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Complaint Review: Ripoff Report | National Debt Relief TRUSTED Business | Verified™ …businesses you can trust. 100% money back guarantee. Free debt relief quote. National Debt Relief – debt settlement services. Dedicated to helping consumers rid themselves of burdensome debts. Specializing in debt settlement, negotiating settlements for thousands of creditors/ collection accounts. - Brooklyn New York

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  • Reported By: BeAlert — USA
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  • National Debt Relief TRUSTED Business | Verified™ …businesses you can trust. 100% money back guarantee. Free debt relief quote. National Debt Relief – debt settlement services. Dedicated to helping consumers rid themselves of burdensome debts. Specializing in debt settlement, negotiating settlements for thousands of creditors/ collection accounts. 2502 86th St. 4th FL Brooklyn, New York United States of America

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REVIEW UPDATE: May 31, 2018: National Debt Relief remains committed to increased customer satisfaction and has improved their business practices over the years to better serve their customers. National Debt Relief is truly dedicated to making sure their customers are satisfied and that any complaints which do arise are addressed promptly and fairly.

To date, National Debt Relief has made good faith efforts to resolve all complaints reported on Ripoff Report. Based on our experience, the member business has proven to be among the top members of the Ripoff Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation and Customer Satisfaction Program as a Verified Safe Business™.

Over time and since becoming a member, National Debt Relief has remained actively engaged and improving the way they address customer service complaints. As an active and current member of the Ripoff Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation and Customer Satisfaction Program we are happy to report that now more than ever National Debt Relief remains committed to improving customer satisfaction.

Remember, no company or individual can ever satisfy 100% of the people 100% of the time. There are no products or services that will always be perfect for everyone and even the best companies will receive complaints from time to time. However, by participating in the Corporate Advocacy Program, the member business has made a commitment to working with its customers to resolve complaints quickly and fairly whenever possible.

Please keep in mind that as a consumer you have some responsibilities as well. Success has many definitions that based on your past experiences, current situation and your perceived expectations. Success with any product or service is always based on the proper application and understanding. The fastest car will not run if you never turn the engine on. Look at how you used the product or service that was provided in relation with the instructions that you received. The Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation and Customer Satisfaction Program will help you get your voice heard but please be prepared with documentation and fair representation of your concern, also have an idea of how the company can fix your concern. Can they offer additional services, extend warranties, offer a fair refund or just get you talking with someone that can help. ..let them know and let us know!

*Any consumer not receiving satisfaction from a member of the Corporate Advocacy Program should email us at editor@ripoffreport.com.

Ripoff Report Verified™ REVIEW:

EDitor’s UPDATE: Positive rating and recognition has been given to National Debt Relief for its commitment to excellence in customer service.

Ripoff Report’s discussions with National Debt Relief have uncovered an ongoing commitment by the company to total client satisfaction. This means that clients can expect that the company will work towards finding a mutually satisfactory resolution to any complaints or concerns. National Debt Relief listens carefully to client concerns and sees them as an opportunity to learn from past mistakes and become more efficient as a company in the services offered and the support for those services.

National Debt Relief’s president, Mr. Daniel Tilipman, has informed us that his personal philosophy is that his clients are a precious resource. As a successful businessman, Mr. Tilipman feels it is critical to listen to his clients and respond properly. By always putting his customers first, Mr. Tilipman hopes to maintain National Debt Relief as a successful enterprise both now and for many years to come.

National Debt Relief's team leaders work hard with their team members to put clients first with ongoing training and feedback.

Another top executive of the company told Ripoff Report that Mr. Tilipman's personal business philosophy is based on the premise that "clients come first. Without satisfied clients, we would not be in business. Client satisfaction is emphasized from day one.” National Debt Relief's mission statement says it all: "Our goal is to provide our clients the best quality, value and professional excellence in the industry.”

One of the other things Ripoff Report learned in the course of its investigation is that typical customer feedback reads like this: "Everyone I have ever spoken to at National Debt has been completely wonderful. Everyone is so helpful and understanding of my situation and has done everything they can to help me feel comfortable. Thank you guys!”

