Consumer complaint received 2019-11-09
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Debt settlement
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: S&N Debt Solutions, LLC (TX)

I enrolled in BEYOND finance Debt Relief program in XX/XX/2019, with the hopes of paying off credit card debt. The goal was to get the credit card companies to settle for 50 %, so along with BEYOND 's service fees ( approximately 20 % ), I might ultimately save myself around 30 % off my total debt. In late XXXX, 2019, I was contacted three ways ; by mail, over the internet and verbally over the phone by BEYOND employees with a proposed settlement offer with a credit card company. An offer was available and required my approval to move forward. My original credit card balance in XX/XX/2019 was {$4400.00} but had now soared to over $ 5k with interest and late fees. The proposed offer was to settle for a total of {$2900.00} payable to the bank card company in 3 monthly installments. {$2900.00} was not 50 % of the original {$4400.00} nor the current $ XXXX so this offer was not acceptable, so I declined it both in writing and over the phone. Over the next 2-3 months, I was contacted by BEYOND employees over 8 times asking and in some cases pressuring me into accepting the credit card payoff offer. Each time I emphatically said " No '' and asked them to quit asking me as I had no intention of ever excepting that offer as it was not within the original goal range. XX/XX/2019 I received a letter from the credit card company thanking me for settling the account for {$2900.00}. I called the credit card company and they explained BEYOND had paid them 3 monthly installments with my funds that I did not authorize and had emphatically declined. The credit card company refused to return the funds and to be honest why would they at this point as they have already been paid. I also learned that not only did BEYOND make 3 unauthorized payments without my consent they also paid themselves a nice 20+ % fee for doing such. I strongly suspect making unauthorized disbursements from my account is not only unethical but are probably unlawful as well. I'll learn more on this subject once I shop for an attorney so I called BEYOND. They offered no real excuse or responsibility for the incident, but seemed to try to shift the focus of attention off their methods by implying they got me a great deal and saved me a lot of money and deepened it by turning around and asking me why I would not except the deal when it was offered. I do not think it really matters why I did not want to accept the offer, the whole point is that I declined it 8-10 times and BEYOND processed it anyway. It occurred to me the real reason they called so many times over the past 2-3 months was possibly the hope I would agree to the original offer as to conceal their unlawful actions, so I terminated their service. I was then telephone transferred to the on-duty manager who on a recorded phone line seemed genuine concerned and agreed to close my account and refund all monies paid to include the unauthorized and potentially illegal transactions. The next day another BEYOND manager called me on a recorded phone line and informed me the original agreement made the previously day was no longer valid and the best offers he could make today are a return of their 20 % fee and a half baked effort to try to persuade the credit card company to return the funds. They would not be responsible for {$2900.00} unauthorized money transfers made by their employees. They also were hoping I would reconsider terminating their service and remain a " valued customer ''. I already knew the credit card company would not be returning a cent and I would be crazy to remain a client of BEYOND. Again BEYOND managers offered up no real explanations on how or why this happened nor did they except any form of responsibility over the matter just tried to shift the focus on why I was not in favor of the offer in the first place and why I would not agree to their fix to the problem. I checked my paperwork and I did sign a " Limited Power of Attorney '' for BEYOND to " negotiate '' only, possible settlements, said nothing about paying or dispersing my funds without my authorization and against my will.