This review became very unusual. Shortly after looking into Debt Consultants of America I discovered that Butcher and Creel also run at least two additional debt settlement companies in the same building. This review is a combination of information about Debt Consultants of America, Debt Professionals of America, and Financial Freedom of America.
I find it very odd that these three debt settlement companies have such common ownership and operate out of the same building in Dallas.
Address:
Debt Consultants of America
8140 Walnut Hill Lane
Suite 204
Dallas Texas 75231
Financial Freedom of America
8140 Walnut Hill Lane
Suite 400
Dallas Texas 75231
Debt Professionals of America
8140 Walnut Hill Lane
Suite 204
Dallas Texas 75231
Website:
DebtConsultantsOfAmerica.com
FinancialFreedomOfAmerica.com
DebtProfessionalsOfAmerica.com
Description:
Debt Consultants of America’s mission is to assist our clients every step of the way to becoming debt free. We will give our clients the tools and information required to make an informed decision on which program will fit their specific needs. Our team will support and guide each client, one step at a time, down the path to financial freedom. – Source
Management
Corey Butcher – Director
Corey Todd Butcher
Robert J Creel – Director
Nikki Vrla Creel
On July 31, 2008 Debt Professionals of America was incorporated with an address in the same building as Debt Consultants of America and Finacnial Freedom of America. The directors are listed as Corey Butcher and Robert Creel.
December 13, 2005 Financial Freedom of America was incorporated and is located in the same building with Debt Consultants of America and Debt Professionals of America. Corey Butcher is the Director and President of FFA.
Corey Butcher is CEO/President of Financial Freedom of America. He attended Southern Methodist University studying Health and Fitness Management. Corey has 5 years experience in the financial industry and presently serves on the board of the United States Organization of Bankruptcy Alternatives and is named the chairman of the central region. In 2009, he received the U.S. Army Patriot Award. – Source
Since its commencement, Vice President, Nikki Vrla has played a large role in building the company from the ground up.
She brings 13 years of experience in the financial industry and presently serves on the board of the United States Organizations for Bankruptcy Alternatives, Inc. (USOBA) as the Chairman of the Creditor Relations Committee. She is a Certified Debt Arbitrator and is passionately involved with all levels of her staff to constantly improve the quality of service to clients and the company. – Source
Robert Creel began following his entrepreneurial ambitions at an early age, and since attending Southern Methodist University he has owned and operated a variety of businesses. This was until he found his true passion in the Debt Settlement industry after personally helping a family member negotiate and settle their credit card debt. He then decided he could help other people who felt they were living in a shadow of debt as well. As the CEO/President of Debt Professionals of America, he passionately guides the day-to-day management of all aspects of the organization. He is committed to ensuring that all clients receive the best service and results possible by being personally engaged in all services provided to our clients. – Source
Contacts
info@4dcoa.com
info@4dpoa.com – Domain owned by Corey Butcher at Financial Freedom of America
info@4ffoa.com
Relationships
- Financial Freedom of America
- Debt Consultants of America
- Debt Professionals of America
- Nikki Vrla is listed as VP with the State of Florida for Debt Professionals of America. – Source Nikki Vrla is also Nikki Vral-Creel. – Source
- Corey Butcher is also the President of First Financial Freedom Mortgage at 10440 N. Central Expressway, Dallas, TX 75231. Also owns this with Brent Butcher and Kevin Roberts.
Interesting Points
On the Debt Consultants of America website they do mention that clients can be sued in their debt settlement program but they appear to downplay the collection activity and lawsuits customers might expect.
Will I receive collection calls? You should expect some collection calls.
Can I be sued? The first thing you should remember is that unsecured debt is unsecured. Lawsuits can and do happen but are less frequent than you may think.
– Source
I do like the fact they bring attention to consumers to inquire if the company they are thinking of using has a business address. Many of the debt settlement companies I’ve looked into operate out of a UPS Mail Store, PO Box or mail drop. “Also it is important that you check to see if the company has a office with a physical address (not a PO box or no address at all. Be very wary!).” – Source
I also thought this statement from them made good sense. “What are the up front fees?
