Consumer complaint received 2024-06-08
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was result of identity theft
Company: Monterey Financial Services LLC (NJ)

On XX/XX/XXXX I took my XXXX daughters to XXXX XXXX in NY to attend a FREE photo shoot. The only advertised temporary fee ( AND CONFIRMED by " XXXX '' ) was a {$50.00} deposit for each model that would be refunded to me. It was a holding deposit only to ensure attendance. All charges for the shoot were explained and assured as free or already covered. She stated other services may be offered later if my daughters were selected as finalists. Any additional options for services may be offered at the time after the shoot. I reserved XXXX spaces, paying {$100.00} on my credit card. I expected that to be refunded because I knew we would attend. On that day they decided to ONLY SHOOT XXXX daughter. Because my daughter was under age, I was required to sign electronically giving consent to photographer to shoot her. They didn't refund any of the {$100.00}. ( not even the second {$50.00} for my daughter XXXX ) They went further and fraudulently billed my card for {$400.00}. They went even further and claimed I agreed to a {$3500.00} charge for I don't even know WHAT!! We never agreed to extra services. In fact we declined. We declined the offer to receive a portfolio. I called her father at the time to see if he may be interested. He emphatically said " NO! '' On that note, we thanked them and declined any additional offers. We left the building. On our walk to the car, management called us and offered a double deal for a cheaper price of $ XXXX for both girls. I said " No Thankyou ''. For another 2 days they called, and harassed and tried convincing me to allow my daughter to attend their school of modelling because " the photographers really liked her ''. I told them again " No. But Thankyou for the offer. We are not interested. '' Several months later XXXX XXXX began billing my XXXX XXXX XXXX daughter XXXX XXXX for {$3500.00}. I called them immediately and reminded them that we did not take any products or services from them. They lied, stating we were obligated to pay because photographers are " not cheap, and have to be paid ''. I reminded them of the advertisement, I reminded them that they were supposed to refund me my deposit " within 14 days '' and that they took {$400.00} illegally from me off my card, without my knowledge, I told them of their agreement and their obligation to obey the law and the illegalities of their attempts of a fraudulent debt collection and claim. I guess they realised they shouldn't bill minors. After about 2 months they started to bill me for the same charges. Again, I tried speaking to them. I told them DO NOT put this fraud claim under my daughter name or my name on the credit bureaus. They put it on my credit bureaus anyway. I reported them to the bureaus. They were removed. On XX/XX/XXXX they started harassing me again with a letter claiming that I signed for a service that I DID NOT AGREE TO OR SIGN FOR. They copied my signature to consent to photography, and put it on claims I never agreed to. Originally XXXX XXXX was their name now they are harassing me and attempting to collect under the name Monterey Collections.