monarch legal group complaints

/Resources 221 0 R In 2010, the Federal Trade Commission issued a final rule amending the Telemarketing Sales Rule, 16 CFR Part 310, to regulate debt relief companies that use telemarketing to contact potential consumers or receive calls in response to mailers and other advertisements. /Type /Page endobj /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] /Rotate 0 1-877-450-8853, Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value. /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] /Parent 11 0 R << Specifically, Defendants ignore consumers financial situations and seemingly do not care whether consumers can realistically finish their payment program. 28 0 obj /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] /Rotate 0 2023, International Association of Better Business Bureaus, Inc., separately incorporated Better Business Bureau organizations in the US, Canada and Mexico and BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, Inc. All rights reserved. Amount Settled: $0.00. It also requires debt relief companies to make several disclosures about their services, including how long it will take to get results, how much it will cost, and the negative consequences that could result. In other instances, Defendants assure consumers that Defendants will handle the litigation and, when an attorney fails to appear, the court enters a default judgment against the consumer. endobj Monarch Media Group endobj /Resources 237 0 R Defendants legal fees also reinforce the deception that attorneys will be performing the debt settlement work, including by representing consumers in court. Second, the policy relieves Defendants from refund obligations for any debts that become[] subject to a lawsuit during representation. Many creditors sue Monarch consumers to recover money owed. 14 0 obj | Read 41-42 Reviews out of 42. /Contents [98 0 R 99 0 R 100 0 R] After the first 22 months, over 53% of this consumers payments were earmarked as going to the Service Cost.. /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] << >> /CropBox [0 0 612 792] On information and belief and as described more fully below, Strategic and Monarch jointly operate the debt settlement program. 35 0 obj endobj >> Employee and customer online reviews suggest that Strategic works with as many as ten law firms:. /Annots [] 34 0 obj Everything you need to know about man who became heir to British throne 71 years ago 1. According to employee reviews on Glassdoor, Strategic Financial Services asks its employees to post falsified positive reviews to cover up the truthful negative ones: Reviewers on Better Business Bureau and Google also concluded that Defendants positive reviews are inaccurate. Monarch BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. WebMonarch Legal has completely shut me down. /Resources 89 0 R 225 ILCS 429/125(c). /Contents [270 0 R 271 0 R 272 0 R] << endobj Monarchlegalgroup Reviews | Read Customer Service /CropBox [0 0 612 792] Current and former Strategic employees have noted that Monarchs and Strategics practices confuse consumers. Be the first one to write one. By an Act of Congress and the President of the United States, Monarch Legal Group, is a federally designated Debt Relief Agency. /Resources 169 0 R Defendants make these representations in order to secure consumers participation in their debt resolution program. /Contents [230 0 R 231 0 R 232 0 R] >> These firms push consumers to enroll in programs with significant advance fees. Voice your opinion today and hear what 47 customers have already said. /Resources 97 0 R /Parent 12 0 R /Rotate 0 >> It is not a lawyer referral service or prepaid legal services plan. endobj 8 0 obj /Resources 213 0 R We would greatly appreciate any guidance that we need to do at this point to recoup our money paid to them (almost 3 years worth). /Contents [262 0 R 263 0 R 264 0 R] >> In examples the City has seen, Defendants collected the entire Service Cost less than halfway into consumers payment schedules. Fax (877) 300-6215. I was a victim of Monarch and I filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy as a result of trusting them. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. /Parent 11 0 R See 815 ILCS 505/2JJJ. To further reduce the likelihood of providing legal representation, Monarchs retainer agreements place severe restrictions on the provisions of those services. /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] Defendants have also completely neglected to administer the settlement. The agreement included small monthly payments of $15 to $30 (to be allocated from the consumers monthly payments to Defendants), but each payment accrued a Settlement Payment Fee of $10. The Cohn Law /Annots [] << /Annots [] Defendants charge a slew of other fees, including a Retainer Fee and a monthly flat Legal Administration Fee. In the contracts viewed by the City, Defendants Retainer Fee was $995 and the monthly Legal Administration Fee ranged from $55 to $89. Defendants also assume the same settlement rate for all consumers without regard to the amount or type of consumers debts (for example, whether the bill has been sent to collections). The following example from a Chicago consumer illustrates Defendants failure to provide legal advice related to a settlement. /Type /Page /Parent 12 0 R >> What Are Your Spending Habits? 