The information provided in this report below is based on comments made by Kevin Rice during an on-site inspection held by a third party verification company with no biases toward National Debt Relief.
National Debt Relief is Ripoff Report Verified
Ripoff Report Verified™ .. part of Ripoff Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program.A program that benefits the consumer, assures them of complete satisfaction and confidence when doing business with a member business..

National Debt Relief (NDR) is a full service debt relief company, offering debt settlement. A program designed to help customers negotiate their unsecured debts. NDR doesn’t charge their customers any up-front fees until: 1) The company obtains a settlement, 2) They get the clients approval for the settlement and 3) Payment has been made on the settlement. National Debt Relief is a performance based business and only enrolls customers based on their true and sincere need for this program. Most of their leads are generated online. National Debt Relief is accredited with the AFCC, which oversees the industry and ensures best practices. Mr. Kevin Rice stated “We are not just a member of AFCC, we are accredited, meaning that we pass audits, etc.”

When Mr. Rice was asked to explain National Debt Relief internal processes, he stated:

"When a lead gets assigned to an agent, the client is provided a consultation, which is not transactional, it is us getting to know the client and feeling out the need for our service. We assess the type of debt, whether the client is current or behind, or whether there is a current hardship or they foresee a hardship. We also suggest other services if we see that our service is not the proper fit.”

In regards to their internal processes National Debt Relief is constantly updating their checks and balances and monitoring their 65+ agents. They have a team of roughly 13 people that their only job is screening sales transactions and making sure the company is compliant. Underwriting plays a vital role in this process. Agents repeat questions at various times throughout the process so that they ensure that the clients understand what is happening. The Company has a system that keeps tracks of when clients were last contacted, what has been discussed, where they stand in their relationship and so that agents can build off that information in their follow-up.

The company outlines their complaint process as a series of escalations through the various levels of management. When there is a more serious complaint, it goes directly to the highest level of management. They have a complaint policy written into the welcome package that is sent to clients. National Debt Relief has a philosophy on the floor that everyone is warm and fuzzy until the call becomes escalated. The complaint will go through an agent, team lead, supervisor, department manager and then to the VP of operations. They take complaints seriously, maintain compliance with TSR and want happy clients. They have updated talking scripts and they have implemented a new system of ongoing training with an emphasis on a strong foundation.


National Debt Relief / Customer Service Excellence

When asked to provide a specific example of a situation where a client was not satisfied with the level of service they received, this is what Mr. Rice had to say:

"There was one situation where a man was working with one of our agents. In one of their four calls, it was discovered that there were 4 charges that the man did not want to include in the debt settlement. The agent could have done a better job of explaining why the charges had to be included, but the man was upset. In a follow up call, the man basically ‘stiff-armed’ our agent and said he did not want to continue with our service. The agent thought the call was over so he said ‘Good Luck’ and hung up. This infuriated the man. A complaint was filed and our agent’s supervisor spoke with the man. He did a great job, apologized and the consumer said ‘Thank you. It might be because I am going through chemo and am in a bad mood lately.’ The supervisor invited him to call back if he wanted to. About a week later, we received a BBB complaint, which was grossly exaggerated. In response to this complaint, we simply turned over our evidence. We have all of the calls recorded and there was already an internal record of this situation. In the end, it isn’t about being right. It is about being effective and making sure the consumer feels that they were heard, listened to and addressed properly. Because gosh, who cares about being right.”

When asked about Ripoff Report’s Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation and Customer Satisfaction Program, Mr. Rice stated that they are in an industry that has had a black eye and in some ways, still does, so they want to set themselves apart. National Debt Relief wants to work with any consumer advocacy program and adhering to the standards that they set. It allows them to better serve their clients and allows for better transparency for the consumer, which all in all makes them a better company. “It means everything.” Mr. Rice stated.

