Lease Finance Group, LFG, CIT Financial USA, Merchant Services, Freedom Charge, Gloria Gray Deceptive Practices for Credit Card Machine Terminal Leases; Aggressive Collection Methods Ripoff Chicago Illinois

I don't think anyone is fooled by the owner's rebuttal. READING YOUR CONTRACT DOESN'T HELP WHEN THE SALESMAN FORGES YOUR SIGNATURE. You know as well as the rest of us that this entire business is based on a CAREFULLY CALCULATED DELIBERATE INTENT TO DECIEVE.

This company produces NOTHING, doesn't solve any problems, or supply any demands. From an economist standpoint, it is a negative effect of a capitalist economy, a stagnant entity. These types companies never survive in a free-market economy because they don't produce anything of value.

I predict the law suits and federal investigations will eventually destroy them. on to the next scam.

Unfortunately, consumers in this country DO NOT read any contracts they sign, regardless whether they've been told, as all of our merchants are instructed to do so. As a matter of fact, since all of our applications are faxed, our merchants have copies of the agreements for their own records. it is an unfortunate fact that over half of new businesses started in this country will fail within the first 6 months. How can a service provider be placed blame when we are merely the support system for the actual business? We are a merchant account provider, we offer credit card processing services, NOT Delusions of Grandeur.

We offer business cards and website design for all of the merchants who sign up to use our services, however we cannot and do not chase after the merchants who fail to send back forms or fail to call their assigned web developers back. I will never criticize a business owner for any mistakes that were made on our part, as a matter of fact, I have met with our entire staff here to assure that any further communication problems such as this will recognized and handled before it gets out of hand.

Complaints will always come. No company can satisfy their customers 100%, but I felt compelled to respond in this case because I felt this was unfair. Since this report was filed, I was informed that this merchant's lease has been cancelled by LFG-CIT, relinquishing the owner any responsibility for the agreement signed and sworn to be upheld. Once again, the message that goes out is, "Rejoice in my success, take NO responsibility for my failures!"

Could this be light at the end of the tunnel?

I received a letter today from the AG's office along with a copy of LFG's response to my complaint stating:

"While the lease agreement does not provide for unilateral termination by the Lessee, in an effort to resolve this matter quickly and amicably, LFG has agreed to relieve Lessee of any future obligations under the lease agreement."

I called the AG's office to make sure I wasn't dreaming and the representative said that it looks like they will cancel the lease. She went on to say that LFG usually honors what they've agreed to do in their written responses (I guess they ARE familiar with LFG).

I called LFG as well and a customer service rep said that I should receive a letter within 30-60 days regarding the matter.

That's all I've got so far, but my fingers are crossed that this is the end of my fight with CIT Lease Finance Group.

Could this be light at the end of the tunnel?

I received a letter today from the AG's office along with a copy of LFG's response to my complaint stating:

"While the lease agreement does not provide for unilateral termination by the Lessee, in an effort to resolve this matter quickly and amicably, LFG has agreed to relieve Lessee of any future obligations under the lease agreement."

I called the AG's office to make sure I wasn't dreaming and the representative said that it looks like they will cancel the lease. She went on to say that LFG usually honors what they've agreed to do in their written responses (I guess they ARE familiar with LFG).

I called LFG as well and a customer service rep said that I should receive a letter within 30-60 days regarding the matter.

That's all I've got so far, but my fingers are crossed that this is the end of my fight with CIT Lease Finance Group.

Could this be light at the end of the tunnel?

I received a letter today from the AG's office along with a copy of LFG's response to my complaint stating:

"While the lease agreement does not provide for unilateral termination by the Lessee, in an effort to resolve this matter quickly and amicably, LFG has agreed to relieve Lessee of any future obligations under the lease agreement."

I called the AG's office to make sure I wasn't dreaming and the representative said that it looks like they will cancel the lease. She went on to say that LFG usually honors what they've agreed to do in their written responses (I guess they ARE familiar with LFG).

