FDR Agency in Montreal
Complaint 138484 Details

I owed a balance of appr. $7000.00 to Canadian Tire Master Card. I've been their faitful client for many years (otherwise they won't increase my limit to $11500.00), however in year 2006 I had to leave Canada and start a new business venture in Europe. I've personally advised the CT Master Card institution that I'll be abroad and since I still owed them a balance, I politely requested for them to send the fin. statements to my daughter's house and I'll make sure that monthly payments will follow up. I faitfully paid them each month until the month Of May of 2010 when the economy worldwide failed and I lost almost everything I owned.
In July of 2010 I've returned to Canada and the first thing I did was to contact the Creditor-Canadian Tire Master Card and try to make arrangements with them. And then was when a big surprise hit me: I was told that I owe over 12000.00 because (apparently they have considered me as a big risk) I did not live in Canada at the present time, and that very fact allowed them to increase my interest rate to 26.00% (without my consent or any notification)?????
I was very upset (as far as i know this is called "a loan-sharking") and tried to negotiate the alleged balance, but in vain. Two months after, I was contacted by a gentleman from a collection agency (DNR) trying to recover $12367.00 from me and when I've tried to reason with him, he simply said this was the balance I owed and I either pay "one shot" or they will continue their collection acctivity. But the big surprise came to me when shortly after I was contacted by an agent from FDR (another debt-recovery agency), located on 1117 St. Catherine West in Montreal, QC, phone:514-285-1003 .I was threatened with a legal action, I was insulted and hung upon (by the agent-Mme Bilodeau, in charge of my file, as well the owner of the Agency-I believe her name is Mme Guinou-unfortunately, I am not sure about the exact spelling of her last name). My daughter was also harassed and threatened almost daily...
It was a real nightmare and it didn't matter how much I've tried to settle or reason with them I got nowhere. Today I've tried to speak with the owner (the famous Mme Guinou) and settle the account and it was another futile attempt. I was told to either pay one lump sum by July 27th or I'll have to pay the balance in full (although completely unjustified and illegal since I'had been paying the ridiculous interest rate for almost 5 years???). I told her I can only pay on Friday-August the 3rd, 2012 when I'll have the funds, but she insisted me to pay right away??? This time I got really upset and decided to find out more about the FDR Collection Agency. As expected, I've discovered many complaints from clients enduring similar treatment by " the famous FDR's employees".
I know I owe a certain amount of money and I am ready to come to a justified and ligit solution, however I am so upset by their unprofessionalism, by their lack of knowledge (they do not complay with the Collection Practice Law at all; by their rudness, that I've lost any/all desire to deal with them).
I am a licensed Collection Officer myself and I believe this "flight by night, perhaps home-based/operated company" should be thoroughly investigated. My credit rating had been damaged to such extend that even paying the requested amount will not help me for years to come.
My last point is: I've asked for a letter of a settlement/an agreement to be sent before I submit my payment and I was bluntly refused.
I hope my explanation will shed some light on companies like FDR and certain action will be taken to prevent them from treatening other clients in similar fashion.
Thank you for your time in reading my complaint and I hope I'll receive some answers satisfying at least my complete disappointment and faith in institutions like FDR???