What is the name of your state? OHIO
I apologize in advance for the length of this post.
My daughter-in-law, Erin, got in over her head with a credit card. Being young and not knowing what to do, she looked to Freedom Debt Relief; http://www.freedomdebtrelief.com to help her out. They promised her the moon, set her up with payment ($368 per month withdrawn directly from her account for the last 18 months = $6624) and told her to have her three credit card statements sent to them. They told her to stop making the payments to her charge card companies and that they would negotiate a payoff amount and then make payments for her. They were her savior, so she thought.
After a year of payments, Freedom Debt Relief had negotiated and paid off the two smaller charge cards (a few hundred dollars each), but Erin has recieved no proof that they are paid off, other than Freedom Debt Relief's word. (So I am skeptical.)
The larger charge card, Chase Manhattan ($5000) was not paid off, nor had a settlement for a "reduced amount" been negotiated as promised. Last November, Erin recieved notice from Chase. She contacted Freedom Debt Relief and they told her to just sign the papers and send it to them. She did, not knowing what it was. (I'm assuming it was an Arbitration Award for $15,597.57 from what I've been reading, but I'm not for sure.) The $5000 that she owed ballooned to $15,597.57 because Freedom Debt Relief made no payments so Chase has tacked on late fees and interest charges for the last year.
Now Chase is taking her to court for MOTION AND APPLICATION TO CONFIRM AND ENFORCE ARBITRATION AWARD. When she calls Freedom Debt Relief, they just tell her to fax the papers to her. That's all she's been doing and getting no where! They do not return her phone calls.
The court has sent her a NOTICE OF HEARING TO CONFIRM ARBITRATION AWARD and a SUMMONS BY CERTIFIED MAIL. Hearing is April 24th.
She has no idea what to do. Freedom Debt Relief is of no help. They dropped the ball but have taken over $6600 in payments from her in the last 18 months. Her credit is shot, showing 18 months of no payments to Chase.
Should she go to court with all her paperwork and tell them Freedom Debt Relief was supposed to be taking care of this?
Should she get an attorney?
Is it too late to settle with Chase for the original $5000?
Can she get back the money that Freedom Debt Relief is holding in her "account"?
So many questions, we are just sick. She contacted me this evening and told me the whole story. She is coming over tomorrow evening with all her papers so we can sort it all out. What can I do to help her?
I apologize in advance for the length of this post.
My daughter-in-law, Erin, got in over her head with a credit card. Being young and not knowing what to do, she looked to Freedom Debt Relief; http://www.freedomdebtrelief.com to help her out. They promised her the moon, set her up with payment ($368 per month withdrawn directly from her account for the last 18 months = $6624) and told her to have her three credit card statements sent to them. They told her to stop making the payments to her charge card companies and that they would negotiate a payoff amount and then make payments for her. They were her savior, so she thought.
After a year of payments, Freedom Debt Relief had negotiated and paid off the two smaller charge cards (a few hundred dollars each), but Erin has recieved no proof that they are paid off, other than Freedom Debt Relief's word. (So I am skeptical.)
The larger charge card, Chase Manhattan ($5000) was not paid off, nor had a settlement for a "reduced amount" been negotiated as promised. Last November, Erin recieved notice from Chase. She contacted Freedom Debt Relief and they told her to just sign the papers and send it to them. She did, not knowing what it was. (I'm assuming it was an Arbitration Award for $15,597.57 from what I've been reading, but I'm not for sure.) The $5000 that she owed ballooned to $15,597.57 because Freedom Debt Relief made no payments so Chase has tacked on late fees and interest charges for the last year.
Now Chase is taking her to court for MOTION AND APPLICATION TO CONFIRM AND ENFORCE ARBITRATION AWARD. When she calls Freedom Debt Relief, they just tell her to fax the papers to her. That's all she's been doing and getting no where! They do not return her phone calls.
The court has sent her a NOTICE OF HEARING TO CONFIRM ARBITRATION AWARD and a SUMMONS BY CERTIFIED MAIL. Hearing is April 24th.
She has no idea what to do. Freedom Debt Relief is of no help. They dropped the ball but have taken over $6600 in payments from her in the last 18 months. Her credit is shot, showing 18 months of no payments to Chase.
Should she go to court with all her paperwork and tell them Freedom Debt Relief was supposed to be taking care of this?
Should she get an attorney?
Is it too late to settle with Chase for the original $5000?
Can she get back the money that Freedom Debt Relief is holding in her "account"?
So many questions, we are just sick. She contacted me this evening and told me the whole story. She is coming over tomorrow evening with all her papers so we can sort it all out. What can I do to help her?