ComplaintsforGuidestone Law Group

• Initial Complaint

  08/11/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I contacted this company on 6/13/2023 to cancel their services. They were charging me **** per month for debt consolidation and once I discovered that more than half of this amount was going to to fees, it did not seem prudent to continue with their services as they were not doing anything on my behalf. I was the one sending in the collection letters and the only thing they did was set up one payment plan with Discover and no other action was taken. As I could not see the benefits of being with this company, I decided to terminate the service. Since doing so, I have yet to receive a refund of the amount I had left in my account. When I terminated I had 313 in my account, I now have 174 due to various fees. I have called this company weekly and keep getting the runaround on my refund. ***************, the company that handles the refunds, is telling me that there is a fee that needs to be removed by Guidestone. I have called the company several times to say this and all I get in return is we don't know what is going on or, call back in 10 business days or let me have my supervisor look into it and I will call back (with no call back of course) and one person even told me the check was in the mail which of course was untrue. I just want my refund so I can be done with this company.

  

  Business response

  08/21/2023

  We have thus far been unsuccessful in our attempts to reach the client to discuss a satisfactory resolution. 

• Initial Complaint

  05/04/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  In the beginning of 2022, I had a consultation with Guidestone Law Group about their process extensively. I did so because I understood that late payments play a significant portion of the credit score. When I asked during the consultation if the late payments would be part of the negotiation of the settlement, they said that it would be. Specifically, they stated that part of the creditor accepting the settlement is for the late payments to be removed from my credit. I agreed and went through their process. I paid all my payments on time and had all the conversations/meetings they requested of me. In 2023, they presented a debt settlement loan which I took to settle all of the debt I had enrolled which was 50 dollars higher than what my payment was for a year. In February 2023, when I had a conversation about the the late payments on my credit report, I was told that I would have to contact the creditor myself and get the late payments removed. I responded with "that was part of the agreement I signed, Guidestone said that when the debt is negotiated, part of the creditor accepting it would include them taking the late payments off). Guidestone representative did not acknowledge what the agreement was, she just continued to say I can reach out to the creditor to get the late payments removed. Guidestone did not keep their entire agreement. They advised that as a part of their process, they told me not to pay my bills as they would use this as leverage. Now, even though my debts have been settled, I am left with 53 late payments in the last year. They have added their address as my residence. They have not put the loan I pay every month on time on my credit. Plus, I can't refinance the high interest on the debt-consolidation loan because of these 53 late payments. Guidestone needs to fulfill the legal contract we signed and get this resolved entirely.

  

  Business response

  05/15/2023

  We are working with the client to resolve this matter to their satisfaction.  However, the matter is not yet resolved. 

  Customer response

  05/15/2023

   
  Complaint: 20017359
  
  I am rejecting this response because this does not fulfill 

  1) being expeditiously and economical for me. I have to call each creditor to remove 54 late statuses which I was told (or misinformed) would be apart of the debt removal process

  2) My decision-making was based on their direction. & they failed to fully inform me. 
  

  3) They did not clearly communicate my responsibility to call my creditors to negotiate late statuses being removed from my credit.

  4) They did not reach a clear agreement with me. They misinformed & shielded the devastating, emotional & time consuming process of contacting each creditor to resolve late statues.

  The community in which Guidestone practices deserves truth, respect & honesty in all business matters. 
  

  I relied on Guidestone to be a representative for me to settle my debts as we agreed to. Instead, I am left in a precarious position where a greater issue exist that will cause me undue stress & effort. 
  

  The people that trust them with their financial profile deserve better & an ethical moral voice. Their moral voice is definitely not mine. 

   

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

  

  Business response

  05/17/2023

  We have resolved this matter to the clients satisfaction. 

  Customer response

  05/17/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

• Initial Complaint

  04/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I entered into a debt resolution agreement where guidestone would help negotiate with debt collectors to lower my debt and help pay it off. I was to Pay guidestone monthly. They have been unresponsive since collecting my money and no communication from anyone on my case. *** called the lawyer on my case as well as all their client services numbers and emailed. Debt collectors continually call me saying nothing is negotiated and theyve received nothing from guidestone. They are scammers and have failed to provide their services. So many others have the same complaint where theyve taken so much money and do not resolve any debt. No response and have ran away with my money.

  

  Business response

  04/24/2023

  We have resolved this matter to the clients satisfaction. 

