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Monterey Financial Services

Monterey Financial Services review: Don't do business with the financial thieves of this world! 31

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12:00 am EDT
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Yesterday evening I received a call from a representative of Monterey regarding my account. This is the second known call that I have received from them. The caller ID had “unknown name, unknown number” and most of the time I do not even answer these type of calls. I figure if they are hiding their name and number, they are up to absolutely no good. But, I answered just in case it was someone I knew. Anyway, the call started out congenial until I refused to give them a check by phone. The person immediately became rude, spoke in a very pressuring and accusational tone of voice. The result of the first call was that they were supposed to send me paperwork so that I could provide them with my new bank information. In November of 2006, I had fraudulent activity on my checking account and we closed the account to stop it. The thief was using my bank routing number and account number to pay their own bills and purchase items on the internet. Monterey Financial Services has been set up as an automatic pay for the last 5 years. Well, because they were not the original finance company on the purchase agreement, I didn’t know who to contact and the bank couldn’t give me the information. So, I knew that when they tried to debit my old account it would come back as closed and they would contact me. They did, in late December and from that phone call the representative was to send me paperwork to authorize the automatic debit again. I never received that paperwork. When I refused to give the person my account information over the phone, he became so belligerent. I told him my situation and he didn’t care. He blamed the post office for the non delivery of the package, saying they (Monterey) doesn’t make mistakes. I told him I would mail a check immediately but I wanted all fees dropped. Well, come to find out they were going to charge me $12 for taking a check by phone…I don’t think so when it costs 39 cents by US Mail. The late fees for 2 months were only $4.80, not a lot of money for either one of us really, but I am still trying to recover from the fraudulent activity on my account. He threatened me with foreclosure, and it is only a financial contract for added features to a time share. I told him he could keep the dumb contract and he promised me he would ruin my credit with a foreclosure. He did give me an address I could send my check too, but he told me more than likely more late charges would be added to my account. Now, mind you, I have had excellent pay history with them for over 4 years and this is how I get treated. My advice - don’t do business with the financial thieves of this world. If it isn’t high interest, it is fees for this and fees for that. I went to their website today to contact a manager, but found this complaint instead and felt like venting.

Thanks for listening. I hope that this will help the next person down the road.

Disgusted,... in Spring, TX

More Monterey Financial Services reviews & complaints

31 comments
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jtanna
Englishtown, US
Aug 07, 2012 10:10 am EDT

This company has a staff of harassing people working for them. I understand that if you are late on a payment then they should call you but when you are not, it becomes harassment.

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Keepit Cool
, US
May 06, 2015 12:42 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I had Monterey Collections call repeatedly over a period of nearly 2 years. The most important thing to remember is to not answer the phone when they call. Let them leave a message, then delete it. Do not talk to them! Do not give them any bank account information, credit card information, address info, or anything else. They will sound very intimidating, but simply erase the message. If you do owe money, pay the original company you owe to, even if it is incremental. Never give Monterey Collections any money in any form. Once you pay your original debt, no one will come after you to collect more. No one will take you to court if you are paying, even in small amounts over a long period of time. Ignore Monterey Financial Services like the plague. It will be ok!

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NoneNo
Levittown, US
Apr 21, 2015 8:32 pm EDT

If you don't pay within a certain time Liam is double plus fees. Wth. Where is Federal Trade Commission, BBB, attorney general? Ripoff. My Liam was sold to them from
wags. Never again

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Bruce Weaver
Charleston, US
Sep 10, 2014 12:00 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I was informed by Premier Baths that my account was being turned over to Monterey Financial Services. I received the payment book in the mail and thought I would go to the website and set up automatic payments. However, when I went to the site, a message popped up saying this domain is for sale and had an offer for me to buy the site. So, Monterey does not exist on the Internet. After reading the previous complaints, I called Premier Baths and said that I refuse to send any money to Monterey because of their fraudulent activities. I will continue to send my payments in a timely manner directly to Premier Baths. If they choose to forward the money to Monterey, then it is their loss.

