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Freedom Debt Relief

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9.3

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LAST UPDATED: March 28th, 2024

Freedom Debt Relief, a subsidiary of Freedom Financial Network, has resolved billions in consumer debt since its founding in 2002.

The company has considerable industry experience and high client satisfaction ratings.

With all the major industry accreditations, Freedom Debt Relief (FDR) is a great option for many consumers. Its minimum debt requirement is $7,500. Freedom Debt Relief accepts clients dealing with financial hardship that meet this threshold and clients that can make regular program payments to an account to fund settlements. Freedom Debt Relief employs professional debt experts to negotiate and settle debt for those suffering financial hardship.

FDR offers a debt settlement program that involves negotiating with creditors to lower total debt owed and is available in 32 states. It does not, however, offer debt management plans or credit counseling for those not interested in debt settlement, as Freedom Debt Relief is a debt settlement company.

On average, Freedom Debt Relief charges 24 percent of your total enrolled debt, which means the cost varies depending on your financial situation. To settle an account enrolled at $5,000, it will cost around $1,200. 

View Freedom Debt Relief reviews below.

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The Good

  • Excellent Settlement Program and Debt Relief Services
  • Experience and Accreditations
  • Great Freedom Debt Relief Reviews
  • Online Dashboard
  • No Fees Charged Until After a Settlement Is Authorized and First Payment Has Been Made

Excellent Settlement Program and Debt Relief Services

As a leading debt settlement company, Freedom Debt Relief has several great advantages to its debt settlement services, including

  • Low minimum of $7,500 in unsecured debt to begin debt settlement
  • Costs between 18.25 and 25 percent of the total enrolled unsecured debt
  • Free consultation with a Certified Debt Consultant

Freedom Debt Relief offers a free consultation with a highly trained, IAPDA-certified debt consultant when a consumer decides to enlist the company's debt settlement services.

Experience and Accreditations

As an accredited debt relief company, Freedom Debt Relief has over 20 years of experience in the debt settlement industry. It has settled over four million accounts since its founding and settles $16 billion in debt.

Freedom Debt Relief has years of experience working with creditors on behalf of the client, the creditor, and the client. FDR will work to obtain settlements that resolve credit card debt (or any type of unsecured debt, such as personal loan debt or medical debt).

FDR will walk clients through the debt settlement process: first, customers will voluntarily choose to stop making monthly payments to lenders. Instead, clients will elect to make a monthly deposit into a separate special purpose account to save money to pay for the settlements once negotiated. Freedom Debt Relief will then work to negotiate a settlement on behalf of its clients.

Unfortunately, this settlement process will affect your credit score. If you miss any minimum payments on your credit card or other debt, this will decrease your credit score. It's smart to have a plan for boosting your credit score before you start the debt settlement process.

Great Freedom Debt Relief Reviews

Most Freedom Debt reviews on Best Company are positive. People commend FDR for having good customer service, explaining debt settlement, and keeping them updated on where they are at in the debt settlement program.

Clients drowning in high amounts of unsecured debt (credit card debt, personal loans, medical debt, student loan debt) usually find that the company can save them from paying a large percentage of what they owe. 

Despite the debt settlement program's tendency to negatively affect credit scores in the first six months, clients with mountains of credit card debt find it extremely helpful for debt reduction. It's also important for people to know that forgiven debt is considered taxable income, so you may owe more in taxes when using debt settlement services.

Online Dashboard

One feature that sets FDR apart from the rest is a unique and intuitive online dashboard to track clients' pace throughout the program. This helps people to actually see their progress while settling their debts. It also offers education to help clients improve their financial knowledge.

Not many debt settlement companies in the industry offer this tool as part of their packages.

No Fees Charged Until After a Settlement Is Settled and First Payment Hast Been Made

As opposed to a debt consolidation company which consolidates all of a customer's debt into one consolidation loan and one monthly payment, debtors approach Freedom Debt Relief as a last resort in order to negotiate their debt and relieve their burden.

Freedom Debt Relief doesn't charge an upfront fee or any other fees until after debt is settled with creditors, the settlement has been authorized with the client, and the first payment has been made. This practice is standard for the industry. Debt relief companies, like National Debt Relief and Pacific Debt, also do not have upfront fees.

Upon enrollment, customers will open an FDIC-insured bank account that the client controls. Clients will put the monthly deposit that was agreed upon into this bank account instead. This is the main reason why this program hurts your credit score more than debt consolidation.

Next, FDR's representatives will negotiate with your creditors to settle your debt.

Freedom Debt Relief makes money by charging fees on the enrolled debt amount. Its average fees are a bit high (around 24 percent fees on enrolled debt), but its services are thorough.

The company's ability to help clients find an easier road to financial freedom and paying off debt is highly valuable.

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The Bad

  • Freedom Debt Relief Cost
  • Limited Availability
  • Limited Services
  • Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Lawsuit

Freedom Debt Relief Cost

To settle an account enrolled at $5,000, it will cost around $1,200 (or about 24 percent of the enrolled debt).

Users are charged an average of 24 percent of their total enrolled debt to use FDR. While this number is in line with their competitors, it is only an average. Customers could end up paying more or less than this to use FDR. FDR’s prices range between 18.25 and 25 percent. The rates vary depending on the state the client lives in.

Current national debt relief trends indicate that debt settlement companies tend to charge a percentage of enrolled debt as opposed to saved debt. This means that the more total debt you have, the more debt settlement companies will charge you.

Although working with a debt settlement firm still could save you from paying thousands of dollars to creditors, it's better to work with companies that charge a percentage of saved debt rather than enrolled debt.

So exactly how much will Freedom Debt Relief cost you? It will cost you around 23 percent of your total enrolled debt, but you will have to have a consultation to get an accurate estimate. The fee is competitive for the industry. The fee is assessed when a successful settlement has been authorized and the first payment has been made.

However, Freedom Debt Relief’s services are high quality and could make it easier to make your way to living debt-free.

Limited Availability

Freedom Debt Relief offers debt settlement programs in only 32 states. If Freedom Debt Relief does not offer its debt relief program in your state, you'll have to consider other debt settlement companies.

Most debt settlement companies have a minimum debt requirement to ensure a payout. A debt settlement company that charges by saved debt will not run into this problem as much.

Freedom Debt Relief requires a minimum debt amount of $7,500 (the amount of which is charged fees between 18.25 and 25 percent). While this threshold is low compared to other debt settlement companies, it does rule out people struggling with lower debt amounts.

An additional limitation with Freedom Debt Relief is that the company only works with debtors with unsecured debt. Freedom Debt Relief is not an option for those struggling with secured debt. The difference between unsecured and secured debt is that unsecured debt is not backed by assets or collateral, while secured debt is.

Limited Services

Some debt relief agencies provide services outside of debt settlement, such as credit counseling, advocating for a lower interest rate on your debt, or debt management plans. However, Freedom Debt Relief does not offer these services.

As such, if you choose to go with Freedom Debt Relief to help you work toward resolving your debt, be aware that you will be signing up for a debt settlement program, and may still receive calls from a debt collector or face the risk of a negative impact on your credit score. 

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Lawsuit

In 2019, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Freedom Debt Relief reached an agreement that FDR would do the following:

  • Make it clear that in some cases, FDR may not be able to negotiate a debt if the creditor is unwilling to negotiate
  • Let consumers know that, in some cases, the creditor will only negotiate if the client is also directly involved in the negotiations, and that the consumer has the right to refuse to participate in the negotiations and can remove the debt from their program without penalty
  • Make it clearer to consumers under what circumstances they will be charged a fee
  • Stop charging fees on all accounts where the settlement amount was not reduced, or where the creditor wrote off the debt on their own
  • Make it clearer to consumers that, if they end their program early, any money left in their program savings account belongs to them, minus any funds earned by the company according to legal statutes
  • Pay restitution money to injured consumers
  • Pay a civil penalty

It's a good idea for potential clients to do some research on the process, consumers' rights, and industry standards for settlement companies before setting up a free consultation with a debt settlement service. It's also recommended to read recent customer reviews to get a better sense of Freedom Debt Relief's commitment to clients and how good its settlement services are.

