What the hell happened to all the notary publics?!

Aaaaaaalmost done with this whole disgusting, dehumanizing ordeal - that has TAKEN at least 5 years off my life. I hope I freakin' LIVE to pay-off my 30 year fixed mortgage! If I die five years early, it's on YOU ShitiMortgage.  I'm SO tired of being treated like a retard by customer support reps who have NO idea what's going on at their OWN company. I've spent SO many HOURS on the F-ing phone with ShitiMortgage. I'll never get that time back.  This has changed me forever, and not for good or for better.  Anyway, if I could just find a freakin' notary public in my neighborhood.  Ok, I did find ONE, but it was the hell-adjacent WA State Licensing Bureau "outlet" the "office" had decor, stench, and demeanor of a truck stop bathroom in the hot summer sun.  The line stretched out the door.  I wanted to throw up.  I left.  I finally found a notary with whom I am meeting on Tuesday.  Once the papers are in the mail, it should be a done deal.  I'm making copies of EVERYTHING so I have it when it gets lost in transit. Some people call me bitter. I wish! I don't have any energy left to be bitter.  I'm just horribly exhausted. I saved my house for ONE more year. Yay? I used to be successful. Really.

Crawling Toward the Light

FINALLY! there is a light at the end of this 7 month tunnel of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness. I received the paperwork from ShitiMortgage that will finally end months of hours on the phone and threatening letters. They also did contact the credit bureaus to fix my screwed credit. I thank them for that, even though they were the ones who screwed up my credit score in the first place (for THREE months). The offer isn't quite the "Obama Magic Percentage" of my income, but again... it's better than nothing. I'll be transitioning this web site as soon as the ink is dry on all my paperwork. My heart goes out to anyone else dealing with the impenetrable ShitiMortgage customer "service" dead ends.

Bye Bye Money

While I'm STILL waiting for ShitiMortgage to get it in gear (and the clock is STILL ticking, folks!) I'm just thinking about ALL the people's money that got flushed down the drain by the banking industry. Banks used to stand for trust and were "institutions" with buildings that usually looked like the classic Greco-Roman architecture of governmental type  buildings. Bank lobbies were grand and stank of security and reserve. CitiMortgage and its modern day counterparts are like a HUGE speeding train with no brakes. Hang on if you can. It's VERY easy to get shaken off and lost along the way. Banks to me now are like public restrooms. Some people are there to do business, but most people are there to try to get away with something they KNOW they shouldn't be doing. I hope it was worth flushing your image down the toilet, American banks. I hope you tip well at your country clubs and warm, tropical resorts you greedy money-sucking bastards!

Bad Banks Burning Bundles of Bucks

Waiting. STILL waiting. I reached out to CitiMortgage in November 2008 pro-actively to try to avoid making any late payments. CitiMortgage is responsible for taking that HOPE and destroying it. Trying to deal with CitiMortgage for months and months has slowly stripped my faith in any sort of recovery. Banks (at least CitiBank) are still money-sucking bureaucratic black holes.

Try to contact CitiMortgage. You can ONLY call them. They offer no help via email, live chat, or regular U.S. Mail. They put up a wall between themselves and their customers. I can't see what's happening to the hundreds of thousands of my dollars I'm (eventually) paying to CitiMortgage for my home. My home is owned by a faceless mega-corporation who I can't communicate with.  Can I move my mortgage to another company without a refinance? What's to stop my mortgage from being sold by CitiMortgage to another company who's worse (or better)? The longer this process takes, the less I feel like I own my home and the more I feel like my home is a prison created by CitiMortgage.

Another Weekend of Waiting

Ok, I've submitted more paperwork to my CitiMortgage case worker. And, she assures me that the wheels are (FINALLY) in motion to get my mortgage renegotiated to better match my current (and apparently permanent) employment situation. A few of my friends (who are ardent Obama supporters) want to know why I invoke/mention/blame Obama for MY CitiMortgage quagmire.  Here goes: Back in November 2008 as my savings account was dwindling toward zero, I saw President Obama on TV every single day talking about how the BILLIONS of tax-payer dollars were going to help people exactly like me who were laid off through no fault of my own and now can't get a job that pays what I was making before (not for lack of trying). Obama went on a month-long "tour" of the media encouraging those in trouble to reach out.  He promised that the BILLIONS going to the banks, like CitiGroup, would be going to the people.  He said he would make sure that it would NOT be "buisness as usual" at banks bailed out with tax-payer dollars.  Well, CitiGroup/Bank/Mortgage has shattered that promise, and I'm pretty sure if Timothy Geitner would scratch the surface of the other banks (Chase, BOA, etc.) he would find thousands -- if not millions -- of customers treated like utter crap by big banks because they still can.  I appreciate the help that CitiMortgage is now being forced to give me because I threatened them to go viral with their social irresponsibility, BUT I don't believe that I should have had to endure 7 months of UTTER HELL being relentlessly harassed by my mortgage holder for THEIR mistake.  Mr. Obama better wake up and realize that EACH bank needs a FEDERAL watchdog to ensure that PEOPLE are being helped NOT bank executives and worthless employees who just parrot what the computer tells them to (in India no less).