All companies have a set up fee; this should be expected but you should definitely be aware of the amount of up front fees a company wants. Some companies might want all their fees upfront before they start negotiating the debt; definitely beware of this. If a company collects all their fees upfront, and does not charge part of their fees for the amount of money they save you there is no incentive to get you the best deal on each settlement. Performance driven, we strive to get you the best settlement possible. The more we save you, the more we make.” – Source
The sister company of Debt Consultants of America, Debt Professionals of America has the following job posting online. If Debt Consultants of America employees similar commission based sales people then that might create a problem by selling people into a program or service that is not right for the consumer.
DO YOU LOVE THE THRILL OF CLOSING A DEAL?
DO YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE MAKING OUTBOUND COLD CALLS?
ARE YOU MOTIVATED TO MAKE YOUR FIRST SIX-FIGURE INCOME?
LOOK NO FURTHER… YOUR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH STARTS HERE!
Debt Professionals of America (DPA) was founded to create bright futures for those who have found themselves behind the barrier of debt.
We support our clients with diligence and integrity when working to negotiate and settle their unsecured credit card debt. Our team of bright professionals is committed to help reduce the anxiety associated with debt by assisting you on your path to financial independence.
Our team of negotiators, who become Certified Debt Arbitrators (CDA), will present our clients’ circumstances directly to your creditors and will work diligently at settling their unsecured debt for an average of 40-60% of what you owe. Our negotiators strive to erase over half of your unsecured credit card debt from the updated balance at the time of settlement, and our proven program can eliminate your debt in 18-48 months. When you eliminate your unsecured debt, you’re closer to realizing your financial goals.
Skills / Requirements
2+years of sales experience required.
Ability to prove high closing ratios.
Previous inside sales preferred.
Click on image for larger view.
Financial Freedom of America and Corey Butcher have been named in a number of lawsuits and regulator actions. Click here, and here.
White Rock Athletic Club
Robert Creel and Nikki Creel (AKA Nikki Vrla) were named in an official citation by the Federal Communications Commission, March 19, 2002, for their actions that violated the rules governing telephone solicitations. – Source
What make the White Rock Athletic Club issue interesting is that on October 28, 2006 a press release went out saying, “After nearly two decades of existence, White Rock Athletic Club, with the assistance of Fitness Management & Consulting, is breaking all-time sales records. Two years ago, employee turned entrepreneur, Corey Butcher, purchased the club. The combination of a passionate new owner and a veteran outside consultant synergize in a winning formula.” – Source
Apparently Butcher and Creel go way back together.
Videos from Debt Professionals of America
BBB Reviews
Read BBB record of Debt Professionals of America at time of article.
Read BBB record of Debt Consultants of America at time of article.
Read BBB record of Financial Freedom of America at time of article.
Complaints
This review started from an email I received about Debt Consultants of America to click here.
Debt Consultants of America needs to be stopped – I have been paying $900 a month for a year now and NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY nothing on my account has been settled. I only want the truth and all my money returned. I am now forced to seek the legal alternative in hiring a lawyer to stop their SCAMS!!!
Excerpt from lawsuit involving Debt Consultants of America:
21. In July 2007, PUTTNER heard a radio commercial from DEBT CONSULTANTS advertising their success in helping consumers become debt fee.
22. At the time PUTTNER heard the commercial her credit accounts were in good standing.
23. However, due to the cost of living associated with her graduate studies at Purdue University, PUTTNER had significant balances on many of her accounts and she struggled to make the minimum monthly payment.
24. The interest rates on PUTTNER’s accounts were increasing and the debts were becoming increasingly more difficult to manage
25. PUTTNER therefore decided to contact DEBT CONSULTANTS before she defaulted on her accounts to manage the spiraling balances.
