8 signs of a debt relief scam — and where to go instead

Debt relief scams offer to help relieve you of debt, but do not deliver on what they promise. They commonly target those with high debt amounts or poor credit scores. Legitimate debt relief companies are out there to help with debt consolidation and settlement. Here are eight red flags to help you identify a scam and where to find legitimate debt relief.

What are some common debt relief scams?

Debt relief scams are, unfortunately, a common way that people are defrauded out of money while thinking that they’re doing the right thing.

• Debt relief scams promise to settle your debts, but do not provide any real service. They will often require you to pay an upfront fee, pressure you to make a quick decision and charge additional, undisclosed fees before disappearing.
• Credit repair scams commonly promise to remove negative items on your credit report, even if the report is accurate, and increase your credit score at an impossibly fast rate. These scams also require upfront fees before providing services, which is illegal in the United States.

Signs of a debt relief scam

There are many signs to look out for when deciding if a debt relief or credit repair company is legitimate or not. Here are the signs to look out for.

1. Upfront payments

The first red flag that indicates a debt relief or credit repair company is probably a scam is the requirement to make upfront payments, which is illegal under the Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA).

Debt relief and credit repair companies should not be paid until they have done what they have promised to do. This includes settling your debt on your behalf as well as credit repair counseling.

2. Guaranteed results

Debt relief companies cannot guarantee certain results before they’ve started working with you. Some of these guarantees are simply untrue. Examples of this include promises to lower student loan debt, reduce credit card interest rates or greatly increase your credit score in a relatively short time.

Before entering into an agreement, you should expect to learn about the general process for debt relief and credit repair, including expected timelines and the steps to working with that company. Simply put, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

3. No individual savings account

Debt relief companies will open a savings account for you to deposit funds into, so you can save your future settlements. However, this savings account should be in your name only. The debt relief company should not have direct access to it.

Note that reputable companies such as National Debt Relief will advise you to stop making payments to your debts while they settle your amount owed. In this case, you would instead make deposits in the amount of your payments into the aforementioned savings account to be used for your settlement at a later date.

4. Undisclosed fees

As with any service provider, all required fees should be made clear before entering into any agreement to work together. Ask for written disclosures that include all fees and conditions, including the timeframe of their services and the total amount you can expect to pay.

If a company cannot provide this, you should be suspicious of its business practices and seek out another company to work with.

5. No contact information or physical location

You should be able to contact your service provider quickly and easily. This includes being able to speak to someone directly by phone, email or at a physical location such as an office. 

Debt relief and credit repair clients should also expect to have a dedicated agent handling their case at all times. If you aren’t able to find any information about the company online, or if the information looks suspicious, it could be a sign of a scam. 

6. Excessive phone calls, emails, or texts

Another warning sign of a possible debt relief scam or a credit repair scam is if the company contacts you excessively or reaches out to you first. 

Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed way to prevent these calls at this time. Even when asking to be removed from a particular list, these scam companies either ignore the request or are replaced by another company with the same scam.

7. Claims to be affiliated with a government or credit company

The federal government does not affiliate with debt relief companies to settle personal debts like credit card debt. The government does, however, offer aid in the form of programs for federal debt, such as federal student loans. Your credit card company will not use the tactics listed here (excessive or aggressive contact, no contact information, etc.) to get you to repay your debt.

Do not work with any company that claims to be affiliated with the government or your credit company, especially if they reached out to you first.

8. Pressure to make quick decisions

Being in a large amount of debt can already feel like the weight of the world on your shoulders. So it’s understandable that you may be susceptible to being pressured to make a quick decision when someone offers to help you find relief. 

A reputable company will give you time and all the required information you need to make an informed decision in your own time.

Where to find legit debt relief 

Legitimate debt relief and credit repair companies do exist.

When doing research, it’s important to compare the debt relief companies that you’re considering against what you know now about scam companies. Not sure where to start? Checkout Bankrate’s regularly updated list of the best debt relief companies, where you’ll find useful information such as our expert take, pros and cons, a list of fees, and requirements.

Bottom line

Debt relief scams and credit repair scams can be detrimental to your debt payoff journey. Always research companies before conducting any business with them. Clues that a company is likely running a scam include asking for payment upfront, guaranteeing certain results, and excessive communication. If you find yourself dealing with a debt relief scam or credit repair scam, report the company to the CFPB or FTC.