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The Bottom Line

Freedom Debt Relief offers several outstanding features for anyone looking to settle their debts: all major industry accreditations, ample debt settlement experience, thoughtful and experienced debt consultants, negotiation with each creditor, and more. The company's 18.25 to 25 percent fees are pretty standard in comparison to other debt settlement companies (like National Debt Relief). 

If you choose a debt settlement plan to resolve your debts, the debts you settle are marked as "settled" on your credit report. While there are some risks to debt settlement, this process allows you to settle debts. It's not bankruptcy and it could get you on the path to becoming debt free.

While people interested in other debt resolution methods, like credit counseling, a debt management plan, or debt consolidation loan will need to consider other companies, Freedom Debt Relief is a good option for those seeking a debt settlement program.

FDR's debt negotiation experience is worth the money. Freedom Debt Relief customer reviews relate that the company has saved them thousands of dollars by negotiating with their creditors. If you're looking to settle your debt through debt negotiation and a reliable debt relief program, we highly recommend using Freedom Debt Relief if you receive a reasonable quote from the company during your free consultation. 

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Freedom Debt Relief Frequently Asked Questions

What is Freedom Debt Relief?

Freedom Debt Relief is a debt settlement company. The company offers a debt settlement program that helps you get rid of debt faster and for less when compared to making minimum payments. With over 19 years of experience working to reduce its clients’ debt, Freedom Debt Relief has resolved over $10 billion in debt since 2002.

How does the Freedom Debt Relief program work?

After signing up for Freedom Debt Relief, you make monthly deposits into an FDIC-insured bank account that you own and control. Once enough money has built up into this account, negotiations occur towards resolving each of your debts one by one. Once a settlement offer is obtained, Freedom Debt Relief presents the offer for you to authorize. If you agree to the terms, the funds in your FDIC-insured account are used to pay the creditor. This is also when Freedom Debt Relief collects its fee. Once the creditor has been paid according to the settlement agreement, the remainder of the debt is written off. This process is repeated with all of your debts until you no longer owe anything on your enrolled debts.

How does Freedom Debt Relief affect your credit?

Freedom Debt Relief could negatively impact your credit as your creditors are not being paid every month. As such, the company will report your missed payments to the credit bureaus, which negatively impacts your score. If you are already behind on payments, however, your credit is already negatively affected, so you should take that into consideration.

How much does Freedom Debt Relief cost?

Freedom Debt Relief's fee ranges from 18.25%-25% of the debt, depending on the state you live in, how much you owe, and other factors. Under no circumstances, however, will you pay the company the fee in advance of a settlement on a debt.

What kind of debt does Freedom Debt Relief work with?

Debt from credit cards, medical bills, department store cards, and many other types of unsecured debt could be eligible for Freedom Debt Relief. However, secured debt that involves collateral, including auto loans, mortgages, and federal student loans, are not eligible.

What happens if a creditor tries to sue me during settlement?

Since you’ve stopped making payments to your creditors, there’s a chance that they may sue you in an attempt to collect what you owe them. Freedom Debt Relief works with a network of lawyers it makes available to help qualifying clients in these situations — at no additional cost.

Is forgiven debt taxable?

According to the IRS, a forgiven debt is considered taxable income. At the end of the year, they will expect taxes to be paid on any settled debt. However, IRS Form 982, Reduction of Tax Attributes Due to Discharge of Indebtedness, may exempt you from this tax. To learn how forgiven debt could affect your taxes, talk to a tax professional.

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4.7

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16,926 Reviews

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jessica thornton Oakland, CA

Horrible customer service, horrible communication. I had high hopes three years ago when I signed up to relief my debt. After making payments of $575 for three years, and going delinquent with my Chase account FDR settled ONLY AFTER I TOOK ANOTHER LOAN OUT FOR $1,000 OVER what my initial debt was 3 years ago. I will NEVER recommend this company and make it my mission to let everyone know how horrible my experience was.

1 month ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Hi Jessica, we are sorry to hear that you feel this way about your progress. An account specialist will be reaching out to address your concerns.

Mar. 5th, 2024

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jamie cantalupi

When I first contacted FDR about consolidation I was told my credit would get better in a year or so. 2 years later I’m being sued for 2 separate debts.

1 week ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Hi Jamie, we are sorry to hear about the challenges you're facing with your program. An account specialist will be reaching out to answer any questions about the status of your accounts.

Mar. 25th, 2024

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Timothy Boyd

I used them for almost a year and put over 3 thousand dollars into my account. The debt settlements that were settled and paid didn't even total 1000 dollars, so between settlement fees and other monthly charges they got over 2000 thousand dollars from me. Then once I canceled the account they took the remaining money that was in my account and said that i still owed them more. DO WHATEVER YOU MUST DO TO GET AWAY FROM freedom debt relief, RUN, CRAWL, HIDE, JUST DONT WASTE YOUR TIME WITH THEM. I learned on my own that the companies that we owe will work with us and make payment plays that we can actually make and keep thwe debt from collections.

4 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

We are so sorry to hear you were not satisfied with our program. Settlement fees are outlined in your contract documents and are collected once the settlement is authorized and a payment has been made. We guarantee savings for our clients. Termination during ongoing settlements hurts you because it does not allow us to continue to pay your creditors when you have already paid for the service. A member of our team will be reaching out shortly to explain in detail. Thank you.

Jul. 10th, 2019

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MG

This program has been a horrible nightmare. At every turn I have had to navigate some serious swindling by Freedom Debt Relief. 1) when I signed up for the program, I asked LOTS of questions. I asked how this would impact my credit. They said it would dip temporarily and then they said it would come back. THEY NEVER SAID THIS WOULD STAY ON MY CREDIT FOR SEVEN YEARS. They love to talk circles around facts. Then, once I signed up, my nightmare began. Two of my accounts went into litigation. They had me contact the attorney they hired to represent me. The attorneys were VERY DIFFICULT TO GET ON THE PHONE. When I did, the first settlement was negotiated without one consideration as to my financial situation. They FORCED ME to go from paying what I could every month to DOUBLE or else they would negate the settlement and force me to pay FULL PRICE PLUS THEIR ASTRONOMICAL FEES. I was forced to take out a $5000 loan from my family to pay off that first negotiation. So now I was in debt, TWICE. Each time I called in to get information about my debt, I got different stories from their associates. Then they emailed me that I could stop creditors calling by letting them pay off my debt and then settling the rest with Freedom Debt Relief. THIS IS WHERE THEY SCAM YOU LIKE THE PREDATORY AND DISGUSTING PEOPLE THEY ARE. Their company is called CONSOLIDATION PLUS. My rep was Ricardo P. He was to be my trusted "financial rep" and had to read me a script in totality, so I waited. I had lots of questions. From the beginning you wouldn't tell me the approval rate for the loan bc it was "dependent on my debt" and other factors that needed"review". Then when all was said and done I was told that you all give the same rate to everyone and It's ridiculously high. It's like 27%. Like - GET YOU INTO MORE DEBT FOR FAST MONEY NOW - high. Basically they want the person to agree to this loan under pressure and then be stuck with paying back EVEN MORE MONEY THAN THEY OWED IN THE FIRST PLACE. Garbage. Then when I asked even more questions, he was mad because he had to start over reading his script. What a swindler. Disgusting. I noted that I was going to have to pay off my program ASAP and get the hell out of business with this garbage company. What they again don't tell you is that once you pay off your debt, you will still have CHARGE OFFS on your credit report and you may have to hire another company to deal with getting those removed from your credit if you ever hope to function in society or buy anything for the next seven years. Once I started aggressively paying off my debt, and really started looking at the numbers, I realized that yes, they negotiate a lesser payoff amount for me from each creditor. But what they don't tell you is that then they tack on the savings as their fee. So if you're paying off a negotiated $4K of a $6K debt, the FSR fee is $1700. So they don't save you big money. They just negotiate a lesser payoff amount and then pocket the rest. You can absolutely negotiate with the credit card companies yourself. You don't need these people and you can actually settle for less without paying a predatory middle man. But I digress. At the last leg for my paying off my account, they suddenly made seeing the total in my dedicated account disappear from my dashboard. So each time I wanted to see how much I deposited, I had to call their garbage customer service. Imagine not being able to see how much money you paid in to that account. They want that so they can keep withdrawing money even though you are paid in full. In fact, once I paid in full, I had to call again and ask that they stop my biweekly deposits. THE REP TRIED TO TALK DOWN TO ME LIKE I WAS STUPID. Telling me that the amounts may not have cleared. That if I stopped letting them withdraw money, that it would hurt my chances to pay off my debt. Lol can you imagine the bs? I kept asking ARE MY FEES PAID OFF? Yes. IS THE AMOUNT IN MY ACCOUNT ENOUGH TO COVER WHAT I OWE TO THE CREDITORS? Yes. SO WHY FO I NEED TO KEEP PAYING MORE MONEY? Because it will slow your payoff down. Because your deposits may not be cleared. IS THERE ENOUGH MONEY IN MY ACCOUNT TO PAY OFF WHAT I OWE? Yes. DO I OWE ANYMORE FEES? No. THEN WHY DO I NEED TO KEEP LETTING YOU WITHDRAW MORE MONEY FROM MY ACCOUNT? Because it could slow down the process? WHAT PROCESS? In fact, once this snooty beast went to get "authorization" to stop my deposits, she came back and told me to verify and that was that. Is this normal? No. Is it predatory? Yes. But that is freedom debt repair in a nutshell. I would absolutely never recommend this nightmare to anyone. They're con men. If I didn't have the means to accelerate my payments and finish this program two years early, I would have been trapped in this for longer and there would be more "fees". Garbage. I hated every minute of this and I wish there was better resources for people in desperate situations instead of these monsters. I hope the entire company burns to the ground. Garbage.

