Consumer Credit Counseling Hess Kennedy & Company Debt Settlement Of America no contact, took more money than agreed, did not reduce debt Coral Springs Florida

My girlfriend is dealing with the same issues, but no one seems to know how to resolve the issue of getting their money back. I recommend calling the Attorney General in FL.

Eric,
Congerville, IL

HEY HEY,
I got an invoice in the mail the other day from Hess Kennedy for $636.60 for services rendered. What services rendered? And supposedly I agreed to this in a retainer agreement? I wrote to them asking for a copy with my signature of said retainer agreement and also a detailed list of all services claimed and thier cost. I am not paying them any more without good reason. This is SOOO bogus! RUN RUN RUN RUN AWAY FROM THESE FRAUDS!!!!!!!!!

This company has no good intentions for anyone except to rip u off!! File a lawsuit, why should they get away with this??

This company has no good intentions for anyone except to rip u off!! File a lawsuit, why should they get away with this??

This company has no good intentions for anyone except to rip u off!! File a lawsuit, why should they get away with this??

This company has no good intentions for anyone except to rip u off!! File a lawsuit, why should they get away with this??

We wish you the best of luck with your future endeavors.

Please contact us if you have any legal issues with your creditors. As promised, we can provide you with gratuitous legal information.

Most important, keep a log of the calls and letters that the creditors make and send to you.

Michael,
I was told by the company that the first 2 payments went to the lawyer being Hess Kennedy, and the rest went to Consumer Credit, and when the first payment came out, it was taken by Hess Kennedy not Consumer Credit. The second payment was pending to my checking account for more than agreed upon, so I put a stop payment on it, I did not "bounce" it as you stated. I had the money to cover the agreed upon amount, but the excess amount, which I called both Hess Kennedy and Consumer Credit about, was never explained, and if allowed to go through would have put my account negative.

To date, I have received no documentation and no phone calls from either Hess Kennedy or Consumer Credit. If you are truly from the company, then contact me to get this issue corrected. I know I should not go it alone with my creditors, but as of yet, Hess Kennedy and Consumer Credit have not helped me at all. Also, I was told I could legally cancel my contract at any time, as I did.

I also have a constitutional right to freedom of speech, and it is not slander or libel if what I say is true. If the company wishes to sue me, then by all means lets go to court, so I can present my side, and recover my first month's payment. I also know that I do not have to continue to pay for services that were not being rendered to my satisfaction. I have every right to post on here, as well as to go to the BBB. If your company were so concerned, maybe they would contact me to resolve the issue. I know I have called.

I researched the issue further. Your payment was never received by the law firm. You paid a consulting fee to the lawyer referral service and then bounced your payment to your lawyer.

If you would liket to discuss, you should give the law firm a call. If you cannot make the minimum monthly payments on your credit cards, you should not go it alone.

Even if you have not paid the firm, we do provide pro bono services. Please call us if any creditors get aggressive, or file suit. We will still help you.

More than likely you have been the victim of predatory lending practices. And now sadly you will be the victim of illegal collection practices. We sue debt collectors every day and win thousands of dollars for our clients.

As far aws eveyone here knowing the law, the general category of defamation in Florida is called "Business Slander", of which you would plead the cause of action for Libel if the statements were published.

And you do not have a consititutional right to do anything to a private entity. You should know, having studied the law that the constitution only applies to GOVERNMENT ACTION, not private actions.

Michael,

I do not know who you are, but if you work for the company, then you are mistaken. I did retain the use of the law firm, and I DID make my first payment. However, I was still receiving calls from my creditors, and I never received a copy of my contract. Then, when my second payment became due, more money than what was agreed upon was taken out of my savings account. I would call, and receive no response. I have a right to cancel my contract, and to not pay for services that were not rendered to my satisfaction. I also have a right to file a report on here, and to report to the BBB. As of this minute, the company has still not contacted me, and I am considering legal action of my own to get my first month's payment back. Also, the other poster was correct, written is libel, spoken is slander. I took law.

First of all, a written statement that is maliciously not true is "libel", NOT slander. Secondly, the original poster is NOT satisfied with your "service" (or lack thereof), and has a constitutional right to state this.

The truth of the matter is, a large majority of the "debt counseling/consolidation" services are huge scams. Your idle threats against the OP for speaking out makes it more likely than not, that she is telling the truth and you are trying to scare her.

Oh, Lauren? Don't stress about this person's babbling..the truth is an absolute defense in any libel/slander action.

Lauren,

Run, don't walk away from ANY credit counseling, debt management companies. You have been bankrupt, that fact will be on your credit record for 10 years, you can't do much more damage.

Despite what they tell you credit counseling companies are little more than an extended arm of the creditor's collection department. They are notorious for making late payments even though they have withdrawn money from your bank and have the funds.

They will tell you of the "arrangements" they have with thousands of creditors which is not entirely true. The truth is Joe Schmoe could send a payment to your creditor with your name and account number on it and they will accept the payment.

Under credit counseling the agency will send a "proposal" electronically or via mail to a creditor. The creditor usually has less than 5 people dedicated to deal with HUNDREDS of requests a day to lower interest, stop late fees etc.

You will be lucky if your proposal is not simply lost in the shuffle. If received it may take WEEKS to be reviewed for approval. The catch - the payment "proposed" to this creditor is lower than your normal minimum and is based on a percentage of the balance you provided the credit counselor several weeks before. If you are having problems making payments by the time it is reviewed, your balance has increased - guess what the minimum is not meeting the required amount for the program. The proposal is rejected - the process starts over again.

On average it takes 2-3 proposals for 4 out of 10 creditors to get one they will accept. In the meantime the creditor expects payments, you fall further behind and continue to get calls. You are told to "refer" the collector to the credit counseling agency. The collector is as likely to call the credit counselor as he is to sprout wings and fly.

In all honesty you are better off filing bankruptcy again.

This consumer contacted a lawyer referral service because she could not make her minimum monthly payments on her credit card bills.

She retained the law firm, however she never made any payments to cover a standard retainer fee.

She filed a BBB complaint, to which we responded providing documentation of over 15 hours that were spent on her file without being compensated.

We consider her complaint business slander and will be taking appropriate action.