Consumer Portfolio Services review: Harassing phone calls! ( 7 comments)

First of all my friend... I totally agree with 100%. I won't go into lengthy details about my experiences with CPS (I could pretty much copy and paste pieces of everyones story..and viola... there's mine). Before I give some useful tips, let me boil it down... CPS believes that just because people have poor credit, must mean that they aren't that bright (which we all know is wrong). Now don't necessarly blame the person you're talking to (they're playing a role... blame the higher ups). The job of the representative you're talking to is to get you rattled enough to find some way/some how to get them the money you owe. The methods they use are illegal... but because they know they most likely dealing with people who would have difficulty aquiring proof and to mount a proper legal defense, they feel they have carte' blanche.

Here is some simple yet effective tips to deal with these vultures:
1. Do not do post dated checks ever! It is illegal, and not only that, they have been known to wait an extra day or two to cash it so they can garner late fees.

2. Do not pay by credit card, direct deposit from your checking account, or check (gives them information to your account). Pay only by Money Order or Wire Transfer (Money Gram is the best one because they charge less than Western Union to process, receive code for CPS is 3155). By doing this you not only have a written record for yourself, but one that if necessary can be accessed from a neutral third party. Also the money is automtically sent to your account, no processing time.

3. If they do call you at work, hang up. They skirt very close to the edge of breaking the law by doing this. There is no law saying you have to accept there calls or talk to them. Politely inform them that you do not accept calls at work, and that should they wish to discuss this matter, to call you at your home anytime after you get out of work (make sure you do mention what time that would be, but also add in the time it takes to get home).

4. Make a record of every phone call they make to you (and if possible, to your references). In your record, list the date, time, length of call, name of representative, and what was said during the conversation. You could also record the phone call (now that would put the fear of God into them...lol), however if you do, make sure you inform them at the beginning of the call that you will be recording this call for your personal reference (you have to, otherwise the recording is useless according to Federal as well as State laws, depending on your state).

5. If you want to file a complaint, the best places are the Federal Trade Commission, Your state attorney generals office, and the California Attorney Generals Office (CPS is based in Irvine, CA). You could also try the Better Business Bureau...but in my experience, as well as what I have read of others...it's just a waste of time.

6. If you or they offer to make any arrangement, then make sure you talk to their supervisor before agreeing (the representative does not the final authority in any deal, if anything else remember that). Also state that before you make any payment, you want the deal sent to you in writing on their letter head, signed by the department head (whom I believe is Chris Terry..and also the one you need to talk to in regards to finalizing any deal made).

On a final note: The FDCA does not appy to CPS (only to third party lenders, CPS is the actual lender), and in dealing with them: KEEP YOUR COOL... don't lose your temper, remember they are only trying to get you riled up. If you send them any letters, make sure it sent delivery confirmation and as well as having them sign for it.

I can't stand these people. There is no way to talk to a person when you call, I have sent them numerous letters to the correspondence address they give you with no avail. So far they have called about every dept leaving messages for me. I don't call them back. When given the message at work, I tell them next time tell them I was fired because of numerous phone calls from the. I have told them if they don't like when I pay the bill, then change it! I can't even believe they even accepted me for a loan that was $12,000 more than what the car was worth. The dealer I bought it from took no refunds, told me to refinance ASAP or trade it in after two months. They knew they screwed me. So take my advice... never deal with Thrifty Car Sales, especially in Clearwater, Florida.

wow, I had trouble with them today. First of all they claim I'm two months behind, but I have the Western Union receipts showing I paid. So they called me threatening me with repo. They told me if the payment was over 30 days late there system automatically turns it over to their repo company? I tried to work out payments and keep getting hung up on and put off on different people. I will never do business with these people again.!

These people should not be in business! they are the worst company to ever have a car loan through. i was behind in my payments and made a double payment in june, they still have that i owe for june. then my car was totaled and my insurance company is working on paying off the balance. these people called me at my place of employment the manager of the "legal" department told me that i was ignorant! and then she refused to give me her name, i asked her what kind of customer service is this and she said i lost my customer service when i did not pay my car payment. then she told me she will see me in court to garnish my wages, where she hung up on me. what kind of people do they have employed here. i then called back trying to get her name no one would give me her name and i was transferred to her where she once again hung up on me. i really just dont understand how these people can do this. they are violating so many FTC acts. I have told them over and over and sent letters to not call me at my place of employment and they still do! somehow legal action again this place needs to start they cant treat people that way even if you have bad credit the whole freaking country has bad credit! and i hope they do take me to court because i will have much evidence to prove they were wrong and i intend on getting the recorded conversations this poor excuse of a woman and employee had with me.

I have to agree with everyone about cps. I got so fedup about all the calls that I just told them to come to get the car.Because of CPS, they made me hate driving the car. I had a debt company helping me pay off my bills and they tried to tell me that they didnot have to work with. I will never get a car with them again.

in 2005 I was ran over by a potato truck(Dangers of being in Idaho I guess) I am sick of companies like this. Its about time we bite back.

I'm going thru CPS this is my very first time getting financed for a vehicle they got me at 25% and $674 a month payments I just lost my job I made payments even over payment thinking it would or could apply to the next payment due question is can I refinance my loan thru another place and what can I do to get my car back can I trade it in if I refinance my auto loan thru another lender can I get my car back after repo