Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/22/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 22320659, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

  They provided you with information that is not true.
  All their actions and responses to requests are manipulation of facts and misleading. The most important thing is that their information that the contract with One Mine was restored is not true: I called the One Mine service department and on my personal One Mine portal no one confirmed that I have any debt settlement. They started communicating with me only after the complaint that I filed with you, I sent them all the circumstances of my complaint and I will attach this letter below. I stopped payments after 2 weeks of trying to contact them and settle the issue with One Mine (they did not respond to my requests) Their commission is not their good will, but these are the agreed amounts and the payment procedure for these amounts, which they violated without agreeing with me (first I agreed, and then they themselves made changes); After restoring the contract, they restored only their commission, but they did not restore the agreement itself and refused to do anything until I pay them for an agreement that does not exist. They made random changes to my payments and withdrew all the money from my account.
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  Kostiantyn Piven

  ot exist. If you do not want to do this, then there is no point in having any further relations with you and returning to the original position with a refund.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/01/2024

  This is a response from Century regarding complaint # ID 22320659

  Mr.
  Piven is correct that Century
  successfully negotiated a favorable settlement with one of his enrolled
  creditors, One Main Financial. The current balance at the time of the
  settlement was $12,876.85 and we were able to negotiate a 50% settlement for
  $6,349.00. Mr. Piven approved those settlement terms via text message on
  07/11/2024. Century does not earn a settlement fee until we do the work for our
  clients. This is how we show our value. When we successfully negotiate a
  settlement on our clients’ behalf, they accept the settlement and a first
  payment is initiated to the creditor, only then have we earned the right to
  collect the full settlement fee. The settlement fees are outlined in the
  client’s Debt Settlement Agreement (contract) on Page 3, Section 5 titled
  “Fees”. Settlement fees are
  based on the client’s enrolled debt balance and never increase.  Per the terms above, Century’s fees are
  earned & eligible to be collected in full. 
  However, Century sometimes voluntarily agrees to collect our earned
  settlement fees over several months, in an effort to help a client take
  advantage of a settlement opportunity. Such was the case with the fee
  collection on the above mentioned One Main account.

  In his complaint,
  Mr. Piven states that Century violated the terms of his agreement.  This information is inaccurate. Mr. Piven
  called Century on August 5th, 2024 and requested to cancel.  Additionally, he sent that request in
  writing, as well. As a result of that interaction, Century processed the
  cancellation on his program.  When a
  client is in an active structured settlement at the time of cancellation, we
  email them notification alerting them that we have stopped all payments
  scheduled on any active settlements and encourage the client to contact their
  creditor directly.  This email was sent
  to Mr. Piven on 8/6/2024.  The 3rd party bank, Crossroads Financial Technologies (CFT) is also notified upon
  cancellation so they can close their special purpose account and return any
  funds, less earned fees, back to the client. 
  Century has a right to collect on any earned settlement fees at the time
  of cancellation. This information can be located in the contract on Page 4, Section 6 titled, “Withdrawal
  from the Program; Termination of this Agreement” which reads, “Our right to collect settlement fees that
  are earned but remain unpaid, in whole or in part, for any reason will survive
  any termination of this Agreement and we have the right to pursue collection of
  our fees prior to and after termination or completion of your debt settlement
  program.”  In addition, Mr. Piven was
  sent a Cancellation Confirmation email dated 8/6/2024 discussing the fees & information regarding
  settlements. 
  

  Upon
  receipt of the notices of cancellation, Mr. Piven contacted Century &
  stated he did not wish to be cancelled. 
  Century prepared the reinstatement documents required to reopen both his
  CFT account and Century file. He executed the required documents needed and his
  program was activated again as of 08/15/2024. The contractual monthly deposit
  of $643.86 scheduled for 09/01/2024 was returned from his bank as a Stop Payment on 9/6/2024. Due to the
  returned deposit, there were no funds available in his special purpose account
  with CFT for Century to initiate the necessary payment to One Main Financial
  & attempt to re-establish the previous negotiated structured settlement
  agreement.  Century began reaching out
  via phone, email & text to discuss this with Mr. Piven. 

  Mr.
  Piven indicates that Century is not returning his written communication.  We believe the gap in understanding is that
  he was calling into the call center and actively speaking with representatives & often on
  the same days we were receiving written communication.  He has since been
  assigned a Customer Advocate that has been working directly with him to resolve
  the outstanding concerns surrounding his active program and previous settlement
  with One Main Financial.
  

  Century
  has been in contact with One Main Financial and they are willing to honor the
  previous structured settlement terms.  As
  of today, the settlement is active and current with the next payment due in
  October.  Century has been attempting to
  reach Mr. Piven to review the settlement terms and ensure he has removed the
  Stop Payment request from his financial institution so there are no delays in
  the October payment to One Main Financial. 
  

