Plumber's pension loan goes down the drain
NEW YORK (WABC) -- A hard-working plumber was approved to receive a loan worth five figures, but there's just one big problem, he never got the money, not a dime.
But before the money went down the drain, he called for his own contractor, Nina Pineda and 7 On Your Side.
"How frustrated are you with this process?" Pineda asked.
"I'm extremely frustrated," said Phillip Karfinkel, a plumber.
As a plumber working for the city for three decades, Karfinkel's used to clearing clogs. But a new obstruction has him stumped and steaming.
"You must've been alarmed," Pineda said.
"Of course," he said. "I'm waiting for the money and the money never arrived."
Karfinkel is talking about a loan worth $25,000. He's currently paying it off each month, but he never received it.
"It seems like I have no recourse," he said. "First year with no tuition payments."
Last summer after both Phil's daughters graduated from college, he and his wife started spending on themselves, starting with a kitchen renovation.
"With the exception of the cabinet doors, everything is new," he said.
To pay, Karfinkel borrowed against his pension. The loan was approved and in early August and the money should've been deposited into his credit union account.
"Never got there," he said.
Karfinkel was flummoxed when he found his $25,000 was dumped into someone else's MCU account.
"It's not my account," he said.
Karfinkel notified NYCERS and his credit union who tried clawing back the cash.
The credit union told him last month they transferred what was left of his money in that wrong account, back to this New York City Retirement System. That was last month.
"This is terrible. I have an outstanding loan that I need to pay off out of my biweekly paychecks," he said.
7 On Your Side contacted both MCU and NYCERS. NYCERS told us the problem was not caused by their error but immediately worked with MCU to find Karfinkel's money. Twenty-four hours later, "We unclogged the loan," Pineda said.
"Yes, you did," Karfinkel said.
He says his employer somehow put in the wrong account number and a replacement check for the full amount was sent out.
"It was a total turnaround," Karfinkel said. "They understood where the error was and they corrected the problem, made it right, and I thank you."
Free Money Friday: Nina Pineda joined Mornings @ 10
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