United Debt Solutions - Don Freeman And John Hacker ripoff, scamed, creditor and predator at the same time, stole our money and was suppose to be a settlement debt company. Orange Park, Internet
We joined United Debt Solutions because of our financial situation. United Debt was to negotiate and settle our account with our creditors. Each month they would draft $330.00 dollars from our account. However, they pitched this program as a savings account and that once we reached a certain amount of money they would negotiate a reasonable settlement.
One of the reasons we went with them was not only to resolve our financial solution, but also because my health has been deteriorating since our financial situation and we believed that they could help us. However, we have been sued, taken to arbitration, United Debt Solution had no idea. If they had been in contact with the companies as they promised, we would have known before hand that these suits and arbitrations were coming.
Once we found out about the suits and the arbitration, I reported it to United Debt Solutions. They choose not to intervene nor attempt to make a settlement with these companies who were suing us or taking us to arbitration. I ended up responding to each legal issue on my own which worsened my health. They did nothing to assist me, didn't negotiate for me, but they were taking our money.
When I inquire to what set up fee they say they have completed for us, which is the basis for them keeping our money because of a contract we signed and have not seen, they say our records are confidential and restricted and belongs to the company since we cancelled their services. This set up fee is suppose to be in a contract we signed allowing them to keep the money for the first three months for the set up.
However, no one is able to tell me what they actually set up. They then tell me, that there is not enough money in our account to negotiate any settlements. Then my question to UDS was, so if there is not enough money to settle, what exactly did you do for us that allows you to keep our money? The answer they give me is that it is in the contract. Once I started examining some of the information they have sent to us and processed what they have said, there program is pretty much set up that if you drop out of the program, they keep all the money you put into this alleged savings account, thousands and thousands of dollars, rather they have settled anything or not.
So, they get to keep thousands of dollars while the customer does the work for them. They have not lived up to their obligation and I have settled and negotiated the accounts because of their lack of intervention, then this is a sham and the business needs to be shut down. They however, sent $165.00 dollars back saying this is a payment in full of the account. I have notified them that this is not payment in full, but in fact money in which they owe us.
So, my point is, they have not fulfilled their obligation on our behalf, I have done all the work and have the legal briefs to prove it even though I faxed them 100's of pages of what was happening, they still did nothing. So, why do they get to keep the hard earned money we have worked for? I have spoken on several different occasions with Mr. Don Freeman who says that he is the office manager and part of the executive staff, however, when asked what is his executive title, he is unable to answer. On three different occasions while trying to get our
$1000.00 dollars back, he has attempted to start an argument with me, however, I had to calm him down.
When I have asked to speak with the CEO, vice president, or the owner, he tells me no and if I want anything from his company I would have to get an attorney to subpoena them (isn't that a sweet set up). They are counting on the fact that our financial situation will prohibit us from seeking an attorney, however, we have turned to the United States Military in which my husband is an active member of the Army. If all they did was make one or two phone calls to my creditor, I could have done that my self. They did not perform up to our contract.
So my intentions are clear, I will not be taken advantage of by someone who was to help me, but instead preyed on my vulnerability. I will not accept $165.00 from them when I can barely pay my utilities, or buy food. I thought my days of crying and begging was over with creditors, but here I am being used and abused by United Debt Solution, Inc. I do not enjoy crying on the phone to the electric, gas, and Water Company not to cut off my utilities because I have a child and because I've been scammed.
They have my money, and I want it back. I will without hesitation sue the company, sue the owner, vice president, Mr. Freeman, and who ever I need to go through to get this matter resolved. I am beyond being angry and abused by creditors, and now my supposed helpers who were to settle our account is taking up where the creditors left off.
Kim
columbus, Georgia
U.S.A.
5 Updates & Rebuttals
Jake
Orange Park FL,Florida,
U.S.A.
DON IS RIGHT FIGHT BACK
#6UPDATE EX-employee responds
Fri, September 21, 2007
THIS IS VANILLA SLUSHY AND DON IS RIGHT FIGHT BACK IF YOU HAVE BEEN RIPPED OFF BY THESE CROOKS AND LIVE IN ONE OF THOSE STATES CALL YOUR STATE ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE
Don
Fortville,Indiana,
U.S.A.
Ex Employee - I want to clear my name once and for all.
#6UPDATE EX-employee responds
Sun, September 09, 2007
I want to clear my name once and for all.
I am the Don that is listed in the intial report.
Here's the story:
I moved to Orange Park Florida to help my sister, Christa, and her boyfriend, John, with some of their IT needs for a new business venture that they had undertaken. The company was originally owned jointly by John and Christopher. There were three stock holders, the three mentioned preiously. When Christopher decided that he wanted to try to run the company more reputably John used the fact that him and his girlfriend collectively owned more stock and threatened a corporate takeover or an amount of money for him to sign over his ownership of the company. Christopher left the company for the buyout amount.
My responsibilities included IT for the company as well as sales, negotiations and customer service. I did a little of everything.
I remember dealing with Kimela, and Kimela if you visit this rebuttal I hope you know that I am truely sorry. At the time I thought I was just an employee working for a company. I was doing as I was asked, and ultimately that is why I left United Debt Solutions. It should be known that if done right there are a small handful of companies out there that reputably do debt manangement, however it's a highly unregulated business which makes for the opportunity for these businesses to take advantage of consumers.