• Initial Complaint

  04/07/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I joined the program with Guidestone Law Group in October/2022. Since joining the program they've collected $3,841.90 of deposits and fees from me. In the beginning of the program, I received customer rep calls notifying me all of the power of attorney letters were sent to my enrolled accounts. In early 2023, I received a call from a Guidestone representative stating that Guidestone Lawgroup had reached a settlement on two of my enrolled accounts. However that was untrue. Guidestone had not reached a settlement on any of my enrolled accounts. I've contacted my enrolled account companies and all of them stated that they never received power of attorney letters from Guidestone. At which point, I decided to cancel the program. I called early in March/2022 to cancel at which point I was immediately locked out of the Guidestone online portal so I could no longer access the portal or the *************** account where I could see the amount of funds deposited in the account. I was told by the representative who canceled my account I was due a refund of $670.47 of the $3,841.90 I'd already deposited. Which means Guidestone charged me $3,171.43 in fees and did not provide the service we agreed to. The fees consisted of retainer fees and other service fees on the account. I did not agree with this reimbursement. When I escalated the concern to ***** in the escalation debt, she escalated to senior management, who came back with an even lower reimbursement than I was originally quoted when I canceled. Out of the $3,171.43 in fees, a courtesy refund of approx. $325 was suggested. However, they also deducted fees from the $640.47 they originally told me was due to me. They are now saying, of the $670.47, I'm owed approx. $354. Guidestone Lawgroup provided false information to me about the fees I was owed, about settlements that had been reached on my enrolled accounts, and were misleading on how the program works. They did not perform the services in the contract.

  

  Business response

  04/18/2023

  We are scheduled to talk to the client on Thursday.  However, this matter is not yet resolved.

  Customer response

  04/19/2023

  Guidestone stated they would contact me by Thursday 4/19. Im still waiting for their response to my complaint.

  

  Business response

  04/24/2023

  We have resolved this matter to the clients satisfaction. 

  Customer response

  04/25/2023

  I am still waiting on Guidestones final document with the companys signature and refund to my account.  I emailed a signed document to them but I have not received the document or refund and deposit to my account.  When this is completed, I will close complaint.  Until then, its pending.

  

  Business response

  04/26/2023

  We agree with the *****

  Customer response

  04/26/2023

  Pending resolution from company. 

  

  Business response

  05/01/2023

  We have resolved this matter to the clients satisfaction. 

  Customer response

  05/03/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  12/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Guidestone are scammers. I paid over **** dollars into my plan and I was so disappointed in their service I cancelled them. 802.00$ from Nov. 2021 thru Nov.2022. Since I have cancelled them they say I am not due a refund. Guidestone Law Group never contacted all of my creditors which I signed a power of attorney for them to do so. They are scammers at the highest degree.

  

  Business response

  03/21/2023

  The complaint has been resolved to the consumer's satisfaction.

• Initial Complaint

  12/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I hired this law firm in February ********************************* debt restructuring and collection. I have had no communication with them other than to be told today that because I have moved out of state that they will no longer represent me. I also learned today that I am being sued by a creditor for nonpayment on my account. I have verified that there is a lawsuit filed against me in the **************** and that I am listed as "pro se" when in fact I have hired this law firm. I have forwarded the lawsuit and attached documents to this law firm. Time is of the essence here. I thought that I was hiring a reputable law firm to represent me.

  

  Business response

  12/28/2022

  This has been resolved to the consumer's satisfaction

  Customer response

  01/02/2023

  I did sign a Settlement and Mutual Release Agreement because no representation is available to me by this firm in the *********** where I now reside.

   I have, however, NOT RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING ITEMS AS AGREED UPON IN VERBAL DISCUSSIONS from Guidestone Law Group:

  (a) The contact information of individuals with whom they had communicated with so that I can follow through with my creditors.

  (b) A ledger of payments made (documentation of where my money had been spent) from February 2022.

  (c) And, the agreed funds identified on the Settlement and Mutual Release agreement due to as a result of this termination, plus those funds in my personal account. I understand the funds are to be distributed in two (2) checks

  I would like the BBB to follow up with Guidestone Law Group with regards to these items.

  Thank you,

  **************************

  

  Business response

  01/11/2023

  We will get the client all the documents requested, but as she stated, she moved to a state that Guidestone does not perform legal services in. 

  Customer response

  01/17/2023

  I have received the required documentation and agreed upon funds.

  I request that the Better Business Bureau close this case: Complaint ID ********.

  Thank you very much for you help!

  **************************

• Initial Complaint

  10/19/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This company does not communicate with their clients they did not communicate with my creditors and could not even tell me when my garnishment was taking place, nor did they attempt to stop the garnishment they however did ask me for an additional 800 a month in addition to the ********************************************************************** nor was he informed what the additional funds were for. He attempted to get more funds from me. Then when I called to cancel the service it has taken me over two weeks for them to process the refund and then they kept an additional 300 for their so-called service fee. They did not send the power of attorney letters to my creditors. They are scammers liars and thieves their business practices are underhanded and crooked.

  

  Business response

  11/07/2022

  We have resolved this matter to the clients satisfaction. 

  

  Business response

  01/03/2023

  We have resolved this matter to the clients satisfaction

• Initial Complaint

  09/06/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This debt collection business collected roughly $7000 from me without ever negotiating any debt settlement for me as they had promised. When I got sued by Amex I had to file my response myself and paid for it on top of paying them. I could not get a response from them in regards to where my funds went to settle my debt. I paid off my debt after I sold my home and asked them to close my account and reimburse me in late May 2022. Since then they did NOT reimburse me the money they collected and never used and they ignore my attempts to settle this issue and receive a refund. None of their services was ever done - zero and they still have my money. I am a single mom and teacher and this is a tremendous amount of money for me to lose.

  

  Business response

  09/20/2022

  We have resolved this matter to the clients satisfaction

  
  

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