Complaint Review: Consolidated Credit TRUSTED BUSINESS | Ripoff Report Verified Safe™ …businesses you can trust. Consolidated Credit offering credit & debt solutions housing counseling financial advice corporate financial wellness for consumers seeking to consolidate credit card debt other bills & rebuild credit. - Fort Lauderdale Florida

Gary here are letters I wrote to Consolidated. You keep harping on that last payment. Well as you'll read it is addressed along with several others. Like the Gold Club Rip-off and the slush fund which in your guildlines by another name. Now remember This all started in August of 2003. These letters start in November 03. I'd have to scan the originals which I will do if nessasary, Sorry gary the only one I have from Consolidated is the missed payment liar I'mean letter. One more thing how many $10 amonth payments does your non-profit company recieve monthly Gary? How many extra $9.95 monthly payments? ********************************************* Richard Acc#xxxxx Redmond, Oregon 97756 Consolidated Credit November 4, 2003 Counseling Service Dear Customer Service Rep. I have noticed that Consolidated is not forwarding my complete payment to my creditors. Below I have outlined our brief history. Please take care of these ambiguities, as interest is accruing on the unpaid portion, as you know. Date Payment Dispersed to#7233 Dispersed to#5212 Your fee Balance Sept. 30,2003 $125.00 $61.00 $45.00 $10.00 $9.00 Oct. 29,2003 $125.00 $46.00 $30.00 $10.00 $36.00 I have written a letter with every payment. Expressing my wishes for the balance. I was told that any over payment would be applied accordingly. Please apply any and all over payments to #7233 as it has the most due. Providian has also documented that my payments are Past Due. This was not the case until your service started handling the accounts. The truth of it is, I paid Providian for the month of August myself after I was assured you would take care of it, then sent your company my September payments 2 weeks early so you would have plenty of time to make them on time. Your company was late making them. Honestly, am I better off with or without your company? Without you, I would have a higher interest rate, but all my payments would be in on time and all the money would go where it's suppose to. This lack of diligence may or may not affect my credit history. It defiantly has made a mark on my payment history with Providian, which they will share. Please if your company cannot handle this situation, let me know before the damage is surmountable. Richard ACC# xxxxxx ************************************** Richard Acc#xxxxxx Redmond, Oregon 97756 Consolidated Credit December 4, 2003 Counseling Service Dear Customer Service Supervisor, I have noticed that Consolidated is not forwarding my complete payment to my creditors. Below I have outlined our brief history. Please take care of these ambiguities, as interest is accruing on the unpaid portion, as you know. Date I sent payment Payment Amount Date Consolidated Made payment Dispersed to#7233 Dispersed to#5212 Your fee Balance Unaccounted For Accumilated Bal. Total Aug. 30,2003 $125.00 Sept. 30,2003 -$61.00 -$45.00 -$10.00 =$9.00 $9.00 Oct. 4, 2003 $125.00 Oct. 29, 2003 -$46.00 -$30.00 -$10.00 =$39.00 $48.00 Nov. 18,2003 -$30.00 $ 18.00 Nov. 4,2003 $125.00 Dec. 1,2003 -$46.00 -$30.00 -$10.00 =$39.00 $57.00 Dec.5,2003 $125.00 I have written a letter with every payment. Expressing my wishes for the balance. I was told that any over payment would be applied accordingly. Please apply any and all over payments to #7233 as it has the most due. Providian has also documented that my payments are Past Due. This was not the case until your service started handling the accounts. The truth of it is, I paid Providian for the month of August myself after I was assured you would take care of it. I then sent your company my September payments 2 weeks early so you would have plenty of time to make them on time. Consolidated Credit was late making them, which created the late payment. Honestly, am I better off with or without your company? Without Consolidated Credit, I would have a higher interest rate, but all my payments would be in on time and all the money would go where it's suppose to. This lack of diligence may affect my credit history. It defiantly has made a mark on my payment history with Providian, which they will share. Consolidated Credit offers a REWARD PROGRAM for timely payments that's ironic considering. Consolidated Credit also incinuates that PAST DUE ACCOUNTS may be able to be brought current. My accounts are past due because of Consolidated Credit and you can't even get them current. I feel totally taken advantage of and mislead. Consolidated Credit has put more stress on me than any creditor has ever. I came to you for help and only received hurt. Consolidated Credit has thrown salt in my wound. My situation is totally out of control. I have asked for responses and get nothing. The person that I first dealt with there says he can do nothing, at least I can contact him. I also noticed that others have posted on the web very similar situations with Consolidated Credit. Although