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bjjd
dewey, US
May 12, 2014 12:05 am EDT

Who the living hel are these people? They sent me a payment booklet telling me I have to pay $140 a month but I have NO account, haven't bought ANYTHING, no anything, but oour name is on the payment booklet...no letter, no other mail, no nothing saying what this is about.

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Don't Tread On Me!
Rockledge, US
Apr 08, 2014 11:03 am EDT

It makes me wonder how many times this company has purposely failed to debit a scheduled payment just so it could unjustly add a $25 NSF fee to the customer's account. I'll be sending letters to several agencies, starting with the state attorney general's office in case this becomes a pattern with this company.

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Don't Tread On Me!
Rockledge, US
Apr 08, 2014 10:57 am EDT

As they did in all previous months, Monterey Financial Services was supposed to have debited the final payment on my third-party account electronically from my checking account on April 1, 2014. A week later, however, a representative from Monterey Financial Services in Kansas City, Missouri, called to let me know the electronic debit was dishonored and that I would have to pay a $25 NSF fee for the attempted transaction. I advised the caller that there were ample funds in my account and for them to try it again. Instead, the representative said there would be a $15 telephone transaction fee added, plus another $25 NSF fee should it be dishonored again. I informed the Monterey representative that I would simply send the payoff amount -- without the $25 NSF fee -- by mail. The rep said if I didn't pay the $25 fee, my account would go to collections and it would reflect negatively on my credit. I checked with my bank, and there is no record of any debit attempt being made by Monterey Financial Services just prior, on or after April 1, 2014. My bank prepared a letter to that effect that accompanied my cashier's check for the payoff amount.Oh, and one more laughable comment the Monterey rep conveyed, "Your contract says there will be a $25 NSF fee if the automatic payment is returned for ANY REASON." My comment: "Well, I'm certainly not going to compensate you for YOUR mistake!" My advice: Stay away from these predators! They are not interested in assisting the customer with a problem, but are merely interested in finding creative ways to add unjust fees to the customer's account.

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K.Krawiec
Chicopee, US
Mar 04, 2014 7:18 pm EST

I just hung up on "Jasmine" from Mont Fin Services. Five years ago I returned a Shark floor mop to Euro-Pro and spent about two years trying to get my money back, I finally gave up. Out of the blue I started getting calls from a private ph number I do not answer if I do not know the number. After about seven calls in one day I picked up to hear a message that they were attempting to collect a debt, curious I called back. After speaking to "Jasmine" she said the burden of proof was my obligation, I found the invoice with the return label receipt. I called "Jasmine" to give her this information she said she would look into it and will call back. It has been a month or so and tonight she called. She said the return label is not enough proof the mop was never received back. I told her it is the responsibility of Euro Pro to prove it was never received.She became to nasty, telling me they will attach my income taxes and will never stop until they receive their money. I started to get mad because I am owed money I returned the mop.I hung up in a fury of rage. I called back to ask for their fax number I want to fax Euro's invoice to prove it is legitimate. The very snotty girl who answers their phones would not give me their fax number until I gave my name, address and ph #. i said I just hung up from Jasmine all i need is the fax number she kept repeating the line of what is my name, address and so on. I gave up and hung up. I am sitting here and can feel my blood pressure getting higher and higher. I have to recourse with them, I sent the product back, they owe me money, I have a return receipt and still that is not good enough. What can I do? I feel helpless.

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OUT OF MY LIFE!!!
Brooklyn, US
Dec 12, 2013 3:12 pm EST

This is a very rude company I forgot "1" payment and it was only 2 days late and they called and were very rude telling me my payment was late come on I only had payments for 1 year never made one late and the 9th payment was 2 days late. I would never do business with this company again. How could you be so rude? Arent customers how you stay in business? I paid them off and told them I want a payoff letter and want them out of my life! Totally finished with this company.

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blackness41
Silver Spring, US
Feb 02, 2013 5:31 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I receive receive three call saying that I signup for this services on the computer I dont know nothing about this acct with them they have my old acct with suntrust who is these people why would I pay for something that I never receive

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mike gonzales
Bakersfield, US
Jun 27, 2012 11:58 am EDT

Do not use Montery Financial . They are crooks . They will not work with you and are very very rude . Please think twice before useing them . Read all the complants, that just about says it all.

