1 reviews | Active since Jul 2019
Sharking money out of Poor People
I have voluntarily gone in September 2014 to seek help with growing debt that I paid every month ,but was unable to totally pay off one time. The cost of life didn't contribute to making that easier in the near future. I then unfortunately went for help to Money 24 in Bellville. The agent was De Bruyn - He worked out a payment plan to distribute all my debt under one payment . In other words I was placed under debt review and the company was Randwise in Randburg and the debt councillor was Johan Bonthuys. Started paying R7000 per month in September 2014. Court date for signing of agreemaent was in March 2015 only. I paid every month without failure, praying my worries would be over soon.I kept most of my statements that was emailed to me every month after the debit order. I had to close my old bank account and reopen a new one at a different bank they advised me. However none of my smaller accounts were paid off first like I was advised by Money 24. My debt as a matter of fact TRIPPLED in amount and interest of as much as 31% were asked on certain accounts by the debt collector co! My accountant told me in 2018 that something was seriously wrong. At this rate I would be dead and by that time my debt would still climb and would not have been settled! She also suspected that the banks that supp**** me with personal loans might have been guilty of wreckless lending. I was advised to stop the debt review immediately....which I did and get help .I got proof of the correspondence from debt councillor etc. I wrote to the Ombudsman before this and they were not helpfull at all. Then why have these platforms if my rights are trampled on and don't count for anything?Something about it not being within their mandate?! I have settled a small account or two but refuse to settle anything elsebecause if you work it out , my debt of R100 000 more or less originally at the R7000 per month installments since September 2014 till about October/ November 2018 would add up to a repay amount of about R350 000 and would still be counting down if I didn't stop payments.Now it has affected my credit rating for life!!!How and who is going to repay me for loss of income . These companies pay ridiculous amounts like a R135 or less in certain accounts where you might owe something like a few hunderd , then add sky high interest rates and you end up like me over indebted . The worse of all is these companies are run by "attorneys". The amounts that consumer friend and these companies claimed was still owing also differed extensively. Then since end of last year Vericred , B& D attorneys etc ....debt collecting companies with the worst of reputations , have been phoning and texting me day and night how many times per day even harassing and threatening me under false pretences at my place of employment ....I work for the state. Still demanding more money and telling me how much I MUST PAY PER MONTH . They work on a buy up of "books" system and of companies and creditors and call the debtors and then try to retrieve debt. They work with you for 6 months and when they don't get no results you are handed over to another company who then works with you, harasses , threatens you with iminent legal action , promising discounts ,etc for 6 months and so it goes. You are made a victim again by debt collecting copmpanies and debt councillors , while you were in my case honest and seeked relief,yet you are treated like a ********* and ****** of more money....until you are anyway unable to settle anything or survive! And the NCR and those bureaus all claim they cannot help you and private people assisting with claims, only want to help you if it is a big company not individuals.I absolutely regret ever having gone to a debt councilling company. Worst mistake of my life .
