‘Do that gut check’: Bend family urges caution as catalog credit company faces wave of complaints
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- When Barbara Bracey opens her mailbox, the glossy catalogs inside feel familiar.
“I get the catalogs, I go through them...Oh, I need a new one of those,” Bracey said. As she is mostly home-bound and doesn't know how to work a computer, it's an easy way for her to shop for essentials, and more.
Her son, Jon Martin, is his mother's caretaker. He discovered she had a line of credit through Stoneberry — a catalog retailer that offers installment financing for a variety of products. He says the interest rate quietly increased over time.
“It started out at, I think it was 13%. In just last year, or within a few years, it jumped up to 27% interest,” Martin said.
In the last three years, 166 complaints were filed with the Better Business Bureau against Stoneberry’s parent company, Mason Companies Incorporated. The Oregon Attorney General’s Office has also received five complaints.
The complaints cite concerns about high interest rates, billing disputes, and allegations of predatory tactics. The company is not BBB-accredited, but that alone doesn’t mean a business is acting improperly.
Cameron Nakashima with the BBB says their organization can be a helpful resource for consumers to make informed decisions.
“Maybe something just feels not 100% when you're talking with a business, always look them up. And it really doesn't have to be a super heavy, deep dive. Take 2 to 5 minutes to look up this business and do that gut check,” Nakashima said.
Bracey wants to help warn others who may not have the support she has from her son.
“I was afraid they were going to take me to court and sue me. It was a kind of a fear factor too. I hate to think of other elderly people being taken advantage of, and we get taken advantage of a lot,” she said.
Martin’s breaking point was a letter asking to share his mother’s information with other companies.
“Who knows how many other companies would have been targeting her or them because they shared all of her personal information,” Martin said.
Consumer advocates encourage those who may have concerns to look up a company or reach out to local organizations that may be able to help. The BBB also has resources for older adults and caregivers to protect vulnerable loved ones.
But Martin's advice? “Watch out for your neighbors and watch out for each other. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is."
KTVZ reached out to Stoneberry for comment but did not receive a response.