19 0 obj The attorney did not appear in the proceeding and the creditor received a default judgment against the consumer. /Annots [] << Second, Monarch attorneys apparently do not provide legal services or representation in bankruptcy cases. Reg. Disclosures Required Under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. /Parent 4 0 R << /Resources 233 0 R I contracted with Monarch Legal on Feb., 2020 because I was unable to pay all of my credit card debts from a serious drop in my /Filter /FlateDecode /Parent 8 0 R /Rotate 0 In exchange for the advertised services, Defendants charge significant up-front costs and monthly fees. That law requires debt settlement companies to register with the state and restricts practices likely to harm consumers. Webaction complaint against Defendants Strategic Financial Solutions, LLC (SFS), its subsidiary LLC d/b/a Monarch Legal Group (Monarch), receive a percentage of monthly charges paid by the client to SFSs billing processor (generally between 3% and 10%), with the lions share going to SFS. /Type /Page /Resources 157 0 R Categories Blog For businesses. They answer my questions promptly and accurately. b. >> /CropBox [0 0 612 792] /Resources 161 0 R We agreed to make payments for representation and assistance. /Rotate 0 /Parent 12 0 R >> Lessons Learned. /Contents [182 0 R 183 0 R 184 0 R] /CropBox [0 0 612 792] /Contents [266 0 R 267 0 R 268 0 R] 46 0 obj /Resources 117 0 R >> /Resources 269 0 R /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] /Resources 133 0 R /Annots [] Its deceiving, unethical and gives the Industry and the legitimate companies a black eye. /Parent 10 0 R WebReview your credit report. /CropBox [0 0 612 792] endobj endobj /Resources 85 0 R City of Chicago Goes After Strategic Financial Solutions We are seeing this action a lot more lately, Im surprised it was just the City of Chicago and not the CFPB or the FTC. At the completion of the program the consumer would have paid between $500 to $800 in fees. /Rotate 0 Burnette is well aware of the harms his company causes through its deceptive and unfair practices. /Parent 8 0 R A customer representative then told the consumer that Monarch could not guarantee that a lawyer would be available to represent the consumer at the hearing. On all seven occasions concerning settlements for three separate consumers, Ricky Fakhouri approved a settlement and wrote the same vague phrase: Approved: Reviewed original amt, current amt, settlement amt. If you choose to do business with this business, please let the business know that you contacted BBB for a BBB Business Profile. /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] Significantly, consumers pay legal fees even if Monarch refuses to provide those services. 15 0 obj >> /Resources 101 0 R We each had to appear in court on our own because one of their attorneys could not be present. Defendants to change their business practices and would likely result in diminished profit. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles. After accounting for Defendants various fees, consumers end up paying only a small amount into their reserves for settlement of their debts. After working with them all these time, in which I have paid the total of $15,216.90 to the company plus $2,800 I paid directly to one of the creditors, BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. >> /Contents [102 0 R 103 0 R 104 0 R] They help people file for relief under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. /Contents [198 0 R 199 0 R 200 0 R] Monarch also requires that payments in the client`s account be up to date. In the scripted presentations that third-party notaries and paralegals make to prospective clients, the representatives state that [t]he law firm is prepared to do what is necessary to represent you, and, if appropriate, defend you against creditor or collector lawsuits. The script also instructs representatives to state that legal fees for your defense are covered by your retainer payments.. << /Parent 9 0 R FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS EASTERN /Parent 11 0 R Defendants Trick Consumers into Believing that Attorneys Will Negotiate their Debt Settlements, When that Work is Actually Performed by Non-Lawyer Contractors. In a previous phone call, a representative said Monarch would resolve the lawsuit to avoid garnishment. /Contents [162 0 R 163 0 R 164 0 R] /Contents [118 0 R 119 0 R 120 0 R] Another consumer wrote: I requested a refund because no work had been done. - 1:22-cv-03705 The City of Chicago filed a lawsuit against Strategic Financial Solutions, Burnette Legal Group, Timothy Burnette, and Monarch Legal Group on July 26, 2022. << After the entry of judgment, Defendants negotiated a settlement. The same can happen to you! One day I received in the mail, a personal loan offer. << /Resources 249 0 R /Rotate 0 66 0 obj 53 0 obj /Type /Page endobj endobj /CropBox [0 0 612 792] /Type /Page The State of Illinois sued Legal Helpers and its principals for similar consumer-protection violations in 2012. >> How BBB Processes Complaints and Reviews. 