Fathers Choice reviews and complaints
The good, the bad, and the ugly - discover what customers are saying about Fathers Choice
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Misrepresentation, Took Money, No Service
I contacted them and they told me that for around $150.00 they would help me get visitation for my son and reduce my child support ballance. I was incarcerated for almost 10 years and the judge made me be responsible for thirty thousand dollars in back support during my absence. Fathers Choice did not tell me that they wanted more money until after I paid them the initial fee. Then they wanted almost a thousand dollars. When I asked them why they did not tell me that from the beginning they had no answer. Now they have shut down thier phone and I have no way of contacting them. They lied to me to get their initial payment.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Unauthorized charges
My husband and I made the mistake of trusting and using Fathers Choice for help maneuvering through the legalities of amending child support and custody orders. After months of preparation, the documents I received were full of mistakes. I finally received the corrected documents and sent them off to the court and to the server as instructed. The day the court received them, they called us to inform us that we sent the wrong documents! Fortunately, they're compassionate people and they're sending the docs back along with the correct forms we need to fill out and return. Thankfully we were also able to stop the server before the wrong docs were served on the exwife. When i called Fathers Choice to find out what they planned on doing since they sent us the completely wrong documents, I found all of the phone numbers I had were disconnected. We paid Fathers Choice a total of about $1500 for their services which were a complete joke. Waste of time and precious money. We are so disappointed and once again, feel lost as we feel our way through this very complicated process on our own. If there are any law suits in process, we would very much like to be included if at all possible. These people should be in jail.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I contracted this company in November of 2008, received a passcode and an e-mail from Tim Lynch. I watched the video.'we are here to help'(nod your head yes as you say this). I started to feel a little apprehensive after I watched the video. I followed their directions and called Tim Lynch, the phone rang 'til my cell company said ' the party you are trying to reach is not available'. I did this about five times a day for two days. My suspicion mounted.
On the third day I called customer service and spoke to a woman that said she'd contact Tim Lynch and he'd call me within 24 hours.
I never got a call. I called customer service again and got a guy who talked so fast I could barely understand him. I told him to slow down and repeat himself, he said basically the same thing. I have never heard a thing back from this company.
This evening I read all these complaints and I canceled my account with this company.
If they went out of business, how can they take money for payment? I sent e-mails to Tim Lynch and Customer Service;'undeliverable'.
Class Action? who is the attorney? I second the complainant who said 'count me in!'
A major distraction to what is already a problem to begin with.
Edward Herzstock is at it again. But this time the company is named Affordable Legal Help... Please look it up though this board ... I am trying to ban us all together to get this to stop could you please contact me at glessnere@hotmail.com
Also... I copied this to all the victims of Affordable Legal Help
I spoke with CJ Ward an investigator for Keyt News at 730 Miramonte Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93109 last night. He stated to me that it would be our best interest to inform him of our situations. Please contact him.
Edward was second in charge for Father's Choice and CJ was a part in stopping them.
Here is a link to the News station:
www.keyt.com
Here is a link to information on CJ Ward:
http://www.keyt.com/about/bios/news/2177877.html
Here is proof of the tipline number:
http://www.keyt.com/news/local/15772117.html
Here are some links to the "Father's Choice" problem, from News Station:
http://www.keyt.com/news/local/35107694.html
http://www.keyt.com/news/local/35814014.html
Also, here are some more websites I found to show you who we are dealing with, this is proof that all Edward does is change the name of the company and scams the same way:
On this, you can scroll all the way to the bottom and see "Nadia Nicole" aka Nicole Smith responding to a complaint about Edward. Nadia is her real name and is involved in this even going back to Father's Choice.
/URL removed/
Here is another website about Father's Choice:
/URL removed/
Edward Herzstock was second in command there. If you read the article it states Edward's name several times.
/URL removed/
Misrepresentation Of legal help for child support and custody modification.