Consolidated Credit has attempted to discredit these claims. Please if your company cannot handle this situation, let me know before the damage is surmountable. Richard ACC# xxxxxx Xxx-xxx-xxxx ************************ ********* RICHARD Acc#XXXXX7 Redmond, Oregon 97756 Consolidated Credit December 27, 2003 Counseling Service Dear Customer Service Rep. I have enclosed your letter of 12/17/2003, stating that I am late on my payment and the last time you received a payment was 11/11/2003. This ambiguity is consistant with the way Consolidated Credit Counseling Service is operated. Western Union has the payment in Question being cashed on 12/11/2003. Consolidated Credit Counseling Service has consistently miss handled the funds that where entrusted to Consolidated Credit Counseling Service by myself. Consolidated Credit Counseling Service has made payments late to my creditors in which I was never late, Consolidated Credit Counseling Service charged for a service which I never agreed or was aware that I was part of, Consolidated Credit Counseling Service did not disperse all the funds that were sent to Consolidated Credit Counseling Service to be dispersed instead Consolidated Credit Counseling Service maintained an on the books account. I talked with Consolidated Credit Counseling Service on 12/05/2003 about this matter and was promised that it everything would be taken care of, Consolidated Credit Counseling Service promised to: ensure the late payment that Consolidated Credit Counseling Service created would be cleared ; that the service that I was unaware of which cost $9.95 would be canceled, and that the funds that I sent over my required amount and the funds that Consolidated Credit Counseling Service were holding would be applied to the account that I had originally requested they be applied to. I have just verified with Providian that on 12/16/2003 you made a payment on account #x-x-x-7233 of $30.00 and that account #x-x-x-5212 is past due. I am distraught at this. I have tried everthing and nothing has helped. Consolidated Credit Counseling Service was suppose to help me. Consolidated Credit Counseling Service has did more damage. I've called, written, sent all my payments way early and over the amount to pay off early. Richard W ACC# XXXX7 Copy to file *************************** RICHARD Acc#xxxxx January 15, 2004 Redmond, Oregon 97756 Dear Board of Directors Member satisfaction unit. I am writing this letter as I am dissatisfied with your services. This letter will act as a suumary to the following. The client statement I received is incorrect. I have been charged for a program that I never signed up for. The Gold program. I have included a copy of my signed membership and all the papers that Consolidated Credit Counseling Service requested I provide. No where in there is anything about my agreeing to participate in the Gold program. I have also included letters to Consolidated Credit Counseling Service outlining payments showing amounts unacounted for. These amounts included the $9.00 which I was being charged. I am requesting that Consolidated Credit Counseling Service credit the amounts totaling $27.00 to my account and apply them to my Providian account ending in 7233 immediately without delay. Enclosed also is a copy of a money oder I sent to Consolidated Credit Counseling Service in the amount of $125.00. This payment shows to have been cashed. I have requested a tracer and a copy of the cashed money order from Integrated Payment Systems as directed on the reverse side of the money order reciept. This tracer cost $12.00. Prior to my request I Faxed Consolidated Credit Counseling Service a copy of the money order and have yet to here anything. Consolidated Credit Counseling Services mismanagement of funds entrusted by myself is not being taken lightly. These funds total $27.00 evidenced with the probable addition of the $125.00 pending the out come of the cashed MoneyOrder. I request a written response to this letter within 30 days. This is an attempt to rectify this situation again. Consolidated Credit Counseling Service has a problem with responding to requests by mail, and a bigger problem fulfilling the lip service they promise on the phone. I have opted to send payments to my creditors myself in lieu of the continued actions of Consolidated Credit Counseling Service with are gradually worsening. This is not a request to discontinue services. Consolidated Credit Counseling Service owes me money and I believe Consolidated Credit Counseling Service will find away to keep this money if I discontinue your service. Richard Wright **************** RICHARD Acc#xxxxx Redmond, Oregon 97756 Consolidated Credit February 02, 2004 Counseling Service Enclosed please find a copy of the cashed Money Order 06-8xxx92xxx cashed on 12/10/2003. This is in fact the same money order that Consolidated Credit Counseling Service claims they never received. I had to pay an additional $12.00 to verify that indeed Consolidated Credit Counseling Service received it. This money order was never credited to my creditors. I made several phone calls and even faxed copies of the receipt to Consolidated Credit Counseling Service. The account