
View Falcon's website.
I have been preparing for a Bone Marrow transplant for the last several months, and with my health failing, I have been unable to pay my car payment for the last two months. The weekend before last it was repossessed by Falcon International on Benjamin Road. I knew the repo was coming, and was prepared to go and get my car back as soon as possible. When I called the bank they gave me the phone number 1-800-874-7428 to speak with someone who could let me know when I could pick up my personal belongings.
I called their local number 813-886-4575 and spoke to Barbara and she advised me it would cost me $40 to get my belongings back. To me, thats quite excessive, especially since they broke two kites worth over 800 by bending them to fit into a garbage back and splitting the internal fiberglass rods and causing the poles to shear through the sides of the kite rendering it useless. they were Revolution B-Series Kites, profession grade. They were completely busted.
When I had initially spoke to Natasha from my bank, she advised me that falcon had stated that their would be a $5/day charge to store my vehicle. It was in an email to Natasha at National City Bank from Heather at Falcon. National City Bank charged me $325 to cover the repossession expense to tow my car less than 10 miles away. Does that seem standard to you? Me neither, that sounds like excessive pricing outside of the scope of any other local company.
Today on 10/09/2012 I went to pick up my vehicle expecting to pay $60, but on the way to their location, Barb advised us the fee was going to be $275 for storage fees! This was not what my bank, or I was told the price would be. They refused to release my car for any less than $25 a day, even though there is documented proof that they initially said it was going to be only $5 a day. I was unable to pickup my car even though it was completely paid off through my bank. The staff at Falcon (Barb) even went so far as to call Heather from their head office and try to make a case against us that we were advised when we were five minutes away that the price would be $275. What does that matter? I couldn't argue with her while driving, so when I got to the facility, I called Natasha from National City to ask her to Barb from Falcon know that the price quoted was $5/day, and NOT $25/day. We simply couldn't afford it. When you are told one price, you expect it to be the same when you go to pay, but instead Falcon used a bait and switch technique to cost me another day, and another $25.00 in fees. Now I'm up to $300 in just "storage fees" that were supposed to be $5/day.
DO NOT use falcon if you are a lender, and document everything if you are a consumer. Call your bank and find out the details first, have them send it to you in writing, and then call falcon to verify. They are possibly violating the Federal Fair Debt Collection Act, and also possibly using an illegal bait and switch technique to scam consumers into paying hundreds more in storage fees.
DO NOT TRUST THEM - Go through ALL of your possessions if you go to pick them up, video tape it while you are going through it, and find anything that might have been damaged or broken. Your lender will be responsible for all damages to your property. Make sure to sue them in court right away for any damages. I am filing my suit tomorrow against National City, and I advise you to leave comments on any rating site, and file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
Here is a breakdown of all the charges Falcon is attempting or has already collected from me:
$325 paid to my bank to cover the cost of the repo
$40 to get my broken property back
$275, now $300 in "Storage Fees"
Total to Falcon: $640 - More than one car payment and half of another! What a SCAM!
They don't even have a covered or indoor storage lot. My car is sitting outside under trees getting paint damage from bird and insect droppings, and most likely being invaded by ant's or other insects.
DON'T USE FALCON AS A LENDER, YOUR CUSTOMERS WILL HATE YOU.
IF YOU ARE A CONSUMER, RECORD EVERYTHING!
I called their local number 813-886-4575 and spoke to Barbara and she advised me it would cost me $40 to get my belongings back. To me, thats quite excessive, especially since they broke two kites worth over 800 by bending them to fit into a garbage back and splitting the internal fiberglass rods and causing the poles to shear through the sides of the kite rendering it useless. they were Revolution B-Series Kites, profession grade. They were completely busted.
When I had initially spoke to Natasha from my bank, she advised me that falcon had stated that their would be a $5/day charge to store my vehicle. It was in an email to Natasha at National City Bank from Heather at Falcon. National City Bank charged me $325 to cover the repossession expense to tow my car less than 10 miles away. Does that seem standard to you? Me neither, that sounds like excessive pricing outside of the scope of any other local company.
Today on 10/09/2012 I went to pick up my vehicle expecting to pay $60, but on the way to their location, Barb advised us the fee was going to be $275 for storage fees! This was not what my bank, or I was told the price would be. They refused to release my car for any less than $25 a day, even though there is documented proof that they initially said it was going to be only $5 a day. I was unable to pickup my car even though it was completely paid off through my bank. The staff at Falcon (Barb) even went so far as to call Heather from their head office and try to make a case against us that we were advised when we were five minutes away that the price would be $275. What does that matter? I couldn't argue with her while driving, so when I got to the facility, I called Natasha from National City to ask her to Barb from Falcon know that the price quoted was $5/day, and NOT $25/day. We simply couldn't afford it. When you are told one price, you expect it to be the same when you go to pay, but instead Falcon used a bait and switch technique to cost me another day, and another $25.00 in fees. Now I'm up to $300 in just "storage fees" that were supposed to be $5/day.
DO NOT use falcon if you are a lender, and document everything if you are a consumer. Call your bank and find out the details first, have them send it to you in writing, and then call falcon to verify. They are possibly violating the Federal Fair Debt Collection Act, and also possibly using an illegal bait and switch technique to scam consumers into paying hundreds more in storage fees.
DO NOT TRUST THEM - Go through ALL of your possessions if you go to pick them up, video tape it while you are going through it, and find anything that might have been damaged or broken. Your lender will be responsible for all damages to your property. Make sure to sue them in court right away for any damages. I am filing my suit tomorrow against National City, and I advise you to leave comments on any rating site, and file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
Here is a breakdown of all the charges Falcon is attempting or has already collected from me:
$325 paid to my bank to cover the cost of the repo
$40 to get my broken property back
$275, now $300 in "Storage Fees"
Total to Falcon: $640 - More than one car payment and half of another! What a SCAM!
They don't even have a covered or indoor storage lot. My car is sitting outside under trees getting paint damage from bird and insect droppings, and most likely being invaded by ant's or other insects.
DON'T USE FALCON AS A LENDER, YOUR CUSTOMERS WILL HATE YOU.
IF YOU ARE A CONSUMER, RECORD EVERYTHING!
Side note for anyone in Springfield, Ohio: Never get an auto loan or line of Credit from any Park National Bank Branch, or National City Bank, which is who my loan is though. They don't know what they are doing half the time, they couldn't even tell me where my car was for a whole business day, and the same when I went to collect my car, It took them 4 hours to call me and let me know where it was now located. The only person worth talking to at National City in Springfield is Natasha Ridenour. Everyone else, including the management are all dummies. Even Natasha was unable to properly negotiate with falcon even though the email sent by falcon was sent to her, and she could have easily proved my case that they had told us via email that the cost for storage was $5/daty, she let Falcon make the rules instead of standing up for her consumer. It's sad when businesses don't take personal tragedies, and extended circumstances into account anymore. I guess even when you are dying from bone marrow failure, there are company's (national City Bank, Falcon International) and people (barb from Falcon, and the staff from National City Bank) in this world unwilling or unable to stand up for what is right.
Now they can spend their time with me in a courtroom for anything and everything I can bring a suit against them for. I also plan on running a marketing campaign in the local markets letting other consumers know of my story.