September 20th I started looking for Legal representation to help with my child support modification. While I was searching the legal aide sites for low income. On Oct 1st I found Fathers Choice. I entered my contact information and received a call with 24 Hours from a gentleman Frank Desales. After a long conversation Mr Desales made me believed I had finally found a organization that could help me in modifying my child support due to layoff. Mr, Desales sounded very professional and would be my case manager, representative from fathers Choice I agreed to pay the $ 98 to start the process. I had my current wife use her credit card to do this. I can’t exactly recall the exact date I but I was sent a e-mail and Webb address of introduction video about how fathers choice legally could help me with my case. I watched the introductory video and spoke with Mr Desales after the that. Mr Desales all along made me believe there were real attorneys preparing the case work and filings for the court. Oct 10 I was going through a long questionnaire with a different person and I can’t recall that name but it was a assistant, preparing the documents. I had to pay them in 2 installments of $300 each The last amount of $ was Now 18 trough my USA checking account.. The original amount was 850 but Frank understood my financial situation told me that he could offer to give me a discount. I agreed and paid them. I was working at the time just started a new job so my paperwork took time. I spoke with Frank 2 more times that I recall and he ensured me that I could take my time. We made the final payment Nov 18. I did not receive any more calls from him. I do remember speaking with someone named Amanda Huchingson and she was Frank’s assistant. I called one more time after making my last payment and I was asking for Amanda but someone named Mary did answer the phone and informed that she no longer was working for them. I have now found out that now numbers are working and there is [redacted]s about Father’s Choice. I did just today receive a package from Fathers Choice, documents and letter dated Nov 5th. The document was not finalized and I was told to correct the information and send it back and they would do the corrections. I I tried to call them and give them the final changes to the documents and numbers are not working. I have now been online and found out that this is a scam and the company now goes by the name Fillmore fathers. I called that their number also but I get a recorded greeting but after that there is a automatic answer for someone named Chris and his mailbox is full.
I never received the legal representation I was promised and I cant get hold of the company I want to have this charge investigated and have my money returned if possible. I was laid of for 12 months and was lucky to find a job 2 months ago but have to help my wife since she is unemployed and have to pay my child support. The money I manage to scrape up was to be able to see my child more often and with legal representation I believed It would be possible. Now I have now money to pay a down payment to a new attorney. I appreciate you looking into this charge and that you can help me get the refund since I paid for a service but never got what I was promised.
Sincerely David H Drury
Special vouchers to reduce fee original was 850. We were put on a payment schedule to pay them within a month. Total rip off amount is $ 698.00.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
This company took me for about $1500 taking my money sending me expired files that the court instructed me to get my money back they were so botched! I was promised a refund after recieving someone elses documents including all of their sensitive information and never recieved a dime. I want justice for all of us victims of these jerks. Please this has been going on too long.
I have payed my 850.00 to get paper work done so I could get see my little girl. When the paper work did come bu UPS it had so many mistakes I sent it back to have corrected. I took these papers to the court house to file them the court clerk told me that the wrong forms were used for my state and now nothing. Everything that was told to me was a lie.
Edward Herzstock is at it again. But this time the company is named Affordable Legal Help... Please look it up though this board ... I am trying to ban us all together to get this to stop could you please contact me at glessnere@hotmail.com
Also... I copied this to all the victims of Affordable Legal Help
I spoke with CJ Ward an investigator for Keyt News at 730 Miramonte Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93109 last night. He stated to me that it would be our best interest to inform him of our situations. Please contact him.
Edward was second in charge for Father's Choice and CJ was a part in stopping them.
Here is a link to the News station:
www.keyt.com
Here is a link to information on CJ Ward:
http://www.keyt.com/about/bios/news/2177877.html
Here is proof of the tipline number:
http://www.keyt.com/news/local/15772117.html
Here are some links to the "Father's Choice" problem, from News Station:
http://www.keyt.com/news/local/35107694.html
http://www.keyt.com/news/local/35814014.html
Also, here are some more websites I found to show you who we are dealing with, this is proof that all Edward does is change the name of the company and scams the same way:
On this, you can scroll all the way to the bottom and see "Nadia Nicole" aka Nicole Smith responding to a complaint about Edward. Nadia is her real name and is involved in this even going back to Father's Choice.
/URL removed/
Here is another website about Father's Choice:
/URL removed/
Edward Herzstock was second in command there. If you read the article it states Edward's name several times.
/URL removed/
Disconnected
ALL PHONE #S HAVE BEEN DISCONNECTED CANNOT CALL OR E-MAIL WEB-SITE HAS BEEN CHANGED I LOST 650.00 TO THIS SITE AND GOT PAPERWORK I COULD HAVE DONE MYSELF
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I RECENTLY CALLED AROUND 3 PHONE NUMBERS FROM THIS COMPANY AND THE MAIL BOXES ARE FULL. I THINK THEY HAVE ID CALLERS TOO. I CALLED AND TRIED TO ACT LIKE I WAS A FIRST TIME CALLER AND SOMEHOW THEY KNEW IT WAS ME. I HAVE CALLED AROUND 100 TIMES AND CONSTANTLY GOT THE RUN AROUND, THEY EMAILED ME WITH A CANCELLATION NUMBER AS OF NOVEMBER 15, 2008. BUT I CANCELLED THE SERVICE IN MAY 2008. THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY DON'T HANDLE REFUNDS AND THAT SOMEONE WILL GET IN TOUCH WITH ME SOON. YEAH RIGHT! HERE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT I HAVE
1. [protected]
2. [protected]
3. [protected]
I lost 900.00
May they rot in hell for stealing from fathers who don't have retainer money to get a REAL lawyer.