  We
  look forward to speaking with Mr. Piven & continuing to support his debt
  relief goals. Mr. Piven has explained that English is a second language &
  prefers most communication to be in writing. Some clients elect to add an
  “authorized speaker” that can assist the client during live interactions should
  they want or need language translation. 
  Often having an open and fluid live-dialogue where questions &
  answers can occur in real time can be very beneficial and helpful to the client.
  Especially when working through resolutions. If Mr. Piven would like to
  designate an authorized speaker on his account, Century will assist gathering
  his authorization  updating his file. 

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/07/2024

  Mr. Piven
  has previously indicated to Century that he prefers communication in writing,
  as English is not his first language.  We've been communicating the
  updates regarding the One Main Financial settlement to him via his personal @gmail address that he provided to Century. We encourage him to please review
  the recent communication sent, as it provides the details and the proof that the
  One Main settlement is active and on track.  There are time sensitive next
  steps that Mr. Piven must take in order to keep this settlement from breaking
  again. If he elects to work directly with One Main, we need to provide him with
  very specific instructions as the general customer service line he is using to
  reach One Main is not the correct department handling his structured settlement
  terms.  

  Century
  absolutely worked with One Main Financial to reestablish the negotiated
  settlement.  In order for the previous negotiated structured terms to be
  honored, One Main required that the missed August ($268) and September ($268)
  payments be made immediately. A payment of $536.00 was initiated to One
  Main, by Century, on 9/30/2024.
  

  Mr. Piven
  states that Century restored his contract only to restore "commissions". 
  That information is false.  Century only earns the contractual fee ones a
  settlement is negotiated, the client authorizes the settlement and a first
  payment is initiated to the creditor. Those conditions were met in July
  2024.  While the full $3,151.98 fee was earned, Century agreed to
  collect it over several months which would allow Mr. Piven to make monthly
  deposits into his program for the payment to One Main and Century’s earned fee
  collection. By August 2024, Century had only collected $989.87 of
  the $3,151.98 due.
  

  In order to
  assist with reestablishing the One Main settlement, Century reversed the
  8/6/2024 collected fee of $643.86. This was completed on 9/30/2024.  Those funds were put info Mr. Piven’s
  special purpose account with CFT to allow for the 2 missed payments totaling
  $536.00 to be initiated to One Main last week. 
  Mr. Piven
  has access to see this proof directly from his special purpose account with
  Cross Roads Financial Technologies (CFT). A snip-it from his CFT ledger is
  supplied as documentation proof. Mr. Piven can also contract CFT directly to verify this information. 

  At this
  time, the One Main structured settlement is active and current.  The Oct payment to
  One Main of $268.00 is due by October 29th, 2024.  There are not enough
  funds in Mr. Piven's special purpose CFT account for Century to initiate this
  payment.  In order for this settlement to not break again, Mr. Piven must either remove the stop pay and deposit into his program
  or work with us to take over the One Main settlement directly.  As this is
  time sensitive, it is imperative that we review this information with him as soon as
  possible.

  Century has provided proof & documentation to show Mr. Piven that we are his partner on this debt relief journey.  We want to assist him in accomplishing his goals.  If Mr. Piven has a close family member or friend that can assist with verbal English translation, we would welcome the opportunity to communicate in an open verbal dialogue as well. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/07/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 22320659, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  
  
  I want to confirm the following once again: As of today, no one has made a payment on my One Main loan. Below are images from the Experian report for September 5, 2024 and October 3, 2024. They indicate that no payments have been made in the last 150 days and the amount of my debt has only increased from September 5 to October 3, 2024. This information is confirmed by a One Main representative, with whom I spoke again today, October 7, 2024, at 833-390-2034 and on my personal One Main page https://www.onemainfinancial.com/accounts.
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  Kostiantyn Piven

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/09/2024

  Mr. Piven is in an active structured settlement agreement with One Main Financial. The settlement letter from One Main Financial is attached to this response as documentation of the written terms of which Mr. Piven authorized. The terms of that agreement state that Mr. Piven will pay One Main Financial $268.00 a month starting July 2024 and monthly for 23 months. A final payment of $275.00 is due in June 2026.

  How One Main Financial reports the payments on the debt and when they will update the reporting to the credit bureaus is stated on the settlement letter they issued to Mr. Piven. They specifically state, "Monthly billing statements will not reflect settlement arrangements".  In the section titled Here is what to expect after your account is settled they state, "Your account will be reported to the credit reporting agencies as "paid in full for less than the full balance owed." It may take the credit reporting agencies 30 to 60 days to update your credit report.".

