ComplaintsforWFA Econometrics Corporation

• Initial Complaint

  07/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On April 18, 2022, I filled out a QDRO checklist and on April 29, I paid $200 to WFA *************** in *********, ** to complete a QDRO in accordance with a marital settlement agreement following a divorce. However, WFA Econometrics did not do any work to complete the transaction even after I submitted my side of the documents. I called them multiple times to check the status and was told that the other side (my ex husband) had not reached out to them to fill out the paperwork and submit his 1/2 of the retainer ($200). In June 2022 I finally convinced my ex husband to reach out to them and he was turned away saying that they didnt need anything from him and couldnt help him. This caused further delay to where I became frustrated and asked for a refund. On June 20, WFA forwarded me an order for a return of $200 to my debit card. To date (07/25/2022) I have not received this credit and have been told to continue to wait while they refuse to issue me a check or other form of refund. They have admitted that they do not see the credit as being processed. They have stopped returning my calls and emails and I suspect theft of my $200.

  Business response

  08/15/2022

  August 12, 2022
  Ms. *************************
  BBB Of *********
  10019 *****************************************.
  *********, ** 53214
  Dear ********************,
  I have received your letter dated August 8, ********************************************. I would like
  to respond to the complaint brought by ************************* regarding services requested of our
  company and the subsequent credit/debit card refund of $200 requested by ****************** on June,
  20, 2022.
  However, before I provide a response to Ms. ******** complaint, I would like to point out that
  our company is WFA Econometrics Group, LLC, located at *******************************************************************************. Ms. ******** complaint filed with you, as well as your subsequent
  correspondence was directed to *****************************, WFA Econometrics Corporation that was
  located in *******, *********.
  ****************** passed away in 2017 and WFA Econometrics Corporation was sold in May, 2019 to
  new owners that established WFA Econometrics Group, LLC, with headquarters in ***********************, *******, and a branch office in *********, **. Any future correspondence regarding this
  matter should be directed to my attention at ********************************************************************** 60051.
  In response to Ms. ******** complaint, WFA Econometrics Group serves as a consultant to
  Family Law Attorneys to draft Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (****s).
  On April 18, 2022 WFA Econometrics Group, LLC sent a retainer letter and invoice for ****
  drafting services to Attorney ***************************** (Ms. ******** Family Law Attorney). We were
  informed on April 18, 2022 that Attorney ******* had withdrawn from Ms. ******** divorce case.
  Because we are consultants to the attorney, we informed ****************** that we would need an
  attorney of record for her **** file. ****************** informed us that her ex-spouses attorney, ************************** was the attorney that could be the attorney on record for the **** drafting services.
  We were very clear with ****************** that we must have an attorney to work with during the
  **** drafting process.
  
  On April 29, 2022 WFA processed a credit card payment from ****************** in the amount of
  $200, which represents one half of our $400 **** drafting fee. The remaining $200 balance
  was to be paid by ***********************, her ex-spouse.
  In May, 2022, WFA contacted Attorney ******* requesting the remaining retainer balance and
  we did not receive a response. In June, 2022 *********************** notified us that his attorney (**************************) had withdrawn from his divorce case. **** wanted to make his payment for the balance
  of the **** drafting retainer. However, we let him know that since his attorney withdrew from
  ***** divorce case, that they would need to find another attorney as our contact for the ****
  drafting. We did not want to take ***************** payment until we knew they retained another
  attorney and were ready to proceed.
  We informed ****************** that Mr. ******** attorney withdrew from the case and we would hold
  off on accepting Mr. ******** half of the retainer payment until either of them obtained new
  legal counsel. We were clear from the beginning that we work at the request of the attorney and
  that an attorney was required for **** drafting services.
  WFA did not begin any **** drafting services on Ms. ******** file because we needed:
  1. An attorney representing one of the parties.
  2. Additional information from ******************************
  3. Mr. ******** retainer payment (which we did not want to accept until we knew one party
  had retained a new attorney).
  On June 20, 2022, ****************** expressed her dissatisfaction with the situation, and we made
  arrangements to issue a $200 credit back to her credit card and she would seek **** drafting
  services elsewhere.
  I processed a credit of $200 on June 20, 2022 using our credit card processing vendor
  (Converge). An e-mail confirmation of the transaction was automatically e-mailed from
  converge to ******************. I also placed a copy of the refund receipt in Ms. ******** file.
  On June 24, 2022, ****************** forwarded the e-mail she received from Converge, and stated that
  she did not see the $200 credit show ** in her account. ****************** demanded that we send her a
  check for $200. We contacted Converge and they confirmed that the refund was processed and
  showed it was settled on June 21, 2022. Converge informed us that is could be a couple of weeks
  for the refund to arrive. We informed ****************** of the response we received from Converge,
  and that wed like give it the time that Converge recommended for the refund to arrive. We
  understand that ****************** wanted her refund as soon as possible, which is why we processed
  the refund the same day she requested it.
  We checked in with Converge again the first week of July. They informed us that the
  Independence Day holiday may have also slowed the refund. By July 11, 2020, ******************
  indicated that she still did not receive the $200 refund. We contacted Converge once again and
  had the issue escalated to their research group to determine if there was any problem with the
  refund that was issued. Converge informed us that it could be approximately 10 days for them to
  research and respond. We informed ****************** that we were having the refund issue escalated
  
  with Converge. ****************** insisted that we never processed the $200 credit card refund, despite
  receiving an e-mail confirmation from Converge that the refund was processed. We also sent he
  a copy of the refund receipt we had in her file. We feel that we processed the refund promptly
  and correctly on our end and it was now in the hands of the credit card processing company and
  the banks to complete the refund process. ****************** continued to ask us to send her a check for
  the refund. However, since we already processed her refund through Converge, if we were to
  send a check, and she subsequently received the credit card refund, she will have received a
  double refund of $400.
  On July 25, 2022, I received an e-mail from Converge with a Refund Routing Number. Converge
  determined that the refund was processed and settled correctly they advised me to provide Ms.
  ******* the Refund Routing Number, and have her contact her bank. Converge felt that her bank
  could use the Refund Routing Number to investigate the issue and hopefully determine the
  problem.
  Ms. ******** response was that we were sending her on a wild goose chase and said it was our
  responsibility to call her bank. I pointed out to ****************** that as a third party, the bank would
  certainly not speak to us regarding one of their customers accounts. She insisted that it was our
  job to prove that we processed the refund. I provided her with receipts, confirmation e-mail from
  Converge and a Refund Routing Number she could provide to her bank. I feel that we did
  everything correctly on our end to process her refund.
  I feel it was reasonable request for her to ask her bank for assistance to investigate the refund if it
  did not arrive in her account.
  I am including a copy of the refund receipt when we processed her refund on June 20, 2022. I
  have also included a copy of the e-mail that she received from Converge showing that the refund
  was processed.
  If you should have any additional question or need any further information, please feel free to
  contact me.
  Sincerely,
  *******************************
  WFA Econometrics Group, LLC

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