Scam

My boyfriend had been looking to get a car. He has no credit therefore couldn't get approved for a loan without a co signer at any dealership or bank so one day I saw an ad in the Franklin Shopper newspaper for a company whose ad stated, "no credit, bad credit, we have been helping people since 1991." Decided this would be the best thing for him to do--call them. He called them. They asked for the basics, how much he wanted, social security number, everything you would need to give out to get a loan. They said he would get a confirmation a couple days later. We got a letter about 5 days later saying that he needed to sign this contract and send a $69 processing fee to them (that was refundable). The contract also stated that he needed to work with them in order to find them a lender. He signed it and sent it back with a money order for $69. Today we got another letter saying they recieved the processing fee but it also said not to call their 1-800 number, they with communicate by mail. That seemed weird to me. Then they also requested him to fill out a loan application, pay for a copy of his credit report and send it to them, and they also asked for accounts that he has opened along with the account numbers. That also didn't seem right because loan agencies can get a credit report themselves. So I came home, looked online and found hundreds of complaints saying that this is a scam and do not do it. Well it was a little too late for that. So since they don't list their phone number on any of the letters they send, therefore I had to go get the Franklin Shopper to get their phone number. I called them, and when I call a business 1-800 number I usually get a recording or have to press a number for an option and this time I did not. It went straight to a girl. So I just went with it, told her why I was calling and that I have been reading a lot of stuff online that said they were a scam and I was basically asking if he could get a refund back for the processing fee. She told me first maybe I should look at other websites and then I told her thank you for being rude and she said "f**k you B***h and hung up on me. I have never in my life heard that from a company so of course, I called back. I got no recording or menu again and I got no answer. I hung up, called back, and got no answer again. And then I start thinking--"how do they know not to answer the phone and what kind of business does this?" So I called back again, I got the same girl which never happens when I call a 1-800 number, but I then asked if she had a supervisor she then hung up on me. I called back again, got no menu and I got the same girl and I said again, "do you have a supervisor?" she didn't put me on hold with any music you normally hear I heard doors opening and her handing the phone to someone else then another lady came on the phone and said her name was Lynn. She talked to me and I explained to her the things that happened and even if I was calling for a refund I would have definately wanted one after being treated like that. She apologized I guess because she knew she was getting my boyfriends money anyways. But I told her again how I saw things online and just to be sure that we weren't getting scammed we would like a refund. She kept saying "that's up to the refund department." I asked who is the refund department and how can I contact them--she said there is no number and no mailing address. How can you be a business and no be able to transfer me to who I need to talk to and who is going to help me? That just doesn't make sense. She then told me that basically he probably wouldn't get his money back because he didn't live up to his end of the contract which was to work with them and give them all of his information. So basically they said he can't get his money back unless he gives them everything he has of himself--including accounts--and all of his personal information, they want! Yeah right, is what I told her and I said $69 is a small price to pay for not giving you that information so you could do god knows what to his identity. I'm sure these people end up with $69 all the time just for nothing. Just for anyone else out there thinking about doing this, think twice. I don't know for sure it's a scam but I will contact the BBB and whoever else possible to find out and to make sure nothing else happens with this "company" and us. But protect yourself, and look into it a little more and just put together all the little things I said--do you really think they are a business?