  Mr. Piven is not going to see his active settlement payments reflected by going to the credit bureaus.  This is not due to Century Support Services policy.  This is the collection workflow policy of One Main Financial.

  Century has provided the settlement letter and the banking ledger as proof of payment directly from Cross Roads Financial Technologies (CFT). The settlement is ACTIVE and CURRENT. Mr. Piven can contact One Main Financial directly to their specific Debt Settlement number to confirm that Century Support Services is in an active settlement with his One Main Financial account ending in 5575.  He needs to call 844-739-0719 and not the generic customer service number. 

  In order to keep this settlement on track and avoid the risk of going null & void again, Mr. Piven needs to deposit into this debt settlement special purpose account with CFT OR agree to take over the settlement payments directly to One Main.  Century has emailed all of this information to Mr. Piven as he requested to receive communication in writing.  

  If there is someone that can assist Mr. Piven with English translation on a verbal call, we would love the opportunity to have this discussion verbally so we can answer all questions and help him better understand the settlement process. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/13/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 22320659, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  
  
  The issue of confirming the concluded settlement has been pending for a long time. Previously, you terminated the settlement with me when I, among other things,  asked to confirm and explain the agreement with One Main. Now you have provided an alleged letter from One Main about the settlement, which has been in the documents section on your website since July 26, 2024 and, judging by the date of uploading to your website, is not confirmation that the settlement has been restored. In addition, this letter is addressed to me, but I did not receive it and it has neither a date, nor a number, nor a signature and indication of the person who drew it up. Having contacted by the phone number indicated in this letter, One Main representatives were unable to confirm either this letter or any settlement with them on my behalf. Thus, everything remains in place: there is no confirmation of the settlement and you are only playing with old facts, trying to confirm new realities with them.
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  Kostiantyn Piven

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/19/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  The company made contact with my creditor and told them I had enrolled in their program after I told them I did not want to proceed. *************** closed my account, removed my access and sent me a letter that I had entered a debt settlement program. I have tried reaching out to Century and I have gotten no response. ****** ***** was the *** that I was speaking to. If thats his real name.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/25/2024

  This is a response from Century Support Services to Complaint #********
  
  After reviewing the concerns listed in the complaint,Century was able to contact Ms. **************** telephone. We appreciate ********** giving us the opportunity to speak with her regarding her complaint.
  
  As reviewed with Mr. ******** she electronically executed her Century Debt Settlement Agreement on Friday, July 26, 2024. At the time Century received her request to cancel, she was an actively enrolled client in our database.Century has over 20 years of experience in the debt settlement industry with proven strategies on the best timing for contact with the creditors. Based on the review of Ms. ******** enrolled creditors, a Letter of Authorization to Communicate was sent on two accounts in which we felt negotiation efforts should begin.
  ********** requested to cancel on July 30, 2024. Our primary objective when any client is requesting to cancel is to understand the root cause of this request,review any challenges they may be facing & provide the necessary support to help them achieve their financial objectives.

  After speaking with her via telephone, her Advocate processed her file for cancellation on July 30th,2024. Every creditor employs their own policy regarding collection of debt. We regret if Ms. ******** creditor elected to take the action of closing one of her accounts upon the receipt of the Letter of Authorization to Communicate. This action is out of Centurys control and was done based on service actions that were dated before her request to cancel. Century has since submitted a request for revocation of the Letter of Authorization to Communicate to each creditor for which it was sent. We provided a copy to Ms. ******** for her records.
  

  Typically, going to work immediately is welcomed as a great value for a client. In this case, the timing of our service actions & the clients request to cancel occurred in a short window & created some misalignment. We regret that Ms. ******* decided to pursue a different route for debt relief and wish her the best of luck. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/09/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  The Credit Solution Service company named Century Support services at 2000 Commerce Loop #2111, North Huntingdon, PA 15642
  
  Collected a total of $985 debited from my account to pay a debt to Abound Credit Union and never paid the original debitor at Abound Credit Union , the closed account is still reporting to my credit profile despite payments being made to the credit solution company.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/16/2024

  This is a response from Century Support Services to Complain* *********
  
  Our
  Customer Advocate Manager has made attempts to reach *** *******  via phone
  and email with hopes to address the concerns mentioned in his complaint. *** ******* has not yet responded to our communications.
  
  *** ******* is correct that Century negotiated a favorable settlement resolution
  with his creditor, Abound Credit Union. The settlement was achieved in August
  2022. As *** ******* did not have sufficient funds to pay the agreement in a
  lump sum, Century was able to obtain a structured payment agreement to resolve
  the settlement over 12 months. *** ******* requested to cancel from his Century
  program in January 2023.  At that time, there was a total balance left on
  the Abound Credit Union structured settlement of $987.00. Century initiated a
  final payment to Abound Credit Union in the amount of $987.00 on January 19th,
  2023 to satisfy the payment terms in full prior to cancelling the remainder of
  *** *******’s debt relief program.  The payment was initiated from the
  funds that *** ******* had saved in his dedicated special purpose account with
  Cross Roads Financial Technologies (CFT).
  