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11111122
, US
Jun 01, 2012 3:03 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

from a former mfs employee, this place is horrible! please do whatever you can to pay you loan or transfer it to another place and if you do want them to stop calling you constantly, write them a cease and desist letter and make sure you send it certified mail, so you have proof. they will have to stop calling you

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Claudia León
, MX
May 02, 2012 8:23 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

They are for sure the greatest THIEVES EVER! They charged me triple and started calling me constantly to bother me. That was last month and now they want me to pay 122 dls instead of 97 dls for no reason at all! and I have my payment date on May the 2nd and I started to receive phone calls TODAY! THAT I HAVE TO PAY! I already filled out forms at FTC but I can´t believe you have such thieves in the States! what a shame!

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110750i
Midland, US
Oct 18, 2011 4:42 pm EDT

Monterey Financial has ripped me off.
I had an account turned over to Monterey Finanical . Ashelys furniture was the company I was making payments to.
All I owe is 296.34.
Monterey has the wrong balance. I have talked to them till I yelling at them.
They are thick headed are very ### to deal with. They make you feel stupid and not listening .
I will never do business with Monetery Financial. They have been a great big pain in the ###

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iron69
Clairton, US
Jan 11, 2011 11:06 pm EST

As of today, 01/01/11 I called to make full payment on my acct. I have been out of work for over a year, and have not been making payments on time.

The person I spoke with refused to take the payment i could make. They would not work with me to pay this acct in full.

I will never do buisness again, with TWO OF US, who use MONTEREYFINANCIAL to finance their service.

JV

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Patti783
, CA
Jan 04, 2011 11:39 pm EST

I was also sold on the Prosper Coaching program and had the misfortune of getting involved with Monterey Financial Services.
After a couple of months I changed my method of payment from credit card to money orders. That's when all the trouble started.
I was charged an extra $50.- immediately for geing late.
The representative was rude and insisted I pay by credit card. I told him that my money order was mailed out, gave him the tracking number, etc, but he kept calling back every day, still insisting that I pay by credit card. He stopped calling when the money order arrived.
I make sure that I send out my money orders at least a month ahead of time. When it arrives a day late they will charge $50.- immediately and start phoning, sometimes more then once a day.
A.H.

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jcarst
, US
Jan 28, 2010 11:38 am EST

Monterey Financial is a terrible company. I believe the only way that they get clients is as a 3rd party processor. I was sold on the Prosper Coaching Program through a telemarketing call after I signed up for an internet membership site.

Monterey Financial is the 3rd party payment processor for Prosper coaching. The fact that Prosper is even associated with a company like Monterey Financial reduces their credibility in my eyes.

The so called customer service rep was so rude and disrespectful when I talked to him on the phone that I decided to just pay the $10 fee to make my payments online for the next few month and pay this stupid bill off asap.

My experience with Monterey Financial was one of the things that made me regret signing up for the stupid coaching program.

http://www.JeremiahCarstarphen.com

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dorey
, US
Oct 16, 2009 2:20 pm EDT

I would never use Montery financial. The bad part about this comment is that I didn't choose to use them. My father who is the one that recieved a bill from them who has been hopitalized, asked me to make a payment so I told him that i would. Well I called to make the payment they wanted to charge an extra ten dollars to process the payment as well as the money that was owed. I asked the women on the phone to pass me to the supervisor. So she put me on hold and then let me wait for a good ten mins. The only reason that i know it took so long is that 3 songs had went buy from the time that she put me on hold from the time that she came back. Then proceeded to tell me that I couldn't speek to anyone because I was not the name on the account. So basically they want there reps to get the ###-end of the stick because they know what they are doing is wrong but they want to hide behind the people that actually have to deal with the mess. What I don't understand is these people already are taking my money for services rendered why are they charging me an extra ten to pay by phone with a credit card. Or I also had the choice to send them a check and get charged fifteen more dollars for paying with check. In my eyes these people are stealing from honest hard working people who want to pay but can not because they want to add more on the bill just to pat them.