26. PUTTNER approached DEBT CONSULTANTS as she believed they would provide an honorable, responsible and effective manner in which to manage her debt.
27. PUTTNER spoke with Omari Smith, an agent and employee of DEBT CONSULTANTS, who promised that PUTTNER would be debt free “within a couple of years.”
28. Omari also promised that PUTTNER would not have to pay the additional interest that would ordinarily accumulate on her accounts.
29. Omari stated that Plaintiff’s credit would not be damaged because DEBT CONSULTANTS would completely pay off all accounts at reduced balances.
30. Within days, DEBT CONSULTANTS sent an orientation packet to PUTTNER.
31. In the packet DEBT CONSULTANTS falsely represented that it would eliminate Puttner’s outstanding debt.
32. In the packet DEBT CONSULTANTS falsely represented that PUTTNER’s accounts would be reported as settled-in-full or paid.
33. DEBT CONSULTANTS also advised PUTTNER that she should stop communicating with her creditors.
34. PUTTNER followed DEBT CONSULTANTS’ advice and stopped paying on her accounts and stopped communicating with her creditors.
35. PUTTNER paid an estimated $3,935.00 to DEBT CONSULTANTS for their services.
36. DEBT CONSULTANTS did not settle any of PUTTNER’s accounts and performed no services of benefit to PUTTNER.
37. Eventually as PUTTNER’s accounts went into default the other defendants began calling to collect PUTTNER’S debts.
Other Complaints Online:
- FEES, CHARGES, FEES, CHARGES…They cause people that are already in debt to go deeper in debt. What a RIPOFF. They should be closed down. – Source
- Debt Consultants of America complaints from ConsumerAffrairs.com.
- Debt Consultants of America complaints from Debt Settlement Reviews site.
- “I was a former Quality assurance rep for this company. Day after day I told them their sales people were lying and they needed to put a stop to this. They became under investigation by the FTC and told everyone we were switching over completely to DEPT PROFESSIONALS OF AMERICA. As a quality assurance person i heard lie after lie and eventually was let go because I wasn’t a “loyal worker”. In fact when they did fire me they offered me and extra 100.00 if i would sign a piece of paper saying i wouldn’t blog about what a horrid company they are. My free speech can’t be bought like your college girlfriends ROBERT. It was been 5 months since I’ve worked there and thought surely they would be shut down. They have the worst customer service people. THEY YELL at customers. I would not recommend speaking with any of the sales people, especially the “SR reps” . Again I was a QA specialst that was hired as show. I was let go because the investigation would have called me in and I would have been completely honest. The owner Robert Creel and his “astranged wife” who he is currently married to, to avoid having to give her millions are worthless. I thought Nicky Creel might have had a stronger back bone to just say forget it and take the money and do something meaningful with her life. The owener does drugs especially with his sales buddies. You can catch them at the BILLIARD BAR IN DALLAS ON GREENVILLE evewry Wed night. Show up and give them a piece of your mind, take back your money and give them a good kick in the butt. They go out and party daily with the money americans ARE GIVING THEM to help pay off debt. If anyone know what the company is really like it is me. Oh and to Holly, Amber, or any of the other “secretaries” who they have reading the complaints and responding, I dare you to try and refute this. THIS IS THE TRUTH. DEBT CONSULTANTS OF AMERICA IS DEBT PROFESSIONALS OF AMERICA. beware of both companies . ” – Source
- Financial Freedom Of America Is A Scam And A Rip Off
Ripoff Reports Complaints
See numerous complaints for Debt Consultants of America.
See numerous complaints for Financial Freedom of America.
Picture of Web Site
Click on picture of Debt Consultants of America site for larger view.
Click on picture of Debt Professionals of America site for larger view.
Click on picture of Financial Freedom of America site for larger view.
Is This Your Company?
If this is a review is about your company and you would like to respond to the information I’ve presented here to possibly put it into a broader context or make a correction, please feel free to post your response in the comments section below. I invite you to read my Debt Relief Company and Site Review Policy first.
