Quick Answer: First Advantage Debt Relief is a for-profit debt settlement company. To evaluate whether they’re right for you, I’d encourage you to check their complaint history with the CFPB, read their reviews on Trustpilot, and check their enforcement history. Here’s how to do each of those.
Before You Read This: I want to be upfront about what this page is and isn’t. I’m not a financial advisor, and I’m not rendering a verdict on First Advantage Debt Relief. This is a research guide — I’m showing you where to look so you can reach your own conclusions based on current information.
If you find something in the public record that concerns you, post it in the comments below. If you’re evaluating their contract, use my free Contract Decoder tool.
If you represent First Advantage Debt Relief and something here is inaccurate, contact me and I’ll review it promptly.
If you have inside information you feel you need to share with me privately: don’t. Whatever you want to share should be posted in the comments — by you, with your name attached. I’m not willing to be anyone’s conduit for information they won’t stand behind themselves.
The most valuable thing on this page may not be what I’ve written — it’s the comments section below. People who’ve actually worked with First Advantage Debt Relief share their experiences there. I’d encourage you to read them and add your own.
Who Is First Advantage Debt Relief?
An educated consumer is our best customer.— Sy Syms
New here? My Ultimate Consumer Guide to Checking Out a Debt Relief Company walks through how to vet any debt relief company before you sign anything.
First Advantage Debt Relief is a for-profit debt settlement company. Rather than repeat what they say about themselves here, I’d encourage you to read their own website and state business filings — that way you’re seeing it directly from primary sources, not filtered through me.
Step 1: Check Their Credentials
Before anything else, verify they have the credentials they claim. Here’s what to check:
- AFCC Membership: The American Fair Credit Council (AFCC) is the trade association for the debt settlement industry — check whether they’re a current member in good standing.
- IAPDA Certification: The International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA) certifies debt settlement counselors — ask whether their staff holds current certification.
- BBB Profile: Search the Better Business Bureau website for First Advantage Debt Relief — look at the rating, years in business, and especially the complaint history and how they responded.
- State Registration: Debt settlement companies must be registered or licensed in each state they operate in. Contact your state’s attorney general or financial regulatory agency to verify their status in your state.
A Note on BBB Grades: A high BBB grade doesn’t necessarily mean a company is right for you — it means they respond to complaints filed through the BBB. Read the actual complaint text and the company’s responses. That’s the useful part. See my full guide to what BBB letter grades actually mean →
Step 2: Check Consumer Complaints
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau maintains a public database of complaints filed against financial companies. You can search for First Advantage Debt Relief directly:
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Search First Advantage Debt Relief’s complaint history in the CFPB database →
When you’re reading complaints, look for:
- What the complaints are about — fees, settlement outcomes, communication problems?
- How the company responded — did they resolve issues or just close them?
- Whether the same issue appears repeatedly — a pattern matters more than a single complaint
- The ratio of complaints to customers — a larger company will have more complaints in raw numbers
Step 3: Read Their Reviews
Search for First Advantage Debt Relief on Trustpilot and ConsumerAffairs. A few things to keep in mind as you read:
How to read Trustpilot like a pro: My complete guide to spotting red flags in Trustpilot reviews breaks down exactly what to look for — including how to identify review solicitation campaigns and reputation management tactics.
- Pay attention to what the 5-star reviews are actually about. If they’re praising a friendly enrollment call — that’s interaction quality, not program performance. Compare those against reviews that specifically mention outcomes: settlements reached, final balances, total fees paid.
- Read the 2- and 3-star reviews carefully — these tend to be the most honest, from people who had mixed experiences and aren’t trying to tear the company apart
- Look at how the company responds to negative reviews — a defensive or dismissive response tells you something
- Check the review dates — a flood of 5-star reviews in a short period can indicate a solicitation campaign
Step 4: Check Their Legal and Enforcement History
For-profit debt settlement companies are subject to enforcement actions from federal and state regulators. Here’s where to look:
- CFPB Enforcement Actions: Search the CFPB’s enforcement action database for the company name
- FTC Actions: The FTC publishes all enforcement cases — search for the company or its principals
- State Attorney General: Search “First Advantage Debt Relief attorney general” or “First Advantage Debt Relief settlement” — many enforcement actions happen at the state level
- Federal Court Records: CourtListener searches 1.3 billion federal court documents for free — no registration required. For the official PACER system with complete case filings, see my guide to using PACER.gov.