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Pro fair deal
Clearwater, US
Oct 02, 2009 6:20 pm EDT

Read on; it involves Monterey Fiancial Services

To: Royal Elite, Mr. Andrew Southam,

I have attempted numerous times to communicate with Royal Elite’s Financial Department and Costumer Services by calling the numbers given to me at the time I signed a contract with such company. This has been happening for over a whole month. I have also sent several emails to these two email accounts (of which I have copies), one of which is Mr. Andrew Southam’s, who was the man with whom I directly made the agreement regarding the services I was purchasing with Royal Elite. I have left numerous voice messages and I have not received ANY response whatsoever, neither from the phone calls not from the emails. I have also tried in good faith to communicate with Monterrey Financial Services, which appears to be the company charging my credit card for monthly payments on behalf of Royal Elite, and again, I have not received a response. To my knowledge, I HAVE NEVER agreed to authorize Monterrey Financial Services to withdraw any payments from my account. By the way, there are THOUSANDS of costumers’ complaints regarding rip-offs from Monterey Financial Services. I tried looking for an email address for them to try other means of communication since they have never returned my phone calls and I have been unable to even find a website with information from this company either. The only thing that pops back on my search are scams, scams, scams.

Due to this situation, and based on the aforementioned contract, Clause 20, which verbatim reads as follows: “The contracting parties agree for the interpretation and performance of this agreement they expressly submit themselves to the competency of the Federal Consumers Protection Law (…)”, I contacted this institution on September 18th, 2009. The Federal Trade Commission Consumer Response Center informed me that there is no company registered with them by the name of Royal Elite and have no information regarding Royal Elite. They referred me next to Exchange Securities and Commission, who also asserted having no registration from Royal Elite. They further assisted me with some research and found hundreds of entries on consumers’ reports and complaints for scams committed by Royal Elite against them. The Exchange Securities and Commission’s opinion was that Royal Elite is a fraudulent company, if it even has any legal validity. This implies that the contract that I signed with the representatives of Royal Elite on July 2nd, 2008 is fraudulent and thus, has no value.

On this contract, Clause 14 states verbatim: “ THE MEMBER with prior written notice will be able to cancel the present agreement when:
a) ROYAL ELITE Refuses without justification to make a reservation for the MEMBER
b) ROYAL ELITE fails to provide lodging rights and services”

In my case, ROYAL ELITE has REFUSED and FAILED to provide even the minimum service of responding to my calls. Though explicitly they have not denied any service, they are preventing me from accessing a service for which I have already paid $7730 (seven thousand, seven hundred and thirty U.S. dollars) through Monterrey Financial Services, which has also refused to respond to my calls and request for communication.

Clause 14 further adds: “(…) If after the mentioned 15 business day term, Royal Elite has not corrected the breach or does not provide alternatives to correct it, the MEMBER will be able to rescind the present contract and request refund of the sums paid (…)” Since a month has already passed since my first attempt at contacting Royal Elite and I have in good faith done my very best to contact ROYAL ELITE by all means accessible to me WITHOUT receiving any service or response, I am rescinding from making any further payments, have closed my credit card account to prevent Monterey Financial Services to keep making withdrawals from my account and request ROYAL ELITE to return all the payments that have been withdrawn from my credit card for a total of $7730.

Furthermore, based on my attorney’s recommendation on this case, I will be informing of this scam to the following authorities to help prevent other people from falling victims of Royal Elite’s abuse and/or possible fraud:

International Trade Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce
Federal Trade Commission Consumer Response Center
Exchange Securities and Commission
Office of Investor Education and Advocacy
National Fraud Information Center
Better Business Bureau

If Royal Elite does exist and if, in reality there is ANY integrity whatsoever, I expect to get a full refund of the money I have paid for a service I have never received.

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HeatherLea
Seymour, US
Oct 01, 2009 10:54 am EDT

I received a phone call from Monterey Financial in regards to a payment being returned because I changed bank accounts. The information was given to Monterey and yet they still attempted to pull out of my original bank account. The man that called me stated that I needed to make this payment over the phone NOW. I advised him I would call back in the morning with payment information as I did not have it with me. He said that if I didn't do this NOW (at 9 pm) then he would have to proceed with collection action. Really? And how will this go into collections when the payment is made in the morning? What a joke. He then told me that he was marking my account as "refuse to pay" and I advised him that I wasn't refusing to pay. He then told me that was what he was going to do and HE HUNG UP! Wow! Needless to say I made the payment online the next morning and have not heard from them since.