National Debt Relief / Customer Testimonials

"This was a difficult decision for me as I had never encountered financial problems to this extent in the past. Speaking with the representatives at NDR was a pleasure because they were professional, courteous, knowledgeable, respectful, and genuine. My concerns were addressed each time I called to ask questions. I received empathy and understanding. I appreciate the level of professionalism and pray that this will resolve the bulk of my financial distress. I greatly appreciate this service.”
~ Toni P. Bronx, NY

"I can’t think of a better experience I’ve had from start to finish with any other company. From the first call, Paul immediately felt my hesitation and was very frank, honest, and not ‘preachy’ at all. Everyone I have dealt with have been polite, professional, courteous, and prompt. When Paul didn’t have time to answer an email one afternoon, he called me directly to address my questions for my better peace of mind. Without a doubt the best customer service and most compassionately professional experience I’ve ever had in my adult life.”
~ Wilson F. MI



National Debt Relief / Statements from employees.

"It's such an amazing feeling to know that I can experience the joy of having a career that I actually enjoy. The feeling I got when I began working for NDR was warm; my colleagues are very welcoming, judgment free and are open to any questions/concerns I may have about my position as an Underwriter, and the quality of my work. My bosses are easy to get to know, they are approachable, and do not hide in their offices all day; we're a family here, everyone knows each other, and welcome new employees, making everyone feel comfortable. I learned the value of responsibility in this company, by putting the client's that I service first in everything I do throughout the day, which ultimately benefits NDR as a whole. The hardest part of my job is being comfortable with everyday tasks as it can sometimes be robotic, the most enjoyable part of my job is hearing how happy and confident a client sounds in our program, before our conversation is complete” ~ Underwriter and Current Employee of National Debt Relief.

"NDR is Fun, Friendly, and Rapidly Expanding! I really do enjoy working at NDR. Although it may have a dark past it truly has turned around. Now that the industry is regulated they've become more successful than ever before, growing rapidly and expanding everyday. In fact, we are reminded constantly to be honest with our clients and have daily meetings going over any faults that were made that day. The work place is extremely friendly and although we do work hard, loud laughing and friendly joking can be heard all over the office. I enjoy the atmosphere, no one is ever hovering over you however we are monitored and scored. Scores aren't scary, they can be fun in a competitive way. The office culture is laid back and everyone is really easy going. Although work must be done honestly and thoroughly it's fun because it's not hard to joke around with any co-worker sitting around you. Everyone is extremely friendly, positive, polite, and considerate.” ~ Another current employee

National Debt Relief has expressed that they feel very confident doing their job. National Debt Relief's leadership has over 10 years of combined experience in the debt consolidation industry.

National Debt Relief takes employee satisfaction seriously as well. Employee feedback and surveys reveal comments such as this: "I've been a counselor with National Debt relief for nearly a year now. The corporate culture is relaxed and friendly. Everyone functions as a team and is always ready to lend a hand and help a team mate provide the best service possible to our clients. The management sponsors friendly competitions and gives out cash and other prizes for top service and achievement on a daily basis. On Fridays, as part of dress-down day, we pitch in to support charitable organizations such as Wounded Warriors and St. Jude's Hospital. It's great to be part of such terrific group of people who give their all to help others!"

Ripoff Report was pleased to learn that National Debt Relief’s past and current approach to business is focused on its pledge to total commitment towards client and employee satisfaction.



National Debt Relief / Mission Statement

"Our mission is focused on helping individuals achieve freedom from financial debt through debt settlement. We aim to provide our expertise to ensure that consumers are able to accomplish debt reduction with the least possible payment amount and term. It is also our intention to provide not just debt reduction services but also financial consultations and education to ensure that consumers who go through out care will continue to live a debt-free life. We wish to promote debt settlement as the best alternative to bankruptcy, credit counseling and debt consolidation. Our ultimate goal is to be the number one advocate of the Americans when it comes to re-establishing financial stability in the least amount of time and resources possible.

National Debt Relief / Responsible Leadership & Professional Memberships

National Debt Relief promotes responsible leadership and is a proud member of the following:

BBB – National Debt Relief is a Better Business Bureau Accredited Business. You can view our accreditation.

AFCC – The American Fair Credit Council. AFCC is the leading association of professional Consumer Credit Advocates with the strictest Code of Conduct in the industry. We comply by all audit and secret shopper criteria as monitored through regulatory compliance agencies.

