Complaint Review: Benchmark foundation

I applied for a 10,000 dollar unsecured loan from benchmark foundation online. I was hurting for money and I wanted to consolidate some debt. I didn't even think I would get the loan, but to my surprise I got an email the very next day and a call later in the afternoon from a woman named Allison Nestle. She told me I would be receiving some paperwork via email that I would need to fill out and I needed a current check stub from work, two proofs of identification, and a utility bill with my name and address. I also had to send a voided check for the information to deposit the funds from the loan into my account. Sounds pretty legit. I did all of this over the weekend and faxed it the following week when I could get back with Allison the employee from benchmark foundation. She said that the funds would be transferred into my account, but I had to purchase the insurance for the loan which is 595.00 that would be refunded to me after 6 months of ontime payments.

This money for the insurance was to be sent via Western Union to an individual by the name of Sarah Weldon in Ontario. I was very skeptical so I talked to Allison about this and she understood and had her supervisor send me a letter of guarentee signed by an idividual named Alex Clarke. Still skeptical I went ahead and sent it even though that was almost the last of the money I had. After I sent the money I had to call Allison with the western union transfer number and then they would transfer my loan of 10,000 dollars into my account. I did this and waited a day to find out there was no money in my account.

I had to wait the weekend to get ahold of someone again and they directed me to another individual by the name of John Markham and he said there was still some fees that I had to take care of and I also got an email back from their info email stating the same thing. I had to borrow another 400.00 from a friend to send for these fees that were supposed to be refunded 14 days after receiving my loan. I did the western union money transfer to an individual named Joaqum Smith in Ontario also, called John Markham with the number for the western union transfer and waited till the next day to find out I had no money in my account. At this point I am about 1100.00 in the hole with the fees for the loan insurance and brokerage plus the money I had to give wester union to send the money. I called John Markham back for him to tell me he needed another 300.00 dollars for some other fees. Even if I wanted to I couldn't do it because, I was broke. I wanted my money refunded back to me and John said that it wouldn't be a problem, but it would take 14 days. I emailed the company website concerning my issues and received a call from another individual named Cameron Scott who said that this wasn't right and he was going to do an internal investigation. I was suppose to hear back from him later that night, but never did. I have been calling, sending countless emails only to get John Markham on the phone to tell me that I have to do something else to get my money back. Now he knows my phone number and I think he is screening my calls and I never get any replies back from any emails to five individuals and the company emails that I send to. This all started in the second week of July 2010 and I haven't got a cent back from them and it is the second week in September. If anyone wants to call John Markham his number is 1-800-499-6860 ext. 749 make sure you let him know you are calling for Jeff B. Clinton Ia.