FTC Announces Settlement With Debt Relief Service Operators

Credit Cards NCUA

On February 8, the FTC announced it had settled with four defendants alleged to have operated a phony debt relief service.  According to the FTC, the defendants used illegal robocalls to falsely promise consumers lower credit card interest rates in exchange for a $995 fee, and falsely promised refunds. The operation allegedly netted over $13 million from over 13,000 consumers. The FTC’s complaint alleges that instead of negotiating lower rates for consumers, the defendants at most tried to arrange three-way phone calls with credit card companies for some consumers. The defendants agreed in the settlement to be banned from robocalling consumers and from selling debt relief services, and to pay a $13.1 million judgment, which will be suspended upon payment of $159,000 by the settling defendants. Defendants’ assets are subject to sale by a receiver to recover additional funds. The settlement also bars the defendants from a variety of misleading or illegal practices related to phone contacts to consumers.