Start Fresh Dept / Start Fresh Program – Consumer Complaint – March 29, 2019

Consumer Statement:

I was contacted by someone named Julie Taylor who claimed that I qualified for a student loan forgiveness program given that my income is very little.

They first contacted me on landline but left a voicemail because I was not home. In the voicemail they mentioned the program and that to make things quicker, they provided me a reference number for me to reach.

The following week, I called back on my mobile device and provided them the reference number. Someone named Jordan Marshall then explained the program to me and asked me for my email address and I allowed them to access my FSAID I believe if I agreed to the program.

They had access to the amount of loans I have and told me that they would basically be able to help me consolidate my loans so that it’d help my credit, and that as long as I provide my information such as my work, my bank routing and account number, my social security, and sign a contract that would allow them to communicate with my loan lenders Great Lakes so that I wouldn’t have to deal with them anymore, then I would be good to go. All I had to do was send in two pay stubs to prove my income and that they would be able to submit my application at that point.

The email they provided me was clientdocs@startfreshdept.com. I provided them all my information and the explained how the payments would work, that for the first 5 months I’d pay a higher amount of $189, but after that the last 115 months I’d only have to pay $69.83. They claimed that by 12 years it would be gone however they would do annual checks to make sure my income is still the same and that it is income based so that if it increases, then my payments would get larger but I’d pay at a shorter term and vice versa.

After I had agreed and hung up, I realized that it didn’t sit well with me and realized it may be a scam. So I quickly tried to cancel. I first called Great Lakes to let them know not to accept any application from this program. Then I called my bank company to stop any charges from them if it comes.

Consumer Action Taken:

I called back the Start Fresh Program themselves to cancel. They asked me why and I just said personal reasons. They asked me if it’s because the $189 payments were too hefty and that they may be able to manage to waive the fees for me and lessen the payments so my term would not be as long. Instantly I knew this was fake.

So I said no and that I’d like to cancel. They eventually agreed and sent me confirmation over text and email that it has been canceled and that any identifying information about me has been disposed of. However, I never got a written agreement or contract saying that I have rescinded in writing any authorization for them to speak on my behalf.

So I am submitting here exactly what happened. Further information about them is this that their address supposedly is:
5000 Birch St
Newport Beach CA 92660
Phone number: 8885058920
startfreshdept.com

Date This Problem Happened:

State You Live in:

Race/Ethnicity:

Age Range:

Total Amount of Fee Paid:

Company Name: Start Fresh Dept / Start Fresh Program

Company Address:

5000 Birch St
Newport Beach CA 92660

Company Telephone Number: 888-505-8920

Website of Company: startfreshdept.com

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