IAPDA – International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators

National Debt Relief / Excellence in Customer Service

National Debt Relief combined with our servicing partner has tens of thousands of customers and they are all hard working people just like you. You are the reason we come to work. You’re the reason hundreds of our dedicated employees strive for excellence every day.

  • The Customer Service reps and Negotiators are in teams to better serve our clients
  • All of our clients have experienced some sort of financial or medical hardship leading them to this best solution
  • No fees until your debts are settled and agreements with creditors are reached We do not charge any cancellation fees and you can always get all your money back.
  • Our experienced and professional debt arbitrators, negotiators customer service and operations are getting the job done right for over 10 years. Our highest compliment from you is a referral of a friend or a family member that we may help as well, and we thank you for all of them.






STATED IMPROVEMENTS FROM YOUR NATIONAL DEBT RELIEF.

National Debt Relief recognizes that complaints posted on Ripoff Report (whether true or not) are issues that need to be addressed, not ignored. If handled correctly, complaints can be valuable learning opportunities. With the feedback generated by Rip-off Report’s Investigation National Debt Relief has made organizational changes allowing its clients and employees a more streamlined approach to problem resolution and a commitment to a great client experience.

National Debt Relief takes any and all complaints seriously and believes in going above and beyond to make the situation right.

"Satisfied clients are our number one priority. We will do everything in our power to make sure the client is satisfied. We aim to offer the best service and best debt consolidation programs in the industry.”

In summary, after our investigation, which included discussions with Mr. Tilipman, Ripoff Report is convinced that National Debt Relief is committed to quality delivery of services resulting in total client satisfaction.

Read more about why consumers should feel confident when doing business with a member of Rip-off Report's Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program. Yes, it’s a long name for a program that does a lot for both consumers and businesses alike.

Read about Ripoff Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program, a program that benefits the consumer, assures them of complete satisfaction and confidence when doing business with a member business. this program works.

As a matter of policy, when a business becomes a member of the Corporate Advocacy Programthey agree to allow Ripoff Report to contact every client who filed a complaint so they can make things right with them. In order to confirm that the complaints were resolved, Ripoff Report is copied on all responses so we can insure that the member business did right by their customer.

NOW TO THE ORIGINAL REPORT THAT WAS FILED

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National Debt Relief Lifeguard Financial National Debt Relief will steal your $$$ Brooklyn, New York

The National Debt Relief Group is a sham company based in Brooklyn, NY. They used to be Lifeguard Financial, but closed up due to the all the complaints they were receiving. For a short time, they were SafeTrust Financial(a couple of weeks or so?), and for some reason that didn't work out. Now they're back with a fancy new website, and some worthless accreditations. If you're unfamiliar with Lifeguard Financial, just do a google search on them, and you'll see a myriad of complaints.




As I said earlier, they might call you and boast to you about their "accreditations", which are meaningless. Sorry folks, but not even the BBB is to be trusted. To become an accredited member of the BBB, all you have to do is pay a fee. Don't believe me? Check out these two articles-http://www.thebluesmokeband.com/bbb.php and http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jan/21/business/fi-lazarus21?pg=1 You might also be told of something called TASC. TASC is not a government run organization, and the owner of the company has his own debt settlement company, while the President of TASC is also the CEO of Debt Settlement America, a company which was subpoenaed by the Attorney General Of New York. Do you really expect these guys to hold one of their own accountable? Besides, to become an "accredited" member of TASC, all you have to is pay a fee.




Lifeguard Financial is now the National Debt Relief Group. Their new headquarters are at 2502 86 Street, Brooklyn NY 11214. There are also additional offices located at 714 3rd Ave, Brooklyn NY, and 263 52 Street, Brooklyn NY. The new website is www.nationalrelief.com They've set up shop not too long ago, and unopened boxes can still be seen at the 86 St location, which was formerly a Sprint office. 