29 0 obj Over the course of 2 years, I sent Monarch almost $1200 per month and I stopped paying my cards as they instructed me to do. Mr. Robert G. Androsiglio, Founding Managing Partner. https://getoutofdebt.org//20126/how-to-try-to-get-refund-from-debt-relief-company. The consumer signed a settlement agreement requiring significant monthly payments, which the consumer understood would come from his account with Defendants. The Act prohibits charging any type of fee other than set up or enrollment fee of no more than $50, and a settlement fee in certain circumstances. /Annots [] Whether youre dealing with threats of foreclosure, wage garnishment, creditor harassment or excessive debt, the experienced team at Monarch Legal Group can help you get your finances back on track. endobj I asked several times to make sure I understood correctly the proposal of the program- the calls were recorded, they said yes, in 24 moths you will be out of debt and your credit score would not get affected. Amount in Dispute: $8,600.00 >> /Type /Page I accept the offer and signed a contract on June of 2020 with Monarch legal group. << Consumers have no recourse if the program is taking more time than promised or, after relying on Defendants misleading estimates, consumers find themselves unable to make their payments. endobj << /Kids [45 0 R 46 0 R 47 0 R 48 0 R 49 0 R 50 0 R 51 0 R 52 0 R 53 0 R 54 0 R] The Rule prohibits debt relief companies from charging fees before settling or resolving a consumer debt. /Rotate 0 /Type /Page /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] 21 0 obj WebView customer complaints of Monarch Legal Group, BBB helps resolve disputes with the services or products a business provides. For example, Monarch reserves the right to refuse to provide legal defense services if the client does not submit all pages of the summons, complaint, exhibits, and pleadings to Monarch, and requires submission within 15 or 7 days, depending on the state. Answer your financial questions. /Resources 125 0 R /Type /Page /Length 445 endobj /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] << 48 0 obj /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] endobj The text of the call script for Option 1 Legal and for Monarch are the same, except for the law firm name. Based on information and belief, attorneys affiliated with Monarch rubberstamp all settlements, do not supervise the non-lawyer debt negotiators, and do not give reasoned legal advice to consumers about whether to accept a settlement. /Contents [178 0 R 179 0 R 180 0 R] WebMonarch Recovery Management is a collection agency based in Pennsylvania. /Resources 177 0 R /CropBox [0 0 612 792] /Annots [] Categories Blog For businesses. These requirements include, for example: a. | Read 21-40 Reviews out of 44 Outrage by companies that remain silent does not equal action to protect good companies or debt relief help for consumers that need reputable help. In which an option of consolidating all my unsecured debt into a single monthly payment was advertised. Defendants documents reveal that attorneys approve settlements that non- attorney Strategic employees have negotiated without significant review. Both these promises appear in the Payment Schedule section of Monarchs retainer agreements. Although one section of Monarchs nearly 40-page agreement states that third parties may perform some work related to the program, it later explains that Monarch has a non-exclusive reciprocal referral agreement with independent contractors to provide what it calls non-legal services related to the implementation, management, and maintenance of Clients debt negotiation plan. Monarchs agreement and other promotional materials misrepresent the truth: non-lawyers at Strategic do not merely provide some administrative services, they carry out Monarchs debt resolution service. The Ultimate Consumer Guide to Checking Out a Debt Relief Company Before You Sign On the Line, These Private Student Loans Can Be Easily Discharged in Bankruptcy, Top 10 Reasons You Should Stop Paying Your Unaffordable Private Student Loan. /Parent 8 0 R Monarch Legal Group Complaints /Annots [] /Contents [106 0 R 107 0 R 108 0 R] 24 0 obj Copyright 2020 Business Consumer Alliance All Rights Reserved. Though the Defendants program makes many consumers worse off, the companies succeed by collecting substantial fees, refusing to provide contracted-for services, and continually attracting new program participants by deceptive marketing tactics like fake reviews. /Resources 257 0 R /Annots [] endobj None of the many publicly accessible consumer complaints filed against Monarch mention bankruptcy proceedings, even though one consumer inquired about it. On information and belief, Strategic tells representatives to say they are calling from Monarch, not Strategic, so consumers do not realize that they arent speaking to someone at Monarch. endobj Cash Made. I see that with the Debt Validation companies. get quotes and more. /Annots [] When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints. Monarch Legal Group is a private law firm and is not affiliated with any governmental agency, quasi-governmental agency, or charitable organization. << /CropBox [0 0 612 792] /Type /Page /Rotate 0 /Rotate 0 /Rotate 0 I was told that I would only receive $200 left in my savings after they had withdrawn over $3500 in fees from my account. In fact, Monarch will only refund fees if Monarch is unable to settle a debt for less than 35% of the amount owed. << WebMonarch Legal Group is a private law firm and is not affiliated with any governmental agency, quasi-governmental agency, or charitable organization. /Annots [] The Honest and Unvarnished Truth. Timothy Burnette is, on information and belief, the sole member and manager of Burnette Legal Group, LLC d/b/a Monarch Legal Group.

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