online and secured with Verisign. We received her application as noted, and immediately assisted a drafting of her dispute to be filed and emailed her dispute letters as an attachment to her. Mrs. Heustess began emailing and calling our office almost a month later asking for a refund. I took over the case and immediately verified the email with attachments was indeed send by our secure server and accepted by her email server on the date we emailed it to her. My immediate response was that she hadn't read any instructions or participated in any way yet as is agreed to in her contract. We do NOT do Credit Repair. We assist and consult people with a do-it-yourself disputing system. It is up to the client to verify and sign and send to the credit bureaus.....the discussed drafted letters. I have had people in the past similarly request our service and do the same thing and request their fee back.....only to find that they indeed had signed and sent them in to the credit bureaus and they were committing fraud. Mrs. Heustess filled out an electronic application......filled out a contract.....and submitted it to us.
You have a few emails from Mrs. Heustess which I have responded to.....she has chosen to leave out other emails that were communicated. I wrote towards the end and made an apology.......I offered to help her....after all....we were referred....we do not advertise...but come by referral only. She accepted......I re-drafted her letters and emailed them to her as an attachment....and two weeks later....she send me another nasty email demanding her money and a signature on a contract. She has been unstable from the beginning. We have been in business since 1999....served over 20,000 clients....there are 3 or 4 complaints that we have resolved with the BBB. Our reputation has been impeccable and a slander lawsuit will be pursued here. When the documentation is returned to us as we made it available to her....we will refund to her 100% of what she paid us.
If anyone needs references for our services......they are welcome to go to our website ( www.bcsamerica.net ) and go to the testimony section. There are names and telephone numbers of people all over the country who thank us for what we do.
Shannon
Avondale,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Still Refusing to Show Proof
#12Author of original report
Mon, September 20, 2004
BCS AMERICA refuses to show proof of were I signed. He is threatening me with attorneys. The electronic draft that was taken for my bank account went directly into his name.