number on the Money Order is incorrect. This was pointed out to Consolidated Credit Counseling Service and verified that it could not have been mistakenly credited to the wrong account number. Given that fact that I always include a letter to Consolidated Credit Counseling Service because my account has been consistently mishandled from the very beginning. The mismanagement of funds by Consolidated Credit Counseling Service is out of control. Please disperse the funds from Money Order 06-8369xxxxx to the 2 (two) Providian accounts you were entrusted. Disperse equal amounts to each $125 -$10= $115. $115 divided by 2 = $57.50. Disperse $57.50 to Providian Visa account #xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-7233 and the other $57.50 to Providian Master card account #xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-5212. Again: $57.50 to Providian Visa account #xxxxx-7233 $57.50 to Providian Master card account #xxxxxx-5212. DO NOT disperse any funds to that Gold club that Consolidated Credit Counseling Service signed me up for with out my authorization. Which ironically enough I received information material for 2 weeks ago. DO NOT put the over amount in Consolidated Credit Counseling Services slush fund for the hopeful thought I will forget it and Consolidated Credit Counseling Service can keep it as stated in paragraph 5 Payment Delinquency of the Membership Agreement. Thank you for your immediate attention. I have enclosed a self addressed stamped envelope, in which is a note stating that you have complied with my requests. Just place it back in the mail. Don't forget the $12.00 tracer plus the $27.00 in membership fees that Consolidated Credit Counseling Service owes Richard xx #xxxxxxx. Copy to file This is to confirm Consolidated Credit Counseling Service has read and conformed to the Request of Richard #xxxxx. Following his payment instructions. *********************** (THE above paragraph was for them to send back which they never did, If I could of recieved the service from them that I'm getting now thier may not of been a problem.) My apologies if the payment history is hard to follow. I copied it directly and pasted. The rebuttle area is limited in width. I hope it tuns out. Need More FACTS Gary? Colorful as they are, truthful they'll remain, untwisted.

I will address each of Richard's three issues: 1. Difficulty communicating with us? I have reviewed all of the notes from our system indicating the dates of numerous conversations with Richard and our representatives. Clearly he did not have any problem getting through to us. Still, I did see where it took over a month to resolve Richard's December payment issue. Though no fault of ours, I understand that Richard was impatient and desired instant results. 2. Stolen Money? Richard received payment instructions that clearly (not in small print and not vague in any way) listed Gold Membership as an optional $9 service. Further, once Richard requested that this benefit be dropped in November of 2003, we immediately honored his request and did not pay for Gold Membership from the following payment and sent the extra $9 to his creditors. No money was stolen from Richard. 3. Slush fund? Sounds like a conspiracy theory; so I reviewed the history of all Richard's receipts and disbursements. In October of 2003 Richard sent $30 over his regularly scheduled payment. However, only his scheduled $95 was disbursed that month. The extra $30 was picked up in our overage report run at the end of October and the extra $30 was programmed to be disbursed with Richard's November payment to his creditors. In November, the same occurred; the extra $30 sent in November was programmed to go out with his December payment. Unfortunately, Richard's December payment never posted because he wrote the wrong account number on his remittance. Once his December payment was identified and transferred back into his account, all of the funds including the extra $30 from November and December 2003 were disbursed. I realize that this is confusing. I do not blame Richard for being aggravated. But, there is no conspiracy, no slush-fund and certainly no rip-off. In short, we received a total of $500 and all $500 was allocated properly. The only money our organization received from Richard for all of our efforts on his behalf was $10 from each of his 4 payments. All extra money was sent to his creditors. We know his creditors received the funds because Richard himself admits that his interest rates were lowered to 8%. When you remove the emotion from this situation, Richard had a bad experience and I regret that he is still not satisfied. I realize that things did not go as smoothly or as rapidly as he would have liked and that ultimately the circumstances resulted in his loss of faith in our services. He has the right to voice his displeasure with regard to his particular situation. However, his colorfully written posts are full of unfair generalizations regarding our honored organization. You should know that The South Florida Business Journal selected Consolidated as the 2003 Non-Profit Business of the Year. We did not earn this by hurting consumers in any way as Richard suggests. We understand that Richard had problems, but he was not ripped-off. As always, I remain available to discuss this with anyone who wishes [DELETED][to contact me via Rip-off Report]. [Place your comments below and be sure to include your FULL contact information so Rip-off Report can contact you.] President