I was an employee there until I found that these guys were crooks. Sensitive information was seen lying around the office, such as credit reports. The office located at 263 52 Street Brooklyn, NY is in a shady, run-down building in a desolate area of Brooklyn. The office at 714 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232 isn't much better. The scripts were given out in the office had a name crossed out, and later i found out why. It used to say Lifeguard Financial! How did I know? These guys actually left some Lifeguard Financial manuals lying around the office, and it was from there that I compared the two scripts. That is what also lead me to investigating the company. From there, I found a myriad of complaints about Lifeguard, and people asking, "where did they go?" Well, the answer is clear now, folks. These vampires have moved, and when the heat turns up in a few months, the process will just repeat itself. 




The debt settlement industry is very dirty. There is no regulation whatsoever. You have people who are unlicensed giving out financial advice. I've even heard that there are minors working for them at one of their offices, however I cannot prove the validity of that allegation. But what I do know is that you can all of this on your own. When we were trained, one of the rebuttals was that if someone asks why they should use NDRG instead of doing it themselves, was that the creditors won't work with individuals, or that because NDRG brings the creditors so much business, that they'll give the NDRG the best rates. This is a lie! I've spoken with many people who told me they saved 40-50% by working directly with the creditors. All you would have to do is use the same methods the same debt settlement companies use, which is falling behind your payments and telling your creditors that you're undergoing severe financial hardship. This works best once the account goes into collections, which is between 120 and 180(or 210) days. So many people have defaulted on their cards, and these guys are worried, and will gladly take something instead of nothing, with the something being anywhere from 30-60%. There are also several websites out there with information that can you assist you on how to settle your debts on your own.




There will probably be a few people who will come here and say that the two companies are not the same, but do a google maps search RIGHT NOW.As of December 9, 2009, when you do a Google Maps search of 263 52nd Street, Brooklyn NY, and you will see that it STILL says lifeguard financial under businesses listed. The same goes for 714 3rd Ave, Brooklyn NY. These guys are also affiliated with a law firm, FBL Associates, located in Fort Lauderdale. I don't know how long their partnership has been, but I've heard that they're taking care of all matters related to Lifeguard Financial.






How long will this be tolerated? When will someone take action? The entire debt settlement industry is unregulated, which allows scumbags like these to run wild. 

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 12/09/2009 11:32 AM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/national-debt-relief-trusted-business-verified-businesses-you-can-trust-100-money-back-guarantee-free-debt-relief-quote-national-debt-relief-debt-settlement-services-dedicated-to-helping-consumers-rid-themselves-of-burdensome-debts-specializing-in-debt-settlement-negotiating-settlements-for-thousands-of-creditors-collection-accounts/brooklyn-new-york-11214/national-debt-relief-lifeguard-financial-national-debt-relief-will-steal-your-brooklyn-536547. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content

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REBUTTALS & REPLIES:
2Author
1Consumer
2Employee/Owner

#5 Consumer Comment

Tom Leydiker, Daniel Tilpman and the rest of the geniuses at National Debt Relief

AUTHOR: TheTruth - (United States of America)

POSTED: Thursday, February 18, 2010

This company is a total joke.  They are not in the business of helping anyone.  Don't even use this company unless you want to get ripped off.  They do not provide the service advertised, they do not pay their employees and they will rip off anyone and everyone they can, including any other companies trying to do business with them.

DO NOT ASSOCIATE WITH NATIONAL DEBT RELIEF FOR ANY REASON.

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#4 Author of original report

But I thought you had NOTHING to do with Lifeguard?

AUTHOR: BeAlert - (USA)

POSTED: Saturday, December 12, 2009
All you proved is that debt collection is a dirty industry that needs more regulation, but what does that have to do with anything? 

I never said that you didn't pay people. I just said the checks were short, which makes you guys cheaters. You can argue this all you want, but online it just ends up looking like "he say, she say" business. The other things I have posted however, are undisputable

You guys have more than one script. I posted the script that was in the training module as of November 2009, but there is another one floating around the offices. I don't have a copy of that, but it's nearly identical to the Lifeguard script, since you still had those lying around the office.

You guys are now in control of Safetrust and Lifeguard's former offices? So as I said, you admit to having scammers under you? If you guys are really so ethical, and truly cared about your image, why would you even associate with such people? And, why do the checks say Lifeguard, and why is the Safetrust name listed in the training module, which is posted here for everyone to see. Any lame excuses trying to explain this one?

