Debt Settlement America DSA Made an Unauthorized Payment that Cost Me $1000 Dalas Texas
DSA had difficulties providing their advertised services to me.
Their communication process is unbecoming of a professional company. I still do not have documentation that proves I've paid my accounts - even after several requests. I've made offers on accounts that went unanswered for up to a week because DSA does not keep track of which representative is supposed to make contact with the client.
Their bottom line results were no where near what they estimated. I ended up only paying a couple of thousand dollars less than if I had just paid all of my credit card accounts at the full amount. DSA did not stop fees and penalties from accumulating on my accounts as they advertise and tried to blame it on me, after the fact, by saying I did not properly report my accounts. I wonder what the fees I paid DSA were for - if not for them to look after my accounts and make sure things were properly in order. Also, in true double-speak fashion, DSA tried to explain to me that they actually did settle my accounts for the low amounts they originally promised. Only they calculated the numbers after 2 years of fees and penalties had grown my accounts far beyond their original amounts.
DSA actually made a payment of $5000 out of my account when I only authorized $4000. I asked them to show me evidence of where and when I authorized them to make a $5000 payment - either in writing or in a recorded conversation. They were not able to produce either. They did not give me any sort of appropriate response or answer to why they had done that or how they were going to remedy the situation. In short, they pretend like they didn't do anything wrong. I contend, they owe me $1000 and an apology.
Jamie
Rome, New York
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Gc
Dallas,Texas,
U.S.A.
Official Company Response
#2UPDATE Employee
Wed, July 16, 2008
DSA settled this client's debt for 40.14% of the outstanding balance at the time of settlement. In all debt relief programs including consolidation and debt management plans (credit counseling), creditors continue to charge interest/fees. This is clearly disclosed and explained to our clients prior to enrollment. Even if Jaime had continued making minimum payments on his credit cards, he would have continued to pay mostly interest for the first few years.
Our clients must complete a two pronged authorization before a settlement is final: First, the client authorizes each specific settlement individually. In other words, each offer we obtain is communicated to the client and only after the offer is accepted by the client do we proceed. Second, the client authorizes each disbursement to the creditor. Our clients authorize/initiate each payment individually to the creditor by phone, by email or by online web authorization. This process was followed for Jaime and he authorized both the settlement and the disbursement by phone. The $5,000.00 settlement was on an outstanding balance of $14,494.18 and equated to a 34.50% settlement an excellent settlement.
Regarding the documents, we gathered the requested documentation after his request, but we were unable to reach him to send him the documents since he had moved several times. We have since sent him documents showing the written agreements with the creditors for each of his settlements.