Gary, Employee, Owner, New President. Consistantly side stepping the issue by redundantly implicating one instance, which happened to be the straw that broke the camels back. Does not alter the numerous instances which lead to this Complaint. Nor does stating that I should of filed a complaint with the BBB a legitimate company which Consolidated Credit Counseling Service would of responded too. Well I sent numerous letters to your company Consolidated Credit Counseling Service along with numerous phone calls. From the beginning. Oh you said legitimate. I would like resolution right here. Not run a round promises. Like I've recieved. 1)Consolidated Credit Counseling Service has good salesman participation in pre-enrollment. Once enrolled the only person that would return a call was the salesman which told me on more than one occassion that I would have to talk to a representative of Consolidated Credit Counseling Service about the missed and late payments made by Consolidated Credit Counseling Service . The representatives which were impossible to contact through the answering service. 2) I was signed up for some Gold club by Consolidated Credit Counseling Service without my knowledge or permission which cost $9 amonth. Consolidated Credit Counseling Service swears I acknowledged enrollment. I never recieved information on it until the last month I was with Consolidated Credit Counseling Service. MONEY Consolidated Credit Counseling Service literally STOLE from me and has yet to repay it. 3) Every payment I sent had a letter with it stating as to where the extra funds were to go. Every extra payment was to go to the same account. Every extra payment went to Consolidated Credit Counseling Service slush fund which if unclaimed goes to Consolidated Credit Counseling Service. How can Consolidated Credit Counseling Service keep money that is to pay someones debt? Though the art of ambiguous communication. " Consolidated Credit Counseling Service will contact your creditor you are forbiddon to have contact with them." This goes on and on and on. Very unprofessional work ethics.

Richard, I regret that you are still angry a year later. I'm sorry I did not call you after recently finding out about your complaint and this site. I did not see a reason for me to contact you since your complaint was written long ago and before we received your copy of the cancelled money order and resolved the matter. Had you addressed your concerns with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) a legitimate consumer advocacy organization we would have responded immediately since that organization actually contacts the company in question without irresponsibly posting uncontested problems. We have a link to the BBB on our home page www.consolidatedcredit.org and are proud that we have never had an unresolved complaint. We have also provided enough information under Why Choose Us on our home page to allow people to make an informed decision about our credentials rather than base their decision on your unfortunate situation for which you have readily admitted some of the blame. Either way, on behalf on my company, I apologize. We have a toll free number 800-728-3632 that you or anyone may use to contact us. I am the president of the company and my direct extension is 9201; you or anyone may use this to contact me should you wish to discuss this or any other related matter. I assure you that I return all calls if I do not answer straight away. If you call me I will do what ever I can to address any concerns that still remain.

I told you they were good at this. Yes almost a year later and a response. Not all accurate of corse and without any contact with me. This is going to be brief? Yes, I did fill out the money order incorrectly. Yes I did inform them of that fact with in days of sending it, on a voice mail as that is the only way besides snail mail to contact them. Once they finally contacted me, I gave them all the info including a senerio of posting it to the wrong account after "thier research concluded that I never sent them the payment" I paid $12 to western union for a photo copy. Sent my creditors payments directly "which is against the rules". Money in which I had to borrow. Then magicly the payment appeared. Remember I had never missed a payment and "I" still haven't. I was paying diligent attention to this. My problem ended with that money order incident as our relationship was terminated because of the total missuse of money I entrusted to them. They still owe me money for the coupon/discount side show. They signed me up for this thing $10 a month. Hey, I'm indebt, please sign me up for some coupon thing that cost $$ and I have no use for. Come on people DONT BE TAKEN BY CONSOLIDATED CREDIT COUNSELING **RIP-OFF** Post this on your site Gary and I'll furnish the real history to go along with it. I have it all.

