The bloody toe

Wendy asked me to look up some tax information on our now former mortgage company.  After 10 minutes of discovering how to reset my old TBW password, I finally got in and clicked on “My Account”.  This screenshot is what I got.

Keep “perfecting the art”, Taylor Bean!

Ocwen called to see if they could talk to me, regarding my account.  I verified that the number they were calling from was indeed Ocwen, then gave them the last 4 of my social.  I was told that I needed to make a payment and could do so, over the phone.  It was at this point that I managed to get a price list.  I asked if they charge me for paying over the phone.  I was told that he’d check on it.

When he came back, he told me that I would be charged 19.50 for a phone payment, which, by the way, is not late.  Currently, I pay 10 dollars for the privilege of paying over their website.  If I mail my check, I’m not charged at all.  This is a pretty trendy thing for businesses, nowadays.  They charge for the thing that doesn’t require hardly any man-hours, at all.  They don’t charge when they have to have someone that will open the envelope, verify the check, run the check through a scanner, etc.  It’s very backward, and in my opinion, dishonest.

I asked him if we had any history of not paying our mortgage.  He conceded that we were current and had always made our payment.  I asked him why we’d ever want to pay him over the phone and get charged an extra 10 dollars on top of what we are already charged for our internet payment.  He didn’t have an answer.  I told him that I thought that what Ocwen does is dishonest.  They are taking advantage of people who would probably make their payment either in the mail or over the internet, but decide, because they are being harassed day and night by Ocwen, to just settle up over the phone.

I told him (like I told the guy, last night) that they were not to call me by phone, unless I was delinquent on a payment.  They weren’t to email me with solicitations.  They may only contact me if I’m falling behind on a payment, or there is some necessary information that I need that is not related to trying to solicit extra money or scam me.

So far, I hate Ocwen.

Ocwen, at 8 PM, tonight, just called and asked if I was Nathan.  I informed him that I was and quickly took control of the conversation (they’ve called before, and it’s a sales thing).  I asked him if there was a problem with my account.  He said that he didn’t know, that this was an automated thing.  I told him that I’d already spoken to them recently, and asked that I be taken off of their sales list.  He told me that he could do that, but that he needed the last four of my social security number.

I then reminded him that if he was from Ocwen (and especially if he’s the one calling me), that he should have that information in front of him.  I again told him to take me off of his sales list.  I then hung up.  The number that he called from is 800.310.9229.

Ocwen, so far, has proven to be more of a scamming and conniving company, than a mortgage company.  I think that I just had a disturbing realization…

8:50 AM:  Was finally able to log into the website, but learned that these guys, too, want me to use Internet Explorer.  Wow.

So I’ll try it, again, with IE.

Apparently, the account number that TB&W (the cranky woman) gave me is not valid.  I’m not as shocked as I should be.

So, dutifully, I call Ocwen and sit on hold, listening to a perky tune.

9:08 AM someone answers (possibly India?), who’s name I can’t understand (I ask later and learn that it’s Roshan).  I explain that I think that the account number that I have is invalid.  I’m quickly put on hold with another crappy KennyG-like “artist” (what is it with smooth jazz and mortgage companies?)

At 9:20, I find out that I’m being charged a late fee (saw this coming) of 52 dollars.  I ask to be transferred to his manager.  He tells me that his manager is going to tell me the same thing.  So I asked to be transferred to his manager.

I explain that because they bought my loan, they are responsible for taking care of the previous companies’ responsibilities (namely, the responsibility of allowing me to make a payment, like when I can’t get through after an hour 1/2 on hold or a website that locks me out).

9:25 AM:  Roshan comes back on to tell me that the late fee was from before July or August.  I contended that the late fee would have shown up when I went to make payment in July.  He puts me back on hold to “verify” the information.

9:28 AM:  Roshon drops my call.

9:45 AM:  Find a couple of United States numbers.  One looks like it could be corporate.  The other claims to be the CEO of Ocwen.

9:55 AM:  I called 407.737.5000 (the corporate #) to see if could talk to someone, but an automated voice claimed a wait time of 64 minutes or more.  This is discouraging, to say the least.

10:00  AM:  The good news, if there is any, is that I apparently use Firefox on my Mac to make a payment.  The bad news- they charge 10 dollars to do it.

11:52 AM:  Called Ocwen

11:53 AM:  Receive a message that Ocwen is closed, due to technical difficulties.

11:53 AM:  I Start to panic.

Dooooooown!

12:11 PM:  Calling the BBB…

12:19 PM:  Losing my faith in the mortgage industry (haha)

12:55 PM:  Been trying to load http://www.ocwencustomers.com for 10 minutes, now.

Ocwen down, too.

