Cash America Pawn

My name is Vanessa Mattingly, I live in Louisville, KY and I have used Cash America on 3354 Hikes Ln, Louisville, KY 40220 for over 5 years. My grandmother passed away 7 years ago and left me her birthstone ring. I am a single mother with 4 kids that I raise solely on my own and have for 12 years.



I got into a jam in April and pawned my ring ONLY for the amount I needed to get me through the rough patch not what they tried to give me. Every single month since June I would receive a statement saying if I didn't pay by such and such date I would lose my ring. Every single month I went in there and paid my fee. Once in Sept. I realized a day after it was due at 8pm at night that I had forgot about that date. I called the store frantic thinking it would be gone and the lady reassured me it wasn't She said I could come pay the next day. Well, I went the next day and their 'systems were down' and they didn't know w\for how long and I just cried, told them I couldn't lose this and they assured me again that I could come back the next day and pay and that everything would be ok. I went the next day on Oct 1st and paid it. I never received another statement from them. I have not had one day off of work and have worked a min of 12 hours a day and even up to 21 hours a day. This slipped my mind since I hadn't received my notice. I called 2 days ago and the guy on the phone told me that it was shipped to the main headquarters to be destroyed and that was all he could tell me. He said he took my number and would have the manager call me. He never did. I went in the store this morning and at first the manager wrote down what I believe was the id # or something and was in the process of telling me to call back at the end of the month that that was the earliest it would be back there for sale. He said it was sent out 11-15 I told him I was under the impression it was being shipped to destroy. He said I was correct and there was nothing he could do. That they all got put in 5 gallon buckets to be destroyed. He tried to offer me another item from the cases but there isn't anything in the world that has the same value to me as this ring.



I sat in the parking lot and cried over a hour. I am so sick and distraught and am just beside myself that this is happening. I do not know which way to go or what to even do. I can't believe that after being a loyal customer for over 5 years and never missing a payment and always redeeming my pawn that they would not have made some sort of an attempt to notify me. My address hasn't changed in 7 years I have NEVER not received a notice telling me the date to come. What is the reason of the statement on the back of my ticket saying they cannot sell my item without notifying me they are going to do so? What do I do now? If it wasn't for my kids, I would have just died in the store when he so heartlessly told me there was nothing that could be done.



I am at a loss for anything right now I can't stop crying and feel so violated and so hopeless.



I hope this letter finds its way to the correct person who can possibly help me. I do not know which way to turn.