Credit.org

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2016/02/26) */
Springboard's Response below:

[redacted]
[redacted]
[redacted] XXXXX
(XXX) XXX-XXXX
[redacted]@charter.net

Complaint ID: XXXXXXXX

Response:
Springboard appreciates the Revdex.com's efforts in bringing...

the client's concern to our attention. It is always Springboard's number one priority to help distressed homeowners understand what their housing situation/options are based on their current situation, and provide counseling and education with the highest regard for quality.

On 2-11-16, the Bureau made Springboard aware of the client's initial complaint and we offer the following:

Our records reflect that on 1-29-16, the client spoke by telephone with one of our certified counselors, [redacted] for foreclosure prevention counseling.

The client asserts that her privacy and rights have been violated. A review of our records indicates before we began the counseling session we established the purpose of our services and reviewed our confidentially and privacy policy ("Policy") with the consumer. This policy grants Springboard authorization to release the information the consumer provides us during their counseling session. Our counselor asked for the client's mother's maiden name to ensure our client's privacy rights were protected. The client provided an answer to this security question which we use as verification that the terms of our Policy have been accepted. The review of the counseling session recording confirms both clients (Mr. & Mrs. [redacted]) agreed and accepted the terms of our privacy policy.
The client also asserts that our counselor submitted a hardship letter to her servicer, Wells Fargo Mortgage approving a short sale. As a best practice, our agency counselors do not complete any type of hardship letters for our clients, instead a copy of a tailored action plan and budget are provided to the clients at the conclusion of the counseling session so clients are clear on what their next steps are. Our records indicate we emailed the clients their budget and action plan on 1-29-16, and there is no evidence of a short sale recommendation listed. Additionally, the review of the call session recording does not mention a short sale as a mortgage recommendation.
The following is our counselor's mortgage recommendations.
"Primary Recommendation: Traditional Sale
My mortgage recommendation for you at this time is to liquidate the property through a regular sale unless you are able to reduce your monthly deficit/increase monthly income. Remember that you have equity on your home and selling it would leave you with a profit which is preferable to a foreclosure.
You may have other options as well, including Hardest Hit Funds HHF in your State. Please check the website for more information. States have limited funds which may be exhausted or close to being exhausted so don't delay in contacting your state's HHF office. http://www.keepmytnhome.org
Your next step is to Contact a licensed realtor to list your home for sale."

Our records indicates at the close of the counseling session the counselor asked Mrs. [redacted] to rate her counseling experience with the counselor on a scale of 1 to 5. The client stated to the counselor she would give her a 5 rating and excellent job.

On 2/9/16, our records indicate that the client called our office requesting to speak to a supervisor. [redacted] foreclosure prevention supervisor returned the clients call on the same day.

On 2/25/16, I contacted the client and left a voice mail message. Mrs. [redacted] returned my call within the hour. I thanked the client for returning my call and explained I wanted to offer my assistance and help her clarify any concerns she had. The client was very upset, she would not let me explain, and she kept stating our agency violated her privacy and threatened that she has filed complaints with multiple government agencies and her local congressman. The client also informed me she did not want to be contacted by any Springboard associates.

Response summary:
Our records do not support the statements made in Ms. [redacted]'s complaint about what was discussed with our Springboard counselor on January 29, 2016.

After careful review of the consumer's case file, Springboard concludes the irregularities mentioned in the consumer's complaint were not a result of their housing counseling with Springboard, but may have been caused by other factors not related to Springboard.

Per the client's request, we have removed the client from our contact list.


Most respectfully,
[redacted]
Quality Assurance Manager, [redacted]
[redacted] ext. [redacted]

Credit.org’s
Response Below:
 
[redacted]
[redacted]@msn.com
 
Revdex.com
Case # [redacted]
Agency
Response:
We are in
receipt of the consumers Revdex.com complaint dated April 25, 2017. Thank you for...

bringing your client’s
concerns regarding her Debt Management Plan (“DMP”) to our attention.
 The consumer contacted
our agency for counseling assistance on January 25, 2017.   As a nonprofit credit counseling agency, it
is credit.org’s number one priority to help distressed consumers understand
what their credit and debt options are based on their unique situation.  After the
initial January 25, 2017 counseling session, our records indicate we
communicated with the consumer on multiple occasions to obtain required and
necessary information and documentation to complete the DMP enrollment. 
 
