HRS USA (Bowflex) scam for anyone! rip-off late fees *REBUTTAL employee

To everyone who owns a Bowflex Machine: I just Read on CNN.Com that there is a recall on all Bowflex machines (Excluding the latest model). Apparently there have been injuries related to the incline bench and lat tower. If you own one of these machines call 888-424-3020 to get a free repair kit. For the record, I have owned my Bowflex machine for 3 years now and love it. I paid the monthly payment for the first year without incident, and then paid the balance off because I was tired of paying huge interest payments. Advice to anyone interested in purchasing a Bowflex machine: Check with your local bank or credit union about taking out a personal loan instead of financing through HRS. The interest is almost always lower, and payments are easier than using snail mail.

To everyone who owns a Bowflex Machine: I just Read on CNN.Com that there is a recall on all Bowflex machines (Excluding the latest model). Apparently there have been injuries related to the incline bench and lat tower. If you own one of these machines call 888-424-3020 to get a free repair kit. For the record, I have owned my Bowflex machine for 3 years now and love it. I paid the monthly payment for the first year without incident, and then paid the balance off because I was tired of paying huge interest payments. Advice to anyone interested in purchasing a Bowflex machine: Check with your local bank or credit union about taking out a personal loan instead of financing through HRS. The interest is almost always lower, and payments are easier than using snail mail.

To everyone who owns a Bowflex Machine: I just Read on CNN.Com that there is a recall on all Bowflex machines (Excluding the latest model). Apparently there have been injuries related to the incline bench and lat tower. If you own one of these machines call 888-424-3020 to get a free repair kit. For the record, I have owned my Bowflex machine for 3 years now and love it. I paid the monthly payment for the first year without incident, and then paid the balance off because I was tired of paying huge interest payments. Advice to anyone interested in purchasing a Bowflex machine: Check with your local bank or credit union about taking out a personal loan instead of financing through HRS. The interest is almost always lower, and payments are easier than using snail mail.

If you have a complaint with a company, whether it be billing or bad customer service, talk to a manager. If that does not work, keep going up the chain of command until you find somebody that will help you. As a last resort, you can file a report through the Better Business Bureau or the FTC. Businesses will continue to treat people bad if people do not complain through the right channels.

Also, use your local consumer watch bureaus as well. I guarentee these companies WILL get their act together if enough people submit complaints. Please, I encourage and employ you to use the resources out there so that other consumers do not get burned.

I, personally have not had any problems with either bow flex nor HRS... yet. This does not mean that I might in the future. Both of these companies have treated my wife and I very fairly and with great care. Presently, I am very happy with the way these companies conduct business.

before you stick up for your lowlife, loser company, maybe you should learn how to spell!

I disagree totally that HRS is a difficult credit card company to deal with. I bought my husband a bowflex for Xmas last year. We have paid our bills on time and have had no trouble with them at all.

My opinion, which I am entitled to, is: If you pay your bills on time you won't get a late payment charge and secondly if you do accept it that you were late and pay it then you can send them the copy of the cheque referencing the date and see how it goes from there.

I worked in Customer Care for over 16 years and when customers call into a company they don't seem to understand that the employee has to follow the rules set down by the company the Rep is working for.

I have another credit card with a different company and they suck big time, but I have to accept that the rep is only following rules set down by the company.

I have never had a problem with HRS and I have nothing but good things to say about them. Thank you for your time.

I disagree totally that HRS is a difficult credit card company to deal with. I bought my husband a bowflex for Xmas last year. We have paid our bills on time and have had no trouble with them at all.

My opinion, which I am entitled to, is: If you pay your bills on time you won't get a late payment charge and secondly if you do accept it that you were late and pay it then you can send them the copy of the cheque referencing the date and see how it goes from there.

I worked in Customer Care for over 16 years and when customers call into a company they don't seem to understand that the employee has to follow the rules set down by the company the Rep is working for.

I have another credit card with a different company and they suck big time, but I have to accept that the rep is only following rules set down by the company.

I have never had a problem with HRS and I have nothing but good things to say about them. Thank you for your time.

I disagree totally that HRS is a difficult credit card company to deal with. I bought my husband a bowflex for Xmas last year. We have paid our bills on time and have had no trouble with them at all.

My opinion, which I am entitled to, is: If you pay your bills on time you won't get a late payment charge and secondly if you do accept it that you were late and pay it then you can send them the copy of the cheque referencing the date and see how it goes from there.

I worked in Customer Care for over 16 years and when customers call into a company they don't seem to understand that the employee has to follow the rules set down by the company the Rep is working for.

I have another credit card with a different company and they suck big time, but I have to accept that the rep is only following rules set down by the company.