A Glimmer of Hope

My barrage of email bombs yesterday struck gold (or at least hit something)! Karen Turner is my contact/"supervisor" in the Dept. of Executive Screw-ups.  She assigned me to Trisha (I think. Her name was garbled.) in the Exec Response Office.  I've gotten their attenion, now can I get them to LISTEN to me and HELP me? Details to follow.  I'm hopeful but doubtful.

1:20 PM UPDATE: Made the call. STILL got some phone-tree run-around, BUT eventually got in touch with my NEW counselor, Tisha. I know I've said this before, but I have a good feeling about this.  She SAID that she's going to rush my application through next week if I can get her paperwork tomorrow, which I can totally do!  She also said that she'll look into repairing my credit.  Hopeful!  Hopeful!

Emotionally Exhausted: I Cry Myself To Sleep Every Night

CitiMortgage made a clerical error on my Hardship Assistance Loan Forebearance which has cascaded into a complete morass which no one at CitiMortgage can seem to untangle.  I need help, and I need it FAST. Since CitiMortgage won't escalate my case, I feel backed into a corner. I'm going viral on the Internet (Twitter, YouTube, Blog) this week unless someone at CitiMortgage can help me.  I have a history of getting on TV and will drag CitiMortgage through the mud for what you've put me through for the past 8 months unless SOMEONE at CitiMortgage takes the time to make this RIGHT!  I am totally at my wits end. I am emotionally exhausted and sad and angry.  I'm not ashamed to admit that I cry every day at the thought of being forced from my home by ShitiMortgage.  BEFORE calling ShitiMortgage Hardship Assistance Department, I had perfect credit.  Thanks to errors made by ShitiMortgage employees, my credit score has been destroyed. If I could afford a lawyer...

Total pages of paper mailed between me and Citimortgage: 100+

Total HOURS on the phone: 8+ (@ my rate of $25/hour=$200) An ENTIRE work day just to try to get the mess you created sorted out!

Total cellphone minutes used at PEAK rates: 480 53% of my monthly

minutes (I have the phone records to break this down by month or week

if you like)

Total amount CitiMortgage got from bailout: Citibank accepted $45

billion in bailout money under the TARP program (NY Times)

http://www.recovery.gov/?q=content/accountability-and-transparency

85 page PDF of TARP crap

http://www.citigroup.com/citi/fin/data/1q09_datareport.pdf?ieNocache=276

http://www.citigroup.com/citi/fin/

http://www.citigroup.com/citi/citizen/index.htm

MY KEY POINTS:

CitiMortgage has ONLY ONE way to communicate: by phone. You have THREE

(3) phone numbers - India/Collections/Hardship Assistance/Loss

Prevention

CitiMortgage has TWO (2) computer systems - One can NOT be seen by the

India Call Center. One system cannot "see" or recognize the other

system

Contact Us: [unless you are already a customer]

http://www.citimortgage.com/Mortgage/Home.do?page=contactus&td=id19114189|1

It is IMPOSSIBLE to contact anyone at CitiGroup who is actually HELPFUL.

late NOV 08

• I call Hardship Assistance and ask for help. I'm told there is NO help for me because I'm being pro-active. If I were already irresponsible and in debt or foreclosure I could be helped.
• Because I have been a responsible customer who has NEVER made a late payment, you can't help me. 
• I am told, though, to "go ahead and TRY to submit the paperwork and see what happens."

DEC 08

• Submit paperwork and told someone will call me back
  

JAN 09

• Call to follow up since no one called me back
  
• Told I can't be put on program if my mortgage payments are current.
  
• Told to NOT pay Feb mortgage and re-apply.
  
• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/27/obama-officials-tells-cit_n_161202.html
  
• http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/geithner-cracks-down-on-bailout-lobbying/?scp=2&sq=citibank%20bailout&st=cse
  

FEB 09

• Reapplied over the phone since Dec paperwork is now 2 months old (because no one called me back)
• I arranged for first payment - made it (in full and on time by Feb 8)
  
• I submitted signed paperwork agreeing to a repayment plan (mid Feb)
• I mailed my MARCH 09 payment Feb 20 by check to ensure that it arrived by March 1
  
• CitiMortgage cashes the check and applies it to the wrong month (February) COMPUTER GLITCH #1
• http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123578492279598531.html "Too big to fail, too big to succeed."

MAR 09

• Collection calls start immediately
  
• Told by Hardship Assistance to "ignore calls and letters"
  
• Collection calls reach 3 per day for 4 days consecutively
  
• Told by rude collections man, "We will call you as many times as is legal."
  
• Contact State Attorney General and CitiMortgage to stop illegal avalanche of collections calls
• Call later to ask about collections harassing me and put on "do not call" list by Hardship Assistance
• This act FREAKS OUT CitiMortgage computer causing weekly letters, some sent certified mail that I had to sign for
• All to tell me (erroneously) that I am behind on my payments
  
• BUT NO CALLS FROM ANY COUNSELOR
  
• and NO correspondence from CitiMortgage that a) ANY of my payments have been received or applied to my mortgage nor b) advice on what next steps to take in this process.
• Regular monthly statements stop arriving.   Only harassing collection letters which DO NOT reflect correct information.

