Lease Finance Group (LFG)
233 N Michigan Suite 1800
Chicago Illinois 60616
United States of America
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Lease Finance Group (LFG) Payment Systems Got suckered into this scam and am ready to fight back!! Just need help knowing where to start! Chicago, Illinois
*REBUTTAL Owner of company: file complaint online
3Author
3Consumer
1Employee/Owner
Back in December of 2011 I was contacted by Payment Systems Dallas if they could stop by and give me an assessment of my credit card processing fees and that they could save me money. I was unhappy with my previous processor, mostly b/c of horrible customer service, rude people and half hour waiting periods of being put on hold each time I would call with a question, and also the fact that after a year and a half with them I was still being given the run around regarding reimbursement for my termination fee. So this lady, Sonja Brown from Payment Systems came out and looked at my current statement. Did some numbers and told me what she would be able to save me. I asked her to tell me more about her company and she said that they were an affiliate of First Data and to check them out on the Fortune 500 companies. I took her word for it and we started talking numbers. I was currently paying average of $300/mo. with my previous processesor at that time and she told me a figure of about $250 total cc processing fees if I leased a machine that was up to date and PCI compliant. It would be $99/mo. and those fees were included with the total monthly figure she gave me. I told her I wasn't interested in leasing a machine b/c I already owned one that looked exactly like the one she was trying to get me to lease. She stated that I would not have to pay a PCI compliance fee ever again with the "upgraded" machine and there were no hidden fees, when I asked her what the catch was. I was a little wary but it seemed like a decent deal and I then proceeded to sign my life away into this nightmarish hell. EVERYTHING the rep told me was a lie! I asked her tons of questions and asked her repeatedly that the $99 figure was included with the cc processing fees for each month. She told me yes, more than once.
As I'm sure most of you reading this know, it has been an outright nightmare with these people. I have yet to receive a copy of the contract that I signed. The lady told me that she couldn't let me print out a copy of the lease per their policy it had to be processed first and then mailed to me. My gut told me that wasn't right at all, and I should have listened to it. I've had to call the cc processing company dozens of times and after the 10th call I was mailed 5 pages of a lease. They were out of order and I know I signed way more pages than that. I still question that I even initialed some of those pages as they do not look like how I would do them.
Anyways, I was never told that I was being entered into a non-cancellable lease at all or that it was even a separate company that leased the equipment. I was told that I would own it at the end and after paying $5000 at the end of this lease I will not even own it! Ridiculous! I am only a few months into the lease and am seeking advice what to do. I am debating closing my business account. The only thing I am most concerned with is my credit. I have worked so hard to maintain such good credit and I can't bear the thought of them ruining it with this. Not to mention my business which is a pet grooming salon, I have worked so hard to get to where I am and now my bank acct is being used as an ATM machine by these people. I am barely making a profit now after they keep doing debit after debit. I have paid over $1500 in fees in the past 3 mos. through all this.
WHAT CAN I DO??? Please help...it is greatly appreciated. Who do I need to contact and in what order? I have the fight in me to nail these crooks but do not know where to start.
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REBUTTALS & REPLIES:
3Author
3Consumer
1Employee/Owner
Updates & Rebuttals
#1 Owner of Company
AUTHOR: marykelsey - solomon (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Sunday, February 12, 2012
POSTED: Sunday, February 12, 2012
DON'T PAY THEM ANYTHING!
We were harassed by LFG for over a year about cancelling a rip off phone lease. They sent many letters and called sometimes more than once a day. The final straw was a summons delivered to our house by the police for a supposed trial in Chicago (we live in Kansas). I called the Better Business Bureau and filed a complaint. I don't know if this is what did it but about a month later we received a letter that said all debt was cleared.
I believe the most important thing is to make sure they can't debit your bank account. We deal with a small home town bank so telling them was sufficient. If necessary you may need to change your account number.
These people are scum.
DON'T LET THEM SCARE YOU INTO GIVING THEM ANYTHING!
#2 Owner of Company
AUTHOR: marykelsey - solomon (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Sunday, February 12, 2012
POSTED: Sunday, February 12, 2012
I sorry I meant to say that our problem was also over a credit card machine.
I should have also said that the first step is to call and tell them to cancel and to ask if and how they want the machine returned. Record names, dates and time. Record if possible.