6 months ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Hi, we are terribly sorry to hear that this has been your experience and it is alarming to us that you feel that we our predators. An account specialist will be reaching out to you shortly to discussed your mentioned concerns. We do want to reassure you that if any of your debts are settled for 100% of the current balance, we will not collect a settlement fee and we do try and be as transparent as possible about settlement fees which is why we disclose them during enrollment as well as in the Debt Resolution Agreement. Again, we are very disheartened to hear that these are your feelings towards our program will be having someone reach out to address each of your concerns.

Sep. 15th, 2023

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Rebe Fonseca Katy, TX

STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY  I am in such disbelief of how this company works, signed up with them last year with 3 credit cards and so far they settled one account, all good, I got served by court one of the other accounts is suing me for their money... When I signed up with them I added legal protection so in case I get sued they would take care of it. WELL after calling several times and speaking to several people, even a person in the "legal department" they said the legal protection was when a settlement was reached to show to an attorney and make sure everything was ok. That if I wanted them to help me I had to pay $700 on top of the $356 that I pay monthly (I don't have this money that is why I signed up for Debt relief) so they could get an attorney and that they gave me options I just did not want to take them. They did tell me to pay an extra $700 or to take a consolidation PLUS loan... with 26% interest and payments of $530 a month for 53 months!!!! STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY

6 months ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Hi Rebe, we are sorry to hear that you feel this way about working with us. We would love the opportunity to review your account with you. An account specialist will be reaching out to obtain your contact information.

Sep. 15th, 2023

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Shelly Lamont Phoenix, AZ

If I could give a zero I would! I've been paying money on time and y'all were supposed to contact my credit cards as my representative. I was sent a letter about my Bank of America card and asked for this to be top priority! Monday I was served with a lawsuit from BOA. I don't believe that y'all represented me at all and now I'm being sued because of your negligence of my account.

2 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

We never intended to disappoint you, Shelly. To clarify, we do not reach out to creditors prior to making the account a priority. We are aware that during these times, the client may be at risk for getting sued but we’re prepared to handle these types of collection strategies and have engaged a network of attorneys, the Legal Partner Network, that specialize in resolving debt litigation cases. We know that it is frustrating when creditors choose litigation as an attempt to collect on a balance. At this time, we recommend you to call our Customer Service Team at 800-655-6303 in order to begin the process to submit the documents to our legal department so that they can begin working on this account. Our Client Services team is available 7 days a week to answer any other questions that may come up. Thank you for choosing Freedom Debt Relief to reach your financial goals.

Dec. 14th, 2021

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James E. Rodriguez Dallas, TX

I misunderstood. I thought this was a debt consolidation program. I was not aware that my debtors would not be contacted and informed that I wanted to pay off my debts. Instead I was informed to stop making payments, which in turn destroys my credit rating. Even though I had debt challenges, my credit rating was at 750 before FDR and now is at 530. What have I gained after two years that I could not have accomplished by continuing to make monthly payments on a timely basis.

3 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Hello, James. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We would like an opportunity to discuss the mentioned concerns with you. One of our experienced team members will be reaching out to you shortly. We truly appreciate your review. Please know we are constantly trying to improve our communication with our client and we are currently working on it as we speak.

Aug. 25th, 2020

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Nancy Yarusso

I am disappointed in how my case was handled. Arrangements were made for one of the three creditors which left no money to deal with the other two creditors until 3 years had passed. I was told I'd be debt free in three years. There was no negotiation with the first creditor so I could have made that arrangement myself. I didn't need Freedom to do that so what good did it do to pay Freedom for doing nothing. The attorney I spoke with, Mr Anderson I believe was less than helpful. I found him to be condescending and rude.

4 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

We're very sorry to hear of your disappointments, Ms. Yarusso. Our negotiators take every opportunity available to negotiate the enrolled balances. However, we completely understand the frustration you feel regarding the aforementioned account balance. Although you've decided to discontinue in our debt relief program, we would still like an opportunity to speak with you in an attempt to address the concerns you had that led you to your decision. A team member will be reaching out to you shortly using the contact information we have on file. We appreciate the opportunity to service your financial needs. Thank you for choosing Freedom Debt Relief.

May. 29th, 2019

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Lynne

They basically lie to you after 8mos and making every deposit I was required to make they still had not settled one thing every time I called customer service I got fed a bunch of bs and told everything was good. I now have two lawsuits against me with creditors as they did not do as promised and I am now facing bankruptcy. Read the consumer affairs reports and lawsuits against this company and you will see they basically lie and you end up in worse shape.

4 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

We are terribly sorry to hear of your experience in our program. Understandably, receiving notice that a legal suit has been filed by an enrolled creditor is quite frustrating. It is true that some creditors are more aggressive than others. Therefore, we have a sense of how aggressive they may or may not be based on this experience. We can share that insight with clients during the initial debt evaluation and put plans in place to prepare if threats of legal action happen.

We are proud of the value we provide to our customers. Our services, including coaching, are fully and transparently disclosed. No consumer complaints have been filed with the CFPB; the high satisfaction with our services by consumers whom the CFPB claims were injured speaks for itself. We hope our regulators will listen.

Please read our formal response.



Please know that it is disappointing to learn that your best option at this time is to move forward with filing bankruptcy. We like to consider our program as an alternative option to keep from having to use this option. However, we also know that bankruptcy can provide a real fresh start for some consumers. We wish you nothing but the best. Thank you for allowing Freedom Debt Relief the opportunity to service your financial needs.

Apr. 2nd, 2019

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Lisa Baltimore, MD

Their customer support is awesome. They're really good. They were very friendly and they're very alert and very knowledgeable. They didn't really keep me up to date. They wouldn't let me know what was being paid until after the fact until you wound up calling them and saying what's going on. I have actually been sued five creditors because freedom debt has not paid anything on it and I didn't know how they were doing it. I didn't appreciate it.

5 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Dear Lisa,

We’re sorry to hear about the trouble you have had with the program thus far! We definitely do inform our clients when we have reached a settlement on their accounts and we cannot move forward with a settlement unless we have the client's authorization. When you enroll your accounts in the program we are not paying them all at once. Our program works on negotiating based on the funds available in your dedicated account. We do not keep anything from our clients and we always encourage our clients to visit their client dashboard to see the status of their accounts as we will only contact you at the time we have reached a settlement. We truly care about our clients and always have the best interest for them. Please reach out to our client services department at (800) 655-6303 or if you have any questions or comments regarding your account. Thank you for choosing Freedom Debt Relief!