Who advises against working directly with creditors? Can you come up with JUST ONE reliable website that advises against working with creditors, that is not affiliated with the debt settlement industry? I will post two links that advise AGAINST working with debt settlement companies. 

http://www.cnbc.com/id/28265471
www.NYDebtHelp.com/debt_settlement_companies.html 

You weren't one of the companies that were subpoenaed because you weren't doing anything at the time. Debt Settlement America was one of the companies that was subpoenaed, and they are also a part of TASC, so what does that say about them? Those companies all had myriads of complaints, and that's the reason why they were investigated. You guys also forgot to mention that Attorney General Cuomo called debt settlement a "rogue industry"

TASC means nothing. USOBA means nothing. They're not goverment-run organizations, so they cannot be trusted. And if USOBA is so great, why did Lifeguard rip so many people off? The same goes for TASC, and Debt Settlement America. I mentioned this in my last post. The SEC needs to get involved ASAP, because this is ridiculous.

Again, you mention the BBB, but they aren't even reliable. This was addressed in the first post. So many of the things you have said have already been addressed. Just read my posts, and check out the links/documents that I provided, which speak for themselves. I have posted links/documents with all of my claims, from unbiased references, while you haven't been able to do the same. All you've provided is slick corporate lingo.
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#3 REBUTTAL Owner of company

Answering Questions with FACTS -

AUTHOR: Nationalrelief.com - (United States of America)

POSTED: Thursday, December 10, 2009

I will proceed to address your statements one by one with facts, as you requested, so that you yourself can make the next posting correcting yourself and retracting your statements. It is truly my goal to make you a believer in debt settlement and our company, because if our biggest adversary will become our advocate, there is no better accomplishment.


We do not say we are affiliated with Experian. Experian markets very limited data, which companies use to market or telemarketer to prospective consumers various products and or services. Only people that are not on the DNC will possibly receive these calls. Consumers that wish not to receive these phone calls, place themselves on the DNC list with the National Do Not Call Registry at www.donotcall.gov, customers that ask us to take them off the list, not only get taken of our list right away, but we ask the customer if they would like us to help them add themselves to the National list, and we do that for them. Whenever we are asked what we have to do with Experian, the customer is explained exactly that. I think like you say most reasonable people would agree "that there is no fraud in that at all. Majority of our business is referrals from past clients and inbound calls from our promotion and public relations. A lot of our clients email us, our website is very helpful and is full of useful tools and information that people read and learn from- www.nationalrelief.com -

I never meant to insult you, and it would be my pleasure to apologize to you if you were to attempt to take off the inaccurate statements you made. David Leuthold is the founder of TASC, and the fact that he has his own debt settlement company is true.  But he does not make any regulations as you seem to think. The regulations are made by various government bodies, and TASC is NOT the government. They are the Association of Settlement Companies. TASC ensures that its members comply with best practices in the industry and comply with federal regulations that are in place. TASC has no power to make or enforce federal regulations, just its own.  And to become a member of TASC, which we are proud to be, we needed to comply with their disclosure requirements and numerous other matters. They check us regularly and so does USOBA. You say USOBA means nothing; you cannot become a member by simply paying a fee.  If your contract with the consumer does not have proper disclosures, you will never be allowed to become a member. Furthermore all of our debt specialists get shopped to make sure that the contract and the disclosures are always properly explained to the customer over the phone.  Both TASC and USOBA do shops, which mean they call pretending to be a customer to test us.  That is another reason why we are proud to be a member of TASC and USOBA.

With respect to Debt Settlement America, with whom we have no relationship and the fact that the AG subpoenaed them and 13 other companies in NY means nothing.  Our opinion, and that of many different qualified and respectable attorneys in field, is that this is nothing more than a fact finding expedition.  The AGs office has the following statement: Our mission is clear: to hold unscrupulous businesses accountable".  Our position is that we do support the AGs office and that any business, regardless of industry, should be held responsible for unethical and unscrupulous business practices.  We are NOT one of those companies.