The BBB really needs to step in here especially where these crooks are representing themselves
as having lawyers on staff! That's right, I was assigned Martin their attorney to guide me through the
process...he probably does not exist and I got fake documents that aren't worth a damn in court!
How sad, how does a man sleep at night? This is the ultimate in thievery!
RIP OFF-
MY HUSBAND HEARD OF THIS COMPANY, FROM AN ATTORNEY, AND WE CONTACTED THEM AND THIS SOUNDED GREAT FOR US, AS A FAMILY OF 4 AND A DAUGHTER WITH ANOTHER MOTHER, TRYING TO GET CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS REDUCED, AND VISITATION MODIFIED. BUT, WE SOON RELIZED THAT AFTER THEY GOT OUR $98.00, AND THE PHONE CALL FROM SCOTT WILLIAMS AND THE INTERVIEW WITH A (SAID) REAL ATTORNEY ON THE PHONE, OUR CHOICE STILL LOOKED GOOD WITH FATHER'S CHOICE. BUT $200.00 LATER AND NO RETURNED PHONE CALLS AND A LOT OF LEFT VOICE MAILS FOR HIM WE DECIDED TO GOOGLE FATHER'S CHOICE AND RELIZED THAT WE WEREN' T THE ONLY ONES GETTING THE RUN AROUND. I WISH WE COULD HAVE SPENT THAT MONEY AND THE CHILD SUPPORT OWED, AND NOT THIS SCAM OF A COMPANY. SO, THE LAST THING WE COULD DO, WAS TO CANCEL THE MONTHLY DUES. SO, WE DID! AND I BE A MONKEYS UNCLE IF THE DID GET MY MONEY ANYWAY. THEY SENT US A CANCELATION EMAIL, AND STILL TOOK THE MONEY. SO NOW WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING OUR $48.95 BACK AND I GUESS WE WILL JUST HAVE TO SEE HOW LONG IT TAKES, TO GET IT BACK. BECAUSE OF COURSE, FATHER'S CHOICE CUSTOMER SERVICE, SAID THEY WOULD BE CALLING US BACK ABOUT THIS. BUT IT ALREADY TOOK 2 MONTHS TO GET NO WHERE. IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE SAVE YOU MONEY, AND PUT IT ON A REAL ATTORNEY, BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR CHILDREN, WE HAVE LEARNED THAT NO MONEY, IS WORTH SAVING IF YOU GET RIPPED OFF!
Father's Choice took $845 from me, and I have not heard from them since. My ex-wife and I have a court date in February 13, and I am on my own at this point.
I have called every number I could find for Father's Choice, but none work.
(Help)
Father's Choice took $845 from me, and I have not heard from them since. My ex-wife and I have a court date in February, and I am on my own at this point.
I have called every number I could find for Father's Choice, but none work.
REFUND
I HAVE BEEN MISINFORMED ABOUT WHAT FATHERS CHOICE IS REALLY ABOUT. I SENT THEM MY 98 DOLLARS AND DIDN'T GET NOTHING IN RETURN. I HAVE CALLED AND TALKED TO FOUR DIFFERENT PEOPLE ABOUT GETTING MY REFUND. I WAS TOLD ON 07-28-08 THAT MY REFUND WOULD BE POSTED TO MY ACCOUNT IN 7-10 DAYS. I TALKED TO SCOTT WILLIAMS AND HE WAS THE ONE WHO STATED THAT I WOULD BE GETTING A REFUND BECAUSE I WAS MISLED. NOW AFTER SPEAKING TO SOMEONE WHO CLAIMS THEY ARE IN CHARGE I AM BEING TOLD THAT I WILL NOT GET MY REFUND BECAUSE I WATCHED SOME VIDEO, THAT I DIDN'T, AND AGREED TO THEIR TERMS AND CONDITIONS. THIS COMPANY IS A FRAUD AND I AM GOING TO GET MY MONEY BACK ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. DO NOT SEND ANYTHING TO THIS COMPANY UNLESS YOU LIKE GETTING SCREWED!