Mar. 28th, 2019

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Karen Hurst Temperance, MI

I had 18K in debt with Discover . They let it go for 1 yr . claiming they did not know it had been there for a yr. It was in there all that time. I was already paying of smaller creditors . I could not get a loan . It involved lawyers . Even though we had an agreement in place they got a judgement. It has been paid but it will always be on record. Make sure to settle Discover first , they are the most aggressive creditors.

7 months ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Hi Karen, settlements are dependent on accumulating sufficient funds in order to settle the debt and as long as we continue accumulating funds we should have no problems meeting your goals in realistic timeframes.
Our legal partners are a resource we provide for our clients, for more information, we encourage you to contact our customer service team to address the status of your account.

Aug. 8th, 2023

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Ann Martin Mendon, MI

I would give them zero stars for aggressive business practices! I never even finished filling out an app, I was just checking what they had to offer, and Michael R was all over my email and calling my phone. Not just once, but numerous times! Wow! I would not even consider a company that has done nothing but harass someone who never completed an app. BACK OFF ALREADY!!

7 months ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Hi Ann, thank you for letting us know that you are not interested in our service. If your mind changes, please do not hesitate to to reach back out to us.

Aug. 8th, 2023

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Sharon Denton, MD

They said not to talk to our debtors and after I had paid over 8000 dollars to two of them because I was late on a pyt once in three years they said the debtor said its null and void and I have to start again. At the end it would only save me 92 dollars. That's it.

2 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Sharon, we're sorry to hear that you are not pleased with our services. We never intend for our clients to have a poor experience and we'd like to speak with you. We will be reaching out to you shortly to obtain your contact information. Thank you for choosing Freedom Debt Relief!

Jun. 19th, 2021

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Chester Riese Socorro, NM

My experience with Freedom Debt Relief has been great. I didn't know which way to turn until I talked to them. They have managed getting my account to where I have not been stressed out. It is great to know that everything is being taken care of as I could not go much longer. I am so glad to have them to help me.

3 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Thank you, Chester, for your amazing feedback! Our team takes pride in providing world-class customer service to our clients and we're always here for you. If you need any assistance, please call us at 800-655-6303. Thank you for being a valued client of Freedom Debt Relief!

Jan. 26th, 2021

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Anonymous

they are not a good company. they cost way more then they said they would at the start. bt the time iam done paying off my debts there will be no savings ,just about the same price as it was when i entered program but my credit is totaly bad now

4 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

We appreciate your feedback and apologize for any disappointments you've experienced in your program savings. Our team would like an opportunity to further discuss the concerns mentioned. Would you please privet message us your contact information so we can reach out?

Nov. 26th, 2019

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Anonymous

I wasn't inform that I have to pay more money that I am giving already if I got sued. So after all the money that I put in it was a waste of time because I still had to file bankruptcy something that I didn't want to do from the beginning.

4 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

We appreciate your feedback. Our team is deeply saddened to hear our program was not the right fit for you. There are rare instances with creditors where additional funds are needed, however we provide multiple options to resolve these scenarios on behalf of our client. A member of our team would love to discuss your account in detail and will be reaching out shortly. Thank you.

Jun. 27th, 2019

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Stressed to the MAX in Kentucky

In a worse situation after joining then before. Said don't worry. We have NLLG (lawyers), payments won't go up.Law group offered 1 thing, did another. Now I'm left with higher monthly payments than I had before I joined.And only 6 days to come up with an extra $600.00 & $255.00 for 9 more.

5 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

We're so sorry to hear that one of your creditors is suing you! We know it can be very stressful and we want to make sure you have all the resources! We will be reaching out to you privately.

Sep. 18th, 2018

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Elizabeth Schude Las Vegas, NV

I’m not one to give bad reviews but I had to disclose. Customer service is not knowledgeable with hard questions. I noticed a pattern, if they do not know the answer they hang up and many reps there have done so. They had a rating system for over a year that they mention when the call ends and that did not work every time. Recently they just fixed the rating system after a call which hopefully will alleviate employees there hanging upon people. I have invested time with this company or I would have changed. Buyers be aware. It’s unfortunate they only get basic training and have a hard time answering EASY- SIMPLE mathematical questions to help with your situation. I’m looking forward to finishing doing business with this company.

9 months ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Elizabeth, we are sorry to hear you feel this way about our team. An account specialist will be reaching out to you.

Jun. 7th, 2023

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Joe w Ocala, FL

Beware of this company. They will not tell you about the heap of trouble you will be in with the IRS once your debts are settled. For every dollar they settle dour debt under the owed amount you will owe income taxes on. I settled 45k of debt for 25k which was great however I was never told I would owe income taxes on the 20k difference! 2 years after the program I get a certified letter from the IRS stating I owe 8,900.00 in taxes for cancelation of debt and I have 45 days to pay it. I called Freedom Debt and they said sorry about your luck suckered. So by the time you pay your fees and interest to them and the back taxes you really aren't being helped that much.. Beware of what they hide. Ps a lot of the canceled debt will be sold to Collection agencies who will do the same thing but it could be 2,3 or even 4 years later they report it to the IRS!

10 months ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Hi Joe, we are sorry to hear this has happened to you. We disclose the possibility of 1099C forms with our clients during enrollment. Please contact customer service if you have any other questions.

Jun. 5th, 2023

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Lindzhansen Bradenton, FL

I feel as though I was duped into paying a large amount of money and the settlements have taken forever effecting my credit and the charges and fees associated with the so called settlement amount are barely less than the original. All my money is just being paid out mostly to fees and then 10-25 monthly payments are being made yet I have over 7400 dollars in my dedicated account. I’m still getting collection letters and I’m fed up with how long and how unsuccessful I feel this whole process has been. I feel like I could have just taken my own money and paid one off at a time. At least gotten a consolidated loan. I’m so frustrated with this and thought my credit would be better but three years now and not even half of my debts are settled. I wish someone would call me to discuss how unhappy I am and try to find a way to fix this because the math does not add up and I work in accounting for a living.

10 months ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Hi, we are unable to locate your account based on the contact information provided by this review. We would like to address your concerns, please contact our customer service team.

Jun. 5th, 2023

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Otoneal L Modesto, CA

THEY ARE ALWAYS ASKING FOR MORE MONEY BEEN WITH THEM FOR 2 YEARS @200A POP THEY KEEP 100 AND THEY OTHER 100 GOS TO PAY OFF CARD AT THIS RATE MAYBE PAYOFF IN 10 YEARS ON A 7 K DEBT

5 months ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Hi Otoneal, we are very sorry to hear that you feel this way about your program. An account specialist will be reaching out to address the status of your program.

Oct. 13th, 2023

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Tony Lugibihl Detroit, MI

expects the customer meeting me to do work that I am paying you to do and there are fees taken out all the time despite what the people answering the phone say I will never use this company again. they are slower than they ever have been. I have used them in the past. never again lucky to get one star from me

6 months ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Hi Tony, it is very sad to hear that you feel this way about working with us. We ask our clients to maintain their monthly deposit and keep us updated with any creditor communications they receive. We understand creditor calls can be difficult, but we use the time that it takes for accounts to go past due, to accumulate funds in order fir us to negotiate and settle your accounts in realistic timeframes.

Sep. 15th, 2023

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Cora Shaughnessy Brooklyn, NY

They charge a lot of very high settlement fees, they make your accounts go real high from what you initially enrolled (amount) then they ‘settle’ it… then they say we settled your accounts for half of what you owed! No they didn’t …

8 months ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Hi Cora, we are very sorry to hear this and we are glad that you shared your honest feedback. We would like the opportunity to discuss your concerns regarding fees and overall savings. One of our Account Specialists will be reaching out shortly.

Jul. 18th, 2023

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Nelson Lamar, MO

They charge too much and they take all of their money out first before they pay the bills that are supposeed to be paid. We're paying almost six hundred dollars a month now for that.

5 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Thank you for your honest feedback, Nelson. We process our fees after a settlement has been authorized by you. As our client, please know that we have your best interest in mind when it comes to settling your accounts and distributing your funds to your creditors. If you have questions about our fees and how they are processed, we encourage you to reach out to our client services team by calling (800) 655-6303 or email . Thank you for choosing Freedom Debt Relief.