  Our
  records indicate that Abound Credit Union cashed all checks paid towards this
  structured settlement. In January 2024, Century provided *** ******* with the copies
  of Abound’s cashed payments, as proof of payments for his records.  Upon
  receipt of this complaint, Century reached out directly to Abound Credit Union
  regarding this settlement. We requested that a Satisfaction Letter be sent to
  the client as proof that his obligation to this debt was satisfied back in
  January 2023. Abound confirmed that there was an error in their system that
  caused the balance to not be updated. They confirmed they are working to update
  their records and will provide a Satisfaction Letter to *** ********
  
  Century
  is not a credit repair company & we are not licensed to provide credit
  repair services. We cannot control how an individual creditor will report on
  the debt obligations & resolutions to the credit bureaus.  We regret
  *** ******* experienced this reporting error with his creditor & have
  worked diligently with him over this past year providing documentation proof
  showing *** ******* that Century was successful in resolving this account on
  his behalf.  In early 2024, Century provided him with a copy of Abound
  Credit Union’s written settlement agreement along with proof of the cashed
  payments for the structured settlement.
  
  We
  encourage *** ******* to return our attempts to connect with him so we can
  further explain the steps we continue to take to resolve his concern with this
  creditor. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/04/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Hi there! I’ve been working with Century Debt Settlement - started off great, but now they are holding funds (the full payoff amount) and not paying my creditor They have POA so I am unable to do anything and despite repeated calls and requests I unable to speak with the negotiator handling my account. Furthermore, today they debited my account in error for additional funds. They have had the full amount and are not paying my creditor. I am a 40 year old HR professional and am appalled at this. I was even sued by the creditor for nonpayment and only then did they decide to take any action on this account whatsoever. I have repeatedly had to call to get any communication and at this time am very concerned that the final amount (again, funds they have withdrawn but then not used to pay the creditor) will not be paid. I need some help, please! I just need them to please process the final payment and confirm there are no other deductions pending, and I would like this in writing. I think I was just assigned a negotiator who is not doing their job.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/12/2024

  This
  is a response from Century Support Services to ********* *********
  
  *** ******* *s working directly with Century’s Customer Advocate team to further
  review her account & experience so we can resolve the concerns mentioned in
  her review.
  
  *** ******* enrolled in a Century Support Services debt settlement program on
  12/18/2022. Prior to enrolling into this program,  *** ******* was
  presented with her Debt Settlement Agreement (Contract)  which outlined
  her program and associated costs in detail.  Per her contract, she
  enrolled 3 debts having aggregate balances, as of the date of enrollment,
  totaling $8,795.00.  Based on her financial ability, a monthly program
  deposit of $209.13 was established and a program length of 34 months was
  estimated *** ******* did increase her monthly program deposit to $250.00 starting
  in November 2023, in order to accept a settlement offer on one of her enrolled
  accounts.
  
  *** ******* established a dedicated special purpose account with the third-party
  payment processor, Crossroads Financial Technologies (CFT). The special purpose
  settlement account is an account into which all scheduled program deposits are
  sent and from which any settlements negotiated by Century on the client’s
  behalf and with the client’s authorization, are paid
  
  While
  our team is working to connect directly with *** *******, Century would like to
  address the concerns mentioned in her complaint. On August 20, 2024, *** ******* connected with a member of our Customer Service Team via telephone to
  review a settlement offer on her final account with Discover Bank.  The
  total funds needed for payment to Discover Bank plus Century’s earned
  settlement fee was $3,677.50. At the time of that review, the balance in her CFT
  account was $789.15. It was reviewed with *** ******* that additional funds in
  the amount of $2,888.35 would be needed to accept the settlement offer and
  complete her Century Program. She successfully deposit the $2,888.35 to
  complete this action.
  Discover
  Bank structured the settlement to be paid over 3 months as opposed to a lump
  sum. Therefore, Century did initiate a first payment on August 29, 2024 and
  collected our contractual earned settlement fee.  This transaction left a
  remaining CFT balance of $1,877.00.  It is not Century’s typical practice
  to stop a client’s program deposits manually unless specifically requested.
  Once all payments are submitted to a creditor and all fees are collected, the
  program is considered completed and finalized.  At that time, all future deposits
  are systematically stopped and any excess funds remaining in the clients CFT
  account are returned to the client’s bank account on file. The fees for the
  program are known and agreed to upfront before the contract is executed. 
  Century in no way benefits from a client depositing excess funds, as those
  funds are always returned to the client.
  
