It is very interesting to read all these others who have had similar problems with Persels and Assoc. I was going to do the debt consolidation but didn't because I couldn't afford it, instead I filed bankruptcy through Persels.

We started the process in October and I paid $2000 in 11/09. In January I finally recieved my petition, I sent it back with a few updates and since then my attorney has not returned my calls. I even spoke with her twice this week and she promised to call me back but never does. Today I called and left a message with her boss, guess what, he didn't call either. Tomorrow I am contacting the US Trustees Office. There has got to be someone to protect against this kind of issue.

Sounds like I may have to go through a local attorney to redo EVERYTHING and also pay again. I hope I can get this resolved tomorrow...but I have a sinking feeling it's money lost!!

I hired them in June, 2008, at which time they told me they'd accessed my credit report and found about $14, 000 debt, twice that which I knew about. I made it clear that I have bipolar and have difficulty handkling financial matters, and needed communications in writing as a record (memory deficit).
Being uncomfortable with the thought iof such large devbt, I eventually was able to get a free credit report, and discovered that three "debts" were not debts at all, and that two credit cards had offered me liquidation at 0%. In light of this, I asked them should I terminate the settlement plan. I received no response. When I was next able to deal with it, I again wrote a detailed letter and specifically asked for certain pieces of information. Their response did not answer my questions and the debt they listed still included the false debt. I wrote a final letter on February 27, 2009, terminating the plan and asking for my Escrow money back, as well as legal fees since November, 2008, when I first contacted them about the "false debt". I received a check in the amount of my escrow funds (I found out no creditors were being paid, and my money was simply going towards legal fees). I went to deposit it. Then I received a second check which was my money minus a $215 mystery amount. I told them I would not cash it until we straightened things out. Meanwhile, they put a hold on the $500+ check, leaving me with $10 available in my checking at this point (I am on SSDI). I was the one who figured out the problems, not them. They have me listed as refusing a phone call, when I simply said I couldn't talk then and please call back - they did not. I will now go directly back to the original lawyer who set up the plan an hope she can be a decision maker who will see what this has cost me and the discrimination against someone with a mental illness who relies on reliable communication and case histories.