Debt Settlement Firm Hurts Local Cancer Patient

By Emory Bryan, The News On 6

A warning tonight from a man who says things only got worse when he tried to settle up with his creditors.

Debt settlement firms are running lots of advertising right now but a Tulsa man who answered one of those ads, he says it only delayed his troubles.

Grover McCullors says the last two years have been a nightmare."I was working, this sickness caught me by surprise and it wasn't supposed to take this long."

McCullors was diagnosed with colon cancer. He has been unable to work while his medical bills piled up.

"I knew I was in financial trouble and knew I needed some help," McCullors said.

That is when McCullors responded to an advertisement from a California law firm. He says they promised to settle with his creditors for less than he owed but did nothing.

It's a common complaint heard at the Better Business Bureau.

Rick Brinkley, Tulsa Better Business Bureau says "One of the biggest problems we have is that consumers especially in this economy find themselves in debt, they're behind in their bills, they don't know what to do and they grab hold of the first deal that comes along that sound too good to be true, like we can make your debt go away and if you'll just pay us we can make the debt go away and take care of everything for you."

Brinkley says debt settlement and consolidation offers are often traps and credit counseling through a non-profit is almost always a better choice.

McCullors says he sent the law firm $1500 and he wants his money back but thinks he will never see it returned.

McCullors can laugh about the idea of his financial advice helping others, but he wants other people to know to watch out.

He has since declared bankruptcy and because of chemotherapy still can't work, but still has a positive attitude and hope he'll get back to work soon.

We contacted the company that McCullors dealt with for comment, and they haven't called us back.