HESS KENNEDY IS A FRAUD COMPANY/STAY AWAY

Hey Tom, didn't you post this article somewhere else? :wink:

Yeah I just want it to get out to everyone so they know that they are frauds. So I started a new topic. When you search for their names you will see this topic.

It's crazy that people are still sending them money but they are. I also find it funny that HESS KENNEDY keeps sending people in here to fight with people and lie on the posts. What legit company does that?!!!!!!!!
Why would they care about us if they are doing the right thing? And the person always says that we are hiding behind our computers. They all say the same thing as if it is a different person. It's the same people. You can tell by how they write no matter what name they use. I'm a speech pathologist so it's easy for me to see it. They mostly all have the same syntax. Syntax is how they put a sentence together.

Is Tom a former customer or just a "concerned netizen?"

Hess Kennedy just filed a lawsuit against FIA Card Services. Edited by Shazzers
Reason: No name calling permitted! Thank you.

tom3210,i think you work for hess kennedy.

No name calling please!!

See what I mean.....LOL. How crazy are they. Their best defense would be to just shut up. Silence is a good defense if you are guilty. Just ask Edward Cherry. He pleaded the 5th when Ibill sued him. Very good tactic when you are guilty.

Edited by Shazzers
Reason: inappropriate statements

Yall people need to follow the posting rules if you wish to have this topic remain open!

Edward Cherry was sued in 2003 by his former employer, Internet Billing of Deerfield Beach, which claims he embezzled at least $600,000 days before he abruptly resigned from the firm.

The suit said Cherry was listed as Internet Billing's "in-house counsel" even though he is not licensed to practice law in Florida. The company claims Cherry revived and had total control over an administratively dissolved Florida company called Esquire Escrow and used his position at Internet Billing, known as iBill, to get fellow employees to funnel company funds to Esquire Escrow.

Three days before quitting iBill in February 2003, Cherry made a $500,000 withdrawal from Esquire Escrow. The withdrawal slip filed as an exhibit in the case said the money was transferred "to personal and children's accounts." Cherry also made tens of thousands of dollars in additional cash withdrawals of Esquire Escrow funds from money machines and from banks during 2001 and 2002, court documents showed.

Bank records included in the court file show Cherry withdrew at least $12,200 from Esquire Escrow accounts at ATM machines in May 2002. A company bank card was used for a $763 purchase at a Sunglass Hut the same month and $3,130 in charges at Fort Lauderdale's upscale Voodoo Lounge the next month.

In an Oct. 30, 2003, deposition, Cherry invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and refused to answer any questions about what happened to the money moved from iBill to Esquire Escrow.

Boca Raton solo practitioner Charles Wender, who represents Cherry and who was present at the 2003 deposition, said Cherry's "position is that he is totally innocent and these are just wild allegations that they obviously can't prove."

Internet Billing attorney Anthony Carriuolo of Berger Singerman of Fort Lauderdale, who conducted the deposition, said documents show Cherry "was just siphoning off tons of money."

And this Mr. Edward Cherry is in charge of HESS KENNEDY. He's not even a lawyer. Go online and look it all up. Google his name, the companies name, Florida AG site and look on the BBB to find out about HESS KENNEDY. Since HK is being sued by Florida, NC and two other state AG's they thought to now maybe lets do some real work so it doesn't look like we are scam artists. All of their suits have been filed this year, but they have been taking money from people for years. Why now all the activity???? Because they are caught that's why.

Case Number: L07-3-1093

Subject of investigation:
Hess Kennedy Company Chartered / The Attorney Network

Subject's address:
210 North University Drive, Suite 209, Coral Springs, FL333071

Subject's business:
Retail-Management Services

Allegation or issue being investigated:
Deceptive and unfair practices in debt management services

AG unit handling case:
Economic Crimes Division in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

From the Florida AG's website for your viewing pleasure. :lol:

