I was wildly misled by Level Debt about what I was signing up for and I want everyone to understand the lasting negative impact that their scam has had on my financial future:
The language Gentry used on the call explaining the debt settlement process made it seem as if Chase Bank was doing something illegal by charging me so much interest on my credit card account. What I was led to believe was that Level Debt was assuming control of my account and settling with Chase. At no point in time was it explained to me that what was actually happening was I was letting my credit card DEFAULT, the debt written off as "bad debt" and subject to settlement.
My credit card account with Chase bank and Wells Fargo was closed, which nobody told me would happen, along with the other two lines of credit with Chase that I always paid off fully and carried no balance on. That credit from the bank was MY ONLY SAFETY NET in case of emergencies. Now I am ineligible for credit with Chase, and probably most other banks. I have no liquidity in the event of a personal emergency now.
In addition to this, my credit score, which was in the 760 range before I signed on with Level Debt, is now in the 570 range. From great credit to poor credit in one foul swoop. This default will stay on my credit report for YEARS. Level Debt claimed the "impact to your credit is temporary." This characterization of the impact to my credit report was hugely misleading. I am now going to be paying even higher interest rates on ALL forms of lending (car, home, etc) over the next 7 years due to the default with Chase.
My car is on its last legs. When I go to apply for a car loan with a 570 score, I'm going to get horrible interest rate offers that might cost me hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Again, my credit and credit score were my only safety nets, and Level Debt quickly undid years of hard work making regular, on-time payments to build great credit. It's a terrifying prospect.
I am losing sleep and so, so anxious because I have no recourse with the bank now. I've spent hours on the phone with Chase customer service explaining the ways I was misled by this company into defaulting on my card. From A-to-Z I feel I was scammed - from the threatening, official piece of mail I received indicating penalties for failing to respond to you to the advice from Brandi that I just needed to take a "leap of faith" with Level Debt to settle my account. No customer service agent with Chase has been able to help me get out of the hole Level Debt dug for me.
I was advised by Chase bank to file a police report. I will also be reporting the agency to the better business bureau and posting this review on all relevant sites. read more