1st Financial Group

This company set up a debt settlement package for me to pay Global Client Servicing in order to pay off my creditors. After multiple communications with Mike **, the Financial Management Consultant (as stated in the provided package)I agreed to the terms of the contract. The money was taken directly out of my account (records have been kept and confirmed with Global Client Services) and was paid in full as I agreed.

After no contact, I contacted Mike ** again and he stated that it was in process and then contact stopped. As of last week, I find out from my creditor (after 1 year) that my dept has not been paid and that the contact information that they have for 1st Financial is not valid.

I gave them the information that I had and then attempted to call myself. All of the numbers have been disconnected, there are multiple addresses for the same company, and all emails get returned as well. So I called Global Client Services and they too have terminated their agreement with this company due to failure to maintain their accounts properly (as of Sept 2010). They suggested that I file complaints with the BBB, the Attorney Generals Office, and the FTC. I have done all 3.

I am out $1088, my creditors have not been paid (that is what I want to happen), and I find out that there are many more people scammed by this company. Something needs to be done. No one can afford to have money stolen from them especially during these tough times.

Consumer's Desired Resolution: I would like a refund for the $1088 so my creditors can be paid as originally intended.

I was contacted by phone. I was told I could get my mortgage payment lowered by at least $225.00 a month if I meet the qualifications. So I sent in all my information. They said that if they could not get my payments lowered, it would not cost me a dime. So they took $819.00 out of my bank account, about 1 month later, they called me and said my mortgage lender would not even talk to them. So I asked for my money to be refunded and they said they would. All this began on 3/27/10. I called continually. Finally, on 7/23/10, I received a partial refund of $400.00. So I kept calling and they told me I would receive the rest of my refund on 9/10/10. I did not receive it, I kept calling and they said they did not know what happened. I kept calling and said they have moved.

I started a modification process in Oct. 2009. I paid them $1,025 in Oct.2009 and then another $1,025 in Nov. 2009, total $2.050. Therefore, in those two months, I got behind in my mortgage payments. I was assured I qualified. Months passed and they kept telling me it was in the process. Finally, I spoke with the president of company, Mr. Chris ** and he told me his company had messed up with paperwork. I refaxed all my paperwork again. I stayed in touch with the advocate from Fl, Ms Lisa *. She would from time to time tell me what paperwork the bank needed. I happily obliged.

On several occasions, I tried calling the bank myself to see what was going on. I then would call Mr. **. He told me I paid them to take care of it, not to call the bank. I know Wachovia Bank was merging with Wells Fargo and I thought this was why it was taking so long. Mr. ** kept telling me that it takes time. I kept making monthly mortgage payments and in Jan. 2010, I realized that Wells Fargo was putting my money in a suspense account. That they offered me a moratorium for three months, which I declined. Every week, I would call First Financial and they would tell me it's still in the process. I finally got them to apply the monies in the suspense account. I was promised from Wells Fargo that it would take two days for them to decide. Needless to say, that never came to fruition. They would tell me I needed more paperwork, which they already had. I would then fax paperwork again.

It is now seven months later. I received in the mail a letter of intention of foreclosure. I was livid. The last I heard from Ms. ** was that they were putting a rush to the negotiator. I called Mr. ** once again and also emailed Ms. **. I got no response from both of them. The next day, I got a letter from the bank stating I gave them permission to close my account. I finally called the bank and they told me that they were going to do a liquidation and a short sale. I have been paying my mortgage every month. The bank had put it in a suspense account once again. Mr. ** and Ms. ** should have been the ones to call me and keep me abreast of what was going on with my modification. That's what I paid them for.

So to no avail, I took First Financial's phone numbers and names off my account. I have been speaking with the bank daily trying to straighten out this mess. My credit is bad now. When I started with this modification in Oct. 2009, my credit was 732. I do not know what it is now. I know it cannot be good. I called Mr. ** again and stated it was my fault for calling the bank. I then told him I wanted my $2,050 that I paid them to help me with this modification. I also faxed a letter to Mr. ** letting him know what I was doing and for him to return my money. I was promised in the beginning that if they could not do the modification, I would get my money back. So now I have to start from scratch with Wells Fargo Bank, fax all my paperwork again. This added stress that First Financial put on me is unbearable, not to mention my credit going bad from their lack of communication.