United Debt Solutions Loan Counseling, debt solutions Florida Florida
This company contacted me saying that they could lower our debt by at least 50%. Promising that they could work with Bank of America, Sears, Cit-Bank, and all credit card companies. They said they had a great working relationship with them and that they have settled literally thousands of cases for pennies on the dollar.
All we had to do is send a letter to all our creditors giving UDS power of attorney and they would handle it from there. They needed to take out $300/month directly out of our bank account for their fees and to put the money into an account to offer lump sum amounts to pay off the creditors for us. Was told by the lady that the first 3 months were actually their fees and that after that, all the money would go directly to the creditors.
We signed up and started the process. Sent all the letters to our creditors. This was in late September of 06. They also said to STOP paying the bills because they would work with the creditors and it would all be taken care of. I asked, "Won't they sue us and try to garnish our wages and really screw up our credit"? They responded with, "Sir, we've been doing this for years and we have lawyers on our staff that handle all of this and it will not result in any lawsuits.
Creditors started calling and I gave them the little script they had mailed to us about, "We are working with UDS, please contact them at this number regarding this matter, " and hang up. The creditors finally began to tell me that this company had NEVER even contacted them at all in more than 100 days. Collection services began contacting us. Telling us they dont' work with UDS because they have taken a lot of people's money and never paid a single thing.
We were served with a lawsuit from Bank of America in March. I contacted them asking, "have you not talked to UDS"? Their response, haven't heard a word from them. All we got is your letter saying they had power of attorney. They havne't contacted us ONCE! Well now we are being sued and they won't negotiate without us paying 80% in one lump sum to satisfy the account. I began to contact all our creditors. None of the 12 listed had been contacte by them once. At this point it had been 6 months of them taking our money, like clockwork every month, and doing exactly nothing. I had called and left multiple messages starting in January to only get no call back.
I called an cancelled my services with them on April 1, 2007. Telling them they have been fired and that they haven't done a single thing but make things MUCH worse for us. I informed them that they had better not access my account again because their services had been cancelled. April 12, 2007, debit for $300. I called an had a fit!
"We haven't received a call from you about cancelling your services sir," the lady responded to my ranting and raving. I went to my bank and had payment stopped on the money. May 12, 2007, they hit my account again. This time for $301. Why $301, a stop payment was issued for $300 for UDS. any variation it the amount will slide right through! Back to the bank, stop payment, $18 a pop to stop it by the way, and call UDS AGAIN. Apologies all around and telling me now, we need it in writing to actually stop it. Faxed a letter immediately telling them to stop all services and not to access my account. June 12, 2007, hit the account again. $312 this time. Same as before, stop payment, etc. This time I contact a lawyer and get a lawyer to send them a letter promising legal action.
Apologies again and a promise that the services will be stopped. July 13, 2007. They hit my account twice for $326. Stop payment AGAIN, this one causes overdraft charges becuase house payment check is coming through. Call United Debt back, and they have the guts to say, "we haven't debited your account". Go to my bank, get a print out of it and have to FAX it to them again. Ofcourse they have not returned my phone calls and it's cost me antoher $106 for overdraft and stop payment fees.
ABSOLUTELY DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. They will cause you nothing but trouble and ruin your credit. Call the card companies yourself and tell them the situation. Most of them will work with you as much as they can. Don't pay these idiots to just literally take your money.
Scotty
Albertville, Alabama
U.S.A.
6 Updates & Rebuttals
4yourinformation
N A,Florida,
U.S.A.
Your Posting
#7UPDATE Employee
Thu, August 30, 2007
Scott. without going into your account I am not able to advise you anyfuther. Nor would I think you would want me to post it.
United Debt Solutions (Orange Park FL) is open from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM Monday -
Friday Eastern Time. You may also send in a fax including your name address
(address that United Debt Solutions would have on file for you). clearly explain what has happen along with any documents that support your claim. The fax number is 904-276-3080.
If you would like after you call. you may explain that you have a posting on this site and what your report number is. and we can post our detail responce of what we have in your file for all the readers on this site.
Scotty
Albertville,Alabama,
U.S.A.
UDS is a bunch of liars
#7Author of original report
Mon, August 27, 2007
You can give me every excuse in the book. I cancelled my services with you VIA my lawyer sending your company a certified letter. And your company continued to take money from my account. When my lawyer called and spoke to someone, then it stopped.
Can you answer why you NEVER return phone calls? Can you answer WHY your company NEVER contacted any of my debtors? Why the credit card companies said themselves that UDS is one of the biggest rip off companies on the market, BAR NONE. They promise the world and do nothing but cause you more problems.
I do appreciate the repsonses from the other individuals. I would call them myself to work things out, but UDS has gotten me so far behind that now NONE of them will work with me. I've been told by all of them except Discover and HFC that it was ALL or nothing, period!
So UDS caused me to get to the point of having to file chaper 7 to prevent me from losing my house and ruining my reputation in the town that I live. I was served by a county police office that I knew as a friend. I was served a summons and all I get from UDS is "OH, we will take care of that. That NEVER happens and we'll get on the phone with them and get this fixed."................... 4 weeks later when I call them, they say," OH your working with UDS. They never call us back and they will rip you off. We have already filed against you and we can't withdraw that, but if you don't want to ruin your everything, DROP their services IMMEDIATELY. They will not help you, they will ruin you, and just take your money and run." Now this was from Mann Bracken Lawfirm in Atlanta, GA. But I guess they don't know what they are talking about either huh?