I have never had a problem with HRS and I have nothing but good things to say about them. Thank you for your time.

I disagree totally that HRS is a difficult credit card company to deal with. I bought my husband a bowflex for Xmas last year. We have paid our bills on time and have had no trouble with them at all.

My opinion, which I am entitled to, is: If you pay your bills on time you won't get a late payment charge and secondly if you do accept it that you were late and pay it then you can send them the copy of the cheque referencing the date and see how it goes from there.

I worked in Customer Care for over 16 years and when customers call into a company they don't seem to understand that the employee has to follow the rules set down by the company the Rep is working for.

I have another credit card with a different company and they suck big time, but I have to accept that the rep is only following rules set down by the company.

I have never had a problem with HRS and I have nothing but good things to say about them. Thank you for your time.

I PURCHASED MY BOWFLEX A FEW MONTHS AGO AND IT IS AN AWESOME MACHINE. BEFORE I BOUGHT I DID THE SAME THING EVERYONE ELSE DID, RESEARCH THE INTERNET.

PEOPLE WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT HOW TO USE IT, COMFORT, AND IF IT ACTUALLY GAVE YOU A BETTER WORKOUT THEN THE GYM. LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, BEFORE I STARTED TO USE IT I FIRST WATCHED THE INSTUCTIONAL VIDEO THAT EXPLAINS TO YOU STEP BY STEP HOW TO USE IT.

THEN I READ THE MANUAL THAT HAS PLENTY OF OTHER EXERCISES THAT YOU CAN DO. IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS I HAVE SEEN A GOOD RESULT AND THE RESISTANCE IS GREAT.

MY OPINION IS IF YOU CAN'T FIGURE THIS MACHINE OUT THEN YOU DO NOT BELONG IN THE GYM (DANGEROUS). AS FAR AS THE COMFORT PART GOES, I DON'T REMEMBER THE LAST WORKOUT THAT I HAVE DONE THAT WAS NOT UNCOMFORTABLE BUT THE BOWFLEX TO ME DIDN'T CAUSE ANY DISCOMFORT.

FREE WEIGHTS FOR INSTANCE:YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE HEAVY WEIGHTS WITHOUT DROPPING THEM ON YOUR FEET, ALSO AT THE GYM SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO STAND IN LINE TO GET A MACHINE.

I FIND BOWFLEX AN EASY WAY TO GET A GOOD WORKOUT WITHOUT HURTING YOUR BACK. MY BICEPS GET ALL THE WORKOUT IN THE GYM FROM CHANGING ALL THE WEIGHTS.

OVERALL I GIVE BOWFLEX A THUMBS UP ON THEIR MACHINE AND AS FAR AS PRICE AND TIME GOES, DO THE MATH, AVERAGE $60 A MONTH IN A GYM.$60 FOR BOWFLEX. MORE TIME FOR YOU AND IN THE NEAR FUTURE LESS MONEY.

AS FAR A S PAYMENTS GO EVERYTHING IS GOING A OKAY. I SEND MY PAYMENT 2 WEEKS BEFORE IT'S DUE TO MAKE SURE IT IS CREDITED ON TIME.

FOR EVERY KIND OF PAYMENT TO MAKE SURE OF NO LATE FEE SEND THE PAYMENT EARLY AND NOT AT THE LAST MINUTE. THANKS FOR READING MY REVIEW AND BY THE WAY I AM NOT A BOWFLEX PROMOTER I AM JUST AN AVERAGE PERSON JUST LIKE YOU THAT WANTS TO STAY IN SHAPE.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ME FOR MY AWESOME-PERSONAL OPINION ABOUT BOWFLEX BEFORE YOU PURCHASE.

Hrs Usa has also been "holding" my checks in the mail. 7 days is plenty of time to get a check anywhere in the usa. But yet unless I get my sent in 14 days before there is always a $30 late charge. They are the only company I have this problem with. This is also the reason I belive they do not have an online payment system set up. They are making a killing of people like you and me by hitting us with these late charges. I didn't buy a bow flex I bought a Motorcycle but still have HRS USA. By the way, the responce from the person in the billings office? Wanna bet that was written while they were suppose to working on opening our mail?

I have been mailing my best buy payment at lest 8-10 days in advance to HRS. This month is the second time they have charged me 29.50. I think that this is a total scam. I mail my bill early enough that it should be posted way before the due date.

It seems very convenient for HRS that my payment has been posted the day after the due date for the last 2 months. We have not been buying anything with our card for a while, so I guess they have decided to make money off of us another way. This should be illegal!

It is very sneaky and calculated. We have decided not to buy anything else at Best Buy and we will never use HRS for credit purposes again. I am also telling everyone I know about this so that they will not shop at Best Buy or use HRS. Im tired of being cheated out of my money.

