FML... Got Tricked by Terminix

[Forcus]

Had the termite treatment plan done and the guys asked if I wanted to do monthly payments on the yearly contract or just pay outright. Just got done paying some large unexpected expenses, so said sure, monthly would be fine. Got papers in the mail - it was a LOAN through a third party! So, 1) hit to credit, 2) 18% interest rate!! Shame on them for not telling me this up front, shame on me for not demanding more details. Going to pay it off right away. Small damage for prepaying early but nothing compared to the interest and a loan hanging over my head.

[arebelspy]

Didn't you have to sign paperwork for the loan?

[Rural]

Didn't you have to sign paperwork for the loan?

If you didn't, there is no loan. Of course, I'd still pay it off to avoid further headaches, but then I'd file a BBB complaint and a police report and contest the recording of the loan with the credit bureaus (that's why I'd do the police report).

[arebelspy]

Didn't you have to sign paperwork for the loan?

If you didn't, there is no loan. Of course, I'd still pay it off to avoid further headaches, but then I'd file a BBB complaint and a police report and contest the recording of the loan with the credit bureaus (that's why I'd do the police report).

You can probably skip the police report by confronting them directly, but it's a backup option.

Of course if you did sign paperwork, take it as a good lesson to read what you sign.  :)

[Kriegsspiel]

To correctly perform this internet maneuver, the message must end with '... FML.' Please fix it.

[Rural]

Didn't you have to sign paperwork for the loan?

If you didn't, there is no loan. Of course, I'd still pay it off to avoid further headaches, but then I'd file a BBB complaint and a police report and contest the recording of the loan with the credit bureaus (that's why I'd do the police report).

You can probably skip the police report by confronting them directly, but it's a backup option.

I figured the police report might seem like overreaction, but at least here locally, filing one would really only serve to document the situation -- nothing would actually be done about it. But it would help with the credit bureaus.

Assuming no loan documents were signed, of course.

[MoneyLifeandMore]

That's pretty bad... but if you did sign the paperwork it should definitely be a wake up call to read everything you sign.

[Crash87]

If you didn't sign anything I would file a police report. It's unlikely you're the only one they are scamming and a paper trail will help shut them down.

[Forcus]

There wasn't paperwork per se... it was a handheld device and I assumed that it was accepting the service not signing up for a loan. To be honest, while I feel tricked, I also accept blame for not asking more questions.

I'm just going to pay it off and chalk it up to a learning experience (maybe $50 hit). But really I was / am more upset about the loan since I've worked so hard to get rid of loans.