#3 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: mm2012 - Asheville (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, February 14, 2012
POSTED: Tuesday, February 14, 2012
They are currently threatening to sue me in Chicago. How do you ignore this without serious consequences? I want to continue ignoring them but I'm not sure what will happen? This is so horrible. Is there any help from government agencies or lawyers that you know of?
#4 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: rustystar - China Spring (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Monday, April 30, 2012
POSTED: Monday, April 30, 2012
Lease Finance Group is summoning me to appear in Civil Court of the City of New York. Now where do I go? I've tried to find a lawyer here in Texas that can practice law in New York and so far no luck. Will this go away or do I settle? I have two contracts with Global Leasing Co. One I signed when the Rep was at my business that was unreadable with a promise to have a readable contract sent to me when she got back to the office. It never came after several request for a copy. The contract that is attached to the summon is a frault. I didn't sign it and a different Rep filled it out. I hate to give up and let this company win, they are bad. If anybody can give me some good advise, I would appreciated.
#5 Ex-Employee
AUTHOR: Bob - (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Friday, May 04, 2012
POSTED: Friday, May 04, 2012
I worked for a while for Payment Systems as an independent contractor. I received about 3 hours of training and then went out and sold. Every customer I sold to was dissatisfied. I sold based on the training I was given and everyone I sold to had a higher fees plus a ridiculous rental agreement. Contact the Attorney General of California. If enough businesses do hopefully they will be shut down and fined. I believe their Dallas office is done. The BBB has stopped accepting complaints since the company has not responded to the last 82 of them. This company is a flat out scam. To any current employees, you would be doing less harm to just steal the 200 to 500 directly from the business owner to match your commission than trying to sell a
contract that will cost them thousands.
#6 Update By Author
AUTHOR: Lisa - Bluffton (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Sunday, May 20, 2012
POSTED: Sunday, May 20, 2012
So I've been doing a lot of research today on who to file complaints with. So far I have the Atty. Gen of Illinois Lisa Madigan, The FTC and the Asst. States attorney Sophia Lopez. I am located in South Carolina. Should I be filing with the Attny General of SC too? The company I use is Payment Systems Dallas and I am about to cancel my contract with them and just switch bank accts. I read from a few people not to mail back the machine just yet until I hear back from the Attny general. I did call LFG to find out what address to mail the machine back to and were they ever rude! I got two different addresses 132 West 31st St. 13th floor NY NY 10001 and the same address with the 14th floor instead. They told me there was no name to address it to. I am 6mos. into being scammed out of my hard earned money now and my blood has boiled enough to the point where I am taking action. How can we go about getting this to a class action lawsuit? Does a lawyer need to be hired? Anybody who has gotten out of this have any suggestions please? More people to contact?
#7 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: djh286 - (USA)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, May 22, 2012
POSTED: Tuesday, May 22, 2012
I am in the same boat fighting with Payment Systems and Lease Finance Group. I plan on sending my complaints this week. Send to your state, Illinois and California or Texas wherever Payment Systems is located. I've talked to an attorney and he is preparing letters for both companies... I will be sending back the equipment and cutting off my accounts to thee thieves. There are people fighting them.. the more the better. Please send your complaints... it's the only way to fight them.
Keep everyone dated on if you make an progress... I will do the same.
#8 Owner of Company
AUTHOR: marykelsey - solomon (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, May 23, 2012
POSTED: Wednesday, May 23, 2012
As I stated in a previous post call the Better Business Bureau number listed on the internet. We got a letter saying all debt was cleared after doing this.
#9 Update By Author
AUTHOR: Lisa - Bluffton (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, May 23, 2012
POSTED: Wednesday, May 23, 2012
The BBB in which state? I'm in SC ..I know LFG is in NY and IL . That's the confusing part for me there's so many addresses and states to deal with. What did you say to them? Did you have to file a formal complaint too? Did you return your terminal and cancel your payment systems acct in the meantime? I've read in a lot of posts to not return terminal just yet bc they day whoever signs for it does not work there and that they never got it plus they are giving me conflicting info on the address to send it to. Did you sue payment systems as well? Who do we file with against payment systems?
#10 Owner of Company
AUTHOR: marykelsey - solomon (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, May 23, 2012
POSTED: Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Google Better Business Bureau. There is a category of "file a complaint" on the first page. Use this.
We did send the machine back. Don't remember the address. It probably doesn't matter. We did cancel the payment account and warned our bank not to honor any attempt at withdrawals from them although they never tried.