At 5:37 PM, it’s not any better…

I called the main number, again, but this time got a slightly different message:  “We are closed for the rest of the day, due to technical difficulties.”  Geeeeez…..

Taylor Bean & Whitaker is our mortgage company.  So far, getting in touch with Taylor Bean is a lot like getting in touch with your typical mortgage company- they won’t pick up the phone, their automated phone system is down most of the time, and their website requires that you use Microsoft IE.  So if you have a Mac, you’re FOL (Flat Out of Luck).  Actually, I think that most morgage companies allow you to navigate their website without constantly getting kicked out, having to change your password, waiting long periods of time for password confirmation change emails, etc.  TB&A are not too excited to let me make a payment on time…

And that’s where the crux of my issues lays- A couple of days ago, I wanted to make a payment.  I tried, unsuccessfully for an hour.  During the hour,  became late and I

Let’s see what it takes to get in touch with them, over the phone, today.

9:46 AM:  Called, busy signal

9:51 AM:  Still busy signal

10:05 AM:  Still busy

10:12 AM:  Busy signal

10:22 AM:  Busy

10:27 AM:  Busy

Now, this is me trying to call every 5 minutes.  Maybe I’m required to call every couple of seconds to get through.  I’d say 5 minutes of this is about as much as I’m willing to try to get in touch with TB&W.

Starting at 10:29 AM:  Busy

HOLY CRAP!  I am holding, now!  10:31 AM, I actually got into the phone system.  Now, let’s see what it takes to get a live person on the phone.  Keep in mind, we are 45 minutes into the process.  I wonder how many other people are in queue.

“We are currently experiencing heavy call volumes”, etc., etc.  Also a man, every 6 seconds says “Please continue to hold”.  So far, these guys are pretty dang annoying to get on the phone.  I wonder how helpful they’ll be if I can get a live person.

I was just prompted to press “2″, to make a payment.  So I hit “2″.  Here we are, again, with the same drone stating: “Please continue to hold”.

10:39 AM:  Prompted to enter my loan #, followed by pound sign.  I don’t have my loan number, so I don’t enter one.  Soon, I’m told, again, to “Please continue to hold”.  So at this point, I’m back in the queue…but now I’m actually given an estimate as to when I’ll get to talk to someone.  I’m told “15 minutes”.

Wow.  Seriously?  How do the elderly, the technically difficient and ordinary people get through to these guys?  I can’t do it.

At 10:41 AM, I’m told that they are experiencing heavy call volumes.  I’m told too call back later and The Voice says “Good bye”.  Apparently, though, I was not disconnected.  I am now on hold listening to some quasi-Kenny G crap for music.  I’m an hour into this process.

10:43 AM, I’m reminded that if I want to make a payment, review my account, etc., I can do so from the web.

For your viewing pleasure, a snapshot from my Mac that shows that I cannot make a payment, review my account, etc., from their horribly crafted website, http://www.taylorbean.com.

This snapshot was taken after about 30 minutes of trying to "trick" them into letting me view my mortgage balance and make a payment

10:44 AM:  I’m reminded that my call will be answered in the order that it was received.

10:49 AM:  Back to wanna-be Kenny G music.

This phone system is about as random as it gets.

10:56 AM:  Music stops, The Voice pops in to reaffirm everything all over again:  They’re busy, I can use their website, etc.”, then puts me back to that horrible music.

11:04 AM:  A snapshot from my phone while waiting…

Still waiting...

We’re almost at 1 and a half hours, still trying to get in touch with TB&W.

11:08 AM:  I make a bowl of cereal, because I think that I’d starve before they’d get to me.

11:12 AM:  Eat my cereal and try to remember what a human voice sounds like.

11:13 AM:  Continue to work, because while employees at TB&W aren’t required to pick up the phone, I am.

11:14 AM:  Turn down the hold music, which is on speakerphone, a little, since I don’t want their crappy saxophonist to blow out a tiny iPhone speaker.

11:15 AM:  Played a little game, wherein I hold my breath until someone comes on the line.

11:16 AM:  Almost died.  No more games.  I have children to raise.

11:23 AM:  I get someone named Linda answers the phone!!!

Verified my Social, home phone, etc.

Find out my loan was transferred to Ocwen!!!!!!

800-74-ocwen is the number.

Apparently, it transferred on August 5th.

I hate the no-longer existant TB&W

Taylor Bean and Whittaker is dead.  They are no more.  Linda tells me that we didn’t pay last months’ payment (which we did) and we argue.  In the process she tells me that she is getting her paycheck from the Federal Government, because she is no longer employed by TB&W.

We argue about whether or not TB&W’s website should have a notice that they’ve closed shop, etc.

I tell her I’m sorry that she lost her job, but give her an earful because this is not the first time that an employee of TB&W has been unhelpful.  Then I feel bad because she lost her job.