Our agency has been in communication with the consumer to resolve her
complaint and at her request, we have closed out her account and will cease any
further activity on her behalf with her creditors or otherwise and refund her
$69 in fees collected.
Response
summary:
We
believe the complaint was resolved to the client’s satisfaction.
Credit.org strives to provide all
clients with a positive counseling experience and we wish the client a
successful outcome with her financial endeavors.
 
 
Most respectfully,
[redacted]
Credit.org Quality Assurance Manager, [redacted] @ credit.org
800.947.3752,
ext. 1176

Credit.org
Rebuttal Response:
Complaint
ID: [redacted] 
 
Credit.org
takes its consumer’s feedback seriously. An investigation was opened to review
this matter and appropriate action was conducted regarding the consumer’s
complaint.   
 
We
apologize for the miscommunication the consumer had with our agency. We disagree
with the statements made in her complaint letter about what was discussed with
our counselor. During our research we
identified that no amounts were paid without the consumer’s authorization.
 
We
also dispute the consumer’s opinion of our training curriculum.  All our counselors are highly skilled and
undergo rigorous training. Our agency also provides a continuing and ongoing
training program and education to ensure our counselors remain current and knowledgeable
in the consumer financial education field.
 
At
the consumer’s request, we immediately closed her account and promptly refunded
her monies within 24 hours.
 
This letter is intended to acknowledge
the consumer’s request to cease any further activity on the behalf with her creditors. 
 
 
Most respectfully,
[redacted]
Quality Assurance Manager, [redacted] @ credit.org
800.947.3752,
ext. 1176

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2016/02/11) */
Contact Name and Title: [redacted] QA Manager
Contact Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX Ex [redacted]
Contact Email: [redacted]@credit.org
Springboard's Response below:

[redacted]
(XXX)...

XXX-XXXX
[redacted]@yahoo.com

Revdex.com Complaint ID: XXXXXXXX

Response:
We are in receipt of the consumer's Revdex.com complaint dated February 2, 2016.
Springboard appreciates the consumer bringing this concern to our attention. Springboard takes the quality of our [redacted] delivery, [redacted] feedback, and client concerns seriously. It is Springboard's number one priority to help distressed consumers understand what their credit and debt options are based on their unique situation.

We appreciate Ms. [redacted] taking time to complete her online application and sincerely apologize for any delay she experienced in receiving a prompt response from one of our agency representatives. I would also like to let the consumer know that we take our obligation to safeguard client's personal information very seriously as it our policy to ensure that every effort is made to protect all confidential and sensitive data.


Response summary:
Ms. [redacted] stated in her complaint she would like to be contacted. On February 3, 2016, one of our certified counselors, [redacted] reached out to Ms. [redacted] via email and also left a voice mail to provide assistance. On February 4, 2016, I also reached out to Ms. [redacted] via email and left a voice mail to offer my assistance as well.

On 2/4/2016, I was notified by the credit and debt counseling supervisor that Ms. [redacted] replied to the counselors email to notify us that she was no longer interested in our services.

We are requesting Ms. [redacted] reconsider recalling the Revdex.com complaint and allow our agency to provide her with an expert and personalized help with one of our certified consumer credit counselors. Ms. [redacted] may contact me directly at XXXX -XXX-XXXX ext. [redacted] to set up a telephone counseling appointment with a day and time that is most convenient for her to review her information so that we may be able to provide Ms. [redacted] a free comprehensive credit and debt counseling session.


Most respectfully,
[redacted]
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2016/02/12) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)

Consumer
Info:                                     �...⇄ /> [redacted]
[redacted]
[redacted]
###-###-####
[redacted]
 
Complaint
ID: 12300759
Response
sum[redacted]: 8-4-2017
 
Credit.org
appreciates the Revdex.com’s efforts in bringing the consumer’s
concern to our attention.  It is always credit.org’s number one priority
to help distressed homeowners understand what their housing options are based
on their current situation, and provide
counseling and education with the highest regard for quality.
 
