Am I seeing red flags where there aren't any?

[Pixilated]

So I was waiting around today for my mechanic to call (he didn't, alas, but he did say it would either be Monday or Tuesday), and meanwhile I broke my usual habit and was actually picking the phone up when it rang.

Here was one call I got, from a debt consolidation company I'd idly shown an interest in (found on FB).
I am finally starting to get my debts back on track so I'm not quite as interested as I was but I talked to the guy anyway.

However ... RED FLAG #1 ... he tells me that at the rate I am paying back my credit card, it will be 80+ YEARS before I'm done. Um, I'm no mathematician but even I don't believe that. And of course he kept badmouthing banks in general. Again, I'm not a huge fan of big banks, but still ....

RED FLAG #2: He tells me I will have to let my c/c go back into Collections beforehis company can step in. Buddy, I am two payments from getting OUT of Collections. I expect to make those two payments this week. Plus during my time in Collections I've worked with a wonderful woman in that department who has really helped me get things back on track. I see no reason to let this all go to waste.

RED FLAG #3: He says I will have to sever my ties with this bank and find a new one. Again, I'm not madly in love with this bank but I'm not nearly disenchanted enough with them to want to do this. (Also ... I'm lazy. )

So yeah ... my Inner Cynic was screaming in my ear throughout a lot of this conversation.

I told him to mail me the info and I'd think about it.

I should add that I didn't give him any passwords or anything of the sort -- no Social Insurance Number, nothing like that.

Is this standard with these companies? I'm not too impressed. Thoughts?

[csquared]

Yeah, no!

[Pixilated]

Yeah, no!

Thank you.
As if all this wasn't enough, he called back (I normally don't pick up the phone but did this time; don't ask why) and he asked what I wanted to do. I said I would keep going as it. He asked why. I said because it seemed to be working out.
Cue Operation Doomsayer.
Again.
It would take me forever to pay this off, it would take years before I'd even begin to touch the principle, all I was paying right now was the interest, etc. etc. etc.
I was trying to be polite but finally got annoyed enough that I made it clear I wasn't going to change my mind at this time (translation: EVER) and also made it clear that I was 2 seconds away from hanging up. He finally backed off, very grudgingly.
If I weren't certain about what I wanted to do before this last call, I certainly was after it.

[EricKei]

Yeah, he's full of shit. Block the number. I know collection agencies lie out of their asses and are this aggressive, but it feels scummy coming from a consolidation company rep.