Ripoff Report Needs Your Help!
X  |  CLOSE
Report: #308587

Complaint Review: Florida First Financial Group - Tampa Florida

  • Submitted:
  • Updated:
  • Reported By: Tampa Florida
  • Author Confirmed What's this?
  • Why?
  • Florida First Financial Group 1718 E. Giddens Ave Tampa, 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..

Call this am from Mr. Bill Wms. Stated, you have a dental bill that is outstanding how do you intend to pay today? I asked what dentist, and may i see the services rendered. He started to rattle off (as if it were the 1st time he read the history). I indicated, I want the actual report for services. Gave him my fax. He said, he would call me back after he sent it, i stated, I would call him after i was done. He argued when, I said when i was done. Ended up hanging up on him as he started to argue about my credit, he would run my report and report nonpayment today.

Also stated, he deals with losers everyday, you never know who your getting on the other end of the phone. He judged me before we even spoke. He laughed when i stated I am not working effecitive previous day (first time in 35 years). He called me back three times before i could even read the darn bill.

I returned the call, asked if the services were adjusted for provisional bridge vs permanent since i had not received the permanent. Also asked why the insurance co was not billed for entire services. He had no clue. Said call them and ask them, i am not a dentist. I asked him if this was his account, he said, yes. I then stated, then call them and find out so you can answer my questions, so that we can clear the matter up. I am willing to pay only for services rendered. He had no clue on the facts.

He refused. Told me to call, I said i was not comfortable calling since they reported me to a credit co.

He then talked very condensating to me, and said I will close this matter today, and report it to your credit report for non-payment. I said, i did not say i would not pay, i need answers. He said call the dental office.

I asked for a supervisor he said he was the supervisor. I hung up called back asked for manager, she forwarded my call to him. He laughed and said, you wont get anyone but me.

I logged onto this website and was amazed. Scam? Oh my. I wonder if the dental co knows who they are relying on.

I called him back told him i would call someone to complain, he said, here is their number...better business bureau and laughed. He then gave me his supervisors name and number, when i dialed the number it was the dental office manager.

He called back 20 minutes later, apologizing for being rude. said i dont want to argue, how will you pay today. I told him i looked online for his company and was shocked at what i was reading and was afraid of them. I asked him not to contact me. I would pay the dental office directly moving forward. I will also send a letter to my credit co as a fraud alert so they do not inquire on my report as well as make a formal complaint to the state.

I am not a loser, or not willing to pay. I have a right to ask questions.

He is so innapropriate.

Cherie T.
Tampa, Florida
U.S.A.

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 02/13/2008 11:16 AM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/florida-first-financial-group/tampa-florida-33610/florida-first-financial-group-threatened-argued-stated-i-deal-with-losers-everyday-pa-308587. 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
6Consumer
0Employee/Owner

#6 Author of original report

Now I know!

AUTHOR: Cherie T. - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Monday, March 17, 2008

Thank you Steve for your input. This goes to show you how I DO pay my bills, and had never experienced that type of phone call before. He kept hitting redial and upsetting me. When I called his office to speak to the owner or a VP, the girl at the front desk kept forwarding him the phone. He would laugh and say, you wont get past me. Pay up! I felt really intimidated by his threats. I have been in management for years, never did I feel nor would make someone feel like that, even if they were a loser. There are ways to get people to do things, even assertively, but never by intimidation, threat, or without ethics.

To your point. I didnt know this, and now I do!

I am dealing with the dental co now, in writing. Will do everything in writing on a go forward. thanks!

Respond to this report!
What's this?

#5 Consumer Suggestion

Cheri, the truth behind the "refusal to pay" threat! It means absolutely NOTHING!!

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

POSTED: Monday, March 17, 2008

Cheri,

First of all, there is no category in your credit report for "refusal to pay". This bonehead statement is just made for one purpose, INTIMIDATION.

You can "refuse to pay" all day long, and it makes no difference to anything. It does not affect your legal rights in any way.

This is exactly why you NEVER speak to any third party debt collector on the phone! STAY OFF THE PHONE!! Always get it in writing.

Respond to this report!
What's this?

#4 Consumer Comment

You should contact your insurance company about this...

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

POSTED: Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Then you would find out what the dentist collected from the insurance claim and how much you should pay. If your dental plan works like most plans, dentist tend to charge much more than they are allowed to, by contract. The insurance will pay what they term reasonable and then tell you what you should have to pay. if this bill is much more than the claim you should pay then yo have a legal cause of action against the dentist.

Respond to this report!
What's this?

#3 Author of original report

Update to previolus rip off complaing

AUTHOR: Cherie T. - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Tuesday, March 11, 2008

From my efforts of the original rip off report: I filed with the FCC, BBB, (3) credit bureaus, Fl dept of Financial services, State attorney office, FL bar assoc, Federal Trade Commission Federal communications commission, Owners & VP of the collections co where Mr. Bill Williams worked at Fl first FIn Grp and sent the original letter of complaint and intent to the dental office. One thing I noticed is, if the consumer lets the right people who can help know the issue they can help, a lot of people complain of situations and dont follow through. I did. Mr. Williams is no longer with the company. The VP asked that I respond to him, I am dealing with dental office directly. thanks for input. I am really glad ripoff.com is around helped me alot figure out the scams and gave great information. C -

Respond to this report!
What's this?

#2 Consumer Suggestion

doesnt matter now

AUTHOR: Will Penny - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Not sure if its true or not, you know how rumors go, I heard threw some friends at a local pub , half his office quit because they found out the owner was stealing millions of dollars every month by not paying clients. I was told the owner is just trying to switch the company name's now in hopes of evading the law. From what was said, is sounded like they turned the information over to the state of florida who is going to launch an investigation. But I guess thats what happens when you treat your employee's like crap.

Respond to this report!
What's this?

#1 Consumer Suggestion

Advice

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

POSTED: Wednesday, February 13, 2008

I'm not sure if you've stated any legal violations although, in some cases, repeaeted calls in the same day can be an FDCPA violation. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong on this.

The issue that I see is that you are going about this the wrong way. The collection agency is just trying to collect on the account that was transferred to them by the dentist. They are permitted to rely on the statements of their client (the dentist's office) unless and until they are presented with evidence showing that the debt is inaccurate.

So here are your options: 1) you can try to deal with the dentist's office and explain why the debt is inaccurate to them, and demand that they modify their claim with the collection agency; and/or 2) you can file a validation request with the collection agency.

I would recommend doing both. Filing a validation request with the collection agency will at least force them to produce an invoice. Discussing the matter with the dentist's office should, theoretically, clear up any inaccuracies.

FYI, if the dentist's office is trying to collect for more than they are due, you may have a claim against them for libel. Further, if the collection agency reports the debt inaccurately, with knowledge of the inaccuracy, such is a violation of the FDCPA, the FCRA, and probably your state's defamation laws.

The validation request to the collection agency requires that you send a WRITTEN demand that they produce evidence showing that you actually owe the debt. A demand over the phone is inadequate. You also have a limited amount of time before they have to comply with such a request, so be sure to do this ASAP.

Best of luck and, if you have any questions, file an update.

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