  Because
  the deposits were still active, *** ******* did have a program deposit
  scheduled on 09/05/2024. Those funds, assuming they cleared, would have been
  returned to her as it was in excess of the funds needed to resolve the existing
  structured settlement. *** ******* called Century on 09/04/2024 regarding why
  her deposit was pending for the following day.  At that point, it was too
  late for Century to be able to initiate a skip with CFT. Century requires a
  three-business days advance notice to modify a client’s program deposit as
  Century does not own or control the CFT special purpose account. In order to
  resolve the issue with *** ******* that day, the CS representative, initiated a
  refund from the her CFT reserve balance in the amount of $250.00 instead of
  allowing the pending deposit to clear and then be returned to her.  By
  doing this, the CS rep created a shortfall in the reserve balance that was
  needed in order to satisfy the remaining $1,877.00 due on the Discover Bank
  settlement.
  
  The
  timing of the settlement payment & the action taken to resolve her recurring deposit concern caused a timing gap in process that we regret. After a very successful program,
  it is not our intention to have *** *******’s completion be a less than
  satisfactory experience.   We can confirm that the final payment
  amount needed to satisfy the structured Discover Bank settlement in the amount of $1,877.00
  was issued as of 09/06/2024. Once the creditor cashes the payment, *** *******’s
  program will be completed and all remaining funds in her dedicated account will
  be returned to her.
  
  Century
  does not claim to prevent a creditor from escalated attempts.  However, if
  a creditor takes legal action against a client, Century still attempts to work
  with the law firm to establish a favorable settlement, for the client. *** ******* mentions that Century only took action on her account after she was
  sued for nonpayment. That information is inaccurate. At the time *** *******’s
  creditor decided to escalate their collection efforts and file suit against her
  for the debt, she was in an active structured settlement on one of her other
  enrolled debt accounts. The full amount of her monthly deposit was being
  applied toward that structured settlement; therefore, there were no other funds
  available in her CFT reserve account to begin active negotiations leading up to
  that collection attempt.
  
  We
  appreciate the opportunity to have assisted *** ******* on this debt relief
  journey & look forward with connecting with her to review the above. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/30/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  8/27/24 Awful experience. They told me they would close my small accounts first but instead went for my largest loan only. I contacted Century to adjust my payment schedule for the 4th time. It was incorrectly done when I stated semi-monthly the rep had it pulled bi-weekly. The agent told me I could adjust my pay schedule to split payments but I would be behind on one or more payments later in the year. To offset this and ensure I would not fall too far behind my monthly fee was increased by $70. She stated at any time the creditor can cancel my settlement if I fall too far behind. She also said, I knew If I missed a payment the agreement would go null and void. I said I didn't want to do that if it canceled the settlement. She told me not to worry about it.
  8/28/24: I got an email that my settlement was canceled by my creditor and I now owed Century $2400 for their fees. I called the creditor One Main Financial, and they stated I was making on-time payments, but oneMain did not cancel my settlement. I called Century back to cancel the program, they told me they were sending me to collections. I informed them that Century lied to me to get more money monthly and stated they had to renegotiate a new settlement. I am now paying the creditor directly. I told Century that I paid them their monthly fees and I am no longer a client. Since they lied about the cancelation I do not want to pay for the remaining fees when they did not work to settle my accounts in full. They did not do a fair debt settlement and lied to have me pay more money.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/07/2024

  This
  is a response from Century Support Services to ********* *********
  
  *** ********** is working directly with Century’s Advocate Manager to further review
  her account & experience so we can resolve the concerns mentioned in her review.
  
  *** ********** enrolled in a Century debt settlement program on 04/22/2024. 
  Per her executed Debt Settlement Agreement (contract), she enrolled 6 debts
  having aggregate balances, as of the date of enrollment, totaling $36,405.00. 
  Based on her financial ability, a program deposit of $304.56 on a bi weekly
  basis was established and a program length of 48 months was estimated. *** ********** established a dedicated special purpose account with the third-party
  payment processor, Crossroads Financial Technologies (CFT). The special purpose
  settlement account is an account into which all scheduled program deposits are
  sent and from which any settlements negotiated by Century on the client’s
  behalf and with the client’s authorization, are paid.
  
  During
  the enrollment process, clients are offered multiple deposit schedule options.
  Typically a client will select a schedule that aligns with their income pay
  schedule to ensure they have available funds.  *** ********** signed a banking agreement with
  CFT selecting a bi-weekly deposit schedule & Century performed services
  based on that authorization. We regret if there was a communication gap that
  occurred with *** ********** and our team regarding her program deposit
  schedule.
  
