Consumer complaint received 2025-04-07 00:00:00
Product: Debt or credit management — Debt settlement
Issue: Unauthorized withdrawals or charges — 
Company: Consumer Financial Services Solutions, Inc.
State: NY

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/XXXX I filed a complaint against Beyond Finance for deceptive and misleading business practices related to their debt settlement program with the CFPB. I enrolled in their program in XXXX to settle my outstanding debts, and at the time of enrollment, the representative did not disclose critical details about the fees associated with settling my accounts. Recently, I attempted to pay off one of my enrolled accounts, for which I had already submitted {$1900.00}. However, I was then informed that I must pay an additional {$1000.00} due to a 25 % settlement fee that was never clearly explained to me during the enrollment process. Upon questioning this charge, Beyond Finances customer service representative stated that it was part of the agreementyet this fee structure was not made transparent when I signed up. This is not the first account that was paid off and never was i approached with the 25 % fees. I currently have two remaining accounts in the program, and I am now learning that I will be charged a 25 % fee per settled account, and on the original amount of the debt. which significantly increases the cost of the service and contradicts the impression I was given at the time of enrollment. Had I been made aware of these excessive fees upfront, I would not have agreed to participate in their program. I just paid off the remaining amount owed to XXXX in the amount of XXXX when i requested to pay it off there were no mention of 25 % fee. I was simply told that it will be paid on XX/XX/XXXX which it was. On that day i notified of the additional deposit of XXXX to pay off the XXXX XXXXXXXX account and was told it will be applied on XX/XX/XXXX. when i called today i was given a different story. I asked to be provided to satisfactory letter and was told that has to come from the creditor and that they do not keep track of this document. I have yet to receive the satisfactory letters. Beyond Finances failure to fully disclose these charges appears to be an unfair and deceptive business practice, which may violate consumer protection laws. 

On XX/XX/XXXX Company responded without a resolution and Beyond Finance was not exceptionally transparent about their practice. they lured me into enrolling in their program. 

On XX/XX/XXXX i replied to CFPB expressing my disagreement with the response provided by beyond finance regarding my complaint. While I understand the companys position, I believe they failed to provide transparency regarding the additional fee for settling my debt before the due date. At the time of signing the agreement, this critical detail was not adequately explained to me. Had I been aware of this clause, I would have made a more informed decision. I respectfully request that the CFPB further investigate this matter, as I believe this lack of transparency is unfair and misleading. I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your assistance in reaching a fair resolution. 

Beyond finance called me several time trying to deviate from the issue or without trying to resolve this matter. 

When I checked my account today ( XX/XX/XXXX ), I noticed that the {$1900.00} was no longer available. Upon calling Beyond Finance, I was informed that the funds were applied to another account to cover their fees, without my knowledge or authorization. 
This constitutes a misuse of funds and a breach of trust, as I did not approve the redirection of the funds. 

I respectfully request that the CFPB investigates Beyond Finances practices and take appropriate action to ensure transparency and fairness for consumers. I would also like to know if I have any recourse to dispute these fees or seek a refund for the misleading information provided. Please let me know if you require any additional documentation. I appreciate your time and assistance in addressing this matter.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation