Consumer reviews and reports on scam companies, bad products and services
Financial Knowledge Network
Financial Knowledge Network, Lauri Kallams Pushy Sales Piches, Kissinigly Sweet, Aggressive, Allowing no time to think, wouldn't take no for an answe
7th of Jun, 2011 by User328148

Red-flag Number One: Financial Knowledge Network called me over and over and left messages on my house and cell phones. I generally do not answer phone numbers I do not recognize especially since I have been recovering from a major concussion a little over a year ago... but these guys kept calling and calling. Each time they called the number was from a different state, in fact I had learned to recognize them calling because of this fact. When I was getting a call from a state where I did not know anyone personally and my caller ID did not recognize the call, then I knew it was a sales pitch about lowering my interest rates on my credit cards. The messages they left sounded appealing at first... but the longer they went on, the more the tone of these messages was changing. I was getting sick of the large number of these calls, and I was on vacation with some extra time on my hands, plus I was interested in lowering my interest rates... so I answered one of the calls. The voice message was very aggressive in nature, stating that they had called me several times and I had not responded and that this was my last chance to get this deal... suddenly I found myself "brow beaten" into pushing the number the message instructed me to push to be able to talk to someone in person. Red-flag Number Two: A voice immediately came on to speak to me, but the connection was bad, I could barely hear that someone was trying to talk to me but I could not really make out what they were saying. Eventually I hung up. A moment later I received a new phone call. I few minutes later the connection was accidentally cut off, she called me back immediately again. She seemed almost desperate to talk to me and quickly gave me the name Financial Knowledge Network, Lauri Kallams, 1-877-572-4661, just in case we got cut off again. It became obvious very fast that she wanted to work with me right then, allowing no time for me to think. Red-flag Number Three: As soon as it became clear that I was investing the time to listen to her, she became kissingly sweet in her demeanor. She explained that they wanted to help reduce my interest rates. She made it sound like they were some sort of public non profit organization, and she explained that my name had been submitted because I had a lot of credit card debt, yet I had shown how responsible a consumer I had been because all my credit was in good standing. She kept going over and over how I had no late payments or delinquent accounts, etc. She sympathized how high my interest rates were and how mean it was that those credit card companies were charging me so much interest. Red-flag Number Four: She wanted to know how much my credit card debt was. I wondered to myself why she would not have already known this because she had just been talking about how good my credit history was, didn't she already have that information from some report or something? Red-flag Number Five: I told her an approximate amount of overall debt and she instantly said that she could save me $15,000 a year in interest rates. Again, I wondered to myself how she could possibly have come up with this figure without figuring in exactly how much debt I had at exactly what interest rate... compared to whatever interest rate that debt could possibly have been lowered to. Red-flag Number Six: She then wanted to verify my eligibility for the program.... but earlier she had said that the reason she had called me was because I qualified for her program. Isn't being eligible and being qualified the same thing? Why would she need to do this again? Red-flag Number Seven: She wanted the 800 number off the backside of one of my credit cards. She had told me that they wanted to lower the interest rate on all my cards but now she was only talking about needing one of my cards, it didn't matter which one, but it had to be one that was in good standing. She wouldn't take American Express, saying it had to be Visa or Master Card. She wanted me to have the actual card in my hand but when I was having trouble finding a card she said that she could use a statement if we had to, but it would be harder. She contradicted herself again when she agreed to take Discover card instead of Visa or MC. I gave her the 800 number for the Discover Card. She then wanted the exact name and then the expiration date. Red-flag Number Eight: She then wanted the account number from the front of the credit card. I said that I was leery about giving her that because I was trying to remember what numbered you were not supposed to give out over the phone because of possible problems... she immediately changed her demeanor and jumped right in with an explanation of why the number was needed.... they just wanted to verify that I was eligible for their program, I didn't have to worry about a thing, I should just trust her! Red-flag Number Nine: I said that I was uncomfortable giving out the number and I had changed my mind and before I could finish my sentences I found her aggressively repeating how I shouldn't go when suddenly a male voice came on who spoke my name very loudly repeatedly until I responded. He then said he was her supervisor and he had come on because apparently I was having some reservations about their services. He wanted to convince me how important it was that I continue to talk with them. Red-flag Number Ten: He told me that the only reason they had contacted me was because the credit card companies had given them my name, so there was no concern as the credit card companies wanted me to talk to them to see if they could help me out. I thought, why would a credit card company want to lower my interest rate... and if they did want to do such a thing why would they not contact me directly? Red-flag Number Eleven: I told him that this was getting two much for me to deal with right now and I would think about it, but I wanted them to stop calling me, so take me off their list and please do not call again. He got louder and more aggressive about wanting to help me... he was not going to take no for an answer. I finally said I was going to hang up now. He practically shouted at me not to hang up. I repeated that I wanted him to take my phone number off his list and to stop calling me. He would not agree to do that, and just kept telling me why I should not hang up. Finally I hung up. Red-flag Number Twelve: He had gotten so loud and aggressive at the end, I found myself just sitting there kind of traumatized wondering if I had given up too much information.... when I suddenly had a flashback to another time, right after my concussion. The concussion had caused all sorts of memory and confusion issues, which I now realize I am still having to deal with. In this previous encounter, it was only after I gave out my credit card number that I was told that it would cost me over a thousand dollars for their services. When I protested the person had sounded just like that man, aggressively telling me that if they were going to save me so much money then didn't they deserve making a little money for their services? I realized that I had made a mistake and I dialed the credit card number on the other phone while he was still talking on and on.... I didn't hang up on him until I had the actual credit card operator on the other phone, in which case I told her what had just happened and she canceled my card on the spot and issued me a new one. I now realize that I have been marked as an easy target by these companies.
Comments
4621 days ago by Rabbitlady
Hi. I felt I needed to file a complaint similiar to same ones thru Financial Knowledge Network. I too, am a victim. I still am not sure if they are legal or scam, but the more I read about complaints about them, the more I am leery of them. Why isn't anything being done to shut them down? I got the welcome package in mail from them. As I read the papers, I came upon one that really makes me question them more. Why would they need my signature to give them permission to take $399 out of my one credit card when they had already took it out? I didn't feel it would be right to sign it and send it back for them to possibly charge my credit card for another $399 or more? Then they called about 3 days later and the guy was all ready to take more information to start my credit card interest rate reduction but he needed myfull social security number which I asked him, I thought I had already gave that on first call. He said no, only my last 4 numbers thay had. I asked him, why is there so many negative complaints about them online from other people who complaint about being ripped off? He said "Oh, we had another company that merged from them and they are doing all the bad stuffs." Then I asked him why are they not listed under Better Business Bureau> He said oh, it must have been taken off because of this other merged company. It seems these guys are so slick, they have an answer for everything. Than I asked him about this 3 rd party part in the letter that they would not be responsible, and if expenses arises out of that, we, the clients would be responsible for it. He didn't know what I was talking about so he put me on hold and went to look up the clause in the paperwork. He said oh, that is in case there is a need for other services, but it would be no other costs like he told me, the $399 is a one-time fee and all we pay. I don't like the idea of a 3rd party might possibly be involved. Then he asked me to send all of my credit cards statements from all my credit cards company and I told him, I don't think I feel comfortable with that idea! Besides, I told him if they are working with the credit bureaus, they should have all the information right there> he said he brings it up, on screen, nothing comes up . Anyways, I told him, I let that credit card company know about the $399 charge which the credit card co. monitored my account and sent me a letter saying it wasn't charged but they did charged it, after the credit card co. concluded their investigation on the very same day, that charge went thru!!! How could they have missed it? Also, I told the guy, I think I want to cancel out as I saw where you have the rights to cancel, he put me on hold to find a manger to speak to me. After about 5 minutes, he told me all the managers are currently busy and that they would call me back later. Well, they did that evening, but I wasn't home so my answering machine took the message. I never did call them as I don't want to be pushed into still going ahead and them talking me out of cancelling. These guys are very pushy and won't take no for an answer. Please do more through investigation on these people and protect us innocent people who may fall prey to these people. I still have yet, to work with my credit card co. to try to make sense of all this and protect me from further charges. Thank goodness, I didn't give them too much information where I might have saved myself, but for some, they are not as lucky. Is there a way, the 3 credit bureaus and Better Business Bureaus can check these people out? Don't let that merged company bit fool you. Thanks.
4608 days ago by Mmaloney5
I just got the same call, luckily I said I had to call them back because I was going into a meeting, which would give me time to do some research on the company and I'm so glad you had posted your experience. Thanks for taking the time to write. This should be illegal.
4594 days ago by Anonymous
I just got the call as well, I told them the same thing- that I'd have to call them back. Seriously!
4593 days ago by Lp1368
this company is a scam i have recently posted this where is my complaint, this company should be shut down. i worked for them for four days in that time i learned that all the employees, and thats what they are, they try to say you are a 1099 contractor but you dont fall under that guide lines and if they let you go by the third day they say they dont have to pay you, so illegal.every employee that works there has to take there checks to a check cashing store because there checks bounce. why hasnt bank america shut there account down the hiring managers name is less, and the room managers name is bruce. the states attorneys office needs to shut this place down 14001 63rd way its either largo or clearwater florida, be worned if u go there and are let go you will not receive a paycheck,

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