  When
  *** ********** enrolled into her program, a customized plan was created for her
  that would help her achieve her debt relief goals over an estimated program
  length of 48 months. Settlements can happen at various times and will depend on
  several factors, including the monthly deposit amount, the number of creditors enrolled
  on the program, and the balance of each individual account. It has been our
  experience that reaching out to creditors prior to being able to negotiate can
  have a negative impact and could potentially expedite a creditor’s collection
  practices.  Century's settlement strategy
  is outlined in *** ************ Debt Settlement Agreement.
  
  Century
  achieved a favorable settlement on *** ************ second largest enrolled
  debt. We successfully negotiated a 50% settlement at just 3 weeks into her program which provided her a
  realized savings of $3,180.00.  **** ********** mentions negotiating on
  smaller accounts; however, achieving a 50% settlement on a $13K account, maximized
  her savings.  In order for *** ********** to take advantage of that offer, at only 3 weeks into her program, Century
  negotiated this settlement into structured terms over 24 payments and
  structured the collection on our earned settlement fee into 11 payments. 
  *** ********** requested to make a change to her program deposit schedule when she was actively in this structured settlement with One Main Financial. Modifying a
  program deposit while in a settlement can potentially cause the settlement to
  become null and void if there are not enough funds in the CFT special purpose
  account to initiate the payment to the creditor & collect any applicable earned settlement fee. In the event this occurs & a payment is not initiated to the creditor, the creditor will assume the settlement agreement
  is broken and any payments that have been initiated to them towards the
  settlement will be applied to the account's balance (in full).
  
  *** ********** is correct that missing a scheduled deposit will put the settlement
  at risk.  This information is presented
  to each client inside the contract and then each time we review a settlement
  opportunity. We emailed *** ********** on 5/9/2024 the details of the
  settlement offer, payment and fee structure. The email points out the
  importance of not altering the deposit schedule and is highlighted in bold and
  blue:
  “By my
  approval, I agree to accept the terms of the settlement as described and
  authorize CrossRoadsFinancialTechnologies (CFT) to make payments in accordance
  with the payment schedule. Missing or modifying any program deposits during the
  settlement may cause the settlements to fail.”
  Our
  goal is to help a client stay the course on their program and schedule and we regret
  if this is a gap in communication with us & Ms. communicated.
  
  Century
  strives to deliver an excellent customer experience to every client & being
  transparent with all policies and workflows is part of our #DoWhatisRight core
  value. We proved the value of this program less than 1 month into *** ************ enrollment & absolutely want the opportunity to work toward a
  resolution to help *** ********** complete her debt relief goals.   We look
  forward to our scheduled phone call with her on Sept. 9th, 2024. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/20/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  The explanation of the agreement was different between the agreement I sign I signed agreement after that I read it OK I see that’s way different. That’s not the explanation it was before the agreement so I called them right away and I emailed them to cancel my account they don’t wanna cancel, and they never answer my

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/27/2024

  This
  is a response from Century Support Services to ********* * ********
  
  Our
  Customer Advocate Manager connected with *** ***** via telephone regarding the
  concern mentioned in his complaint. After a detailed explanation of the services
  that Century provides & a review of our Debt Settlement Agreement
  (contact), *** ***** felt that debt settlement was not the best debt relief option
  for him to pursue and we were able to successfully cancel his program, as
  requested. We regret if there was a gap in communication between *** ***** and
  his Certified Debt Specialist. A client has the right to cancel their program
  at any time, as outlined in their contract. At the time of cancellation, *** ***** had not yet engaged his contract with a program deposit so there are no funds in his special purpose account to return. 
  
  We
  appreciate *** ***** taking the time to speak with us and wish him the best in
  his future endeavors. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/12/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ****** *******

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/13/2024

  This is Century's response to complaint #22128744.
  We appreciate *** ******** taking the time to speak to our Senior Customer Advocate, Jennifer,
  yesterday.  We regret that the timing of her request to cancel her new program caused her frustration. *** ******** file was
  underwritten and processed within hours of her executing the Debt
  Settlement Agreement which kicked off the ‘Welcome to Century’ email
  and program guide. 
  
  When *** ******* called in to customer service on 8/9/24, our team was seeking to gain a better understanding regarding what had changed
  since enrolling into her program the day before. They wanted her to speak with a member of our Advocate team & set an appointment ticket for that interaction to occur. *** ******** hired Century to assist her with
  debt relief, as the steps she had taken had not proven successful. We always want
  to ensure that a client has a full understanding of their program and how this
  option aligns with the debt relief goals they present to us during enrollment.  In
  addition, we want to ensure they are set up for success when they exit the
  program. *** ******** program deposit was not set to process until 8/23/2024, so no
  funds were deposited into her special purpose account.  
  