I have purchased a bowflex and am under HRS. I have had no problems with this company. I have seen many complaints about HRS - but not many defending them. Late fees - obviously the consumers sending their payments haven't looked at their statements that say to ensure a timely payment please mail at least 7 days prior to the due date. With a statement like that - and depending on where you live you should be mailing your checks early enough for the company to receive and process your payments with a few days grace to spare. If you are waiting until the last available day, you are asking for late fees.

As for the company not giving someone information about the bill. Any company with a confidentiality policy will not give out information regarding any one elses account unless their name is on that account.

I have recently found out that HRS has taken over Best Buy accounts. There is NO grace period and payments received after 10am on the due date are posted the following day.

If they post the following day, a late charge is incurred to the sum of $29. (For example, payments due on the 1st received after 10am will post on the 2nd of the month and a late charge will also post on the 2nd) We as consumers have no way of knowing what time our mail was recieved.

Perhaps the employee checking the mail went on break before 10am and our payment was next to be checked in. HRS USA obviosly makes its money solely from late fees.

The worst part is, when HRS became affiliated with Best Buy several years ago the original agreements to Best Buy credit card consumers changed from a 15 day grace period to NO grace period.

I did not receive any information regarding this change. Best Buy says that bulk mailings were made and customers who did not respond were assumed to be infavor of this change.

Since these were bulk mailings, HRS has no way of proving whether customers received this mailing or not.

However, we are still penalized. Check your Best Buy statements CAREFULLY. Did you receive the letter informing you of the change????

I have recently found out that HRS has taken over Best Buy accounts. There is NO grace period and payments received after 10am on the due date are posted the following day.

If they post the following day, a late charge is incurred to the sum of $29. (For example, payments due on the 1st received after 10am will post on the 2nd of the month and a late charge will also post on the 2nd) We as consumers have no way of knowing what time our mail was recieved.

Perhaps the employee checking the mail went on break before 10am and our payment was next to be checked in. HRS USA obviosly makes its money solely from late fees.

The worst part is, when HRS became affiliated with Best Buy several years ago the original agreements to Best Buy credit card consumers changed from a 15 day grace period to NO grace period.

I did not receive any information regarding this change. Best Buy says that bulk mailings were made and customers who did not respond were assumed to be infavor of this change.

Since these were bulk mailings, HRS has no way of proving whether customers received this mailing or not.

However, we are still penalized. Check your Best Buy statements CAREFULLY. Did you receive the letter informing you of the change????

I bought my Bowflex 3 years ago and never had a problem with the company. When we lost a piece of the equipment when we moved they sent us another free of charge and it arrived within 3 days. If you are smart you would realize that with ANY credit card company it seems to take forever for them to receive and process your check, you don't send it a week before it is due!The only people I have never had a problem with is HRS. So for all of you out there who are looking into getting a bowflex, I just want to tell you that my dealings with them were great.

I just thought you would like to know that HRS is a company contracted out by larger companies, such as BowFlex and Costco, specifically for the purpose of keeping track of Consumer Revolving Credit Accounts at these stores. They, obviously, earn their income from consumer interest charges and late fees. I have had a few run-ins with the employees of HRS, and I have had all my complaints easily resolved. usually, you need to put in writing your grievence and mail to the address listed on the back of your monthly statement. During the Anthrax mailings, they did not even need a letter to reverse their own late charges if my payment was reeived within 2 days of their grace period. They obviously took the mail delays into account for their customers. Anyway, it is not BowFlex that was ripping you off; the best way to avoid this by not purchasing things you cannot afford just because they have a payment plan and paying off your credit card balances monthly. I realize not all are in a position to do this, but and exercise machine shouldn't be purchased at 21.3% interest. It is not a neccessity of life; food, clothing, electricity and housing are. Thank you for your time.

I was just looking into getting a bowflex machine.
After reading what this person went through, "I think not". It sounds to me like bowflex is one of those typical ripoff companies where as soon as the money is collected then the attitude changes. Shame on you BowFlex!!

They filed the following rebuttal to the above Rip-Off Report:



Their email: primafloydian@hotmail.com



Their relationship to the company: Advocate



Rebuttal:

I am an employee at hrs in the collections dept. First of all we dont talk to anyone in detail whos name isnt on the account for security purposes. Think about it would you want someone calling in saying that they are your spouse and getting all your information? I think not.

As for the late fee. We wave late fees as a one time curteousy. And for the fax's theres a few reasons why your fax may or may not have been recieved right away, Did you write your account # on the fax? Did you send it to the proper fax number? Theres 2 regions east and west. We compromise very well with customers. I think you should look at all your information before you post here bashing hrs.



An Employee.