I have researched Richard's account history and offer the following in response to his post. Days after writing this complaint in December of 2003, Richard would learn that the majority of his problems were caused by his not writing his account number or name on a money order remitted to our organization. Furthermore, other events described in his complaint were not problems at all. Consolidated Credit is one of the largest and most respected credit counseling agencies in our industry. Our extraordinary credentials are clearly listed on our web site, www.consolidatedcredit.org. In his complaint Richard describes extra money not getting paid to his creditors. In fact, the extra $30 Richard sent each month was disbursed properly. However, one month $30 was divided equally among two of Richard's creditors and other months all $30 went to a single creditor. In short, all money received from the client was accounted for and handled properly by our organization. Richard states that he was unhappy regarding late fees he received his first month on the program. No payments were ever missed by Consolidated as Richard claims. Payments were made to his creditors according to industry standards which often include the changing of creditor payment due dates in order to coincide with client's scheduled disbursements. Richard was informed that the first month, before creditors consider a client to be on the program, payments made after the original due date can generate an automated late fee. These fees are often waived immediately by creditors on request. Additionally, no additional late fees get assessed as long as payments are made at the same time each month. No negative information regarding late payments were reported to credit bureaus and the late fee (if not removed) would simply have been made up for with the subsequent reduction in interest rates that Richard himself admits receiving as a result of our program working properly. Richards's real problem began when he sent a money order in December of 2003 without including his name or account number. As a result, the money was posted to another account. Over a month later when we received a copy of the cancelled money order we were able to identify the funds and the money was then immediately disbursed to Richard's creditors. However, this occured after posting his letter on this site. I regret that Richard did not have a good experience with our organization. Our program does require the full cooperation and patience of our clients. Additionally, while I respect the rights of individuals to post valid complaints in order to better inform the public, I hope that unwarranted postings like this one do not tarnish otherwise excellent reputations like ours.

Consolidated Credit December 27, 2003 Counseling Service Dear Customer Service Rep. I have enclosed your letter of 12/17/2003, stating that I am late on my payment and the last time you received a payment was 11/11/2003. This ambiguity is consistant with the way Consolidated Credit Counseling Service is operated. Western Union has the payment in Question being cashed on 12/11/2003. Consolidated Credit Counseling Service has consistently miss handled the funds that where entrusted to Consolidated Credit Counseling Service by myself. Consolidated Credit Counseling Service has made payments late to my creditors in which I was never late, Consolidated Credit Counseling Service charged for a service which I never agreed or was aware that I was part of, Consolidated Credit Counseling Service did not disperse all the funds that were sent to Consolidated Credit Counseling Service to be dispersed instead Consolidated Credit Counseling Service maintained an on the books account. I talked with Consolidated Credit Counseling Service on 12/05/2003 about this matter and was promised that everything would be taken care of, Consolidated Credit Counseling Service promised to: ensure the late payment that Consolidated Credit Counseling Service created would be cleared ; that the service that I was unaware of which cost $9.95 would be canceled, and that the funds that I sent over my required amount and the funds that Consolidated Credit Counseling Service were holding would be applied to the account that I had originally requested they be applied to. I have just verified with "creditor" that on 12/16/2003 you made a payment on account #x-x-x-x of $30.00 and that account #x-x-x-x is past due. I am distraught at this. I have tried everthing and nothing has helped. Consolidated Credit Counseling Service was suppose to help me. Consolidated Credit Counseling Service has did more damage. I've called, written, sent all my payments way early and over the amount to pay off early. *** This Letter was one of numerous letters I've sent. They will have some excuse as to why month after month they have mis managed funds. Yet they have only sent me one letter claiming I missed a payment they cashed 6 days earlier.