Consumer complaint received 2024-07-27 00:00:00
Product: Debt or credit management — Debt settlement
Issue: Problem with customer service — 
Company: NATIONAL DEBT RELIEF LLC
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
After submitting initial information to NATIONAL DEBT RELIEF on XXXX, XX/XX/year> online, I received an email from " XXXX XXXX '' pertaining to my submission of information at XXXX am ( PST ) to advise me of upcoming appointment with XXXX XXXX The phone appointment was scheduled for XXXX pm ( PST ) for the following day. When I received the call, it was an XXXX by the name of XXXXXXXX XXXX. I commented that I was expecting XXXX XXXX and she just laughed and told me that appointments just get assigned randomly. During the call, XXXX mentioned XXXX options that were available but advised me that they didn't suit my situation after gathering all of my financial information... amount of income, monthly expenditures in detail, my Checking account number and routing number, total amount of Credit Card debt, etc. She explained the option that she recommended ... a monthly payment of {$360.00} directly taken from my Checking account ( The XXXX of each month was agreed ). She told me a financial organization " XXXX '' would open a savings account in my name to hold my payments for the program. I questioned about fees and she said there were none. But, she did suggest that I arrange for their XXXX XXXX for protection in case problems occurred with the negotiations concerning my Creditors. They would take approx. $ XXXX for that service. The program was set for a XXXX duration. I was told that my XXXX would be frozen with all XXXX XXXX and that I should stop any payments. Also, with accounts less than 6 months old, I should still make personal payments of at least $ XXXX. XXXX also stated that my XXXX XXXX would suffer due to my participation in the program, but when completed would be better than before. XXXX talked me through the process and provided multiple emails with the necessary links to access the XXXX website and also all included documentation. I was required to digitally sign all the forms. I was advised that my application would be in a " Hold '' status for XXXX hours due to me being a California Resident and that I was " Free to exit the program at anytime '' even if I didn't cancel within the XXXX hour time frame. Everything was approved for me. I felt blessed and very happy to have some help. However, after further review of the documentation and additional research online, I changed my mind and didn't wish to continue as of the morning of XX/XX/year>. 
The XXXX deadline would be tomorrow, XX/XX/year> at XXXX pm ( PST ) for me to stop the application process. I called first thing in the morning on the XXXX ( Friday ), to cancel my application. That's when all the real problems occurred. As it turns out, XXXX XXXX is a subsidiary of NATIONAL DEBT RELIEF. I desparately made every attempt to contact XXXX XXXX at the phone number provided and it was as if she just fell off the face of this planet. I was bounced from XXXX XXXX to another and probably talked to a dozen or more people. None of them had any answers for me and none of them could connect me with XXXX XXXX. Also, she did not provide an extension number. The communication between NATIONAL DEBT RELIEF and XXXX XXXX was a complete breakdown and I believe they set it up that way on purpose to make things real difficult for someone like me to cancel. I managed to prevent the formation of the XXXX account with " XXXX '' and actually received an email message to verify that it was stopped. The XXXX at " XXXX '' advised me that I needed to contact the XXXX Department at their end to make certain the application was stopped as well. That phone number was included in her email message and it was absolutely useless. I was in a vicious circle of all these Agents and none of them could do anything to assure me that my application was terminated. I eventually reached a XXXX at the NATIONAL DEBT RELIEF XXXX ... '' XXXX '' and he attempted to contact XXXX XXXX  to make certain that they stopped my application as I was talking with him on my Cell Phone. I had provided my Cell Phone number and my XXXX number to XXXX early in the process. Strangely, the connection was suddenly cut off. Immediately after that, my XXXX phone rang. I answered and it was XXXX. I expressed my confusion about his actions and he basically told me that he has someone from XXXX XXXX  who would help me. Then, a guy named " XXXX XXXX '' was on the line with me. The first thing he asked was when I would be available for a call-back. I suggested XXXX minutes. That was at about XXXX am and he agreed to that and disconnected. About XXXX minutes later I received an email message from him indicating that my phone appointment was for XXXX and that XXXXXXXX XXXX  would also be on the call. That phone call never happened. After that, I eventually reached another XXXX who said that it appeared that I would receive an email verification that my application was stopped sometime late in the evening... possibly around XXXX pm. I asked why they couldn't just send it and he just rambled on about their verification process. None of it made any sense. As of XXXX pm, I never received the email confirmation of stopping my application and I wasn't about to wait until late evening. So, once again I called directly to XXXX XXXX and a guy named " XXXX '' took my call. He was a very impatient person who got real short with me more than once during the conversation as I tried to express my concerns about all the problems that I'd experienced for the entire day. At XXXX point, he threatened to disconnect. Then, he was acting as if he was getting instructions from his XXXX as we spoke... I didn't hear anyone speaking in the background and I don't believe there was any XXXX saying anything to him. He claimed that his " XXXX '' instructed him to transfer to the " XXXX '' department because I needed to talk with them. He transferred my call and " XXXX '' answered. I explained my dilemma to her and she finally got her XXXX at my request. By this time, being permanently XXXX at age XXXX with multiple physical ailments/injuries and also complex XXXX, I was well stressed out. A woman named " XXXX XXXX '' took my call. She wanted to know what my situation was. So, I began to explain the sorts of things that I've been subjected to. I even told her about how rogue Creditor Agents have purposely lied to me about asking for an increase in Credit and telling me that it's only a " Soft Inquiry, and won't affect my XXXX XXXX ''. That was done by an XXXX affiliated with XXXXXXXX XXXX  and XXXX request for an increase of {$100.00} was reported and dropped my score by XXXX points. Then, I began telling her about how a finance company " XXXX XXXX had maliciously damaged my XXXX XXXX for over XXXX points by refusing to update my phone number when I changed it. They locked me out of my account and I couldn't monitor my account or change my payment method. " XXXX XXXX '' remarked ... '' Oh, I know them. They actually refer some of their Customers to us for negotiation of their failure to pay. I made a remark about XXXX being owned by a guy from XXXX and located in XXXX XXXX. I gave her advice on working with them by expressing my bad experience with them. After that, she got real short with me, and real nasty. At one point she threatened to disconnect just the the guy " XXXX '' did to me. She seemed intent for me to continue with the process rather than terminate my application. I refused and was becoming very stressed out. Suddenly, she actually DID put me on hold and the music began playing. I knew she wouldn't be back so I just ended the call. That was entire experience from yesterday and I never did receive anything to confirm the termination of my application. My deadline is fast approaching... tomorrow at XXXX pm.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation