Consumer complaint received 2019-04-06
Company: John C. Heath, Attorney at Law, PLLC
State: MI
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit repair services
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
I contacted an advertisement online while searching for a home for me and my family. I found a property I liked, so I responded to their ad about renting to own instead of renting. I completed an online form with my telephone number. I got a call within a couple minutes in response to my inquirer. The woman on the phone was very friendly. She assured me that the process is quick and simple to sign a lease and be on my way to home ownership. As shes asking me what seems to be routine questions, she asked about my credit score and wanted to know if I was interested on raising my score. She mentions XXXX XXXX and says she can patch me through to speak with them to discuss it. I agreed, because I know its important to have good credit. Before she transfers me, she tells me to check my email after I am finished speaking to XXXX XXXX because she is sending me a list of their available houses. She also tells me once I find a property, I like to contact her so she can set an appointment to sign the lease, get the keys and start my path to home ownership. Introduced to XXXX XXXX, the conversation with what I thought was a property management company gave me to credit repair. Convincingly, I was offered help that would improve my credit score by removing negative remarks and errors off my report if there were any. The start up cost for services was {$14.00}. This payment would cover the initial credit report so they can begin working on my credit ( This was on XX/XX/2019 ). I agreed. After they received my report and start working on it I will again be billed on XX/XX/2019 for {$120.00} for monthly services ; and I can cancel my services anytime or when I feel like I no longer need their services. I agreed. Then, I activated my account, and set up my profile like he asked me to do once our call was finished. XX/XX/2019, I checked my mobile banking app and found they charged me 2 weeks earlier than are verbal agreement on the telephone. This cause a problem for me because, if they were honest about when they would bill me, I could have had the opportunity to decline services due to other financial obligations I already had. I called them as soon as I saw the charges and canceled my account and demanded a refunded because they deceived me and took the money before it was available. ( That feels a lot like being coned, being ripped off, or stolen from ). As Im talking to customer support, they decline my refund request and say they can stop reoccurring billing. Apparently, XXXX XXXX can trick me out of my, but their solution is, I can still access their website and if I change my mind and want services to contact them anytime. They are frauds! They fraudulently took my money for a date I did not authorize and kept my money even though I did not utilize their services because I do not agree with how their business ethics are on people looking for housing, with low credit scores, struggling financially already. Before I saw the charges, I want to step back to the email form the first response call I received when I inquired about renting to own a property I saw. I found to email, was prompted to set up an account to view homes. I did this and the final step was to pay {$1.00} for a 7-day trial to view foreclosure homes ( like they have a secret list nobody else knows about, but these properties are available to the public on other sites ). I tried the trial and realized that once the trial runs out, this company wants to charge me {$59.00} a month to view these homes ; these homes that I was told would be a quick and easy move in process. If this were true why would I need a monthly service account charging XXXX $ per month to view their properties? I cancelled on the 4th day of trial. The first guy I talked to acted surprised I wanted to cancel. He tells me people are hardly ever dissatisfied with their services. While hes trying to pull up my account, he seems to not be able to find me. I give him all required information, including the first 6 digits and the last 4 digits of my card used on file. No luck, hes playing as if I dont exist in their system, asking if I used another card or email, I say no. Now I request a supervisor because I am getting irritated with this man whos beginning to ask me more personal questions that I didnt offer too them when I signed-up. Supervisor swears he can not find me in the system, he says my card must not have been charged and that I have no worries my card will no be charged. A couple days later, my card is charged almost {$60.00} for these people. I called them soon as I saw the charges and demanded my account was cancelled, and from some reason my account was easily found this day with no problems. It seems to be a chain of people in business to trick families seeking a home, with lower than average credit and financial situations are more difficult. Now this is roughly {$230.00} I got duped out of searching for a home. False Advertisement like these should be reported and should be against the law. Life is hard enough rebuilding after financial hardship. Moreover, XXXX XXXX and affiliates are causing emotional distress, making an already financially stressful situation worse breeching the verbal agreement they offered on the phone call I was transferred to after inquiring about a home, on a housing search website.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation