Sterling Jewelers

Consumer Reviews and Complaints

1. 

   Sterling Jewelers Reviews & Complaints

   (1)

   Dler, inc.My bank account was garnished and I called to offer a payment plan to stop garnishment. Being disability is from my husband”, and it is all the income we have, I told them what I could do. Which the really turned it down more or less. It was we have to wait and see and send them a financial statement. I have apprxo 140.00 left each month left and made them an offer. My husband is having his disability changed so they can”t touch it anymore. As his name is not on this bill. Nadler, inc not willing to negotiate, was so frustrating, as I wanted to do the right thing, has came to either Sterling not receiving any funds. Why have them taking control of collections.

   By Dannette Petters

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2. 

   Sterling Jewelers Reviews & Complaints

   (1)

   I am a former employee of “kay jewelers, ” otherwise known as Sterling Jewelers. I used to work for over five years in the 60 days collections department out of the home office in Akron, Ohio. I am writing this report for both customers and employees that deal with this company. Sterling Jewelers is the owner of multiple jewlery stores throughout the USA. Some of the brands are, Kay Jewelers, J.B Robinsons, Belden’s, Jared’s, Osterman’s, and about a half dozen more. I am complaining about their 60-days collections manager, named Myron Olijar. Myron Olijar is a really seedy individual. I have no idea how he got promoted to manager. The following note is for those that currently work at Sterling: WATCH OUT FOR HIM! Myron knows the FDCPA (Fair Debt Collections Practices Act) very well, yet he barely enforces it. The FDCPA is a piece of law that regulates how a debt can be collected, what is legal and what is illegal. Granted, for anyone that works in collections, we all know that the overwhelming majority of the customers that fall into collections is because they are just going through a difficult time financially. Sometimes you have a sick child, get a pay cut at work, get layed off, or have an unexpected car repair. It all happens to us. On the other hand, there are deadbeats out there that simply buy stuff and don’t want to pay for it, but these customers are few and far between. Well, whether you are a deadbeat or just living pay check to pay check, Myron Olijar doesn’t care. I’ve heard this man laugh on the company floor when there is a account to be collected on, “Oh, we’ll just harass them, I mean, uh, we’ll collect on him.” Obviously, he does this tongue-in-cheek in a very sarcastic manner. But Myron does indeed harass customers. What is worse, though, is he doesn’t personally harass the customers, he gets his supervisors and his collectors to do it for him. Here are a couple of examples: FDCPA states that we are allowed to contact the customer only once a day by telephone. Myron on the other hand, will have his collectors call customers REPEATEDLY throughout the day. Myron in fact, has his collectors break the law once they have already contacted the customer, and the customer is either unwilling or unable to pay, and then has them contact the customer again. This is particularly true for balances that are over $1000. If a customer cannot or will not pay, they usually will hang up on us. What Myron Olijar will have his collectors do, however, is to have them call the customers back and say, “We got disconnected” and then attempt to collect on the account again. If this doesn’t work, Myron then will have his supervisors and collectors go on a skiptracing search engine like, “peoplefinders.com.” and look up all of the customers relatives, friends, neighbors, roommates, co-workers, you name it, anyone or everyone that has had any contact with the customer. Myron will then have his subordinates leave messages with anyone that is willing to take a message. I was forced by Myron to leave messages with neighbors and friends of a customer. FDCPA states that collectors can indeed leave messages with others, only if they are “familiar” with the customer. Here is the grey area Myron Olijar really exploits. Who are we, collectors out of Akron, Ohio, to know who is familiar with one of our customers in Texas, Idaho or California? We don’t, and as long as customers do not know their rights, Myron keeps exploiting his collectors into doing this. Another illegal thing myron has his collectors do is when, for example, a customer’s due date is say, “August 15.” But the customer does not get paid until “august 16.” Myron will have his collectors do a “post dated check over the phone.” The idea is that there is some lag time between the debit on the customers checking account and the credit into Sterlings account. Myron will do this knowing perfectly well there is a chance that this check will bounce. If the check bounces, then Sterling is able to charge more finances fees. Another illegal thing Myron does is even sleazier. For example, if one of our customers is in collections, chances are he is in collections with his Visa Card, Car note, mortgage, etc. The customer is probably getting dozens of calls a day. The customer gets so desperate that they are willing to do anything to get the calls to stop. What Myron has his collectors do, then, is to tell customer, “THe collections calls will only stop until you set up a payment over the phone.” But the customer will usually say, “I don’t get paid until the end of the month.” Myron then will have his collectors say, “Well, we can set up an automatic payment to debit your account until then.” But here is the grey part again, the customer did not tell us if he can afford the payment or not. Sometimes the payments can be as high as $80/month. So these customers are so desperate to have the collections call stop, that they will indeed to a post dated payment over the phone, both the collectos know and the customers know that the cash probably will not be there at the end of the month. But Myron is able to exploit this. When the check bounces, Sterling is able to charge another fee, yet Myron is able to include this amount into his quota and get his monthly bonus anyway. So as a wrap up: these are the four illegal things that Myron Olijar usually has his collectors do: 1.) call customers back repeatedly the same day after contact was made. 2.) leave messages with dozens of neighbors, friends, relatives, co-workers, or anyone else that could be “familiar” with the customer. 3.) do post dated checks over the phone into the future with the full knowledge that they might not debit in time 4.) threaten the customer with more phone calls if a posted dated check is not made into the future, knowing well that the cash is not there. So, how does Myron Olijar do this? There is this unwritten code at Sterling when it comes to collections, “Whatever works.” In other words, you can do basically anything you want, but just don’t get caught, and if you do, don’t count on your superiors to get you out of it. Myron Olijar really does force his supervisors and collectors to do this. He always hits his numbers because of this. Unfortunately for some, though, is when they do get caught, they ended up getting fired. I’ve known dozens of good people that have worked at Sterlings collections for 10+ years, only to get fired for doing what Myron Olijar has told them what to do. My advice for current customers: Know your rights. Take down names and times you’ve received phone calls. Myron has been fired from Sterling before in the early 1990s, but for some awful reason the brought him back. Illegal stuff goes on at Sterling all the time. When this stuff actually leaks to the media, they usually clean up their act for a few months, then slide back into their illegal practices. Its just a “big cycle.” I’m sure that there are plenty of former Sterling Employees that are more than willing to back up what I’m saying. I could not in good faith continue working there. One of my supervisors was fired for doing exactly what Myron told him what to do. After that happened, by put in my own two week notice. I am working at a restaurant now, making less, but at least I know I’m not doing anything illegal or immoral. Shame on your Sterling Jewlers and shame on you Myron Olijar!