APR 09

• Collections continues to harass
  
• I call AGAIN
  
• "Global financial services major Citigroup Inc, which was on brink of collapse till recently, has made a dramatic turnaround by recording a profit of $ 1.6 billion for the first three months of this year," reports the press.  Great for you!
• I am told again to just ignore the avalanche of calls and letters from collections

MAY 09

• More harassing letters in duplicate
  
• I call AGAIN and am told that I have been dropped from the program for non-payment and I could try calling the FHA directly
• I have canceled checks or Chase bank paperwork that shows EVERY payment made 100% on time or early
• I'm told that my case worker counselor was supposed to contact me, but he never did.  He may no longer be employed by CitiBank.
• I leave 2 VMs over 2 weeks, and call Monday of THIRD week and speak to someone unhelpful who transfers me to same VM where I've left two detailed messages already.
• Lady (counselor) calls me back to tell me I've been dropped from the plan for non-payment, which infuriates me because I have paid and have the canceled checks to prove it. She rudely cuts me off and says she has to talk to her supervisor. [I have this call on videotape]
• So I immediately call back Hardship Assistance and get Greg who is nice and helpful and says that I am back on the plan, but that there probably isn't enough time left to figure out a renegotiation before the end of the loan forebearance term is so close to being up (on my original agreement which I am still honoring)
• With about 36 days before the end of my agreement, CitiMortgage tells me again that I should call the FHA.  here's their number, bye. [I have this call on videotape as well]
• http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2351143/
  

JUNE 09

• More threatening letters telling me AGAIN that I've been dropped by the program for non-payment!
• The clock is ticking!! I have 30 days to pay a $1420 tax bill and a $4500 CitiMortgage balloon payment which was SUPPOSED to be worked back into my loan renegotiation!
• Where's the tax payers recovery money going?

JULY 09

• ???
  

ShitiMortgage Thinks Bush Is Still Handing Out Free Money For Social Irresponsibility

When I was blind-sided by a layoff from the company I had spent 6 years building from 200 customers to thousands: December 2004 (right before Christmas) with no severance

When I found a part-time job without benefits that aaaalmost paid enough every month: July 2005

Period of time when I struggled to cover all my payments every month on time: July 2005 to Sept 2008

When I realized I was headed toward financial insolvency due to plummeting property values and soaring gas prices: Oct 2008

When I applied to the ShitiMortgage Hardship Assistance Program by certified and return receipt mail: Nov 2008

When I reapplied by phone because no one called me about my first application: Jan 2009

When I started the ShitiMortgage Hardship Assistance Program: Feb 2009

When ShitiMortgage FIRST screwed up my account: Feb 2009

Late payments I made BEFORE Feb 2009: o (zero)

When ShitiMortgage threw me out of the ShitiMortgage Hardship Assistance Program due to late payments: April AND May 2009

Late payments SINCE Feb 2009: o (zero)

Total number of e-debits and canceled checks I have that show ShitiMortgage cashed my checks on or before my due date 100% on time or early: 5 (of 6 due so far)

Total pages of paper sent by mail between me and ShitiMortgage: 100+

Total HOURS on the phone: 8+ (@ my rate $25/hour=$200) That is like missing an entire day or work just to deal with the help from the ShitiMortgage Hardship Assistance Program

Total cellphone minutes used at PEAK rates: 480 - 53% of my monthly minutes

Total amount CitiMortgage got from government bailout: "Citibank accepted $45 billion in bailout money under the TARP program" (NY Times)

http://www.recovery.gov/?q=content/accountability-and-transparency

Mr. Obama and Mr. Geitner, CitiBank/CitiGroup is behaving like George W. Bush is still President. They are NOT showing social responsibility.  They are trying to steal my house.  Please help me! I have cancelled checks, signed documents from CitiMortgage, phone records, copies of letters to the Washington State Attorney General, and the name of EVERY CitiMortgage employee I spoke to over the 7 month (so far) ordeal trying to get help. CitiMortage's behavior in this doesn't fulfill your promises of accountability and transparency. 

I Think CitiMortgage Is Trying To Steal My Home

Thank you for stopping by to read my story traversing the rocky road to our country's alleged recovery. Currently, CitiMortgage is cashing my checks but not upholding their end of our signed agreement.  My savings account is currently 8% of what it was in December 2004. By July 1, 2009 it will be 0%.  I will be broke.  I was laid off from my job 2 weeks before Christmas 2004.  The President and Founder secretly merged and then sold the company.  I was "tricked" out of any severance pay after working for the company for 6 years and becoming General Manager (of day-to-day operations).  9 months after I closed on my first home mortgage I was unemployed.  I plan to post a series of podcasts describing the 100+ total pages of paper correspondence, 6+ hours on the phone and on hold, 360+ cell phone plan minutes (40% of my monthly plan), and the name of EVERY employee who helped me or lead me astray. CitiMortgage has accepted BILLIONS of tax-payer dollars in bailout funds.  Here is how some of that money is being spent to try to drive me from my home.