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Financial Freedom of America (FFoA) appreciates your informative articles, which help many consumers with their burden of credit card debt. However, there is some misleading and inaccurate information in your article written about FFoA, and we would like to take the opportunity to address our concerns about this article.
To date, FFoA has over 5,000 graduated and active clients, and has settled over $73 million in unsecured debt on behalf of our clients.
To set a standard of excellence for our work, we are an accredited member of the United States Organization for Bankruptcy Alternatives (USOBA), whose mission is to advocate for fair regulation and protection of consumers.
Our President and CEO, Corey Butcher, is a leader in this industry. He serves on the board of USOBA and consults with the organization to develop state-specific agendas.
Furthermore, Financial Freedom of America is certified by BSI Management Systems America, verifying we operate a quality management system that complies with the requirements of USOBA’s best practice standard. Additionally, all of our Negotiators, Managers and Directors are certified through the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators.
Mr. Corey Butcher is a passive investor in Debt Professionals of America (DPA). Mr. Robert Creel and Ms. Nikki Vrla have no ties to FFoA whatsoever. We would like to make it explicitly clear that DPA and FFoA are entirely separate companies and are operated as such. Mr. Creel and Mr. Butcher know each other because Mr. Creel previously owned an athletic club that Mr. Corey Butcher currently owns. Mr. Corey Butcher did not buy the athletic club from Mr. Creel as the article states because Mr. Creel did not own the club at the time Mr. Butcher acquired the club. Due to the success that Mr. Creel experienced as the former owner, Mr. Corey Butcher sought out Mr. Creel. This is how Mr. Butcher has always conducted himself with business. Please see the article that was written in 2006 about Mr. COrey Butcher and the financial turnaround of the athletic club: http://www.fitcommerce.com/BLUEPRINT/WebControls/Announcements/ViewAnnouncement.aspx?ItemID=1087&mid=112&portalId=2&cid=112
In regards to First Financial Freedom Mortgage (FFFM), Mr. Corey Butcher is a passive investor in this company as well. FFFM’s President is Mr. Brent Butcher and the Director is Mr. Kevin Roberts. Both Mr. Brent Butcher and Mr. Roberts are investors in FFFM as well.
FFoA supports the work of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and its mission to provide consumers with objective feedback about how a business performs based on the number and nature of client complaints. Unfortunately, the grade we received from the BBB is not based on our clients’ feedback, but on the BBB’s stance at this time to not recognize the industry. To read more about the BBB and the Debt Settlement industry, please click here: http://www.financialfreedomofamerica.com/index.php?/About-Us/why-bbb-doesnt-recognize-debt-settlement.html
Ensuring that our clients have a satisfactory experience with our company is our primary focus and concern. FFoA adheres to industry best practices, provides our clients with the most accurate information possible about our program and responds to any and all of our clients’ concerns. We are working diligently with the BBB to develop an evaluation process for companies in the debt settlement industry.
In this day of Web-based blogs and interactive forums, disgruntled customers have an accessible platform to air their grievances. One such consumer platform is called the Rip Off Report. Only beware. Many of the postings on this site are mere forgeries that the Web site’s founder is using as part of an elaborate scheme to extort money out of emerging companies. To read more about the Rip off Report Scam, please click here: http://www.financialfreedomofamerica.com/index.php?/About-Us/rip-off-report.html
Consumers should always remember that debt settlement is an aggressive debt relief program, but a program that can offer real results to clients who complete the process. With determination and hard work, you can rid yourself of the stress and anxiety associated with credit card debt through the assistance of a debt settlement company.
If anyone has any further questions or comments, they may contact the FFoA Management Team at info@4ffoa.com or via the “contact us” form on our Web site at http://www.financialfreedomofamerica.com.