Roy Cooper
North Carolina Attorney General
For immediate release Contact: Noelle Talley
Date: February 15, 2008 Phone: 919/716-6413
debt relief firms ordered to stop taking money in NC, says AG
Cooper wins order to halt Florida firms???????? illegal debt adjusting business
Raleigh: Two Florida firms that charged upfront fees but did little to help people get out of debt have been ordered to
stop breaking the law and cease taking money from North Carolinians, announced Attorney General Roy Cooper.
???????Instead of helping people, these outfits usually drive people deeper into debt,??????? said Cooper. ???????Now we????????ve stopped
them from taking money from North Carolina consumers, and we????????ll work to stop them for good.???????
Cooper filed suit this week against Hess Kennedy, The Consumer Law Center, and their owners, Laura L. Hess and
Edward Cherry of Coral Springs, Florida seeking to stop their illegal debt relief scheme in North Carolina. At least 220
North Carolina consumers have paid more than $500,000 to the scheme so far, with more victims suspected in the state.
Wake County Superior Court Judge Donald W. Stephens today signed an order at Cooper????????s request to temporarily halt
the defendants from offering debt adjusting or negotiation services in the state and ordered the defendants to stop taking
payments or entering into contracts with North Carolina consumers. The Attorney General is seeking to shut down the
firms???????? activities in North Carolina permanently and to win refunds for consumers.
Hess Kennedy and The Consumer Law Center claim to help people reduce their debts by as much as 60 percent.
Cooper alleges that the defendants???????? program actually operates as an advance fee scam designed to take money from
financially-strapped consumers. According to the complaint, the defendants rarely negotiate any kind of debt
settlement in exchange for the large upfront fees they collect, which are often as much as 15 to 25 percent of a
consumer????????s total debt. Instead of paying off consumers???????? creditors, the defendants keep most of the money even after
consumers cancel the program.
Cooper contends that the defendants claim to be ???????expert??????? debt negotiators that can provide legal protection to their
clients even though none of their employees are licensed to practice law in North Carolina. Consumers who stopped
paying their bills at the defendants???????? recommendation got little help from the defendants when their creditors sued them
for failing to pay.
As outlined in the complaint, the defendants market their services online and through referral agents who get a cut of
consumers???????? fees. One agent, Consumer credit counseling of America, used misleading listings in Raleigh and
Winston-Salem telephone books to lure people who thought they were calling a non-profit credit counselor. Instead,
they got connected to out-of-state telemarketers who pitched the defendants???????? expensive services.
???????During this time of economic uncertainty, people are feeling pinched and looking for ways to save money and get out
of debt,??????? said Cooper. ???????But steer clear of anyone who tells you to stop paying your bills and give them your money
instead. For help getting a handle on your debts, turn to a reputable non-profit credit counselor.???????
To find an accredited counselor, contact the National Foundation for Credit Counseling at 1-800-388-2227 or
www.nfcc.org. ###
NC Department of Justice 9001 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-9001 (919) 716-6400
From the horse's mouth in North Carolina. :lol:

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
DARRELL V. MCGRAW, JR.
CONSUMER PROTECTION DIVISION
Press Release
1-800-368-8808 or 304-558-8986
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 21, 2007
Contact: Douglas L. Davis
Phone: (304) 558-8986
Florida Attorneys Prevented From Continuing debt settlement Business in WV Until
They Comply With Attorney General's Investigation
Florida attorneys employed by Hess Kennedy Company Chartered have been temporarily forbidden from settling West Virginia
consumers???????? debts until they comply with an investigation under way by Attorney General Darrell McGraw as the result of an
order signed by the Circuit Court of Kanawha County, December 14, 2007.
Hess Kennedy, of Coral Springs, Florida, claims to assist consumers who are struggling financially to make payments to their
creditors. This increasingly common, and sometimes controversial business of debt settlement has arisen as consumer credit
card debt has ballooned in the past few years. Debt settlers such as Hess Kennedy make repayment plans to help consumers
repay outstanding debts, at a deep discount, to avoid being sued or filing for bankruptcy. Monthly payments are then made by
consumers to the debt settlers in turn for which the debt settlers claim to negotiate with creditors to reduce the amount of debt
owed.
Although debt settlement services are unrestricted in some states, West Virginia????????s law regarding debt settlement only permits
for-profit companies to charge a monthly service fee of two percent of the payments made by consumers. Although Attorney
General McGraw????????s investigation is incomplete, it appears that Hess Kennedy was charging more than the two percent fee
allowed by state law.
Attorney General McGraw said, "Although the debt settlement approach to debt relief may work for some persons, the service
has legal consequences and should only be offered by persons licensed to practice law in West Virginia. My office will continue
to scrutinize the debt relief industry in an effort to protect consumers who are already facing dire financial circumstances from
paying excessive fees for services that may leave them in worse shape than before."
Anyone wishing to file a complaint about a consumer matter or to let the Attorney General know about unfair or deceptive
practices may do so by calling the Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-368-8808 or by obtaining a complaint form from the
Consumer web page at www.wvago.gov.
## ## ##
From the horse's mouth in West Virginia. :lol:

Yeah Cajunbulldog, way to look out there buddy. We need more soldiers to spread the word and dig up some stuff on HK so it can be posted on this site.