The information provided by "Jake" is nothing but the truth. Chris and John are so greedy that they would screw anyone to ensure their lifestyle was not affected. The last post that appears to have been from United Debt Solutions should be disregarded because Jake's post is speaking of the same company that Kimela originally posted about.
I wanted to go a little further by supplying anyone else who has been ripped off by this company or any other debt negotiation company some information. For-profit "debt manangement" is illegal in 12 states. If you are in one of the states that I am about to list I would recommend contacting your state attorney general and the FTC.
Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming do not allow companies such as these to operate in their states. Also, many states require that the company purchase a bond in order to operate in their state. At the time that I was working for this company they had yet to be bonded in any state.
Upon leaving this company I contacted the Orange Park Police Department to retrieve my personal computer which was stolen by John Hacker. Shortly after retrieving this I was contacted by the police department and asked to give a statement on this company due to the number of complaints that were filed on this company and it's owner.
This company preys on people who are already in a poor financial situation. These people lack the money necessary to file suit on companies like this. I encourage you that if you were wronged by this company or any like it you should pursue legal representation and fight for your consumer rights.
Address of the owner of United Debt Solutions, Inc. of Orange Park, FL:
John Hacker
Christa Caparella
1506 Bristol Place
Orange Park, FL 32065
In closing I would like to say that much of what these companies do can be done by consumers themselves. If you are already in a situation where you are behind on your bills then you can do this with little more damage to your credit. It should be known that if you are current on your bills and you elect to do a program like this it will have devistating effects on your credit. Here is a great article to get you started:
articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/ManageDebt/DebtSettlementACostlyEscape.aspx
Sincerely,
United Debt Solutions, Inc
Orange Park,Florida,
U.S.A.
please note "FORMER EMPLOYEE" would know we aren't this company
#6Consumer Comment
Mon, August 27, 2007
Please note, the "former employee" who claims to be from United Debt Solutions, Inc. would know that the company in Mesa, Arizona is a part of the United Debt Solutions, LLC in Winter Park, FL that we SUED! Please discredit his statement.
Jake
Orange Park FL,Florida,
U.S.A.
Ex Employee
#6REBUTTAL Individual responds
Mon, July 23, 2007
United Debt Solutions Are Notorious For Ripping Off People Just Read The complaints On Your Site. I know This First Hand Because I worked For Them. I'm Going To Tell You Everything. What You Do With This Info Hopefully You Can Help People.
Here How There Scam Works Let Me Start By Letting You Know About Who Is Behind it His Name Is John Hacker The Owner/CEO He Lives in Orange Park Fl On Bristol Place I even have his unlisted phone number its 9048030386 anyway he has ripped off a little over 7000 people for about 3.5 million in total which was mostly spent on drugs 2 Mercedes a dodge viper ,Escalade and like 5 other cars any way here is what he does he buys people's information online by the hundreds and has about 10 staff members work for him at a time but doesn't keep them long so they don't ask to many questions. they contact these people telling them that based on there poor financial situation that we will negotiate there debt for 50 cents on the dollar if there approved. Of Course everyone is approved. The 50 percent we tell them includes our 15% fee which we collect first we only take clients who have 10000 dollars of debt or more so the least we steal is 1500.00 most of the time more In the paperwork we send the client The Fine Print states that if any reason cancelation occurs all fees are deemed earned and non refundable. The next step is to collect are fee over the next 6 months we do this by telling them they need to have an account for our program and in order to get them approved we need that account number once we have the bank information we set up an ACH auto Debit one a month and take there money from there account to the company account witch then John Hacker Transfers all the funds to a safe account incase he is shut down during this time we do nothing for them and have them fall deeper in debt by the time we have collected all our fees the client is sued by there creditors for failure of payments and then they cancel the program or we cancel the client and then let them know that BASED ON THE PROGRAM GUIDELINES YOU ARE NOT ELIGLABLE FOR REFUND and then are instructed to get back on the phone and find the next sucker United Debt Solutions Convinced me that I was helping people and then I found out I was help Steal From at least 7000 Financially Struggling people.
Kim
columbus,Georgia,
U.S.A.
Conflict Resolved Thanks
#6Author of original report
Sun, March 27, 2005
I was unable to go into your thank you site, so I came here.
TO: THE BBB, RIPOFFREPORT.COM, A CALL FOR ACTION, AND JAG
My name is Kimela M. Anderson, and I wrote each of your organizations several weeks ago for help in reference to United Debt Solution, Inc in Florida. My complaint was in reference to the organization keeping $1000.00 dollars of our money which I believed they did not earn, because of all of the legal briefs, law suits, and negotiations I had completed on my own with my creditors and with UDS' knowledge. UDS, is a settlement company for people in debt which is located out of Florida.
Due to the wonderful efforts of all the organizations above, I wanted to thank each of you from the bottom of my heart because with your efforts and contacts, the situation was resolved and the total $1000.00 was returned to my family from UDS. The negotiations were completed by Captain John V. Rodriguez from the Judge Advocate Generals Office at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and Dorothy from A Call for Action.
All organizations contributed and brought UDS to the table for negotiations.
Please accept my heart felt thank you and my unconditional support for your causes. It is consumer organizations like you that makes a large difference and impact in the average person's life like me and my family.
In May of 2005, I graduate with my Masters in Counseling, and I am a registered Mediator with the State of Georgia. I will have my business open and running in June 2005 called D'MAIR Mediation Services. If I can do any volunteer work in this area to help your organizations, please to not hesitate to call on me. With much gratitude and respect, thank you all again!!!
Sincerely,