Feb. 27th, 2019

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Anonymous Adamsville, TN

Lied about a situation with money I had left in my account, when called about it I was told something totally different that previously told, it's just been a confusion and mess

5 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

We're very sorry to hear that you having been experiencing some confusion! We would be more than happy to resolve the concerns that you're having! We strive to make sure each client is aware of their debt relief program and a smooth porcess! Please reach out to our client services department at (800) 655-6303 or for further assistance.

Sep. 18th, 2018

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Adam Isanti, MN

You pay more fees by the time your done then you originally owed the save nothing and your left with destroyed credit and never told that with every account you settle they will add more fees in the thousands

5 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

We're sorry to hear your disappointment with the program, Adam. We would love to review your account with you and hopefully resolve the concerns you are having. We will reach out to you privately.

Sep. 18th, 2018

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Morgan Miller Raleigh, NC

Deposits/Fees/Creditor Payments listed on website DON'T match personal bank statements reviewed by multiple individuals. Fees FAR outweigh payments to creditors and use up most of the "dedicated account", leaving barely anything going towards settlement payments. Repeated requests to have account terminated and be removed from their program have been ignored or disregarded. So many issues with this program, if I had known it was this poor of a program I never would've enrolled. It has done far more damage to my credit and payment progress than it has helped. Sounded too good to be true, because it is!

1 year ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Hi Morgan, we are sorry to hear you are unhappy with our service efforts. An account specialist will be reaching out to complete your request.

Mar. 3rd, 2023

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Dreama Humes-Wilks Kansas City, MO

Beware most of this you could do on your own without the outrageous fees. They advise you to stop paying on your debt and let them negotiate - great right... But for example, I had one card enrolled balance of $1398.00 they negotiated it to $829 mind you the credit card offered me a 50% reduction without fees but I sucked it up and stood by the Freedom debt relief thinking, in the end, it would all work out. The settlement fee was $349.50 now bringing the amount paid to $1178.50 mind you again had I handled this with the company directly the amount would have been less than $700 altogether. Another one... enrolled amount of $6,203.00 they did a reduction of 50% great right that again any one of us could do.. the fee for them was $1550.75 for them to go back & forth come on guys.. The breaking point was when I did the math and realized I paid them $4262.75 just to settle a debt that I could have done it better on my own than the others at the same debt I had to remove from my profile as the amount they tried to negotiate for was the amount the debt is/was. I lost it when I called last week to get the amount needed to be done I made 1 extra payment to avoid being charged ever again. I logged in today to see that I got charged the monthly fee of $21.95 yet again mind you the above total does not include the $21.95($1119.45 total for monthly fees) a grand total spent not including debt - $5382.20 for them to spend a couple of hrs if that every 6-9 months sending emails come on. PEOPLE BEWARE THIS PLACE IS A SCAM don't be fooled by the great pitch its not all its looks to be.

1 year ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Hello Dreama, we are sorry to hear about your poor experience. We strive to provide the best service and when we fall short we want to know, in order for us to use your feedback as an opportunity to learn and improve. An account specialist will be reaching out to address any questions you may have. Thank you for being a valued member of Freedom Debt Relief.

Nov. 29th, 2022

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CR

I highly regret working with FDR. They charge insane fees, I could have saved money if I had paid the debts off without their involvement. Their customer service is inconsistent you can talk to different people about the same issue and they will give you completely different answers. Some customers service reps will talk to you like you're dirt and are of no help. The worst part for me has been the graduation process. Finally getting your debt paid off should be a good experience, but with FDR it was a nightmare. Due to some glitch in their system, I ended up waiting over 2 months after I paid off my debt for them to even begin finalizing my account. I had called customer service over and over, and the issue never got resolved until two months later; while being charged fees every month. I am asking them to refund me for the fees they charged me for two months while I waited but I haven't received a response.

1 year ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

We are sorry to hear that you are unhappy with your program. Compare our fees to the 100% debt + interest % + late fees + penalty fees if someone can't meet the monthly required minimum payment. We offer a proven solution at an affordable monthly cost that helps our clients pay down their entire debt - principal, fees, interest and all. An account specialist will be reaching out to further review your account. Thank you for allowing Freedom Debt Relief be your partner on your journey to a debt-free future.

Jul. 22nd, 2022

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Chandler Kostowicz Milwaukee, WI

I completed this program early on my own with no thanks or credit giving to FDR. Their customer service is nice but every other thing about this program let me down. First off you get a different story every time you talk to a rep oh and American Express and Discover doesnt work with this company. Dont let them lie to you and say they do. I increases my biweekly contribution 5x and still only had 2 of my accounts settled for lower than what my enrollment debt was. One of them ended up costing me more because their fees are highway robbery. They have some of the worst legal representation who are pushovers to actual real lawyers and dont even show up to represent you if litigation is brought against you. For one of my accounts they tried to settle a repayment plan of an extra 2k a month or said to declare bankruptcy which call me crazy most people in a debt repayment plan probably don't have an extra $2k a month to pay. I 100% would have been better working with the card companies and getting things settled without hurting my credit so much. My biggest problem is if they say they're experts on debt relief no honest company takes them seriously. I never felt like they had my back even in the graduation process where everything had been paid back. I asked a few times for my fees to be refunded since I paid more into the program than my orginal enrollment debt. They have firmly said no. Im out of the program but will never recommend them to anyone who is in need of debt relief. I was able to contribute more from rasises and bonuses at work but understand not everyone is in that position and would tell you if you're reading this to steer clear of FDR because they will do nothing for you but lie, wreck your credit, and take your money. Dont trust the reviews on their website go directly to the bbb or another 3rd party reputable reviews website and you can see FDR true colors. Anyone going through a tough time call the creditor you're struggling with directly and they will do a lot more for you than FDR guranteed.

1 year ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Hi Chandler, while the experience that you had in our program is not the experience that we want any client to have and we are disheartened to hear that you are not satisfied with out services, the feedback that you have provided is valuable and we do take it seriously. We are especially disappointed to hear that you did not feel supported throughout the duration of your program. Thank you again for sharing your experience and we wish you the best of luck in your future.

May. 6th, 2022

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Me Too Gaithersburg, MD

They're dishonest. They do reduce debt. I was asked to offer a review before I even got into the program. It costs you 22% of your debt. Total debt, not what they settled for. If they can't or won't help you get it below 50% of your owed amount, they question you for declining the offer. I applied for a loan to pay off the debt, got denied, then this company called me to offer me this program. The loan was never a real offer. After a year, they offered a loan at 25+% APR to fund the rest of this FDR account. Asking me "don't you want to do the right thing?" on the phone. I said, "sure, that's why I applied for a loan to pay off debts and your company declined me." then he had nothing to say. If I had taken it, it would've been 110% of my owed amount total.

2 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Hello, thank you for your feedback. We are sorry to hear that you feel this way about our company. An account specialist will reach out to address your formal complaint. Thank you for choosing Freedom Debt Relief.

Jan. 21st, 2022

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Jeepgirl67 Houston, TX

Freedom Debt Relief made enrollment fairly easy. They handle the arrangements and make it easy to settle your debts with minimal effort on your part. However they do charge a fee for each debt they settle usually a percentage of the debt enrolled which seems a little high to me in retrospect. Unfortunately I have had one of my accounts go into litigation and have had an extremely difficult time getting updates from the law firm and FDR. Information is either not notated on my account or passed along to the other party in a timely manner and FDR is not willing or able to provide specifics or transparency when it comes to where they are at in the process with the litigation account. Most of the CSR reps are as helpful as they can be without having all the information from the attorney but there are a few that are downright rude and one specifically that told me to call back and talk to someone else before hanging up on me when I asked for her supervisor. I did call back and speak with someone else who was absolutely amazing and couldn’t provide additional information but did give me a timeframe of when I could expect next steps and more transparency in the process. I’m extremely disappointed with the way this account has been handled so far but this last call has given me hope that it will be resolved soon.

2 years ago Edited January 11, 2022

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Thank you for reviewing your experience, we are very sorry to hear that you are having a poor experience. A specialist will be reaching out regarding this matter. Thank you for choosing Freedom Debt Relief.