According to a lawsuit filed by Chase, two Coral Springs attorneys are scamming their clients by promising to eliminate their debts, and then diverting debt payments for legal fees to file meritless lawsuits challenging credit card debts. The attorneys general of Florida, North Carolina, and West Virginia are also involved, and the Florida bar has moved to suspend the license of Laura Hess. "Defendants' ulterior goals are to extract fees from card members who should be paying the money to Chase to satisfy their debts and to maliciously harass Chase in an improper (albeit unsuccessful) attempt to coerce the elimination of their clients' legitimate debts." (Bud Newman, "Chase Bank Accuses Florida Law Firms of Running Debt-Relief Scam", Daily Business Review, Mar. 6).

Update: See also Mar. 6 Business Week; on-line at the self-reported Rip-Off Report; and WATE (Tennessee), apr. 2. "'The programs typically require financially strapped consumers to pay fees up front, so they make money whether or not any useful services are performed,' says Philip Lehman, an assistant attorney general in North Carolina."

More dirt on these folks and the Florida bar is in on it too.They are investigating a movement to disbar the attorneys associated with this company.

Seven On Your Side
By Tappy Phillips

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The claims sounded too good to be true. A debt settlement company that promised to negotiate your credit card bills down to just pennies on the dollar.

One Bronx woman trusted them enough to send them thousands, but wound up losing much more.

"They are thieves," said Irene Brown.

Irene Brown is talking about a debt settlement company called Hess Kennedy.

Irene says it promised to get her creditors to slash her bills. She agreed to pay them $450 per month.

She adds, "They (said they) are going to eliminate my debts."

But Hess Kennedy never paid any of her credit card bills. Now interest and late charges grew Irene's debt to $25,000. Her creditors have now sued and even frozen her bank account.

What does Hess Kennedy say? A reporter from WPLG came face to face with the company's COO outside their Florida office.

In February Florida's Attorney General sued Hess Kennedy for deceptive trade practices in misleading thousands of consumers.

"This is a terribly frightening time for many consumers. And a lot of the unethical companies know that and will pray upon that," said an employee of Nova Debt.

Non profit Nova debt helps consumers for a minimal charge.

They add, "What's happening is the settlement companies will hold the money in a separate account. While the accounts, while your credit card accounts continue to go delinquent."

As for Irene? After Eyewitness News called, Hess Kennedy refunded all her money more than $8,500.

Hess Kennedy wouldn't talk about the Attorney General's lawsuit. But it did say they came up short in their customer service and had agreed to refund money for all of their unhappy clients. The Florida AG says their case is in the discovery phase.

They only started returning money when they started getting exposed. And you still can't get anything back unless you file a formal complaint with the BBB and the Fl. AG.

More counts, Allegations and Facts:

49. On or about October 4, 2007, Articles of Amendment were filed changing the name of The Consumer Law Center LC to The Consumer Law Center, LLC but not changing the purpose. The Articles of Amendment also set forth that the manager of The Consumer Law Center, LLC was changed to The Consumer Law Center Partners. Said Articles of Amendment were signed by the aforesaid Edward Cherry.

78. Defendants Laura Hess & Associates, P.A., Hess Kennedy Chartered LLC, including
its aforesaid predecessors in name, and The Consumer Law Center, LLC have misled and/or
deceived the public by representing on letterheads, client contracts and other materials furnished to the public that said Defendants comprise an international law firm with offices in New York, Illinois, New Jersey, Singapore, London, California, Grand Cayman, Washington, DC, South Carolina and Massachusetts.