  We wish her the best in her future endeavors.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/26/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below. I was told by more than 1 employee that I had extra money after all accounts were settled. I demand that my money be credited to my account. The numbers in the response by century are not accurate. 
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ***** ******

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/04/2024

  This
  is a response from Century Support Services to ********* *********
  
  Our
  Customer Advocate Manager has been in communication with *** ****** regarding
  the concern mentioned in his complaint.
  
  *** ****** enrolled in a Century Legal Group debt settlement program on
  01/03/2022.  Per his executed Client Retainer Agreement (contract), he
  enrolled 11 debts having aggregate balances, as of the date of enrollment,
  totaling $30,174.00.  Based on his financial ability, a monthly program
  deposit of $518.51 was established and a program length of 48 months was
  estimated. *** ****** did remove one of his enrolled accounts in February 2023,
  leaving a total of 10 enrolled accounts.
  
  *** ****** is 30 months into his estimated 48-month program. He is correct that he
  has been consistent with depositing into his settlement reserve account
  (special purpose account). With those funds, Century successfully negotiated
  favorable settlements on 5 of the enrolled debts. *** ****** was recently approved
  for a program acceleration loan with a lender, Loanosity & deposited those
  funds into his special purpose account. This allowed Century to expedite
  negotiation efforts and we were able to negotiate and obtain favorable
  settlements on his 5 remaining enrolled debts plus initiate payoffs on 2 active
  structured settlements. To date, 4 of the 5 accounts have been paid as agreed
  with 1 account is “pending settlement”.  Century is still waiting to receive the
  settlement offer in writing from Makwa Finance account ending in 4667. We
  typically do not initiate payment on a settlement until we receive the written offer from the
  creditor, as this ensures we have proof that the creditor is accepting the
  settlement. The settlement letter is a layer of protection for the client.
  Should the creditor ever attempt to collect on this debt, that letter along
  with the proof of payments shows the client’s obligation has been satisfied
  
  In
  early July, *** ****** called to speak to our customer service team about his
  upcoming completion from the program. The payoff needed for his program took
  into consideration the amount *** ****** was depositing from his loan plus the balance
  in his special purpose account. When our representative reviewed this
  information with *** ******, he did not fully read the notes to see that those special
  purpose reserve funds were allocated to address the final account settlement
  with Makwa Finance and indicated that upon completion of the program, the
  client would receive a refund of any funds remaining in his special purpose
  account.  We regret the gap in communication and have coached the representative
  on the gap in his training.
  
  Our
  Senior Customer Advocate Manager explained to *** ****** that the remaining
  $1,508.04 balance in his reserve account are the funds allocated to satisfy the
  negotiated settlement agreement for Makwa Finance, for which *** ****** has
  already authorized and they are expecting the payment. Century has provided *** ****** with a full account detail showing all deposited funds & the
  allocation of all disbursements. If Century were to refund the balance in *** ******** reserve account, there would not be funds to satisfy the settlement
  agreement with Makwa Finance & they could escalate their collection
  workflow.
  
  We
  encourage *** ****** to continue his communication with our Advocate Manager, as
  we are working to finalize his program. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/18/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I enrolled in a debt settlement program for the main reason of settling 2 large loans. The length of the program was supposed to be two years (I believe it's exceeded that). They negotiated one loan but haven't even contacted the other large loan. I pay over $700 a month for their services and all it has done for me is damage my credit. Their bright financial advise was to stop paying my debts so they could settle with them. I was paying all my minimums and my credit was over 700, following their advise caused missed payments on my credit (that will haunt me for 7 years) and my credit to plummet to about 480. If your credit is going to suffer for 7 years anyway, you are better off filing bankruptcy and saving a fortune than dealing with these clowns.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/25/2024

  This is a response from Century Support Services to Complaint *********
  
  
  Our Senior Customer Advocate Manager has not been successful in her multiple attempts to reach *** ***** via phone or email with hopes to address the concerns mentioned in his complaint. While we continue our attempts to reach him, there are a few claims *** ***** makes that Century would like to address.
  
  In his complaint, *** ***** states that he was supposed to be enrolled for 2 years and he feels he has exceeded that time. That statement is incorrect. To date, *** ***** is currently 14 months into his estimated 48-month program. He enrolled in a Century Legal Group debt settlement program on 05/04/2023.  Per his executed Client Retainer Agreement (contract), he enrolled 9 debts having aggregate balances, as of the date of enrollment, totaling $41,830.00.  Based on his financial ability, a bi-weekly program deposit of $355.18 was established and a program length of 48 months was estimated.
  