   By Elaine Puskas

   Reply
3. 

   Sterling Jewelers Reviews & Complaints

   (2)

   I am a former employee of “kay jewelers, ” otherwise known as Sterling Jewelers. I used to work for over five years in the 60 days collections department out of the home office in Akron, Ohio. I am writing this report for both customers and employees that deal with this company. Sterling Jewelers is the owner of multiple jewelery stores throughout the USA. Some of the brands are, Kay Jewelers, J.B Robinsons, Belden’s, Jared’s, Osterman’s, and about a half dozen more. I am complaining about their 60-days collections manager, named Myron Olijar. Myron Olijar is a really seedy individual. I have no idea how he got promoted to manager. The following note is for those that currently work at Sterling: WATCH OUT FOR HIM! Myron knows the FDCPA (Fair Debt Collections Practices Act) very well, yet he barely enforces it. The FDCPA is a piece of law that regulates how a debt can be collected, what is legal and what is illegal. Granted, for anyone that works in collections, we all know that the overwhelming majority of the customers that fall into collections is because they are just going through a difficult time financially. Sometimes you have a sick child, get a pay cut at work, get layed off, or have an unexpected car repair. It all happens to us. On the other hand, there are deadbeats out there that simply buy stuff and don’t want to pay for it, but these customers are few and far between. Well, whether you are a deadbeat or just living pay check to pay check, Myron Olijar doesn’t care. I’ve heard this man laugh on the company floor when there is a account to be collected on, “Oh, we’ll just harass them, I mean, uh, we’ll collect on him.” Obviously, he does this tongue-in-cheek in a very sarcastic manner. But Myron does indeed harass customers. What is worse, though, is he doesn’t personally harass the customers, he gets his supervisors and his collectors to do it for him. Here are a couple of examples: FDCPA states that we are allowed to contact the customer only once a day by telephone. Myron on the other hand, will have his collectors call customers REPEATEDLY throughout the day. Myron in fact, has his collectors break the law once they have already contacted the customer, and the customer is either unwilling or unable to pay, and then has them contact the customer again. This is particularly true for balances that are over $1000. If a customer cannot or will not pay, they usually will hang up on us. What Myron Olijar will have his collectors do, however, is to have them call the customers back and say, “We got disconnected” and then attempt to collect on the account again. If this doesn’t work, Myron then will have his supervisors and collectors go on a skiptracing search engine like, “peoplefinders.com.” and look up all of the customers relatives, friends, neighbors, roommates, co-workers, you name it, anyone or everyone that has had any contact with the customer. Myron will then have his subordinates leave messages with anyone that is willing to take a message. I was forced by Myron to leave messages with neighbors and friends of a customer. FDCPA states that collectors can indeed leave messages with others, only if they are “familiar” with the customer. Here is the grey area Myron Olijar really exploits. Who are we, collectors out of Akron, Ohio, to know who is familiar with one of our customers in Texas, Idaho or California? We don’t, and as long as customers do not know their rights, Myron keeps exploiting his collectors into doing this. Another illegal thing myron has his collectors do is when, for example, a customer’s due date is say, “August 15.” But the customer does not get paid until “august 16.” Myron will have his collectors do a “post dated check over the phone.” The idea is that there is some lag time between the debit on the customers checking account and the credit into Sterlings account. Myron will do this knowing perfectly well there is a chance that this check will bounce. If the check bounces, then Sterling is able to charge more finances fees. Another illegal thing Myron does is even sleazier. For example, if one of our customers is in collections, chances are he is in collections with his Visa Card, Car note, mortgage, etc. The customer is probably getting dozens of calls a day. The customer gets so desperate that they are willing to do anything to get the calls to stop. What Myron has his collectors do, then, is to tell customer, “THe collections calls will only stop until you set up a payment over the phone.” But the customer will usually say, “I don’t get paid until the end of the month.” Myron then will have his collectors say, “Well, we can set up an automatic payment to debit your account until then.” But here is the grey part again, the customer did not tell us if he can afford the payment or not. Sometimes the payments can be as high as $80/month. So these customers are so desperate to have the collections call stop, that they will indeed to a post dated payment over the phone, both the collectors know and the customers know that the cash probably will not be there at the end of the month. But Myron is able to exploit this. When the check bounces, Sterling is able to charge another fee, yet Myron is able to include this amount into his quota and get his monthly bonus anyway. So as a wrap up: these are the four illegal things that Myron Olijar usually has his collectors do: 1.) call customers back repeatedly the same day after contact was made. 2.) leave messages with dozens of neighbors, friends, relatives, co-workers, or anyone else that could be “familiar” with the customer. 3.) do post dated checks over the phone into the future with the full knowledge that they might not debit in time 4.) threaten the customer with more phone calls if a posted dated check is not made into the future, knowing well that the cash is not there. So, how does Myron Olijar do this? There is this unwritten code at Sterling when it comes to collections, “Whatever works.” In other words, you can do basically anything you want, but just don’t get caught, and if you do, don’t count on your superiors to get you out of it. Myron Olijar really does force his supervisors and collectors to do this. He always hits his numbers because of this. Unfortunately for some, though, is when they do get caught, they ended up getting fired. I’ve known dozens of good people that have worked at Sterlings collections for 10+ years, only to get fired for doing what Myron Olijar has told them what to do. For customers, this stuff goes on at Sterling all the time. When this stuff actually leaks to the media, they usually clean up their act for a few months, then slide back into their illegal practices. Its just a “big cycle.” I’m sure that there are plenty of former Sterling Employees that are more than willing to back up what I’m saying. I could not in good faith continue working there. One of my supervisors was fired for doing exactly what Myron told him what to do. After that happened, by put in my own two week notice. I am working at a restaurant now, making less, but at least I know I’m not doing anything illegal or immoral. Shame on your Sterling Jewelers and shame on you Myron Olijar!