If you look at tascsite.org you will find how much debt is being settled for consumers by debt settlement companies, it is staggering. Debt Settlement is really helping peoples lives.  Debt is a very serious matter, and should not be left for consumers to deal with on their own. That's how they get in trouble in the first place. Its always better to let professionals do what they do best. Why don't you read this article, where a person is suing a debt collector because her husband died of heart failure due to the collection calls.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/12/10/debt.collector.lawsuit/index.html

Being a member of the BBB means that your complaints will be posted and monitored, your office is checked and you cannot be working from any undisclosed locations. All the principles and licenses are transparent.  It tells you how long the company has been in business, its very important to have a BBB rating, but I know excellent companies that do not bother with the BBB. So even though we are a member and we work with companies that have excellent ratings on the BBB being a member in good standing is not necessary.  However if you are bad company you will not be able to have a good rating, period.


The two locations that you mention are not debt settlement companies; they are sales offices, origination and enrollment centers.  Lifeguard and SafeTrust did not close up shop, they were purchased by a law firm, and they are settling millions and millions of dollars of debt per month.

These two offices used to enroll clients to Lifeguard, now they are working with us.  But we are a totally different company.  The scripts are different, the procedures are different and so are the policies and guidelines. 

Employee turnover is the same as any other company or industry, we offer people the opportunity for employment, if they find that the industry is not for them, or they lack the skills or the knowhow, they don't stay. We either fire them or they quit.  Employees always get paid; we have never had a complaint. Its a false statement that "we cheat people out of money", and we do the same to employees. Its simply a lie. Everyone works here to put food on their families table, and to help other people in debt manage their budget and pay for their necessities. Its not fair to make these false statements.  If you worked for an affiliate of ours, and you did not report some kind of issue to corporate, and you feel that you are owed money please contact us at

info@nationalrelief.com


The Debt Settlement industry does have regulations. The FTC (Federal Trade Commission), the Attorney General's Office and state/federal laws. It is not recommended for consumers to do debt settlement on their own. People do attempt to but it's like going to court to with representation from an attorney. Can you do it yourself? Yes. Is it a good idea? -  NO! You won't get the professional advice, you wont get the consumer advocacy network's advice on the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and you will have to deal with creditors harassing calls and letters yourself. Large debt settlement companies do settlements all the time with all the same creditors, they know how the process works much better than the individual consumer, plus creditors have negotiators assigned to deal specifically with debt settlement companies. These are just the facts

We protect and help consumers against the debt collection industry that is obviously out of control.

check out this reference article below.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/12/10/debt.collector.lawsuit/index.html

The FTC said it receives more complaints about debt collectors than any other industry. Complaints are also filed directly with attorneys general in all 50 states, which can open state investigations. Of the 45,000 complaints received by the FTC in 2009, the agency opened one investigation.

"Scare tactics work. They've worked for years. That's how the mafia made so much money. That's how these mafia-like tactics result in so much money. People are scared," he said.



Howard says one of his other clients had this message waiting on the answering machine:



"You're a piece of s---. That's why you turned your phone off. Mother f-----.



"You haven't heard the last of me. But if it takes me a year or takes me two, believe me, I will find you. You better move. But if you move, you better move to California, 'cause I do travel. And I like traveling. Goodbye."



And then there was this one:



"When I see you. I'm gonna f--- you up. I want my money, and I want it now. I hate people who lie to me and abuse my company. ... If you bring my money back, you don't have to worry about me, just disregard my message."




That's who you need to worry about. This is a real problem, that's why debt settlement professionals protect, help and educate the consumers.  .

I hope you now understand that it's not really a good idea to do it yourself, and that we are an ethical and legitimate company that brings value to consumers and never had an unhappy customer.  - visit us at www.nationalrelief.com or email us at info@nationalrelief.com



 



If there would be a complaint in the future with anything regarding our company please email it to info@nationalrelief.com and I assure you it will always be addressed and resolved immediately.  