79. Defendants Laura Hess & Associates, P.A., Hess Kennedy Chartered LLC, including
its aforesaid predecessors in name, and The Consumer Law Center, LLC admit that, for cases outside Florida, said Defendants ???????request assistance from ??????? affiliate attorneys throughout the country???????. An affiliate attorney by definition is not part of the Defendants???????? law firm despite the
Defendants???????? misrepresentation to consumers as to locations of offices outside Florida.

There are no other offices. It's only the one in FL. Corel Springs. 210 North University Drive, Suite 209, Coral Springs, FL333071. And as far as I know they only have two lawyers: Laura Hess and Jeff Campos.

This court file is so long I can't post it all.

Google: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA

You can read it all there.

This one is priceless.

My friend stopped paying Hess Kennedy 2 years ago because she thought it was a scam. She never heard from them since. Yesterday she came to me and said that they sent her some papers stating that they settled two of her depts. LOL....all I could do was laugh. They never settled any depts. First of all she showed me the papers. They just have a couple of numbers on them. It doesn't state what company they settled with or anything.

NOW HERE IS THE FUNNY PART:

Then she showed me the letters of the collection companies that are asking for their money. He said that they were the companies she gave to HESS KENNEDY to settle with other depts. Now how could they settle it if 1. No money was given to them and 2. the people are still asking for their money.

BEWARE OF THESE LETTERS SAYING THAT THEY SETTLED YOUR DEPTS.

And she was the one that told me to go with HESS KENNEDY in the first place....LOL. We laugh about that now but at the beginning it was not funny.

I just went to the Florida Department of State site and found some things very interesting. I was looking up fake companies of Laura Hess and Edward Cherry AKA Edward Kennedy and something was weird. Of course there were the names we all know but then there was others such as Capital One and Chase Card Services with Edward Cherry being the owner.

1. Can someone explain to me why he/they would try to open up businesses with those names????

2. And aren't these names, the same names of companies who are suing them???? (Rhetorical)

3. And aren't these the names Hess Kennedy states that they won in court over?????

4. What is going on here? I don't get it? Can someone explain it to me? What are they trying to do?

It seems Laura Hess was on TV for scamming another person and it shows what this woman looks like. In fact it shows her face numerous times in the interview. Go look

Google: Foreclosure Fallout: Credit Repair Come-Ons

See the interview and read the article that NBC ran on her scam.

on friday october 3rd i found out that consumer law is a omplete fraud..the emails i have saved from them and the promises they made were empty and broken promises..its wednesday october 8th now and i have filed a complaint with the attorney general and i spoke to attorney's down in florida..consumer law has no assets and laura hess moved 20 million dollars.....i was advised that i will be spinning my wheels and to move forward by a numer of attorneys howver, make a complaint with the attorney general down in florida and that may recover some money back..other wise it is a very tough lesson and we will be filing bankruptcy

on friday october 3rd i found out that consumer law is a omplete fraud..the emails i have saved from them and the promises they made were empty and broken promises..its wednesday october 8th now and i have filed a complaint with the attorney general and i spoke to attorney's down in florida..consumer law has no assets and laura hess moved 20 million dollars.....i was advised that i will be spinning my wheels and to move forward by a numer of attorneys howver, make a complaint with the attorney general down in florida and that may recover some money back..other wise it is a very tough lesson and we will be filing bankruptcy

on friday october 3rd i found out that consumer law is a omplete fraud..the emails i have saved from them and the promises they made were empty and broken promises..its wednesday october 8th now and i have filed a complaint with the attorney general and i spoke to attorney's down in florida..consumer law has no assets and laura hess moved 20 million dollars.....i was advised that i will be spinning my wheels and to move forward by a numer of attorneys howver, make a complaint with the attorney general down in florida and that may recover some money back..other wise it is a very tough lesson and we will be filing bankruptcy

on friday october 3rd i found out that consumer law is a omplete fraud..the emails i have saved from them and the promises they made were empty and broken promises..its wednesday october 8th now and i have filed a complaint with the attorney general and i spoke to attorney's down in florida..consumer law has no assets and laura hess moved 20 million dollars.....i was advised that i will be spinning my wheels and to move forward by a numer of attorneys howver, make a complaint with the attorney general down in florida and that may recover some money back..other wise it is a very tough lesson and we will be filing bankruptcy

I'm sorry that you were one of their victims, Brad. :(