On
8-1-2017, the Bureau made credit.org aware of the consumer’s initial complaint
dated 7-31-2017, and we offer the following: 
 
Credit.org,
established over 40 years ago, is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit housing
counseling agencies approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.  We are funded through a variety of government
grants and private foundations and offer most of our public services at no
charge. 
 
The
following is a recap of our communications with the consumer:
 
Credit.org
assigned two
(2) different counselors who attempted to assist the consumer with his mortgage
concerns.
 
7-15-2017, the consumer spoke by
telephone with one of our certified counselors, for a free and confidential
mortgage counseling session. During the session, our counselor offered a
conference call to the lender to address the consumer’s concerns. The consumer
declined the conference call stating, “I have to think about it first.”
 
7-24-2017, the consumer spoke to the mortgage
counseling department manager requesting a call back from the counselor who
assisted him during his initial session.
        
7-25-2017, our counselor made two
attempts to contact the consumer but there was no answer.
 
7-25-2017, the consumer contacted our
office and was transferred to our mortgage counseling department. He completed
a second counseling session with a different certified counselor. During the
counseling session, the consumer requested assistance with a conference call to
his mortgage lender. Our counselor made an attempt to complete the conference
call. However, the lender had long hold times and our counselor offered the
consumer the option to remain on hold or schedule a call back. Opting for a
call back, the consumer scheduled an appointment for the conference call.
 
On 7/27/2017, our counselor made an
attempt to contact the consumer to complete the requested conference call with
the lender. However, there was no answer.
 
Credit.org offers
the following resolution; assist the consumer with the completion of a
conference call to his mortgage lender as requested in the complaint
notification.
 
Response
sum[redacted]: Credit.org
will gladly continue to assist and accommodate the consumer’s request for
mortgage assistance through our mortgage counseling program. The consumer may contact me
directly at ###-###-#### or via email at [redacted] to set up a
telephone counseling appointment with a day and time that is most convenient
for him to
facilitate a conference call to his lender.
 
 
 
Respectfully,
 
[redacted]
[redacted]
Quality Assurance Manager 
###-###-####
[redacted].[redacted]@credit.org

I am rejecting this response because:I would like a formal letter of apology in writing. In  the last couple of weeks, I have had to contact each creditor to work on re-establishing my credit that  was in good standing with all the creditors prior to the DMP program.  I am having to not only write to all my creditors, and althought  I'm back to good standing with all my creditors, unfortunalely all my credit cards are closed, as I was informed they would be, but wasn't informed they would be permanently closed after the completion of the DMP program. Credit.org should train their emlployees better so that when they advise their clients, they advise them with the correct information. I am unsatisfied with their service, because not only did they withdraw monies from my account when they weren't suppose to, they also advised me they would not be putting one of my credit cards on the DMP, (per email) and come to find out that credit card was put on the program. I am requesting a letter indicating the errors that happened, so that I can present this to each creditor and three credit bureus; Equifax, Transunion, and Experian to explain what happened and hope this will assist withtheir training mistake. I don't want this to happen to anyone else, due to "lack" of training.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2016/06/24) */
Springboard's Response below:
Complaint ID: XXXXXXXX
Agency Response:
Springboard appreciates the Revdex.com's efforts in bringing the consumer's concern to our attention. It is always Springboard's number one priority to...

help distressed homeowners understand what their housing situation/options are based on their current situation, and provide assistance and education with the highest regard for quality.

