Consumer complaint received 2022-10-07
Company: Consumer Financial Services Solutions, Inc.
State: CA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit repair services
Issue: Confusing or misleading advertising or marketing

Complaint:
What Happened Before I enrolled to the Beyond Finance Debt Relief Program, twice I had a long consult with their agent, XXXX XXXX, who they say have left their company lately, in order to make sure that this program would really reduce my debt by 50 % as he confidently said, and there be no hidden fee, or increase of monthly payment, or increase of the total Settlement Amount. Each time he made certain that as long as I would fulfill my obligation to make a monthly payment on time, they would take care of everything for settlement. Furthermore, he assured me that they had been so successful in negotiating with the creditors that usually they had been able to reduce the debts less than 50 %. Thus, trusting in his words, I enrolled to their debt relief program, and have made monthly payments on time since then without any delinquency. 

Around XXXX of XXXX, because the settlement with XXXX  XXXX XXXX and XXXX showed no progress XXXX year after the enrollment, I anxiously inquired of the status, and then each time they assured me they were in the process of negotiation. But on XX/XX/XXXX, I received Court Summons, sued by plaintiff, XXXX  XXXX XXXX, represented by XXXX XXXX XXXX. At that point, I realized due to the unsuccessful negotiation or inaction of Beyond Finance, my debts to XXXX  XXXX XXXX had increased beyond the original debts as is listed in the box below. As a result, I am penalized to pay more than the original debts to XXXX. 

Around XXXX of XXXX, Beyond asked me whether I was willing to make a chunk deposit of {$3500.00}, and increase the monthly payment from {$580.00} to {$680.00} for 15 months to settle with both XXXX and XXXX. In spite of the fact that I was assured many times by their agent, XXXX XXXX, that there would be no increase of the monthly payment at all, since they told me that by making a chunk deposit of {$3500.00} and increasing monthly payment by {$100.00} for 15 months, which would amount to the prepayment of {$5000.00}, my graduation date from the program would be expedited from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX. Since then I was contacted by their agent XXXX more times regarding the offer, and each time I asked my early graduation from the program should I accept the offer. And each time they confirmed me that it would certainly do. So I accepted the offer, even though it was very difficult for me to raise a fund for that purpose. 

Furthermore, Beyond also failed in negotiating with XXXX, making an excuse that XXXX was very aggressive in negotiation. The end result is that I will end up paying almost the total of the original debt for this account. 

On the first week of XXXX, since the graduation day was coming, I just wanted to check the payment schedule on XXXX, the third party required by law. And I was terrified to find that my graduation date was extended to XX/XX/XXXX, and also my total payment was increased so much that I would end up paying far more than the original debts. 

I immediately contacted their agent, XXXX XXXX, and spent XXXX weeks to identify and resolve the issue. I was told by XXXX that his managers were looking on this issue and they would contact me within next XXXX hours. But they never contacted me and kept me in the dark. Each time I had to initiate contact with them, and they kept repeating it was because the creditors were aggressive so that they could not make settlements they used to do even though their target was 50 %, and no more than 60 %. 

As of today, according to XXXX XXXX, the third party payment agency, XX/XX/XXXX, my payment schedule is extended to XX/XX/XXXX, 15 months more than originally estimated. And the total payment is, either {$38000.00} according to XXXX XXXX, agent of Beyond Finance, which is just an estimation, or, {$42000.00} according to XXXX, which is the only official number that I should trust. Either way, it is bigger than the original debt. 

I made a series of attempt to reconcile these contradictory numbers but Beyond Finance has refused to give me an official letter regarding the total amount of payment and the graduation date, while insisting once we get closer to the end of the program we can draft an official letter according to the message received. But how do I know the time when we get closer to the end of the program when Beyond Finance refuses to provide the exact numbers, and their estimation is completely different from the payment schedule on XXXX XXXX, which is the only official number? 

I believe that Beyond Finance is obliged to disclose the number to its clients. Thus, in spite of repeated requests from me when it refuses to do so, it amounts to a breach of fiduciary trust. Simply, Beyond Finance is not acting in good faith in relation to its clients. 

Deposits/Credits as of XX/XX/XXXX : {$25000.00} Scheduled Payments to XX/XX/XXXX : {$16000.00} Total : {$42000.00} Original Debts : {$37000.00}

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation