Call Kurtis: $10,000 Bed

Clarice Harris was tired of paying for her adjustable bed.

The retired postal worker bought her Craftmatic bed ten years ago from a salesman who came to her home.

She remembers that "he talked so fast, and I was under so much pressure, I could never really pin him down."

Harris put $500 down and financed the remaining $3,800.

Trouble was that after ten years she only paid off about one-third of the principal.

"I live from check to check.  At the end of the month I'm through almost."

And that's when Harris's neighbor, Autumn, stepped in.

"I went through all the bills and I totaled up how much she had paid in the last ten years and it came to $10,000" says Autumn.

That's largely because of a 21% interest rate where most of the payment went towards interest.

"I knew something wasn't right."

After our sister station in San Francisco got involved, the company that currently owns Harris's debt, TD Retail Services, said it was forgiving the remainder of Harris's balance, with no negative impact on her credit history.

A big help to Clarisse who's resting easier now, thanks to her friend who says with a smile "(we) help each other out."

Six years ago, a class action lawsuit was filed against the Craftmatic organization for "violating consumer protection laws" and "targeting senior citizens."

The company is now under new ownership and says it on longer offers in-home sales demonstrations.