 



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#2 Author of original report

Does not address any points

AUTHOR: BeAlert - (USA)

POSTED: Wednesday, December 09, 2009

How am I an employee of another debt settlement company, if I gave consumers tips on how they can settle debts on their own? Why do you guys claim to be affiliated with Experian? Why don't you mention that the leads are bought from them? Most reasonable people would agree that this is known as FRAUD



You did manage to throw a few insults my way, but completely dodged the issues. During the training, you guys said David Leuthold is one of the founders of TASC, yet he has his own debt settlement company, Century Negotiations, who you guys seem to be in a partnership with. How can the owner of a debt settlement company make the regulations? 



USOBA also means nothing. Pay the fees, and you're a member. That's all there is to it



The current President of TASC is Chris Kesterson, who is also CEO of Debt Settlement America, a company which was subpoenaed by the Attorney General of New York. You can argue this all you want, but these are facts, and I'll let the worried consumers see for themselves. Just click on the two links below, and if they don't work, just copy and paste it into the browser



www.tascsite.org

www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/05/ny_debt.html



Being an accredited member of the BBB means nothing. Refer to my original post to see why.



If you guys aren't Lifeguard, then why does it still say Lifeguard(as of December 9, 2009) when you do a Google Map search on 263 52nd Street, Brooklyn, NY and 714 3rd Ave, Brooklyn NY? The only thing is that the numbers are disconnected, which isn't a surprise, but wow, what a coincidence! One debt settlement company "leaves", and another occupies not just one, but TWO of their spaces! Is it also a coincidence that the checks said Lifeguard, and that one of your scripts was the exact same as Lifeguard, except wherever it said Lifeguard, there was just something blacked out. And instead of savings of 60%, it's now 55%.



What are others saying about National Debt Relief Group? Just click on the link below, or paste it into your browser. 



www.debtconsolidationcare.com/settlement/lifeguardfinancial-12.html



You guys claim to have "thousands" satisfied clients. Where are they? Why is there nothing to be found on the NDRG predating October 2009? Is it also a coincidence that Lifeguard and Safetrust closed shop in September 2009? 



Employee turnaround is also high because these guys are always short on the checks. Not only do they cheat hard-working Americans out of their money, they do the same to their employees. 



As I said earlier, debt settlement is a dirty industry with no regulation. It's best to try to work directly with your creditors yourself. There may be a few ethical companies, but why bother and risk your hard earned money? I already gave a few tips on how to do this, and there are also articles out there online on how you can do it on your own



Don't forget to read what the New York Attorney General said about Debt Settlement companies, for those of you who are skeptical- www.NYDebtHelp.com/debt_settlement_companies.html 



Next time, you should try addressing the issues instead of hurling childish insults.
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#1 REBUTTAL Owner of company

National Debt Relief Group

AUTHOR: Nationalrelief.com - (United States of America)

POSTED: Wednesday, December 09, 2009

It is the statement of National Debt Relief Group that the report posted here by what looks like a disgruntle ex-employee is a complete hoax. I am not sure why someone would post all these inaccurate accusations, and false statements.   Who ever did this posting please contact us, so we can understand the reason for such slander and libel. We are a member of the BBB, and an Active Member of TASC and USOBA.   A few debt settlement companies are accredited with even one of these leading Associations, and even fewer are accredited by both which we are.  To become a member of either TASC or USOBA a very thorough review has to been passed. Our company gets shopped and audited regularly and compliance is mandated and regulated on an ongoing basis.   We are proud to be members in excellent standing.

(((Redacted)))

We are also Accredited with IAPDA, International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrator.   Our back office has been in business over 10 years, and has tens of thousands of satisfied clients and proven results.

National Debt Relief Group has nothing to do with Lifeguard Financial or Safetrust financial.   It is clear that the ex-employee that made this posting does not know what he is talking about, or is with another company just trying to talk bad about the competition.  We have thousands of clients that can testify to the results and the help that we provided. We are one of the most reputable companies in the business with full accredited and licensed and professional staff. We are backed Attorney's in addition to all the above accreditations, so we welcome any inquired with respect to the integrity and success of our business practices.

Given the fact that the report posted is a complete HOAX, we call upton the Author to contact us with proof.

We are very proud of what we do !

We can be visited on www.Nationalrelief.com


CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.

 

 

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