CreditSolutions.com Debt Relief - Credit Card Debt Consolidation Relief edit this microsummary

edit Credit Solutions of America

Credit Solutions is the leader in debt management. They help consumers settle their debt and have settled an impressive amount of over 1 billion dollars in debt.

Credit Solutions is located in Dallas, TX and known as one of the best debt settlement companies in the United States.

Credit Solutions can help you reduce your debt. Visit their website to find out if they can help you.

edit Description

Credit Solutions of America is a privately owned debt settlement company based in Dallas, Texas. Credit Solutions’ management include: Doug Van Arsdale, CEO; Jon Sisson, President; Mona Cayard, CFO; and, Heather Carmichael, Director of Operations. Credit Solutions is the subject of several pending lawsuits nationwide.

Debt settlement companies negotiate with creditors to accept reduced payments. Credit Solutions of America says that it has settled more than $900 million of debt since its inception in 2003, and claims that the average settlement is 50 cents on the dollar. However, the New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo disagrees, and in his state's lawsuit against the company has said Credit Solutions settles debts for only 1 percent of its customers in that state. The Better Business Bureau reports that Credit Solutions has an “F” rating, the lowest rating given, and that it has received 1648 complaints against the company as of March 2010 "regarding dissatisfaction with the company's service and misrepresentation of the results of the debt negotiation program".

Credit Solutions charges a flat 15 percent fee on a client’s total debt. So, if a consumer has $10,000 in total debts, Credit Solutions will collect a $1500 fee upfront. This 15 percent fee is not disclosed on the firm’s website, but has been disclosed by a New York state lawsuit against the company.

edit Controversy

Credit Solutions is the subject of lawsuits by the Attorneys General of six U.S. states. In addition, it has reached a settlement with the state of Idaho:

Florida In October 2009, Florida’s Attorney General filed suit against the company alleging that “Credit Solutions of America unlawfully charges significant advance fees before completing or, in many instances, commencing performance of its debt settlement services. CSA offers to settle consumers’ debts at approximately 50 percent of their balance within 12-36 months and, falsely represents the success rate of its program.” The Attorney General has received over 140 complaints about the company, but estimates that Credit Solutions has thousands of Florida victims.”In response, Credit Solutions said, “This lawsuit is a political gambit that fails to recognize the value that...Credit Solutions of America Inc., provides to Florida residents.”

Idaho In May 2007, the Idaho Department of Finance, the state’s financial regulator, found that Credit Solutions was providing “debt settlement” services to state residents without the required license for credit counseling. As a result, the Department of Finance settled with the company, and Credit Solutions was required to return $588,000 in fees it had collected from Idaho residents, and pay $3000 in attorney fees and investigative expenses. Today, Credit Solutions is not a licensed credit counselor in Idaho, and cannot be one.

Illinois In September 2009, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed suit against Credit Solutions alleging that “the company falsely claims that its services can help to reduce consumers' credit card debt by 50 percent.” According to the lawsuit, the company fails to negotiate with consumers' creditors even though consumers are directed to stop paying their creditors directly and, instead, make months of upfront payments to the company. The suit claims that as a result of the firm’s failure to take debt settlement action on behalf of consumers, creditors frequently sue consumers to collect on the outstanding balances. The firm responded that “these charges are outrageous and baseless.”

Maine In November 2009, the Maine Attorney General filed suit against the company and its president Douglas Van Arsdale. The suit alleges that the firm “violated the law by using deceptive and unfair practices in marketing debt settlement services, and for failing to register as a debt management service.” The suit seeks to recover fees paid by Maine consumers to the company, plus civil penalties and costs.

Missouri In June 2009, the Missouri Attorney General sued Credit Solutions saying it “did little or nothing to solve” customers’ debt problems. Credit Solutions representatives did not provide comment.

New York In May 2009, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo filed suit against Credit Solutions for “fraudulent business practices and false advertising.” The lawsuit alleges that “18,000 New Yorkers signed up as customers of Credit Solutions of America (Credit Solutions) between January 2003 and September 2008. The firm promised a 60% reduction in its consumers’ outstanding debt, but an average of 1% received that savings. Many consumers have faced continued harassment and lawsuits by their creditors, despite the company’s promise to intervene on their behalf. The company declined to comment at the time the suit was filed.

Texas In the company’s home state in March 2009, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has filed suit against the company for “conducting an illegal scheme that defrauded Texans with financial problems.” The suit says that the firm not only charged its customers for services that were not delivered, but that since its debt settlement program forces customers to stop making payments to their creditors, many customers could face unexpected late fees, interest, more collection attempts, and even lawsuits by their creditors. The Attorney General has received more than 140 complaints against Credit Solutions in the past two years.

edit Media coverage

In July 2009, the ABC News Nightline program did an investigative story on Credit Solutions. In the piece, the reporter interviewed Heather Carmichael, the company’s director of operations. Carmichael was asked about the three separate state attorneys general (now five) that were suing Credit Solutions, and responded. "I wish there was an easy answer to that question. The industry is changing so rapidly. And there is more change to come.” She declined to comment further on the pending litigation except to say, "I can tell you that we are working diligently with them toward an acceptable solution." Nightline asked her what percent of the firm’s clients pay their fees without having their debt settled by Credit Solutions. She responded, "That's a great question. I don't have that number, but I can certainly look at it for you." Carmichael has not provided that information to ABC News. New York Attorney General Cuomo said Credit Solutions settles debts for only 1 percent of its customers in that state.

A March 2010, CBS Early Show story on the debt settlement industry criticized Credit Solutions of America's business practices, and provided consumer advice for debt settlement counseling.

read more

edit Languages

English

edit Address

15601 Dallas Parkway, Suite 700

Addison TX 75001 US

edit Contact

800-353-8730

Credit Solutions can be found in the national Better Business Bureau where it has an "F" rating, the lowest rating possible. Please visit the Better Business Bureau website (www.bbb.org) to learn more.

edit External Links

• Alexa: CreditSolutions.com