Consumer complaint received 2024-05-12
Product: Debt or credit management — Debt settlement
Issue: Confusing or missing disclosures — 
Company: The J. G. Wentworth Company (NY)

XXXX-year old female, retired, over-extended with debt due to medical issues, inflation, death in family resulting in increased responsibilities. Good credit, substantial credit line, but just making minimum payments. Little knowledge of resources/ options, randomly 'cold-called ' XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX for advice, & after dizzying series of transfers indicating no, no, no, ended up on line with JG Wentworth, which said yes, yes, yes, & painted a glowing picture of becoming debt-free in 6 months +/-. 

It was a great sales pitch, asked all? XXXX that came to mind such as the role of the Company, charges for services, wise to stop making Credit Card payments. All deflected - more information provided in future 'Welcome Call, ' Agreement sent, important to sign now, cursory review of headings, you can read the details later, and I signed, agreeing to pay $ XXXX month, from XX/XX/XXXX > XX/XX/XXXX - at which time I would be XXXX years old - to settle debt of about {$43000.00} +/-. 

This was presented as a US government program, created with creditors, and that JG Wentworth, would enter into direct negotiations to get me the best deal possible, as quickly as possible. I was not told in any coherent manner that the percentages of payments were basically stipulated in the governing authorization for the program, nor that payments to creditors would be sequential, based on the funds I deposited with JG Wentworth, nor that my credit rating would crater, that I would continue to be charged interest until an 'Agreement ' was in place, that monthly Credit Crd fees would also be added, and that I would ultimately lose the ability to use the Credit Cards enrolled in the program, and likely jeopardize remaining cards as well. I was also not told for months that JG Wentworth would take 25 % of the original amount of the debt as a fee for service. 

This last only became apparent when the first Credit Card debt was settled : Original balance - {$4.00}, balance at Settlement - {$4500.00} ( including {$440.00} additional interest ), Settlement- {$2200.00} ( 50 % ) + {$1000.00} JG Wentworth fee. This represents a payment of about 81 % of the original debt, an amount that I could easily have paid off without the 'assistance ' of JG Wentworth. 

Throughout this period many calls for clarification, all 'helpful ' and 'encouraging, prompting me to continue with the Wentworth program until I finally learned through a Wentworth Team member, on or about XX/XX/XXXX that yes, I could likely have obtained equivalent or better results by dealing directly with the Credit Card Company . I was encouraged to try with the next lowest balance Credit Card, and in one short call had reached an agreement to bring that account current, and to ultimately retain the use of the card. It was uplifting, but also horrifying to realize that I had trusted JG Wentworth to act on my behalf when it wasn't necessary, and that I had essentially been driven into humiliating Credit Card default by the JG Wentworth Program. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I wrote to JG Wentworth requesting cancellation of my participation in their Program, and requesting the return of the {$630.00} on deposit with them, and, in light of the overall experience with them, a refund of the XXXX fee they had taken to 'resolve ' the debt with the afore-mentioned Credit Card company . In response I received two Voice Message regarding re-initiating the Program, and have received nothing in writing, other than a Confirmation of Cancellation. 
I have not received a refund of the funds on deposit with them, although the balance in my account now appears as {$0.00}. 

Please help, and let this serve as a cautionary tale for others. I have now learned, through conversations with the CFPB that a more logical option might have been consolidation and full-repayment of my debt or time, something that it appears would have protected my credit, and my integrity. Thank you very much for your consideration and action on this very serious and stressful matter. I have e-mails to verify all my communication to JG Wentworth if they might be of use to you. Sincerely, XXXX XXXX