thanks for the website, how do I know this is not some sort of scam? I do not want to do anymore damage to myself.

[Teleport]

Well...signing up is free. You'll get a call from a debt councelor who can go over with you more about the program. They'll call only once, and leave a message if you don't answer. They're not like debt collectors and won't keep calling you. They leave it up to you.

[roxette]

Hi Lynn

debt consolidation Care has business partnership with reputed consolidation companies only in the entire United States.

This company has a good standing in the market and I am sure you are familiar with the quality of help offered in this forum.

You can go ahead and make your wise decisions.

If you face any problem, just let us know.

Regards
Roxette

Much like most of you on this site, I just found out this agency scammed my mother. They threatened to press criminal charges against her for phone & computer fraud. Most importantly, they only gave her a few hours to make the payment by and even went so far as to wish her luck.

When I got involved they changed their story to bank fraud. I have since spoke with both parties to get info.

In my mother's case the loan was given, 30 days later the repayment was made; however, PB continued to debit her checking account a monthly fee of $90. My mother was unaware that she was still be billed monthly by PB for a debt that was already paid. Five months later she cancels her bank account, gets a call from Ellis threatening her for default of her loan. When she did nothing, they stepped up their game. I have informed Ellis of the situation regarding them fradulently attempting to collect on a debt that doesn't exist. They still insisted they were going to prosecute my mother.

I have collected information on my own about Platinum B. Thanks to this website I now have info on who Ellis is.

Tomorrow my mother is going to file a complaint with the Texas Attorney General's Office. I have drafted a 5 page letter documenting the incidence. From what I can gather from this site Florida has already filed suit, and consumers have filed with their attorney general's office in Maryland and Calfornia as well. I am going to pass this information along with the Texas complaint. Additionally, my mother will be filing a complaint with the FTC. I had advised her to do this all prior to finding this website. If anyone has any additional info regarding these parties

Collaberative efforts of many is the only way to put a stop to these scrupulous business practices. Not everyone offering loan assistance is out to scam you, but the few who are need to be stopped.

More details regarding my mothers loan. Her loan was for $300, she was told she would be required to pay back $480. This agency collected $840. When the bank account was closed Ellis told my mother she owed them $755. This must not gone unpunished. I will see these people pay even if I have to obtain an attorney on my mother's behave.

Hope this story helps others out. Buyer beware.

[email removed as per forum rules-Mike]

Did your mom make arrangements to pay in full or did she roll over the finance fees and this is how she got to the 480.00? If she continued to pay finance fees and didn't inform them in writing that she was paying in full, than they would deduct the finance fee and the loan principal would not be paid down.

Most payday loans will refinance up to 5 times before they start taking the refinance charge plus $50.00 towards the loan. If you dont notify them you want to pay down or payoff, then all they take is the refinance charge. I learned the hard way, a $300.00 loan ended up costing me $935.00 by the time I paid it in full.

[ben]

Ann, your payment details will be shown in your credit report as paid in full. Thus, you can take action against Ellis on charges of fraudulent activities.

Hello and Help:

I had taken out two separate payday loans back in 2004. I received a harassing and threatening phone call last week from a representative of Ellis, Crosby & Associates indicating that they represented "E Processing" and "EP Processing" whom I took a pay day loan out with in 2004. The loan with each company was $300. Back in July 2005, I received a threatening phone call at my work from Ellis, Crosby & Associates indicating that I owed a total of $935.00 to them for the $300 pay day loan taken out with "E Processing." I made a verbal agreement over the phone with them (Ellis, Crosby & Associates) to send $600 that day via money gram in which I did send the money, and as I understood, the representative told me then that if I paid the $600 through money gram, that this would settle the account and I would be marked "paid in full."

As indicated above, I received a telephone call on September 5, 2005, from Ellis, Crosby and Associates indicating that they represent "E Processing" whom I owed a total of $342.40 (this is the company where I paid Ellis, Crosby & Associates $600 via money gram to settle the account back in July 2005), and "EP Processing" whom I currently owed $935.00 ($300 loan plus fees, attorney fees, etc.). I received the call at work in the afternoon around 3:00 p.m. and was told that I owned a total of $1,277.40 to them for collecting for "E Processing" ($935.00) and "EP Processing" ($342.40); that I had approximately one hour to let them know if I would be able to make the payment in full of $1,277.40 or they would have me arrested on writing bad checks, conduct a scan and send a subpoena to my place of employment forcing my employer to pay the balance owed and that I used my computer at work to apply for the loans which is considered personal gain; that my employer would fire me immediately; that I would get arrested on bad check charges and fraud in the State of West Virginia, and that my life would be over. I starting to cry out of fear of losing my job -- I am a single parent of two and the pay day loans were taken out on good intentions to help me pay a couple of bills in 2004 as applied for. After consulting with family members who helped me, I was able to send Ellis, Crosby & Associates, on September 5, 2005, a western union quick collect payment in full of $1,277.40. The representative then called me the next morning to verify that payment had been received, that no charges would be brought against; that they would contact the two lenders to let them know that they have received payment in full; and that the files with their office has been settled and closed.