UDS is a bad company, that will take your money, ruin your credit, and do NOTHING to help you.
Robert
Buffalo,New York,
U.S.A.
Been there done that
#7Consumer Suggestion
Sun, August 26, 2007
I had credit problems in 1978 - messy divorce, went from 3 incomes to one. In 1980, I had a wonderful gentleman at consumer credit counselors of Sacramento who taught me how to fix everything myself and didn't charge me a dime. I did it all. I wrote the letters, I negotiated settlements, I set up a budget with the projected payment plan going for 24 months! Only one creditor didn't play ball and I low balled them with 5 bucks per month until the others were paid. Everyone was paid in 2 years and I had only that 1 bad hit on my credit reports. Today I have an 802 FICO.
When I thanked him, he told me to pass it on. I have voluntarily helped folks with credit issues since 1982.
NO ONE NEEDS TO PAY YOUR FIRM OR ANY OTHER "REPAIR YOUR CREDIT" OUTFIT.
Folks can do everything for themselves. It takes discipline and a realistic budget, and you have to FOLLOW thru with what you claim you will do, but they don't have TO PAY YOU to do it.
The money these folks pay you could have been used to pay down their debt instead of paying firms as yours to do what they could have done for themselves.
4yourinformation
N A,Florida,
U.S.A.
Robert
#7UPDATE Employee
Sun, August 26, 2007
This is not much different then dealing with insurance companies. If you get into an accident. The first thing people are told is to get representation to work with the company on your behalf. When in fact you don't need to. you can work with these companies on your own. However do you think that the company is going to be nice and do everything for you? or do you think they will try to not pay as much as they can because they know you are not experienced in that area?
There are a few things someone can do to get out of debt.
1) get a loan. Which is a bad Idea because your still paying everything off with interest and most people end up getting further in debt, Also by doing this you are taking unsecured debt and making it secure (i.e. placing your home as collateral)
2) filling bankruptcy. Which destroys your credit for a long time
3) Credit Counseling. Which also hurts your credit because it will show on your report that you are not able to control your on finances and needed a company to get you out of debt
4) Debt Negation. Which will show that you were behind in payments then you paid off the balance and do not owe anymore money to that collector
it is amazing how on TV the Credit Card companies show and suggest that you should use your card to go shopping and buy dinners, go on vacation and use the card for everything and anything. Then when you can't pay the bill they take you to court as if it is all your fault!
United Debt Solutions offers people that fall into this trap a way out. It's that simple. The best way to avoid any of this is in my opinion is
1. get your debt paid off. choose the plan you feel is best for you
2. cancel all of your credit card and keep only one that has the lowest interest rate.
3. If you get an offer on another credit card with a lower interest rate get that card and transfer your balance (if you have a balance) to that card.
4. only charge on your card what you can afford to pay back.
5. only use the card for extreme purposes only. (dinner and shopping is not extreme cause)
6. Pay cash for everything you need. If you don't have enough cash at the time then you don't need it. Save your money until you can buy whatever it is.
Robert
Buffalo,New York,
U.S.A.
Why
#7Consumer Comment
Sun, August 26, 2007
Why do folks continue to fall prey to these "pay us to fix your credit" outfits.
The ONLY thing these outfits can do, that you can't do yourself for free, is take some of your money that you could have used to pay down your debt.
NO ONE needs to hire any of these outfits! You can do everything yourself!
4yourinformation
N A,Florida,
U.S.A.
When you Joined United Debt Solutions (Orange Park FL)
#7UPDATE Employee
Sat, August 25, 2007
Here is a quote from your report:
"All we had to do is send a letter to all our creditors giving UDS power of attorney and they would handle it from there. They needed to take out $300/month directly out of our bank account for their fees and to put the money into an account to offer lump sum amounts to pay off the creditors for us. Was told by the lady that the first 3 months were actually their fees and that after that, all the money would go directly to the creditors."
The Power of Attorney allows the creditor (the company your in debt with) to speak to United Debt Solutions about your debt and arrange a settlement offer
The first full 3 payments go to United Debt Solutions. Towards your fee for the service.
After that a portion of the money continues to come out until all of your fee's with United Debt Solutions are paid.
The rest of the money that is not taken out of your checking or savings account is for YOU to save and not use. To let it build up in your own account and be used towards a settlement offer United Debt Solutions arranges on your behalf.
United Debt Solutions does not say during your sign up process that we pay your creditor for you. United Debt Solutions arranges a settlement offer for you (at a lower price then what you owe). During this process you agree to be saving money every month to make a one time settlement offer.
United Debt Solutions records the calls explaining this. This is also explain to you in the First Financial Aid Package that was mail you you. Which also has the "script" as to what to tell your creditors when they call you.
Fax is not accepted for cancellation. A cancellation form is mail to you. Then you must fill out the form notarize it and mail it back in.