IM ALL FOR IT, IM FROM HAWAII AND THESE PEOPLE DID THE SAME TO ME.AFTER THEY TOOK MY MONEY, I NEVER HEARD FROM THEM SINCE.IVE WAITED PATIENTLY AND NOTHING.I WANT OT HELP IN ANYWAY I CAN..
Just wanted to say that there are people who came forward in July of 2008 to say that they had a great outcome with fathers Choice. As, I said before in my complaint, the company has to have some good PR in order to stay in business. I just want to say to those people...you are lucky, but just think if you were in our postions? There is more negative than postive out there about this company. Common scense says they are scamming the majority. If you were in business what would you do to keep the money coming in?
A Penny for your Thoughts (no claims to that penny here either...LOL)
I''m in on the class action suit...the more we bring together on this the better. I think we all need to contact the DA's office in California, where there business is registered and go from there. Anyone know where we can all come together about this. I'm still fuming after almost a year!
Michele
Maryland USA
For all of you who think that Father's Choice will help you ..think again...They are ripping people off. I talked to a supervisor named Craig which may or may not be his real name and he has promised to refund my money this was three weeks ago..It takes them only seconds to steal money out of your account but ages to put it back...they lie to you to get your money but they don't provide any services. Please do not watch any video that they ask you to watch..that is the bases for them to keep your money and continue to rip off other unsuspecting fathers. A class action suite need to be brought against them so that they won't continue to harm fathers who are just trying to have a relationship with their children.
I spoke with a representative of the company about their services. I provided my credit card information and was told that I would not be charged until I watched a video and agreed to their terms and conditions. Within about 10 minutes my credit card was charged. I called the company and cancelled and they returned my money. However one month later I was charged the $49 monthly fee. I called and they said they would cancel it and return my money within 3-5 days. After a week I called back because I had not received my money. They told me they had to put me through to a supervisor. I left several messages and waited on hold for 4 hours and received no contact. I am still calling them every hour trying to reach a "supervisor".
Misrepresented themselves
I was told payments offered for their fee of $750 then after they took my credit card payment they refused to allow payments. I was told they would refund me but after 30 days they have not started any refunds AND they took another $50 out of my account without my consent.
Read full review of Fathers Choice and 15 commentsTotal scam
If you read this email then PLEASE DO NOT USE Fathers Choice services! They are very quick to take your money and very slow to assist you in the way they say they will. I needed to file to have my child support reduced and the case manager (Tom Hutchison) convinced me that adjusting the visitation would help me in my endeavors. So after an initial 98 dollar fee to start, 49 dollar membership fee, and an 800 dollar paperwork drafting fee I get this large packet of documents. I then have to have numerous papers notarized (more money) and file the documents with the courts (175 dollars). After the papers are filed I have to have my ex-wife served with the paperwork (38 dollars local sheriff). Now all is well I think. I get a letter from the court stating they denied the motion I filed quoting a legal reason. I email the documents to my case manager and then the agony begins! It has been 2 weeks and I can't get anyone to call me or tell me anything regarding my case. My case manager never responds or is on a personal day. His supervisor if there is one does not call. I have never spoken with anyone claiming to be a lawyer if they even have any. I only wish I would have taken the money I spent so far and hired a local attorney that I can see face to face. I highly suggest anyone in my situation do the same.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I paid alot of money and after making all the corrections needed on the paper work that was mailed to me the corrected paper work was never mailed back to me as I was told by Renee Guillen. Also every phone number I have for Fathers Choice (I have 6 different numbers) doesn't work. I mailed a few letters to them at the address that was on the envelope with the papers I received only once. I do have my attorney and A PI looking into this but I need some answers NOW! If Fathers Choice sees this they have my brothers name and number.(Alex Endrzejewski @ [protected]. I just need some one to al lweast e-mail me back @ sprintcup2008@gmail.com
I was desprate for a lawyer help me keep my son.Fathers choice is who I found.I barrowed over 500.00 dollars from family ! Since the money has been given I have heard nothing.When I called the number I was given it was dead, I then got on line and in place of there add it was nothin but pages of people they have ripped off!
We signed up for Fathers Choice on 07/11/2008 and they were going to help us get the paper work done so we could get custody, visitaion, and very low child support paid out and all we have gotten is billed for no services. When we finally got to talk to a case manager they demanded $800.00 and they would have the paperwork done in 2-3 weeks. Our original agreement was that we would get it for free since they haven't done anything for use to this day. They now have a different case manager calling use demanding $800.00 for they paper work and we told them that we had a prior agreement with the other case manager. They said they would get back to us. They still haven't. Now we are demanding all the money that we have paid them so far and they are refusing to refund because we haven't "used their services" yet. I am so angry and my husband is getting rail roaded by his ex-girlfriend because we don't have the money to pay and attorney like she did. Talk about gettin screwed by the system in CA.