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cherrylritter
cunningham, US
Jun 10, 2009 4:15 pm EDT

This company is a fake company! they never sent me one reciept for any of my payments I made. They were very unbusiness like, hanging up on me, threats, cussing at me, and phone calls after phone calls. They Also took out 2 payments out on the same month, an then made up some ### line on how I owed extra fee's! THEY HAVE YET TO SEND ME A DAMN RECIEPT for any payment I have made. They can kiss my ### I aint sending ###!

I read an article about this company stating that they had on numorous ocassions took money out of peoples account after they had paid everything off! this is Bull!

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jack jackson
Windsor, CA
May 21, 2009 5:44 pm EDT

Just stared dialog with them regarding a time share we have paid on for 20 years but never used. Any suggestions?

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boog2121
Boise, US
Mar 11, 2009 2:22 pm EDT

I have just experienced the same insulting attitude with this company today! There is absolutely no regard for their customers well being! So disrespectful!

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Scammed
Camden, US
Feb 26, 2009 5:54 pm EST

My husband I were victims of Monterey Financial Services unlawful activity. Due to us being unable to make payment on our timeshare Monterey took it upon themselves to automatically debit my husbands checking account for the past due amount without authorization, causing all kinds of trouble with my husbands account. They withdrew from an account which cause the account to be closed and my husbands assets to be frozen. If your dealing with these people beaware and never give your account number to them because they are theives. They actually had the nerve to call and we once again told the that we could not make the payment so they decided to do the unlawful thing and try to take money from my husbands account, which now being investigated by the bank and Monterey will be prosecuted for their actions. The womans name who continullay called and pressured us was Annie and they were hired by Sciota Village at Big Valley.

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JoeD2269
Anchorage, US
Jan 03, 2009 1:08 pm EST

This company has nothing but rude employees that seem to think privacy laws do not apply to them. They contacted a reference on my application, leaving a threatening message for me. This is for a service that doesn't provide anything extra-ordinary, and one in which I never used, because it doesn't provide any benefit. You can't sell it because no one wants it, and you can't cancel it even if you don't want it or haven't used it. What kind of company sells you a service, that you can't cancel if you don't want to use. Even insurance policies, you can cancel, weather you use them or not. The tacticts they use are bull dog. They are unprofessional and harrassing. What they tell you when they sell you the program is not what they do. It seems Monterey Financial works on financing anything that should not be financed to begin with. They blindside the consumer, and have dishonest sales people and harrasing collections representatives.

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Lawrence Albert
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Sep 17, 2008 12:38 pm EDT

Same high handed tactics by Monterrey Financial used on me

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lisa lafey
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Aug 20, 2008 6:24 pm EDT

Turn your complaint into your state attorney general's office. I did and my state (Iowa) has been really helpful with these aggressive bullies!

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Extremely disgusted
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Aug 12, 2008 7:28 am EDT

I have had some problems with Monterrey trying to settle my account.

They financed my property course I bought from a school. In the beginning I didn't even know it was Monterey who was going to finance the $2000. I have dealt with the shcool and thought that the $2000 was being financed through them. Then I received an account from Monterrey for $772.08 payable immediately - I didn't know what it was for. I sent emails to the school and eventually managed to find out that Monterrey is financing the course. By then they have charged me $50 for late payment fees. That amounts to R400 in South African currency- which is the equavalent of $400 is for a US citizen . So that's a lot of money. Monterrey had all my details - they could have emailed me - introduced themselves and I would have paid them immediately! They had my telephone number, they could have called me, but they decided to use the most unreliable source of communication, which is the post office, to contact me. This makes me think that they do it on purpose so they can charge people a late payment fee and make extra money out of it!
I have asked them for an email address but never received one. This would have made communication so much easier over the world, and I prefer email because then I have a written copy of what was communicated. Their chosen means of communication as a first world country in the 21st century really makes me extremely suspicious about their motives.
So eventually I had to go out and buy a world-call-card to be able to call them. Eventually I got hold of them and managed to give them my credit card details. They then deducted he money from my credit card and please note again $772.08 is a lot of money for me to pay at one go. That amounted to R6, 379. In monetary terms that is equivalent to $6379 to a US Citizen. All of this could have been prevented if they had send me an email. Monterey had ALL my details as I'm sure the school gave them all the necessary information.
When I spoke to the lady then, she told me that my card expires in June 08 and I asked her to give me a call in June 2008 to get my new details. Well June 2008 came and went and they didn't give me a call. They didn't email me and I received NO communication in the post. So again I had NO email address for Monterrey and again I had to struggle to call them. I called them and left a message to please return my call. They didn't. I then called again and left another message and still they didn't call me.

