Just Military Loans

I applied for a loan and actually got approved. They sent me a ton of paper work to fill out, plus an online form for references and they also wanted me to start an allotment. Reluctantly, I did so. After I did all of what was asked, I was still waiting for some kind of response.

I emailed them at least twice with no reply. I called them numerous times and was just told that they were still contacting my references. Their website says "fast loans" ...yeah right! So, even after they contacted my references, I was still waiting for the money. I finally got a hold of my "loan officer", Keith **, and he said they had to speak to 2 E6 or above and to a commanding officer!

He was not going to talk to my company, not a chance. Not only that, I don't even have an E6 in my chain of command, so I told him to just forget it and to cancel my request. I still have to wait for my allotment to show up on my pay so I can cancel it. He told me that if the allotment comes out, they will refund me the next month!? Save yourself the hassle and go to **, they are perfect. Instant approval and I got the money the next day.

I got approved for the loan on March 25. They requested a lot of paperwork, I got them in. I had been trying to contact Deanna via email, no response. I left voicemails during their working hours and it still took her over 1 week for her to get back to me. She told me she needed another POC from my family. I gave her the info. Everything was good. She then told me I had to call her to close out my loan so my funds could be distributed. When I called, she told me I needed an LES for March because one little time had went past and they needed more current info. I had to jump hurdles to get it, but it got to her 30 minutes after she requested it - after she had told me she needed it that day.

She told me my loan would be closed out and cancelled because it had been over 30 days. My loan was active, but I just got approved for it on the 25th. I got her info to her. I called her back and I couldn't even speak to her. She had me on the phone with Vanessa and one of the other managers. They told me my loan had exceeded 30 days and it was cancelled voluntarily by them, and said some of my contacts weren't correct after Deanna told me she talked to everybody. I asked my contacts if she had called, they said she did and they couldn't help me after Deanna had just told me when I got that LES I could have my money.

My question is, why did they voluntarily cancel my loan after 21 days when they are supposed to keep a loan active for 30 days? Why was the manager so rude to me? It took them a long time to patch me in before I finally spoke to the manager. After I got them all the requested paperwork, which is a lot, I waited patiently for them to verify everything. They just told me "no, you can't have it" for no reason. Please help me. I've done my part. I was patient. Why can I not have my money? This was the worst customer service experience of my military career.

If you are thinking about using just military loans for a loan save yourself the stress and trouble, and look somewhere else! We applied for a loan from just military, and filled out all the necessary paperwork required online. Then once approved you have to print out a huge amount of paperwork where they want everything short of your first born.

Then you have to go get it noterized and fax it, and we had to fax it 3 times and they still didn't get it. Oh and if you call and it is close to the end of the day don't expect the lady to be any help, she is impersonal and can't wait to leave at the end of the day. They claim on their website that they have FAST military loans, however we have been dealing with their [lies] for a week now and still are getting the run around and with no results (MONEY).

So if you are military and you need a loan do yourself a favor and DO NOT go with just military. Pioneer Military loans is much better, the people are friendly and you get approved in a couple hours and then get your money within the next 24hrs, and you don't have to fill out a ton of paper work or all the other reqired for just military!

Around 20 September I was in need of a small loan. So I searched the net for military-friendly companies and found 'Just Military Loans'. I have received loans through other military loan companies in the past, so I did not think this would be much different. I filled out an application on their website and the very next day they notified me that I was approved. They emailed me a list of instructions on how to begin the loan paperwork process. The instructions dictated that I would need to set up an allotment through My Pay (to pay the loan through monthly payroll deduction) and that I would need to get my loan documents notarized and signed and fax back to them.

I completed my part of the loan process within 2 days. At the time, I was currently home on leave, in between a PCS (military move). Part of the loan process was to give them information on my chain of command and phone numbers where they could reach them to verify my employment. My chain of command was overseas, 14 hours ahead of EST. But then, this being a military loan company, you would not think this to be a problem. But it was. They informed me that they only call overseas on certain days, which were Tuesday and Thursday. And the times they call at are not at all realistic. They would call them early in the morning, when they would not be in the office yet and of course unavailable.

Around 5 October, I finally grew frustrated and fed up. I had done my part of the loan process and these people were not working hard at all to do their part. By then, the payroll deduction had already began, so they had received my first payment on a loan that I had yet to receive. I immediately stopped the allotments so that it would not be taken out of other checks and called Just Military Loans and informed them that I would no longer need their services. I then asked for the refund of the first payment they had received. She stated that I would receive my refund through ACH with a fee of 12 dollars. Does not sound right that I should have to pay the ACH fee for a loan not received for failure to do their part of the agreement. And anyway, the way the loan agreement was set up, they withhold the amount of the 1st payment from the loan amount to be received in case they do not receive my allotment, so I would have been given back that amount ANYWAY. But whatever, I just wanted the whole thing to be done with so I agreed to the ACH refund.

I know you are not supposed to put any money down on a loan before receiving the funds, but I have gone through other military loan agencies and they require proof that you have started an allotment before proceeding with the loan. I never had a problem with this until now.

By 23 October I still had not received my refund. I emailed their company and informed them I had not received my refund and I received a response back asking which account I would like the funds to be deposited into. I gave them the requested information.

By 3 November, I still had not received the refund. I sent them a 'friendly' reminder that they still owed me the refund and that the next email I would have to send would be from a lawyer. I received a response on 5 November asking for my bank account information (once again). The ACH fee also somehow changed from the previous 12 dollars to 16 dollars. I emailed them asking why and she claimed that because it was now past 1 November the ACH fee went up and that she would need proof of all email correspondence with them to prove that I requested my refund prior to 1 November. I forwarded her the information. This shows terrible negligence on their part and I am STILL waiting for my refund. I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. If you are in the military and looking for a loan, think twice if not three times about dealing with this company.

The company responds:

We take all consumer complaints very seriously and it is unfortunate that Ms. W was not satisfied with her interaction with our company.

While many of the details put forth by Ms. W differ from the facts in our records, we do agree that Ms. W was due a refund in the amount of $123.97. Such refund was issued via electronic transfer on 11/12/08 to her checking account at USAA.

Should Ms. W have any further questions or concerns, we hope she will contact us directly. Thank you.

Jennifer Palatchi

Vice President, Loans