Help CC Counseling/Law Office R. Brennan Can They do this

Doesn't sound like this guy id reputable, but for some reason he is getting all sorts of business from CCCS, I am concerned about this myself and am hesitant to call a counselor there.

I too called CCCA back and told them I did not want to do the program with Richard Brennan. Since I hadn't signed or returned anything, and called over a week before the withdrawal was to come out, I figured all was well. However, the withdrawal came out of my account anyway. I'm guessing I'm out the money since it was non-refundable. I just don't want any more money coming out of my account from them.

bible_kme
So you did not try to stop the money from coming out of your account?
I am also afraid that if they take one payment that they will continue to take more.
I do not think they need to charge you a consultation fee, which is your first payment, when they had not done anything for me yet. So you have to pay this fee the first month plus your creditors until they get you set up. If I had the money to do that I would not be seeking help. I have until the 20th of this month that the funds are supposed to be taken out, so I need to do something about it quick. I just do not think this is right. I thought these people (CCCA) were supposed to be helping me. Seems because I do not want to use there service they are hurting me UGH!!!!!!!! :x :(

This is not fair! It should be in writing as one of their terms and conditions. If it does not exist, it never happened. Call your bank and block the transaction.

Bible_kme.

The fees are not charged by CCCA. Our service is free to help decide the best program for your needs. Certain times clients will be in a position that using an attorney would be most beneficial.

Every consumers case is different so it would not be beneficial to only offer one type of program. In your case using an attorney would have helped you. It looks like you reached a settlement on your own, that is great news! Most consumer cannot get very good offers from creditors and that is where the attorneys step in.

The law offices are not going to keep pulling money from your bank account if you do not want their help. This is a big company and sometimes you may talk with someone at a different department who says fees are non-refundable, some legal fees are non-refundable. If you were on the program for many months and the attorneys spent hours after hours on settling your accounts, the fees usually are earned and non-refundable. Please email or fax in a cancellation letter and if you were charged you will get a full refund if they pulled any money. We are not here to hurt you in any way! Please let us know if their is ever anything we can help with in the future. Good luck!

CCCA If you read this I talked to a counselor with CCCA on the 26th of September on the telephone. I received the paper work in the mail, but did not return it because I had come to settlement with some of my creditors which was best for me. When speaking to CCCA on the phone I was not told that the first time fee was non-refundable, but yesterday when letting them know I was not going to use their service I was told it was. I was also told yesterday that this was told to me durning setting up of my account. I have a good memory for the most part, so I am postive I would have remember someone telling me that $417 would be NON REFUNDABLE weather I used a service or not. When talking to the counslor the first time I was told that CCCA was backed by an attorneys office, but she did not tell me which one. I was asking questions because I wanted to make sure they were legit. I asked if CCCA was a member of the BBB and that is when she told me no, but we are backed by an attorneys office. All the paper work I got in the mail says pretty much Law offices of Richard A. Brennan and only one sheet says "For Mail: consumer credit counseling of America. With and address and e-mail link." So really to me it sounds like I am dealing with Richard A. Brennan Law offices and not CCCA. That sounds like it is miss-representation on their part. I am trying to do the right thing and take care of my bills, but don't charge me $417 for work that has not been done. I have not signed and agrement, and I have proof of that because all my paper work is sitting right here in front of me. I know there are reputable Credit Counseleling services out there, but I just feel I am really being taken on this one, and I am going to do everything in my power not to let that happen. $417 might not be a lot of money to some people but to me right now it is..... :x :) :x

nas866 if I were you I would go straight to my bank and put a block on this company to prevent them from debiting your account. There will be a fee for this, but I'm guessing the small fee the bank charges will still save you the money you would otherwise be out. I would think since you did not sign a contract then you have every right to do this. I would also fax this company something telling them they are no longer authorized to withdraw the fee from you account and you did not sign any contracts. I hope that it isn't too late and they did not withdraw any funds.

Steelers1 Thanks, It is not authorized to come out until the 20th of this month so nothing should have been withdrawn yet. I am working on it on this end. I appreciate all the advice/help I get on this site...... :D

nas866, you may need to call CCCA and refer this page and then discuss the issue. It will be fast.

If you did not fill anything out how do they have your banking information? I definately would stop the payment at your bank, even if there is a small charge it will be nothing compared to being out $417.00. It just does not seem right to me.

Orake I have called CCCA with the number I was given and they have not helped, they are the ones telling me that I am having the non-refundable fee.

Guest, They have my banking info because when I talked to them over the phone they said they required it to set up my account.
I just went on line to the BBB and this is what I got when I typed in CCCA in North Andover MA

Customer Experience
Based on BBB files, this company has an unsatisfactory record with the Bureau due to one or more unresolved complaints.
All the paper work I have gotten from CCCA has Law Offices of Richard A. Brennan on it but could not find anything about him when I did a BBB search. I am just getting agravated and fed up with people trying to take adavantage of people that are seeking help.

Nobody is going to just pull money from your account. Please reread the response above. If you do not want the law offices to negotiate your bills that is ok. We just try to offer other alternatives to just offering credit counseling. If a client is too far behind to do a credit counseling program we do not like to just tell them good luck. We try to refer you to a lawyer or someone that can help, this is not a negative. If you do not need the lawyers help then you will not be charged! I apologize again for the company trying to offer other alternatives for consumers. We have a lot of very happy people who are receiving collection calls that have used this law firm to settle their accounts and stop the harrassment.
We do not charge any fees at our offices. Our services are free of charge and we will gladly make sure nothing is charged. Could you please fax, email, or mail a cancelation letter so we know who you are. Again I apologize for the misunderstanding and wish you luck in the future. Please call us anytime if you have questions or need any advise!

CCCA GUEST
I do not think you are understading my orignal post. I DID NOT think I was dealing with an attorneys office. I just thought I was dealing with CCCA. So this is where I feel as if I am being taken for. Is your CCCA in North Andover, MA? All the paper work I received from CCCA has Law Offices of Richard A. Brennan all over it but CCCA info is only address and e-mail address. NOW THE SELF ADDRESED ENEVLOPE I WAS SUPPOSED to send my paper work in is addressed to CCCA 1060 osgood st Suite 10 North Andover, MA. SO who am I dealing with CCCA or Ricard A Brennan??????? I also was told by the counselor that I spoke with and I have her name and her phone number that the first time fee was non refudable. She says she stated this was true even if I did not use the program WELL I DO NOT RECALL THAT. Also my first time fee of $417 would not have gone to any of my creditors. I am done with it, I am doing it on my own something I did not think I was able to do, but now know that I can. I am a laid back person and easy to get along with, it takes a lot to ruffle my feathers, but I have to say my feathers are very ruffled right now. :(

Please call 800-336-9811 x-101 and refer to this forum. I will make sure that anyone in this forum is 100 percent satisfied with us. The BBB report will be updated because we only have 1 unresolved complaint in which we refunded. We are not here to harm you and I think after speaking to me that you will be satisfied. I will go over the details of your account over the phone and answer all of your questions. I apologize for the confusion, but we use a law firm for settlements because they can negotiate better terms then us. Consolidations is a different story, we get better terms!
Our company has helped thousands of consumers per year. Anyone in this forum is welcome to please call the number above if you have any issue and I will make sure you are happy!

If the Law Office of Richard A. Brennan is involved in any way, shape or form, you would be well advised to put a stop payment on your account. Far cheaper than losing your money to them. :( Even after I cancelled with them they tried to debit my account this month! Dirty, rotten #(*$&#$(*&@(. Thankfully, I had put a stop pmt on the acct.

Any updates? I would like to know how this played out for you.