On 6-15-16, the Bureau made Springboard aware of the consumer's complaint. We reviewed the complaint and, we are in direct contact with the consumer in an attempt to resolve any outstanding issues.
On Thursday, 6/16/16, our Escalation Manager contacted the consumer and discussed his file and scenario in detail. After the conversation, the file was transferred to an Escalation Processor.
We have successfully served this consumer in the past and we are reviewing the consumer's file for a secondary hardship and potential additional assistance.
The consumer was also advised of the following:
1) Advised we do not live transfer to Supervisors, however Processors can refer a file to a Supervisor, who will return a call within a 24 - 48 hour timeframe. The consumer advised this was a reasonable process, and consistent with how he has handled similar situations in the workplace. He understands a Supervisor would need time to review a situation.
2) Advised the consumer that calls are typically only recorded for our Triage/Counseling center associates. Therefore, there would be no recorded call to provide.
Response summary:
The complaint regarding his processor has also been investigated. Although we could not corroborate the behavior the complaint was based on, we are providing additional training to the associate on how to better handle this type of escalation scenario.
Most respectfully,
[redacted]
Springboard Quality Assurance Manager, [redacted]
8[redacted]
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2016/06/28) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Based on the very apathetic and dismissive response provided by Springboard for this complaint, No, I do Not accept the response from Springboard because it fails to address the very unprofessional conduct by their employee, [redacted] and the specifics of that unprofessional conduct by Mrs. [redacted].
Springboard, by Not addressing the specifics of my complaint, in detail, is simply ignoring it and thus letting all their employees know that Nothing will be done when they refuse to treat us, the very distressed callers to Keep Your Home California, with the dignity and respect we deserve in an already very humiliating, embarrassing, and stressful situation where we are about to lose our homes and seek any assistance in our time of distress by contacting Keep Your Home California (because we are lead to believe Keep Your Home California is in fact a California State Government agency), and where we find ourselves instead having to deal with Springboard which is a privately owned company.
Mrs. [redacted] outright lied to me during an already very stressful situation I find myself in where Suntrust Mortgage, Inc. has been harassing and intimidating me with their heavy-handed and illegal business tactics in their ongoing attempts to steal my home form me for over the past three years. The last thing I or any person in this type or similar situations needs when calling Keep Your Home California is speaking with a very apathetic and unprofessional employee , specifically Ms. [redacted], from a privately owned company called Springboard (who refuses to verify if they are or Not an employee of Any government agency, is evasive about it, and still keeps implying they are indeed a California State, or any other government agency) being lied to, denied assistance, and then having that Springboard employee outright hang up on me and refuse to answer the phone later when I called her back at Keep Your Home California, thus leaving me without any recourse in this, my very difficult time during which I sought assistance from the very program specifically set up to assist such home owner in distress and in danger of losing our homes. Mrs. [redacted] hung up on me and I was left to further stress out because at that point when she hung up on me. I am a disabled United States Marine Corps Veteran on a sole and fixed income from a V. A Pension and among my many disabilities are depression and anxiety which were only made worse by being denied assistance and left with no recourse in my time of need, by Springboard employee Ms. [redacted].
Every time, and including this one time for which I filed this complaint I call Keep Your Home California I am informed that my phone call is being recorded. Therefore I do Not at all accept that Springboard is now stating that, "Although we could not corroborate the behavior the complaint was based on..." I was informed that I was being recorded by Springboard and that is why I demand to be provided with the recorded phone call between Ms. [redacted] and I during our interaction, as well as the transcripts of it. Springboard cannot be allowed to state that all their phone calls are recorded, then refuse to provide them in situations such as this where that recording will corroborate what I have stated to Springboard and to the Revdex.com in this complaint.
The resolution I seek now is to be provided with that recording, its transcripts of it, to have Springboard employee [redacted] specifically write me a letter of apology, for Springboard to terminate her employment for her humiliating and harassing treatment of me, To have Springboard Stop lying to the public by refusing to answer whether or not Springboard ia or Not a State agency.
I believe the resolutions I seek in this complaint are reasonable, given the apathetic and evasive response by Springboard here.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2016/07/08) */
Springboard's Rebuttal Response:
Complaint ID: XXXXXXXX
Springboard takes its client's feedback seriously. An investigation was opened to review this matter and appropriate action was conducted regarding the consumer's complaint.
We continue to be in contact with the consumer and believe that we are very close to reaching resolution to the complaint. Springboard is not a State Agency nor do we represent our company as such. If there is any misunderstanding in this regard, the consumer is encouraged to contact us for clarification about our structure and our role in the program for which they have applied. We understand the consumer's frustration, however, Springboard will be solely responsible for making decisions about training, counseling and all other actions related to our employees.
Most respectfully,
[redacted],
Springboard Quality Assurance Manager, [redacted] @ credit.org
[redacted]