   By Willette Gallegoz

   Reply
4. 

   Sterling Jewelers Reviews & Complaints

   (1)

   I don”t remember agreeing to sign up for for Kays, Shaws, Jared, JB Robinson for store credit card. I only remember signing store credit application to help a tall sale lady in Shaws to help her win the contest. This tall sale lady promise me she would not use it for store credit. I was fooled. Same thing what happened to me in JB Robinson a red headed sale old woman ask me for their monthly sale contest. I was scammed in both store. Also; over heard talking about which and who sterling employees been fired because it does not belong in there clicks; an outcast employee. Very bad company theyre are so happy that someone is getting fired they act as if this is there own territory that if they do not like any employee they can just get rid off them. They just stand and gossips. The store manager just continue talking about whose store manger in sterling going to be fired next. Very bad store.

   By Guillermo Rymes

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5. 

   Sterling Jewelers Reviews & Complaints

   (2)

   I had a bracelet under extended warranty that they stopped fixing because “I wore it every day and it”s costing us too much money to keep fixing and it wasn”t meant to last forever” (straight out of the mouth of Mark at Customer Service. They refused to give my money back even though they had no legal merit for refusing to repair the bracelet. So I exchanged it with the store manager, Kelley Lang on 04-30-11. ON 5-6-11 I brought the new bracelet back because it was bulky and started stretching. I picked out a pair of earring jackets and tried to give the bracelet back to her. Kelley said keep it until the earrings come in. 3 weeks later Kelley called me to tell me the earrings were indefinitely back ordered and that I should come in and pick something else out. 63 days after the original exchange and WELL WITHIN my 90 days exchange period, I brought the bracelet back to be repaired. She was not there, but told her employees not to exchange the bracelet. NO ONE from corporate or the store will explain to me why. I am now out the money and stuck with a ### bracelet. Class action notices are being posted and all documentation has been given to my attorney.

   By Sammie Luo

   Reply
6. 

   Sterling Jewelers Reviews & Complaints

   (2)

   I purchased a diamond necklace online through them. The package was taken off my porch. I NEVER personally saw it. My neighbor found the empty box by the pool. UPS was willing to pay for the missing merchandise and STerling Jewelers told them not to pursue the case any further. They continued to tell me IM liable for a package I never received. If UPS recognizes the liability in the issue, why block them from reimbursing me for the necklace I NEVER recieved?? UPS could do nothing because Sterling was contracted with them. Worst customer service I”ve ever had. Very rude and unprofessional. SCAM

   By Elsie Potthast

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