Context Matters: A company that has faced enforcement action isn’t automatically disqualified — what matters is what the action was for, whether they resolved it, and whether the behavior continued. A company that’s never faced any scrutiny in a highly regulated industry may just not have been looked at yet.
Step 5: Ask the Right Questions Before You Proceed
Before signing anything: Run their contract through my free Contract Decoder tool. Paste it in and get a plain-English breakdown of what you’re agreeing to.
Before you commit to any debt settlement program, get clear answers — in writing — to these questions:
- What is the total fee — as a percentage of enrolled debt or settled amount — over the full program?
- How is my monthly deposit held — in a dedicated escrow account, and what happens to it if I cancel?
- Which creditors have you successfully settled with, and are my specific creditors on that list?
- What happens to accounts not enrolled in the program — will they continue to accrue interest and go to collections?
- What is the average settlement percentage your clients actually receive, based on real program data?
- What are the tax consequences — will forgiven debt be reported to the IRS as income on a Form 1099-C?
Before You Commit: Debt settlement isn’t right for everyone. Run your situation through my Find Your Path tool to see whether settlement, bankruptcy, a debt management plan, or another option fits your situation better.
Key Takeaways
- Verify AFCC membership, state registration, and BBB profile before anything else
- Read CFPB complaints for patterns — not just raw numbers
- On review sites, compare interaction reviews vs. reviews about actual settlement outcomes
- Check CFPB and FTC enforcement history, plus state attorney general actions
- Get fee structure, escrow terms, and tax implications in writing before you sign
- The comments section below contains real experiences from real clients — read them
Want the full research playbook? My Ultimate Consumer Guide to Checking Out a Debt Relief Company covers every tool and source in this guide — plus detailed walkthroughs for reading BBB profiles, spotting Trustpilot red flags, and searching federal court records on CourtListener.
Free Tool — 1099-C Tax Calculator: Received a 1099-C for cancelled debt? The free 1099-C Tax Calculator runs the exact IRS insolvency math from Publication 4681 Worksheet 2 — and covers the partial insolvency case most people miss. Run the Calculator →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is First Advantage Debt Relief a legitimate company?
First Advantage Debt Relief is a registered for-profit debt settlement company. Whether they’re the right fit depends on your situation. Check their CFPB complaint history, BBB profile, and online reviews before deciding.
How do I file a complaint against First Advantage Debt Relief?
You can file a complaint directly with the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. You can also file with your state attorney general’s office and the BBB. Filing with the CFPB creates a public record and triggers a required company response.
Is First Advantage Debt Relief accredited or licensed?
Check the AFCC member directory for current membership status and your state’s financial regulatory agency for licensing verification.
What is debt settlement and how does it work?
Debt settlement involves negotiating with creditors to accept a lump-sum payment for less than the full amount owed. Clients typically stop paying creditors and save in a dedicated account until enough accumulates to make settlement offers. The process usually takes two to four years and can negatively affect credit during that time.
Should I work with First Advantage Debt Relief?
That depends on your situation. Run it through my Find Your Path tool before committing to any debt settlement program.
Share Your Experience with First Advantage Debt Relief
If you’ve worked with First Advantage Debt Relief — as a client, a former employee, or someone who looked into them and decided not to enroll — I’d encourage you to share your experience in the comments. Your perspective helps others make a more informed decision.
To share your experience: Scroll to the bottom of this page — the comments box is there.
Before You Sign Anything: Run any debt relief contract through the free Contract Decoder to spot hidden fees and unfair terms. Check the company’s complaint history with the Scam-O-Meter.
Compare Your Real Options: Most debt relief companies won’t tell you about all your options — especially the ones they can’t profit from. Credit counseling has a 21-27% completion rate. Settlement resolves about 1% of enrolled debts fully. Bankruptcy has a 95% discharge rate — and protects your retirement. Take the Find Your Path quiz for a recommendation based on your actual numbers.
Browse all Debt Settlement Companies reviews, or see the full Company Reviews directory.
