Guaranteed Consumer Funding is a 100% ripoff!! The company has Zero customer service UNLESS it's taking your hard earned $ money $.. Possible pyramid scheme says the FBI. This is my story and I have found many more victims all over the United States.. I'm a diabled military veteran who was looking at going back to college online so I needed a new laptop computer. I have limited income so I was seeking a program that fits into my budget.
Starting in the first week August 2009:
I made a call to follow up on an advertisment by Guaranteed Consumer Funding in a local Boston newspaper to purchase a Dell laptop computer. the advertisment offered computers with low weekly payments, No credit needed, No credit Check, Guaranteed approval.
The sales marketing rep. confirmed the advertisment and explained I would be required to make a $ 99.00 down payment to get started. They continued to explain that ordering forms would be sent to me and I would be required to make 5 consecutive weekly payments to get my laptop shipping date.
I called customer services and agreed to pay my 5 payments in advance. GCF confirmed that this would speed up the process and after filling out shipping verifications forms and returning them I would get my shipping date.
With 30 days of starting the program I had recieved notice from GCF saying I'm 100% approved for financing. I was also given the option to order additional items up to $ 750. without increasing my weekly payments.
It took over a month to get these shipping verification forms and it required serveral follow up calls. I ask them over and over to send them. They offered to email them to me... after around 5 weeks I got them. Again they called this process " shipping verification process" They wanted a copy of my State ID, utility bill, and a pay stub. to verify my mailing address..
I returned the paper work the same day and sent it with postal delivery confirmation. Another month passed before they processing my shipping verification information.. I call weekly asking them why it's taking so long. ** Buyer beware ** subsequently they used this shipping verification process to establish my credit worthyness.. NOTE THE AD IN THE NEWPAPER SAY, NO CREDIT NEEDED, NO CREDIT CHECK REQUIRED, GUARANTEED APPROVAL, LOW WEEKLY PAYMENT!! only things guaranteed is you will at some point get RIPPOFF by this company.
I was told the first week of December 2009 after already paying over $ 400. plus the $ 99.00 down payment that I did not qualify for the normal financing plan and I would be required to pay them weekly payments for another 2 1/2 months before I would get my shipping date on this Dell laptop. This would mean I would have paid apx. $750.00 + $99.00 down payment, waiting apx. 7 mo. Making the estimated delivery date mid thru late Feb 2010. and lets not forget I would still owe the aroud another $ 750 to pay the computer off. If they really do send it after 7 mo of payments.
I ask for a refund and was yelled at by a lady named Becky saying I fully understood that this was going to happen and I would not get a refund. She was later identified as the call room supervisor. I never could get passed the call room.. I ask for GCF management but never got to speak with them. I was assured I would get a return phone call... guess what?? never happend,, big surprise!! I did manage to get a name,,, Tim Houston... not sure who he is but was told he's the guy incharge...
I have spoken with the Mclean, Virginia Police Financial Crimes Division.. and have been reffered to Consumer Affairs, Federal Trade Commision, and the FBI. I don't think I'll ever see the $ 500.00 I lost.. but I hope this report will save someone else from getting ripped off like I did.
You would be much better off putting your money weekly into a saving account until you can buy a computer directly from Dell, HP, or Apple. They flat out stoled $ 500.00 bucks from me with no intention of refunding anything... I hope the FBI get this company before anymore victims...
Douglas