Jan. 6th, 2022

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T. Fort Worth, TX

The list of negatives outweigh the positives of this company. Do NOT do it. I was sweet talked into going this route instead of bankruptcy and I strongly regret it. At this point I have paid too many fees and given too much money to walk away. If I had to do it over again it is a hard NO from me for FDR. Customer service is horrible, no one ever has answers for you that actually mean anything. Constantly told to check the dashboard for answers to questions, but the information is always the same. You never get to talk to the same person twice and no one ever seems to know what is going on. Oh and if a creditor decides to file a lawsuit... Good luck. You are given NOTHING as far as information. "It has been referred to our legal partner network" is the response. However the legal partner network does not communicate with you at all. Even better is that once referred to their legal partners, FDR goes hands off and you have to hope and pray it is being handled properly. I despise this company and strongly regret making the decision to use them. Creditors have reached out to me with settlement offers and I trusted the program so I denied them. Guess what..! Yes FDR settled the debt however, it was MORE than what I could have settled it for myself.

2 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Thank you for reviewing your experience, T. Its never our goal to disappoint you, we would like to communicate with you directly to address these concerns of yours. Thank you for choosing Freedom Debt Relief.

Nov. 30th, 2021

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Floyd Kaster San Diego, CA

I enrolled in a 4 year debt reduction program with Freedom Debt Relief in February of 2018 with a monthly payment plan. October of 2020, I paid off the total balance of the estimated debt including estimated fees to settle the remaining debts. It is now October of 2021 and the debt's are now settled. FDR actually removed a unsettled debt without my knowledge nor authorization. I have exchanged 38 emails with FDR since October 2020 and continue paying service fees monthly to FDR. This is effecting my credit and continues to waste my time. I'm very disappointed with Freedom Debt Relief! I DO NOT RECOMMEND FREEDOM DEBT RELIEF.

2 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Hi Floyd , thank you for taking the time to review your experience. We strive to provide great service and provide debt relief. We take feedback very seriously
and for those reasons an account specialist will reach out to you shortly regarding your experience. Thank you for choosing Freedom Debt Relief.

Oct. 27th, 2021

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Joe Puleo Hopewell Junction, NY

Not happy at all with the company. This is not helping me solve my debt problems faster, it’s just moving my debt from the creditors to freedom debt relief. Between the damage done to my credit from not paying my bills because they told me to stop doing that and the amount I’m paying in fees for their “help” I should have just kept paying off my debt because in the long run I’m paying pretty much the exact same amount. This is nothing but a shell game that moves your debt to them and then they charge you fees that are almost the amount of your debt reduction. I shouldn’t have wasted my time.

2 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

We never intended to disappoint you, Joe. Our goal is to support our clients' every step. An account specialist will be reviewing your account shortly. We will be sure to reach out to you if necessary. Thank you for allowing Freedom Debt Relief the opportunity to serve your financial needs.

Sep. 29th, 2021

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cheryl L sioma Boston, VA

I applied to FDR to get a loan, after receiving many, many, ads in the mail. I was turned down. However, they encouraged me to apply to FDR and I did., EVEN THO NOT ONE OF MY PAYMENTS WAS BEHIND OR LATE. after a year, they bugged me for 2 months to get a loan, through them, which I refused! Now they seam so happy to be paying off my cards....but.......They waited till over a year of late charges have incurred, and then claim they are paying off my card by half. well, if I remove all the late charges, then they only paid off the interest. Oh, most government programs do not charge for the same services. FDR charges you a lot! Not at all happy with them and you will NEVER be able to speak to a person. EVER.

2 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

We never intended to disappoint you, Cheryl. Our goal is to support our clients' every step. An account specialist will be reviewing your account shortly. We will be sure to reach out to you if necessary. Thank you for allowing Freedom Debt Relief the opportunity to serve your financial needs.

Sep. 17th, 2021

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Kelly Parde Las Vegas, NV

I was targeted by Freedom Debt Relief back in November of 2020 during the peak of COVID. Like many other Americans, who were facing unemployment, eviction from their homes, and the fear of how to feed their families. This company targeted me based off of my overwhelming credit card debt and unmanageable interest rates. I was in a deep hole with my credit and unable to get a loan to consolidate everything and this company offered me hope. They promised to be my partner and to help lessen my debt. I was at my worst, and my credit card minimum payments had reached more than my rent but I was still paying all of my cards on time and my credit was in good standing. This company convinced me to stop all payments, assuring me that once they reached a default status they would quickly settle out my debts to lower them and that my credit would be impacted but I would be able to rebuild as I promised to get me out of debt "quicker." I agreed, they presented a "plan" that they put together selling me on the idea of being completely out of debt within 4 years if I made all my deposits. My deposits of $620.00 was half of what I had been paying in my monthly payments. I was convinced that these people wanted to help me. As months went by my credit got worse and worse as I was told this was a good thing. That being in default gave them more leverage to negotiate my settlements. Trusting this company and allowing for them to continue to keep me in a default status only put me in a more compromisable position. I have no credit, my credit history is now completely destroyed as I took their guidance and all my accounts are in default and now charged off to collection agencies. To extort even more money from you, this company claims to partner with a sister company called "Consolidation Plus." PLEASE if you are reading this PLEASE PLEASE do NOT work with them. I am glad I had this call with their representative Seyhan. It was clear while I was on the call she was reading a script and the call was a sales call. She made it sound like this was a great program to consolidate my debt to have everything paid off and for my credit to bounce back quicker. I was in a panicked state now, I have no credit, my credit history is ruined and I am a single mother with no options to even rent a home. Seyhan threw the BIGGEST punch to my stomach, when I found out not only that Freedom Debt Relief had only paid $1,370 to my creditors and that they collected $3,316 in fees before ANY of my debt had been resolved. She then to add more pressure into me signing their loan agreement told me my monthly payments would be $950 ($330 more than my FDR deposits) and that Freedom Debt Relief had extended my program from 4 years (the number they assured me I would be debt free by) to and additional 2 years, putting me at 6 years and adding an additional $14,880.00 on to my payments. I sat in my living room feeling consumed with fear, tears and regret. I have been so stressed and out of my mind with fear of what to do or what I would do if I lost my home. What will I do when I need to buy a new car? What am I going to do? I started feeling numbing in my face and have had the fear of a stroke. I've been under so much stress. I am begging you to please, do not put your trust within this company. I am not going through legal routes to recoup my money as this company is not compliant with the Federal Trade Commission and they are NOT in the business of helping you. They make you apply to see if you qualify for a "financial hardship" to be offered this program as a sales tactic to insert fear of losing out on an opportunity. It's a sales and psychology tactic that sickens me to my stomach. There are millions of Americans facing my exact reality and this company is praying for Americans in their weakest moments. Some at their absolute worse, who feel like they have NO other solutions and they are extorting money from the most broken. It makes me sick and I am beyond sick and mad at myself for trusting this company. If anyone is reading this who knows of an attorney or anyone who can help please help.

2 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Hello, Ms. Parde. We're so sorry to hear about your experience within our program. We never intend for our clients to have a poor experience. Please keep in touch with your assigned point of contact to reach a resolution. We greatly appreciate you choosing Freedom Debt Relief.

Aug. 20th, 2021

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J. Buck Fair Oaks, CA

I submitted a rather large claim. My smaller accounts were settled first allowing my larger accounts to go to litigation costing me more money out of pocket as well as no savings found. I feel that FDR did not have my best interests in mind and have resulted in getting quick money from me and leaving me with more in payment than originally discussed and signing up for. My larger accounts should never have been let go so long they went to litigation. If more money was needed to make sure they did not then it should have been brought up. Extremely upset and disappointed. My deposits are now up over $100 than originally discussed with no savings at all.

2 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

It is disheartening to hear how dissatisfied you are with our service efforts. Our negotiators have built relationships with thousands of creditors. We know when to settle and how to prioritize your settlements – all based on your individual situation in terms of how much you owe and to whom. Unfortunately, some creditors are indeed more aggressive than others. Please know there is no benefit to keeping a balance enrolled any longer than necessary. We welcome any questions you have regarding our negotiation efforts and your account in general. Client Services is available 7 days a week to support your financial journey. Thank you for allowing Freedom Debt Relief the opportunity to serve your financial needs.

