Ripoff Report Needs Your Help!
X  |  CLOSE
Report: #47717

Complaint Review: Gibson Trust - Pompano Beach Florida

  • Submitted:
  • Updated:
  • Reported By: Felton DE
  • Author Not Confirmed What's this?
  • Why?
  • Gibson Trust 1408 N. Federal Hwy Pompano Beach, Florida U.S.A.

Show customers why they should trust your business over your competitors...

Is this
Report about YOU
listed on other sites?
Those sites steal
Ripoff Report's
content.
We can get those
removed for you!
Find out more here.
How to fix
Ripoff Report
If your business is
willing to make a
commitment to
customer satisfaction
Click here now..

Two Pompano Beach firms promising to consolidate debt and repair tarnished credit have been sued by Florida law enforcement officials who charge the companies with failing to provide those services.

Florida Attorney General Richard Doran filed a civil complaint in Broward County Circuit Court last week against Gibson Trust and Goldstar Financial Services and three officials of the firms. Shortly before the state took action, Gibson Trust filed for bankruptcy.

The lawsuit names top officials with the companies: Patrick O'Toole and his wife, Donna Canty O'Toole, both of Broward County, as well as Martha Allen, a Georgia resident and director.

Officials from Gibson Trust and Goldstar Financial Services could not be reached for comment.

The state is seeking restitution and civil penalties of up to $15,000 per violation of the state's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Pratices Act. The attorney general received 177 complaints about the debt consolidation firms from consumers around the country. Florida officials will pursue litigation even though Gibson Trust has filed to liquidate under Chapter 7 bankruptcy provisions. A meeting of creditors is scheduled for late December.

The Better Business Bureau of Southeast Florida received 500 complaints about the two companies during the past 12 months, said Brodie White, president of the consumer watchdog group.

The companies promoted themselves on the Internet, offering debt consolidation, credit counseling and credit repair. Consumers were required to send payments to one of the debt management firms, which in turn would pay people's creditors.

The companies asked for an initial payment that consumers thought would go to creditors. But that didn't happen, the lawsuit said, and consumers kept accruing late fees and receiving calls from debt collectors.

Because company representatives told customers there had been a foul-up on the creditor's part that would eventually be cleared, a substantial number of consumers continued sending payments to Gibson or Goldstar for months, White said.

In numerous instances, payments weren't made, miring people even deeper in debt, with some customers having to file for bankruptcy protection as a result, the lawsuit said.

''We will vigorously try to find the money trails and get as much money back for consumers as possible. But there are no guarantees,'' said Florida Assistant Attorney General Marta Moakley. She suggested that consumers attempt on their own to get their credit in order.

People with questions can call the attorney general's Fort Lauderdale office, 954-712-4600.

Tina
Felton, Delaware
U.S.A.

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 03/03/2003 12:35 PM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/gibson-trust/pompano-beach-florida/gibson-trust-ripoff-update-article-from-ag-office-consumer-fraud-ripoff-pompano-beach-flo-47717. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content

Search for additional reports

If you would like to see more Rip-off Reports on this company/individual, search here:

Report & Rebuttal
Respond to this report!
What's this?
Also a victim?
What's this?
Repair Your Reputation!
What's this?

Updates & Rebuttals

REBUTTALS & REPLIES:
0Author
3Consumer
0Employee/Owner

#3 Consumer Comment

contact the AG office

AUTHOR: Tina - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Friday, March 28, 2003

In December after Gibson trust Inc ripped me off, I stopped sending money to Gibson Trust INc. I started getting phone calls from 1st National Credit and they stated that they had intercepted several thousand e-mail complaining about Gibson Trust Inc and that they may be able to help me out of my financial situation.

As I mentioned in an earlier post I found this to be extremely odd since I only sent e-mails directly from my e-mail box to Gibson Trust and never through their website.

I did contact the AG's office in Florida to let them know about this situation and how it could possible another AKA for Gibson Trust yet trying to rip off people who have already been ripped off under Gibson Trust and supplied them with a contact number.

I have contacted the AG's office to see what the progress of the Gibson Trust case is and the AG office just returned my call and basically all of that is still undetermined. However, I was told by Ms. Shakoff that 1st National Credit is now under investigation.

I would recommend anyone who has delt with 1st National Credit and also been ripped off to contact the AG office in Fl and get your complaint in. I hope this helps

Respond to this report!
What's this?

#2 Consumer Comment

1st Nationa Not Being Investigated

AUTHOR: Ricardo - (Puerto Rico)

POSTED: Wednesday, March 05, 2003

I too was ripped off by 1st National...I'm still debating my first charge, which was made before signing the contract. I've cancelled since, and mantained a low balance so as to avoid a charge from them. 1st National said they would lower my average interest to 6-8%. This did not happen. I received leters from my creditors informing me that their proposal was not accepted! Only one creditor accepted, and lowered the interest from 19 to 18%!!! I copied the Assistant Attorney in Florida (Ms.Dana Moakley) on my cancellation letter and received a response from her saying that 1st National was not being investigated at this time.

Good luck to everyone.

Respond to this report!
What's this?

#1 Consumer Comment

What about 1st National Credit Service Corp.

AUTHOR: Donna - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Monday, March 03, 2003

What about 1st national clients? The head legal counsel for both gibson and 1st is George Lynch!
Have you read all reports? This company goes by many names! I was not with Gibson but was with 1st national and I want justice too!They are the same. What to do now?

Respond to this report!
What's this?
Featured Reports

Advertisers above have met our
strict standards for business conduct.

X
What do hackers,
questionable attorneys and
fake court orders have in common?
...Dishonest Reputation Management Investigates Reputation Repair
Free speech rights compromised

WATCH News
Segment Now