CIT Financial, Lease Finance Group Forgery, Document Fraud, Identity Theft, Extortion, Theft of another companies lease, Harrassment Chicago Illinois

On 2/16/05, I received a phone call at my business from Andrew Strickler. He informed me that he represented Integrity Payment Systems. He convinced me to retain IPS services to process credit cards and receive a credit card machine. He faxed me a 3 page lease, I looked it over, signed it and faxed it back. Some months later I noticed that I was paying all kinds of high fees. These were extra on top of what Mr. Strickler had stated what my charges would be. I was also paying a payment on the machine.

I contacted IPS and after some investagation on their part. They informed me that Mr. Strickler had deceived us both. He neglected to sent me the other 2 pages of the lease that showed their fees. He also told me that my partner did not have to sign and then marked on the lease propietrorship instead of partnership. He did not sign the lease showing that he represented IPS or any other company. Ips also did not sign the lease nor did any other company. I was the only one that signed.

Because of the tactics Mr. Strickler used. IPS was very understanding and considerit and cancelled the lease. IPS did inform me that Mr. Strickler no longer works for them. The credit card macnine does not belong to them, but brlongs to CIT Financial d/b/a/ Lease Finance Group LLC. They also stated that although CIT/LFG name appears on the lease, the lease was IPS and I should have a seperate lease for the machine with CIT/LFG.

Since I did not have a lease with CIT/LFG, I tried to contact them, but was ignired. They did however increase my payment on the machine $2.50 a month. We sent the machine back to CIT/LFG. Exactley 21 days after thet received and signed for the machine. Our business account was hit for $250., by a number I had never seen before. The number is BAms-ETF051206.

Since my bank had paid this without my authorization, the had to eat it and are now trying to find the owner of this number. We have closed our account and now CIT/LFG is not ignoring me any more. They are writting me threadening letters and I am getting harrassing phone calls.

I asked LFG for a copy of the lease that they say that I had signed with them. It took them over a month to sent me the lease and I almost fell of my chair. The lease was identical to the one I had signed with IPS. The lease contained alterations, which some of the alterations could have been done by ISP, because Mr. Strickler had left a few blanks on the lease.

The lease I signed with IPS had no lease number. The lease that LFG send me has a lease number of 205400. The lease number That LFG is trying to collect on is 1245361. Some representative now has signed the lease, but 9 days after the fact. Mr. Strickler signature now appears as a witness to one of my signatures, but is not his signature. My Signatures are not mine and have been forged.

I hired a private investigator named David Lybeck who was trained by the FBI in Hand Writting, Document Fraud,Extortion and more. He had worked for the ND Bureau of Criminal Investigation for 30 years before starting his own business.

Mr. Lybeck examined the leases and wrote a report. I sent this report to the BBB in chicago. The Attorney Generals of both ND and Illinois, along with my complaint and coppies of all the leases, charging LFG with Forgery, Document Fraud. Extortion, Identity Theft, Document Theft and Harrassment.

I have received a reply from a representive from the Consumer Protection Division of ND. He stated that he will do all he can to help me, but that I filed my complaint with the wrong people. He informed me that the BBB has no power and can only act as a mediator. The Attorney Generals only deal with matters concerning the state and hand the complaint down to the CPD and they are the same as the BBB.

The FTC is worthless when it comes to small businesses. He stated that I should file with my States Attorney, who has the power to take LFG to a Federal Court on criminal charges. The FBI has a department that works on cases like mine.

I myself feel that the Governor of Illinois and Senator Barack Obama of Illinois could do some good. There are also some news networks that are always interested, like 60 minutes at CBS, 20/20 at ABC, Hardball at NBC, O'rielly Factor at Fox, Nancy Grace at CNN. If you can just one interest the rest will most likely follow.

My advice to my co-complaintens is, check your lease that you signed. Did you have two leases? Has your lease been altered after you signed it? Is the signature on the lease yours? Are there different lease numbers? These are all considered criminal charges you can file with your States Attorney against LFG.

I would like to be able to contact all of you somehow. We could be a Power House in court against CIT/LFG and shut them down. If anyone to see my leases and Mr. Lybeck report let me know and maybe I can scan them and add them to my complaint.

Felix
Fargo, North Dakota
U.S.A.