I called LFG as well and a customer service rep said that I should receive a letter within 30-60 days regarding the matter.

That's all I've got so far, but my fingers are crossed that this is the end of my fight with CIT Lease Finance Group.

Could this be light at the end of the tunnel?

I received a letter today from the AG's office along with a copy of LFG's response to my complaint stating:

"While the lease agreement does not provide for unilateral termination by the Lessee, in an effort to resolve this matter quickly and amicably, LFG has agreed to relieve Lessee of any future obligations under the lease agreement."

I called the AG's office to make sure I wasn't dreaming and the representative said that it looks like they will cancel the lease. She went on to say that LFG usually honors what they've agreed to do in their written responses (I guess they ARE familiar with LFG).

I called LFG as well and a customer service rep said that I should receive a letter within 30-60 days regarding the matter.

That's all I've got so far, but my fingers are crossed that this is the end of my fight with CIT Lease Finance Group.

Thanks, Sandy, for the encouragement. It is so frustrating trying to work with these people!



In a last-ditch effort to work with them before getting the Illinois Attorney General involved, I called their toll-free number today. As usual, I didn't get through to an actual person and was prompted to leave a message. To their credit, I received a call back within a couple of minutes.



Like all the other times before, I was told by the representative that I needed to either transfer or buy out the lease if I wanted to terminate the contract. I asked to speak with a supervisor or someone with authority to terminate the lease, and she said that I was just fine talking to her. I told her that I was going to get the Attorney General involved and, if need be, my lawyer. She said that she didn't care what I did and maybe the Attorney General could help me to find a loophole.



I called their regular number in an attempt to talk to an alternate representative. I explained my situation to the alternate rep. and they said that they would transfer me to someone that could help. I thought to myself, "finally."



Well...I was transferred to a voicemail box. I did receive a return call within 2 hours or so and this new person said she was with CIT's legal department. I explained my situation and she went from cordial to defensive. I started to get the same line from her about the buy-out or transfer. She told me that I should have read the fine-print of the lease and that it was like a car lease or any other lease. I told her that it was a question of integrity when it came to her company's predatory practices on small business owners. She went on to say that her company did not actually sell me the equipment--that CIT financed the lease on my behalf. Therefore, I owed them for THAT. I said, "so your company was just as clueless and paid over $2K for equipment that only costs $250?" She said that her company paid out $1,900 for my lease. I proceeded to ask her if she personally felt it was right for her company to conduct business in this way. Her reply was that she thought it was right for them to make the leases "non-cancelable." She was so cofindent about the permanence of the lease, she told me to take it to any attorney's office. Another dead end.



I called the Illinois Attorney General's Consumer Protection Bureau out of curiosity to see how many other complaints they've gotten. The lady was friendly at best, but was not able to say one way or the other if there had been any other complaints. She did say that if I felt that there was any wrong-doing, that they would help to arbitrate between me and the company in question.



I've downloaded the complaint form from the Illinois Attorney General's website, filled it out completely and attached copies of the lease agreement. I am going to send out my packet via certified mail. I'm not giving up just yet.

I have delt with LFG myself and I am still getting phone calls daily. If you have your lease agreement that states they were to supply you with custom business cards and a website, and you have neither, they broke the contract. I would send a copy of your lease and a letter stating you never received products listed on the contract to both the Att. Gen. offic in IL and to LFG, Certified mail. If they broke the lease agreement, you should not owe then anything.



I would get a lawyer if sending a certified letter does not work. Good luck. I am still waiting to hear from them myself. I send a cert ltr last week showing the contract I signed (24) months and the copy they sent to me when I closed my account (48 months). Also, ask for a copy of the lease they have, it could be the same as mind, different than the one you signed.



From reading all the other complaints, this is one of their little tricks they pull on the customers. Read the other complaints and see if there is anything else you can do. I have not made a payment on their so called lease for several months now, and I am not going to. Per my records, they owe me money, but, they will not return calls if you are the one in the right.



Sandy

Okalhoma