May. 17th, 2021

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Michael Mauro Buffalo, NY

Been faithful to my payments towards the program since day one, however the pandemic has caused major issues with my finances. I been out of work 6 months so I asked if there was any way to ease the payments in regards to their charges, freedom debt relief takes a ⅓ of my monthly payment for fees. I understand when a negotiation for payment has been made that payment should be made but freedom debt relief basically told me they are unwilling to help you in regards to their fees due to the pandemic situation. Their solution was pay or loose the negotiated term. They've shown me just like everyone else they're not here to really help they're here to make a buck off your hardships. So I continue to barely make my monthly payments to them while everything else holds in the balance. They're representatives basically drives fear into you by telling you if you don't make full payment we won't negotiate any further and your negotiated debt term with your debtor's will be lost.

2 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

We apologize, Mr. Mauro, if our level of customer service has not been up to par. As your advocates, our responsibility is to educate our clients of all potential outcomes regarding their accounts. If we recognize a potential negative impact on any ongoing settlements, we must make sure our clients fully understand how this could impact their overall progress in our program. We would never intentionally make our clients feel threatened in any manner about the voluntary service we provide. This is a hardship program, and we are dedicated to serving our clients' financial needs as much as possible. Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns we may address for you at this time. Thank you for choosing Freedom Debt Relief as your guide to financial freedom.

May. 17th, 2021

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Ned Clark Los Angeles, CA

I was initially Pleased with Freedom Debt Relief (FDR)'s reputation and `Industry Footprint' as a large, responsible & effective Debt Negotiating Company - because doing this requires both Knowledge and Skills which I don't possess - and don't have the time to LEARN- much less spend handling these issues myself...I need to devote my waking hours to trying to keep my Tiny Family Business ALIVE. But over the last 12 months (corresponding with the COVID Pandemic), that satisfaction has been turned-into Angry Frustration by a SERIES of "Panic Situations" - ALL traceable to a mix of FDR's lackadaisical handling of documents & phone calls, as well as Ineffective Communication not just between FDR & myself, but between FDR & Debt-Holders - and even FDR and the "Legal Partner" which THEY (FDR) `Set Me Up With'. A GALLING example: In 4thQ 2019, I received an EXCELLENT Settlement Offer from CitiBank to clear $4,300 in card debt for $1,188.00; I made a Full Report to FDR, and presumed it had been `handled'...that is, until 1stQ 2021 - when FDR expected me to THRILLED' that they'd JUST Negotiated settlement wit the SAME Bank - for $3,660.00 (THREE TIMES AS MUCH AS THE ORIGINAL OFFER!). Now I've been Served with a SECOND Civil Lawsuit from DISCOVER's Collection Lawyers for the FULL / Original amount on the card - PLUS new Court Filing Fees - all because FDR `Fiddled while Debts Burned' for FOUR MONTHS re; over a prior Power-of-Attorney under a Negotiated Settlement. When my Business Income COLLAPSED due to California's (Necessary) COVID Shut-Downs, I'd sought a few "Financial Hardship Wavers" with FDR to reduce- or skip their bi-monthly Debits from my bank; the only problem was, FDR FAILED to advise the Debt-Holder OR my "Legal Partner" (National Litigation Law Group) of the situation...which triggered the Debt-Holder to "Terminate the Agreement for Non-Compliance" - oh, and with NO personal contacts about the `Problem' NLLG DROPPED my Representation...by email. Now DISCOVER's Collection Lawyers want 100% of the Original Debt PLUS new Fees for their Collections Actions. So, W.T.A.H. am I Paying Freedom Debt Relief to (1) NOT do Their Job, and/or (2) Force ME to have to `Do FDR's Job' of contacting the Debt-Holder & FDR's Legal Partner to correct- and work-around FDR's "Errors & Omissions"?

2 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

We appreciate you voicing your concerns regarding your recent experiences, Mr. Clark. This is not our intervention by far. We prefer our clients to feel well-supported, especially during challenging times such as these. An account specialist will be reaching out to you shortly concerning the matter. Thank you for choosing Freedom Debt Relief as your guide to financial freedom.

Apr. 13th, 2021

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Gary Hall Jacksonville, FL

They lied to me told me the only fees I would pay were the monthly fees that came out of my deposits now I find out I have to pay a percentage of what my debt was on top of those fees I also settled one of my own debts and now they are charging me a percentage for doing their job They are super slow at getting anything done and will not communicate with you unless you harass them Totally do not recommend this debt relief company find an honest one Don't be like me and get stuck with this trash Because now no matter what I have to pay them the fees even if I cancel myself out of the program They didn't tell me any of that either They are a bunch of liars if I could have gave them 0 stars that's what I would give them

2 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

We are disheartened to hear how frustrated you are with the costs of using our program, Mr. Hall. Yes, we do collect a settlement fee. However, our settlement fees are not charged nor collected until we've reduced the amount owed to the creditor and the first payment has been accepted toward the terms of the agreement. We are more than happy to explain the details of your account in greater detail. An account specialist will be reaching out to you shortly concerning the matter. Thank you for allowing Freedom Debt Relief the opportunity to serve your financial needs.

Apr. 6th, 2021

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John W Las Vegas, NV

I signed up and enrolled nearly $15,000 of debt with FDR. I was told that it would take a minimum of 6 months for my first settlement. I even deposited $3,500 into my dedicate account within the first two weeks and had another $3,000 on the way before I cancelled my program. They settled one account from Bank of America (original balance $750) for $450.00. Add on the 25% fee they charge per debt ($194.00 for this account) which only saved me $106. I could have settled myself and actually paid $300 per the bank rep I spoke with. This would have saved me an additional $350. Had I let them settle all my debts, say at 50% I would have paid $7,500. Add on their 25% fee of $3,750, I would have paid a total of $11,250 to settle $15,000 in debt. I did it on my own and settled $15,000 of debt for $6,125, saving me $8,875. So two suggestions: 1) If you don't have a decent amount of money to throw at your creditors like I did, go with the FDR program. However; 2) If you have a little extra that you can use, do it yourself and save a considerable amount of money.

3 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

We appreciate you for taking the time to share your feedback with us, John. We agree that our program is not the best solution for every debt situation. However, real-life data shows that the Freedom Debt Relief program has helped many consumers. We wish you the absolute best in all your financial endeavors. Thank you for allowing Freedom Debt Relief the opportunity to serve your financial needs.

Mar. 30th, 2021

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Pipersix6 Minneapolis, MN

They flood you with Auto Dialer calls and send emails that you can't reply to or use to communicate with. No different than a creditor. I have invested over 8,000 into the program than when I asked to discuss my concerns they canceled saying I did not make my deposit which is not true, I never missed a deposit. They base their settlements on the charge-off amount plus interest since the date of the last payment. This is just wrong. A percentage of an amount that the creditor did not declare as a loss? FDR also claimed they would handle a 1099 if I received one. They did not do so. I plan to sure!

3 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Hello, thank you for bringing this to our attention. We would like an opportunity to speak with you about the mentioned concerns. One of our experienced representatives will be reaching out shortly.
Thank you for the review and your comments are greatly appreciated.

Mar. 2nd, 2021

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Veronica Vienna, VA

Many of my debts were held until the debts were increased so much, that afterward after they claim debt relief on a debts, with their fees counted in, you end up paying more. Plus the companies that you end up negotiated send you a 1099 for debt cancellation and you owe taxes like income. I was asked time and time again to get one of their associated “loans”! I ended up selling my home and giving them an extra 10k to excelerate the program. The money sits there, not getting any interest instead of my bank. They also charge you a fee to send a check of $10. Each time they mail a check. Funny they were doing this for a $14. Monthly debt for 8 months. Beware! I still have two debts that have not resolved and the cash is there to pay them in full. They just want their fees!

3 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Veronica, thank you for bringing this to our attention. We would like an opportunity to discuss the mentioned concerns with you. One of our experienced team members will be reaching out to you shortly. We truly appreciate your review.