The a consultant from Monterey eventually called me. I told them that I need to give them my new details and that I want to settle my account. I know that I owe them $736.36 and asked the lady to give me the settlement amount. She told me I owed $764.36 I said to her that it's incorrect and asked her if there were any charges. She then told me it was a late payment fee that has been added. Now again...this is very awkward. They never call you - on purpose - so you could be late and they can make extra money off you!
She insisted that I said I would call them with the new credit card details which is NOT the case! She then also said she never got my first message when I called a week or two ago. Our conversation was then cut-off, so she called again and the connection kept on breaking up. So eventually this issue wasn't resolved at all. They then waited another month and still haven't called me and I'm sure this is so they can charge me another $28 dollars for late payment. This is absolutaly ridiculous!

I had to contact the school again and asked them to call Monterey to call me for my new details because after leaving 3 messages again they still haven't returned my call.

I urge the better business bureau or state/federal agency to PLEASE investigate Monterey Financial Services. The are thieves of note!

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Daniel Spall
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Jul 28, 2008 2:09 pm EDT

After calling Monterey and notifying them in advance that I would be late on a payment and asking if they offered any deferral or intrest payment alternatives. All they wanted to do was belittle me with things like "well aren't you responsable enough to know you have to pay us", and making remarks that apparently I do not know how to prepare for hard times, etc... . That all really up-set me, and the thing is the payments were only $50.00 a month, if I let them lapse 6 months that would have been all of $300.00 plus additional fees. Which I told them to go ahead and do that.

The whole reason for me contacting them first was to just move my due date and deferer 1 payment while I restructured my finances. Quickly that was lost and the "STUPID" insults on my irresponseability started.

What brought on my call originally was to let them know my wife had a M.S. relapse, a very bad one and was now disabled and could not work. We have long term private insurance plus Federal disability had been applied for and accepted, but had a 3 month waiting period.
So in the mean time it was just my income paying the 1st and 2nd mortgage, electric, cable, phone, cell, car and other small card accounts. Not to mention gas and food.

So for some collection person to just want to tell me about be a responsable person and not knowing how to prepare for "rainy" days was/is a total laugh.

I finally told them to do what they see as being the right thing to do and I would catch up when I could.

Guess I don't take well to being insulted and belittled.

So now I get my twice daily calls on why I haven't paid yet.

IF IT WASN'T FOR THEIR RUDENESS TO START WITH, PAYMENTS WOULD HAVE GONE ON AS NORMAL WITH JUST " ONE" BEING LATE...Now it's 2 months and I may let it slide 1 more.

I needed to vent.
They are just plain RUDE.

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George Kwok
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Mar 26, 2008 11:33 am EDT

I had call from them. First I send them proof that the account was pay in full. and they was going to clear it up. They never did it. They wait for a few months to past and call again and claim they never got anything and we never call them back. and lie about what happen. I can going to court to claim the time I wasted with them. This is the best way. Go after the money for the time and pain.

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Susan Johnson
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Jan 23, 2008 5:13 pm EST

I have received two phone calls very much like the complaint. They were asking for a Susan and Bruce Johnson, who I've never heard of and I've never done business with or even heard of Monterey Financial. I've tried to get them to remove my name and phone number from their list, apparently it's on some auto dial phone list - this company is a scam and some one from the better business bureau or state/federal agency needs to investigate them and find out what's going on with this company to protect the consumers.

Frustrated in
San Rafael, CA