FATHERS CHOICE HAD RIPPED ME OFF
Ok first of all Jason Hanson, not everyone just let their child go, like you so ignorantley say in your posting. Alot of the parents on here cannot help what happened with the custody of their children. I am one of those. I did not sit back and let my child go, my x husband STOLE him while I was at work and took off, and because we have joint custody, it wasnt considered kidnapping. That is why I contacted Fathers Choice to help with organizing, completing and filing the paper work in the courts to revisit the cusotdy issue.
Its funny to me that you defend a company that has went out of business, because they could not do what they said they could do for people, and were only in business to TAKE money from people. Are you sure that you arent Brian Azouz, or whatever his name is. The jerk that stole money from me?
Oh by the way, Beau Hobbs and Tom Hutchinson, were the same person...so what is "their" real name...
I was blessed with the opportunity to have BEAU HOBBS as my case manager when I used Father's Choice in my custody battle two years ago. It makes my heart hurt to read all of these negative complaints about someone that these people have never met. It is so obvious that most of these parents lost their kids in the first place just in regards to how they speak in their complaint emails above. Parents that don't take responsibility for their own actions and want the world to provide everything for them and raise their children while they sit back on the hands of society and use companies like father's choice to save them when they are past the point of help is saddening to us all. WAKE UP PARENTS AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN ACTIONS. COMPANIES LIKE FATHER'S CHOICE CAN ONLY HELP THOSE WHO WANT TO BE HELPED. IF YOU ARE CALLING THEM AND GIVING FALSE INFORMATION AND LYING IN YOUR COURT DOCUMENTS, OBVIOUSLY YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GAIN ANY CUSTODY GROUND IN THE EYES OF THE FAMILY COURT JUDGE. Not only did BEAU HOBBS help me gain custody of my two boys, Sam and Meika, but he called me several times during the process to simply pray with me and offer an ear to listen. I was so impressed with this because this is something that he surely did not receive any compensation for but felt in his own heart to do so. I have never met the man named BEAU HOBBS but i could only imagine that he is a blessing to anyone that crosses his path of life. I don't know how old he is but I hope he has many years left on this earth to help people like myself and others who just need a good person in their life for a small moment to guide them in the right direction with a word from our LORD and Savior. I have prayed for BEAU HOBBS for over a year now, just asking GOD to bless him as he blesses so many others and that GOD would continue to fill his cup that he contastly pours out and empty's into the lives of GOD's Children.
I am very displeased w/ FC myself. I found them and thought they could help in my circumstances. My "case manager" Tom Hutchison, whom I talked to a couple of times convinced me of the same. Now several months and some $1100 later, I cannot contact them by any means (phone, email, etc) . The papers that were sent to me to fill out and that I sent back do seem to have been filed with the appropriate court(s), if they were filed at all. I have heard nothing from them. My ex-wife lives in a different state, making things a bit comlicated.
The short of it- Father's Choice is a big scam! File complaints not only with BBB, but with the State's Attorney General (California). The BBB is one thing, the State AG is another entirely. If enough people file complaints with the AG of CA hopefully it will qualify for a class action suit. Maybe even if enough people get taken in from different states the FBI can get involved.
I gave Fathers Choice $98, but after reading these reports decided not to sign the terms and conditions. I changed my card number and asked for a refund. That was 7 months ago and still no refund. Now every Fathers Choice number I try is disconnected. Father's Choice not only is a scam, but they are part of the problem with the Child Support system. It is business designed to rip off parents at a time when it's important to maintain financial security.
Read these news articles:
http://www.keyt.com/news/local/35814014.html
http://www.keyt.com/news/local/35107694.html
anyone know if a class action suit has been filed?
I did end up getting a refund from Father's Choice. What you have to do is file a formal complaint with the Santa Barbara, CA BBB. After that complaint goes through, contact the attorney general for California. It took about 3 weeks but I ended up getting a full refund of everything I paid to them. I wouldnt recommend them to anyone, and I hope they truly did go out of business. They were in the business to prey off of helpless parents just looking for a gleam of hope in difficult times. They shattered hope I had. Just be determined when it comes to getting a refund or having your complaint heard. Determination is what got the end result that I had. And dont take no for an answer!
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