Nov. 9th, 2020

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Dayna Young Allen, TX

DO NOT ENROLL WITH THIS COMPANY. I was sued twice by creditors while in the program and ended up paying more than my original debt. I enrolled with them because I had debt from helping my father pay his medical bills. He has since passed away. I was with them for 3 years and had to defer my monthly deposits twice due to my father being in the hospital and taking a leave of absence from work. One of my settlements during one of these months had a payment of $10 per month for the first 10 months. When I deferred my deposit that month, FDR did not send the $10 payment because they said I didn't have the funds. I did have the funds and the worst part was they still took out $500 that same month for their fees on another settlement. I was sued by the creditor because the settlement went null and void due to the non payment of the $10 and I ended up paying more than the original debt. The second time I was sued was on one of my settlements that was supposed to be paid off. I had paid all of my settlements and called to "graduate" from the program. I was then told that the last payment on one of my accounts was rejected from the creditor. FDR told me they sent the payment, twice to the creditor and it was rejected both times. Obviously I asked why and I was told it was being sent to their escalation dept. I called and called and was never given an answer. In Jan. of this year, 2020, I was served with papers that I was being sued by a collection agency. FDR never did their part to find out why this had happened and the creditor sold the account to a collection agency. I found out all of this on the day I was served with the lawsuit. I lodged a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and was recently in touch with someone at FDR regarding this issue. They came back with, we have found that you didn't have the money your account to make that last payment. I then asked them, if I didn't have the money in my account, why did you send 2 payments to them? I have yet to get an answer. The bottom line with FDR is this . . . if you are enrolled and have any kind of life altering situation (my dad having open heart surgery which led to my leave of absence from work) and have to defer a deposit, FDR doesn't care. I have all the bank statements from my dedicated account showing I had enough money to make the settlement payments during the two months I deferred the deposits and they still let my settlements go null and void. I have had to pay more money to my creditors by enrolling with FDR than I would have if I had just paid the accounts off on my own. And, the customer service is useless. When you call with any kind of issue, you have to tell whoever answers your call the whole situation again. You can never get the same person on the line, so needless to say, I have spent hours upon hours re-stating my question/problem. The standard response is, we are sending this issue to our escalation dept. and someone will get back to you. I don't think they even have an escalation dept. because in all of this time and the 2 major issues I've had, I've NEVER spoken to anyone. No one has ever called me back and I was blindsided by a lawsuit from a collection agency, not even from the original creditor. Again, do not sign up with them. I'm writing this review to hopefully stop anyone else from going through what I have. It's not only the money but the anguish I suffered from a company who can get away with anything and not care one bit how it affects their clients. As long as they collect their settlement fees and all the other fees charged, it's all okay. I have fees on my bank statements for $10, $3 etc. for FDR to send a check to a creditor. Every month they sent a payment, the charge stated on my statement said, $3 for paper check sent or $10 for express payment sent. Why was it sent express?? This was every month for most of my settlements. All of it is just maddening. Just FYI, I HAD TO click on 1 star for the review as it wouldn't let me put 0 stars.

3 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review, Dayna. We're sorry to hear about your experience and we would like to discuss this with you. A member of our team will be reaching out to you shortly to discuss your concerns. Thank you for choosing Freedom Debt Relief!

Aug. 25th, 2020

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Andrea Tencza Seneca, SC

Everything was going along fine, and Freedom From Debt settled 4 of my accounts. The last account was a problem. I was not aware that I had to appear in court, and I don't know who appeared in my behalf. It was settled for the full amount, over $29,000 + interest !of medical debt. I NEVER would have agreed to that, but since I had signed a POA, I gave FFD the right to act for me. It would have been better for me if I had gone to court to give my side of the story. I paid for legal representation, and I feel betrayed. Calls to my "advisor" did not help. So, do your research to find out what debt relief companies have the best rating.

3 years ago Edited September 14, 2021

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Andrea, thank you for bringing this to our attention. Please allow us to reach out to you so we may the address the mentioned concerns. Thank you for choosing Freedom Debt Relief.

Aug. 25th, 2020

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Manny Lujan Sedalia, MO

The program was great until I cancelled it due to costs. I called to close my account a few days before they withdrew the monthly fee of $254 from my bank. The lady I spoke with said she closed it. On payday I checked my account & FDR withdrew the $254. I called a second time & a man closed my account & said the $254 would go back into my bank acct. on the 20th - It didn't - I called a 3rd time asking for my $254 plus whatever was left in my dedicated account. The lady told me that FDR had to contact my creditors due to negotiations & they would need to listen to my recorded audios about cancelling before they could reverse the transaction. According to my agreement, I can cancel at any time without penalty & get what's owed to me. The agreement also stated that upon cancellation, FDR would immediately stop all interaction (HAVE NO CONTACT) with my enrolled creditors. So why was I told I had to wait another 7 days so FDR could make a decision about reversing the $254 withdraw? I called again to ask about my money & the lady hung up on me & sent me to the survey. I tried again & another lady told me that it looked as though my issue was being resolved because my dedicated account balance was ZERO! That I should look at my bank account again because the transaction was reversed. Here I am on the 22nd & have yet to receive my $254 or the money that already in the dedicated account!!! Aug the 17th was the $254 withdraw date. I called to cancel on the 14th, then again on the 18th, again on the 20th, the 21st and today is the 22nd... and to this day... I have NOT received MY MONEY!! I am so angry with FDR & would appreciate if SOMEONE could explain this to me. When I try calling the system no longer has me as a client, but I was still able to log on to my dashboard as of yesterday, the 21st... WHAT THE ****? I just want my money back ... It's been tough as it is & I really can't afford what this program has cost me! No Thanks FDR Manuel Lujan Sedalia, MO

3 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

We are very sorry to hear about your experience, Manuel. It is never our intention to put our clients in further hardship when dealing with us. We understand why this would be frustrating for you, and we would like the opportunity to discuss this more in-depth. Please know a member of our team will be reaching out to you shortly. Thank you for choosing Freedom Debt Relief.

Aug. 25th, 2020

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HollyAnn Povee Sun City, AZ

Worst experience of my life. They lie to you, they tell you and its in their contract "we do not charge a fee for our services until a settlement is reached and approved by you." They tell you after you make 3 monthly payments they will begin work with your creditors, LIE, LIE, LIE. After 3 monthly payments, they change that to 6 months before they work with your creditors. They tell you "if you cancel all your money will be returned to you except what is paid to the creditors" LIE, LIE, LIE. We paid 4 months of payments and when we cancelled they charged us $100's, yet not one of our creditors had been contacted and no settlement was ever approved. I've contacted our creditors and have actually worked out something much better and shorter than Freedom proposed. DO NOT USE FREEDOM, DO IT YOURSELF.

3 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

HollyAnn, we're sorry to hear about your experience with our company. A member of our team will be reaching out shortly to discuss your concerns. Thank you for being a valued client of Freedom Debt Relief!

Jul. 29th, 2020

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Shannon Banner Independence, MO

I have called 7 times telling you I decline a settlement. It's been going on for months I said I wanted a better percentage and less payments your people just keep ignoring me and have sent it in a txt message for me to accept over 100 times I finally just gave up on calling you on it. And just ignore it like you have done with my wishes. I ask that you stay on that account and renegotiate so interested rates didn't go up. And you don't even listen to anything I ask. I wish I'd of went with a company that listened to it's customers. But I'm kinda stuck but I will never accept that one offer but I'm sure you'll just keep sending it for me to accept and ignore what I say. I just quit calling you it took 30 to 40 minutes out of my day each time for no one to even listen

3 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Shannon, thank you for bringing this to our attention. We would like an opportunity to discuss the mentioned concerns with you. One of our experienced team members will be reaching out to you shortly. We truly appreciate your review.

Jul. 20th, 2020

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Annie Manno Memphis, TN

I would not recommend this relief program for a couple reasons. They will extend “in negotiations” and “settling” for unreasonable amount of time to collect their own profit. I was assured when I first signed up it wasn’t like that. I understand they need to make money from helping me lower my debt after researching more about medical debt especially for my child who is 9, was being drawn out when the hospital already sold the debt to a collection agency for pennies. Breaks my heart that company’s are allowed to do this and collection agency’s as well freedom debt relief program would take advantage of people wanting to pay back their debt

3 years ago

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Reply from Freedom Debt Relief

Annie, we empathize with your frustrations and that's why we need to speak with you so we can resolve your concerns. We never intend on making anyone's situation worse. We are truly here to help you! A member of our team will be reaching out to you shortly to address your concerns. Thank you for choosing Freedom Debt Relief.

Jun. 19th, 2020