  *** ***** claims that at the time of his enrollment, his credit score was over 700. According to our records, that is not accurate. At the time of enrollment, *** ***** authorized his Certified Debt Specialist to complete a soft pull of his credit which provides his current score and a list of all debt accounts. That credit pull shows *** ***** had a credit score of 595. The primary goal of this debt settlement program is to negotiate settlement agreements for less than full balances so the client can achieve a favorable resolution on the account and work toward achieving better financial health. With this program, the client is reducing the debt balances in a very strategic timeframe; however, in a program where debt settlement and negotiation are the basis of resolving your unsecured debt, successful programs will need the accounts to become past due. Most clients that are entering our program are already struggling to keep up with their debt-to-income ratio. Their monthly debts, high interest rates, late fees, etc are keeping them from getting ahead.  Our goal is to focus on negotiating new deals with the creditors for less than the balance the client currently owes.  Once this is accomplished, the client is then in a better position to begin to focus on rebuilding their purchasing power.
  
  Century was able to successfully negotiate a favorable settlement on *** *****’ second largest enrolled debt account within his first month of being enrolled on the program which provided him with a realized savings of $2,600.00.  To date, Century has successfully negotiated settlements on 3 of *** *****' enrolled accounts with a total realized savings of $3,300.00. At 14 months into a 48-month program, the program is on track with successful outcomes to celebrate.
  
  Settlements can happen at various times and will depend on several factors, including your monthly deposit amount, the number of creditors you have enrolled, and the balance of each individual account. It has been our experience that reaching out to creditors prior to being able to negotiate can have a negative impact and actually expedite the collection practices. Century's settlement strategy was made clear in *** *****’ Client Retainer Agreement.
  5. Settlement of Client’s Debts – Timing and Amount of Settlement Offers. If you authorize Firm to perform debt settlement services, Firm begins contacting Your Creditors as soon as We determine that a good faith offer to settle a given debt, whether on a lump-sum or installment basis, may be accepted, with such determinations dependent upon factors such as the Creditor’s settlement policies, the amount and the rate of funds accumulating in the Special Purpose Account, the size of each debt and how close a debt may be to charge-off. Some Creditors prefer that they not be contacted until You have accumulated sufficient funds in Your Special Purpose Account to allow a negotiated resolution within their historic norms. While settlement guidelines differ widely among creditors, in the Firm’s experience an accumulation of 25% of the then-current balance of a debt will normally enable Us to make a good-faith offer to settle that debt. Further, in the Firm’s experience, it typically takes approximately 45-120 days before reaching the stage at which We can begin reaching out to Your Creditors or collectors and achieve Your first settlement. If You have multiple debts, Firm typically will make a settlement offer to the next Creditor within 3-6 months of the prior debt being settled and after You have saved at least 25% of the debt due to that next Creditor.
  
  We regret that *** ***** is not satisfied with the success of his program. We encourage him to return our calls to further discuss the concerns mentioned in his complaint.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/17/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  They took money from my account on a day I didn't authorize which caused my bank account to be overdrawn. I told them to take payments out on my paydays witch is Friday the 19 and they took the money out on the 17 now I'm left totally broke and going to have overdraft fees till my paycheck goes in. I canceled there services I want my money back and I want them to pay any overdraft fees that occurs from them taking money when not authorized by me

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/23/2024

  This is a response from Century Support Services to ********* *********

  Our Customer Advocate Manager has made attempts to reach
  *** **** both by phone and via email with hopes to address the concerns
  mentioned in his complaint. *** **** has not responded to our communications.
  
  Upon entering into his Century Program, *** ****
  established his dedicated settlement account in his name with the third-party
  processor, Crossroads Financial Technologies (CFT).  The special purpose
  settlement account is the account into which a client makes program deposits
  and from which any settlement payments negotiated by Century on the client’s
  behalf and with the client’s authorization are facilitated. All clients are
  provided with a Banking Agreement during the enrollment which includes the date
  of the first deposit along with the scheduled frequency of the deposit
  schedule.  
  We regret if there was a gap in communication regarding
  the date for the first program deposit. Our intention is to understand the
  client's budget and create a deposit schedule that will be successful. In
  review of the enrollment call, *** **** & the Certified Debt Specialist
  were trying to align program deposits as close as possible to *** ****'s
  biweekly paycheck as a key factor for a program to be successful is consistent
  program deposits. Part of the customized plan created for a client includes
  selecting a deposit schedule that is in line with a client’s pay frequency to
  ensure the consistency and ability to deposit into their program.
  
  Clients need funds available in their
  special purpose account in order for Century to negotiate settlements. We do not earn a settlement fee until we do the work for
  our clients. When we successfully negotiate a settlement on our client’s behalf
  & they accept the settlement and a first payment is initiated to the
  creditor, only then have we earned the right to collect the full earned
  settlement fee. 
  
  We would really like the opportunity to connect with *** **** to further review his concerns and provide a resolution regarding the
  overdraft fees he has received. We encourage him to return our calls.