Well, something ironic happened that same day. I received a telephone call from a Mr. Eric Pitts who works for a collection company "BMG Consulting" who represents "E Processing" for the same exact pay day loan that was taken out by me in 2004 that I paid in full to Ellis, Crosby & Associates. They indicated that I owed them a total of $810.00 ($300 for E Processing, and $300 for EP Processing, and the remaining $210 which represents their collection fees and costs.) I told this gentlemen that I had already paid these accounts in full to Ellis, Crosby & Associates in the amount of $1,277.40. He proceeded to tell me that Ellis, Crosby & Associates were being sued; that they were illegally collecting from consumers like me by threatening to have me arrested, lose my job, etc., and that they are the collection agency for "E Processing" and "EP Processing"; that these companies had fired Ellis, Crosby & Associates from doing any collection for them since they were being sued. I then placed a call to Ellis, Crosby & Associates and explained to them that another collection company "BMG Consulting" is asking me to pay them for the exact loan that I paid in full to Ellis, Crosby & Associates. Ellis, Crosby told me that BMG Consulting were fired from the two mentioned pay day loan companies and were upset because they are losing out on making money on collection fees. I placed a call back to BMG Consulting and explained this to them. They said Ellis, Crosby & Associates were lying and Ellis, Crosby & Associates said that BMG Processing was lying. BMG Consulting told me that if I could get a letter from Ellis, Crosby & Associates indicating that I had paid both accounts in full, that they would not proceed with any collection attempts from me. Ellis, Crosby & Associates faxed me a copy of the Notice of Accounts paid in full and they also faxed a copy to BMG Consulting.

The representative from BMG Consulting claims that I would never get a settlement paid in full letter from Ellis, Crosby & Associates, and that the 2 pay day loan companies would never get their money. I did get a faxed settlement letter from Ellis, Crosby & Associates, but how do I know if "E Processing" and "EP Processing" have received the money? Can some one advise me of my legal rights. Could Ellis, Crosby & Associates have me arrested for writing bad checks even though these loans were done over the internet online and no checks were written nor any check numbers given? Could they have subpoenaed my employer and had me fired? Why is Ellis, Crosby & Associates and BMG Consulting in a disagreement over who is the real collection agency? Should I contact an attorney over this matter? What were or are my legal rights? Help me.....

No, they cannot have you arrested. If you have not written any checks at all then you are fine.

[ben]

Hi Smith,

As per the fdcpa law, the consumers have the following legal rights which restrict the debt collectors from using while recovering debts.

http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com/fdcpa.html

You can also take the legal help of your lawyer and take necessary actions.

Ben

[Teleport]

In a situation like this I would actually recommend speaking with an attorney. You might need to not only speak with them, but hire them. Ellis, Crosby & Associates (these are not two people, but instead one person; Ted Ellis Crosby) are under investigation for unethical practicing. I'm sure this will still stay on your credit report untill your attorney helps you, or you do some major leg work.

Sorry to hear about the problems you are having. Keep us posted on what happens.

Sounds like everything was done via western union, paper trail. Problem is that Ellis could say it was for payment of another debt, he said she said. Not sure if the faxed letter Ellis sent you was detailed to show which account/loan was paid in full. If it does you have enough documentation to show the loan was paid in full.

I would contact the Better Business Bureau in your town to report what happened. Write them a letter and let them work on your behalf to help resolve the situation. I would also probably file a complaint with the state of Florida's attorney general office for Ellis's collection methods. You should also file in your own state as well, W. Virginia's attorney general's office. Hopefully one of these agencies can clear up this mess without a blemish on your credit report.

[Teleport]

Also most attorney's will work free till the case has been settled. You might even be entitled to your money back. I know, I know...you actually owe on that loan, but in this case you were being charged high interst fees -- what they claim as court fees. Plus---not only that, but they sold your account again to get money for it. So if you were to pay again, who actually is suppose to refund you. The first collector? Perhaps...depends on what you hear back when you make a complaint and see what your conversation is about when you speak with a lawyer.

Did you try E Processing & EP Processing to see what they said about whom you should be paying?

[Teleport]

They're going to claim they are owed the money. These accounts get sold cheap. Most I've heard an account costing is $250 for a $1000 account...basically .25cents on the dollar. When they pay that $250, they are going to say you owe us. And you need to pay $1000.

That's how they all stay in business. You'll need to provide proof saying that you paid.

However, if you haven't paid the first company, then E Processing will be the one you pay.

I received a letter recently from Bennett & Deloney stating that I have a debt with Frontline Educational they also say they will settle the issue for 25.96 , the letter also states that the Firm of B&D has been Retained by E Partner Net. The thing that perplexes me is I didn't know I had this Debt, I have never had any past due balances on anything.I never bought anything from Frontline , I don't even have any invoices from them, I tried contacting Frontline only to have my emails bounce back(due to a full inbox) and my phone calls go unanswered (Just a machine that tells you to call back later) The letter from the Firm also says if I don't do something about it 30 days they will assume the debt is valid and will sue.

Can anyone tell me what measures I should take? I'm not sure how to go about this, I never had to deal with something like this before.