Very Respectfully,
Financial Freedom of America
Wow, this is a very interesting post I see on DPA, with the services that they provide for there clients, Yes I was employed with DPA, and I do still stand behind there services that they provide to each of there clients. DPA was build on helping to service the clients needs. In my many years of working with this company, this company has been built to be hurt by the creditors seeing that they have settled millions of dollars for customers. They do offer programs that you would have to be qualified for, and trust me when you review cases on a daily basis, and really would like to bring someone into the program that review board do not just take anyone into there program as many other settlement companies, just to make a dollar. Many times a person have just lost there job, or something that really caused them be in a strain that will allow the sales rep to present there case to get approved for DPA to start the process. One thing I must say is that these people that work for DPA they do care I cared for each client I have helped, receiving cards, from clients just to say thank you for helping me become debt free. Yes every now and then you will bring a client into the program that does not qualify for the program which it is caught later and rejected as I am more than sure is the case of Puttner. I do not work for DPA but I just couldn’t allow such things to be said about the company that is false. As a matter of fact I can’t stand the company, But I do know a lie is a lie and the truth is the truth and this company out of a lot of settlement companies is the real deal after leaving DPA I went to go work for another company that really did practice false hopes, and dreams for there clients that was not real. I quickly left that company in 3 days, then went to go work for one of the biggest settlement companies around in Texas, and come to find out they are just about the money and could care less if there clients ever graduated from there program. I left there in 1 week. So after working with DPA and seeing there care for the clients and that they was doing it by the book I just can’t allow that to be said about them as if they are about the money with client. Again I don’t work for them but they are the deal when it comes to settlement. And as for the BBB reports just funny to me again cause I don’t know any settlement company that have a A rating why is that, maybe cause the person that rates these companies also own a consolidation company with an A rating. Again as for Puttner I am sorry if you felt you were mislead by me bringing you into the program but please understand, I explain just the program I presented your case to the review board I tell you the in and the outs of being in a settlement program, If you don’t pay your creditors come on anyone that has common sense would know they would tack on late fees etc, what I said was simple as 1,2,3 in order for this program to be successful 1st you going to have to MAKE the CHOICE, to allow your accounts to go into a past due status, that is a choice YOU are going to have to make I can’t tell you to stop paying your creditors, and I am sure you said I am already behind on these payments anyway. 2 I am sure I said you will have to make the CHOICE to stop using the credit cards. I am sure you said well I am not using them now anyway they have a high balance and they are already behind. What people have to understand is that they want there problem fixed now this is not a get out of debt free card. People want something to be done in 3 months but I can assure you that this program does work if I got you approved for this program it works and the review board I can promise would have pushed you back out of it but that was not the case with Puttner, Seem Puttner left the program after 3 months and wanted something to be done right then and there. But if it is something that you felt you didn’t understand it is even in writing when Puttner received the welcome kit. You list Puttner education etc, Puttner was not a person taking by a company I feel, I feel Puttner wanted something right then and there to be done about his debt which Puttner didn’t have enough available funds into the account to be able to settle the debt. Yes they take there fee out on the front end. Come on people wake up what company wouldn’t, would you go into an attorney office and say this is what happen, now you just take the case if you win I will pay you if you do not win then deuce, that isn’t how it works. People know that the company get’s paid on the front end, they are also told that when speaking with a rep. There is a 39.95 monthly service fee, 10% on the front end which is included into your payments, also there is a 10% fee on the back end so that the settlement team get for settling off the clients debt. Why wouldn’t they charge that, I can understand that lets look and see why, I have come to find out that a lot of companies charge a lot more but just only tell you about one fee 18% total that is it. but if you do the math you would see you are paying much more but they only charging you a one time fee of 18%. DPA settlement team that will make them work even harder cause they know that if you have a card that is 5000 they would want to try to settle it out for 2000 cause the more they save you will be the more they make. So again I am sorry Puttner if you feel that you didn’t get the understanding from my mouth you wanted, But please know that it is also in writing before you to read for yourself. I am more than sure this program was explained to you in a very professional manner, that is the only way I work. But as for DPA again I don’t work for them but when it comes to settlement I would say they are real. Do your homework.