First City Banking
And/or Tri-City Finance Group Preying on the Desperate - Not so good Credit - Loan Scam

I had applied for a loan online. They wanted me to send them 3 months payment in advance (which, I was dumb and sent it on 03/26/2009 total of $692.82 with the MoneyGram fee to Karen Travis) then I was just waiting for my loan to come in. I waited over 3 days for my money. Then I received an email from the finance department, Abdul Baka - at First City Banking saying that they really needed an extra $600 for an insurance deposit before the loan could take process because of my bad credit. That's when I started getting a "not so good" feeling about this company.

So I got in touch with the loan officer that was assigned to me - Frank Sullivan and he assured me that "this was not a scam Miss Jones, if it were a scam I would not have been calling you back. First City Banking is an honest to goodness company". So, stupid me sent them another $614.16 with the MoneyGram fee to Karen Brooks on 03/31/2009. Lucky for me, I had called the Moneygram store and the last $600 I had sent to them, had not been picked up yet, so they were able to reverse the transaction and I picked that up on 04/01/2009. Mr. Frank Sullivan called me that afternoon and asked why I had the transaction reversed and I told him I don't trust you or this company. And he then told me that we could cancel the contract, and I would get my first monies (with the MoneyGram fee) refunded to me in 10-15 days. He sent me a contract cancellation/refund policy saying that my money would be refunded no later than 04/21/2009. I have given First City Banking the benefit of the doubt - to show me that they are an "honest to goodness" company. Well, guess what? I do not have my money, no one will answer the phone when I call the number and no one will answer my emails.

I have contacted the BBB of Canada, Project Phone Busters, and Ministry of Government Services - all to no avail. I know that I will never get my money back, but others will still be aware of this First City Banking and/or Tri-City Finance Group as the websites are still up and the phone number is still be answered.