Complaint Review: National Translink - Northern Leasing - NPC - Jeru Thomas

I signed up for a credit card machine in November, 2005 with Jeru Thomas from National Translink.I was told that if I ever had a problem with the machine that they had the best customer service ever and my problems would be solved immediately. I asked him several times that if I were not happy with this machine and a month or three months, or six months down the line, I could send this machine back and would pay nothing. He confirmed this to me each time he spoke to me. In fact, he confirmed this when one of my employees was there working. I would pay $39.99 a month for the machine. I would also have my monies into my checking account within three business days.

After one week...nothing in my checking account. I called the "excellent" customer service number I was given, and then subsequently passed to eight different people, (three companies). The three companies involved were National Translink, Northern Leasing and NPC. I was told that a "red" ticket would be issued and someone would contact me in three business days and to make sure that my salesman was aware of the problem. This was totally unacceptable since I had already been waiting for a week for money. One person I spoke to that day was not even familiar with the machine that was sold to me. Another one said she could see the money, but could not release it.

I called Jeru Thomas, but didn't hear from him for three days. I was so frustrated on the second day of trying to contact him and leaving several messages that I asked the receptionist if he was even in the office. She confirmed that he was in the office. Mr. Thomas chose not to return my calls. I finally spoke to his manager (an extremely rude woman who promised to phone me back, but of course, I never heard from her) on the third day, then I finally heard from Jeru. He said he had been out sick, which I knew was a lie. He was confused as to why he needed to know anything about the problems I was having. This is a long story, so I'll cut to the tenth day that I had the machine...

I finally received the first day of credit card transactions! Yippee. The second day of transactions took another week to get to my checking account. By this time I was so fed up, I stopped using the machine so that my money would flow through into my account. I packed up the machine and sent it back to Northern Leasing and stopped them from taking further any monies from my account. I wrote a letter to let them know how disappointed I had been in their service. I felt that I had been lied to by a deceptive salesman, Jeru Thomas. I had this machine less than one month and it was such a headache.

The day Northern Leasing received the machine, Jeru called acting like he was "just checking up to see how things were going". This was the first time he called to see how things were going. When I told him what I had done, he finally fessed up and said that he had in fact heard from Northern Leasing. The next day Jeru called back to tell me that I should have returned the machine to him, not Northern Leasing. He needed the machine at his company. He said that I was the only one who could request it back and that he had tried to request it back from Northern Leasing, but they would not release the machine to him. I told him it was their machine and it was in the right place, but he argued and said he must have the machine and in order to resolve this whole thing, I needed to make the request.

I called Northern Leasing, asked for the machine. The next week, Jeru called to ask where the machine was and I told him that I had done as he asked, but I did not have the machine. He said he would handle Northern Leasing for me. He called back and said that "he yelled at them asking where the machine was". After almost two weeks, the machine was sent to me and I sent it directly to Jeru at his office in Oakbrook. When I told him it was going back to his attention, he was very surprised and didn't understand why I sent it to him. He requested it, so I was sending it to him. Meanwhile, Jeru told me that Northern Leasing needed just two more monthly payments and that I needed to give him my new bank account information. I told him I'd send a check. He said that Northern Leasing would not accept a check and that they only do business by doing automatic withdrawls. Jeru said if I let them take two more payments that I would be free and clear from this "non-cancellable" lease he forgot to tell me about. I had asked Jeru if I could have the person's name that he was dealing with so that I could speak with them. He refused and said that it was best if he dealt with these people.

I gave him my new account information and allowed Northern Leasing the two payments, then stopped them from taking any more money. Meanwhile, the machine that I sent back to Jeru was refused! I called to ask Jeru why and he said he never even knew it was there and that the front desk must have refused it. Then, I start hearing from Northern Leasing asking why I stopped payments. I told them that I did not have their machine and was not doing business with them anymore. After a few conversations with Northern Leasing, I called Jeru to ask him what was going on. He was never at his desk and did not return my calls. Again, I asked to speak to his manager. I told her what was going on and she said that none of what I was saying was in "the notes". I told her that it was obvious that Jeru did not take good notes. I asked her to get Jeru on the phone so we could all speak together. She refused and said she'd call me back.


Of course, I didn't hear from her. I finally heard from Jeru. He said he would deal with Northern Leasing for me. He called back and said that Northern Leasing told him to mind his own business and hung up on him. I know now, that Jeru Thomas is a liar and a dishonest salesman. I sent the machine back a second time and once again, it was refused. Meanwhile, Northern Leasing has been calling. I will send another report with any updates so that any other victims of Northern Leasing or Jeru Thomas from National Translink can read what is happening with this.

Lied to consumer
Somewhere, Illinois
U.S.A.