Quick Answer: ClearOne Advantage 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 legal and 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 ClearOne Advantage. 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 ClearOne Advantage 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 ClearOne Advantage share their experiences there. I’d encourage you to read them and add your own.
Who Is ClearOne Advantage?
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.
ClearOne Advantage 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 member directory lists accredited debt settlement companies. Verify whether ClearOne Advantage is currently listed as a member.
- State Licensing: Debt settlement companies must be licensed in the states where they operate. Check your state’s financial regulator to confirm their license is active in your state.
- BBB Profile: Check their Better Business Bureau profile — look at the rating, complaint history, and how they responded to complaints. ClearOne Advantage has operated across multiple locations, so verify the right profile for your location.
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 ClearOne Advantage directly:
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Search ClearOne Advantage’s complaint history in the CFPB database →
When you’re reading complaints, look for:
- What the complaints are about — fees, program performance, 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 large company will have more complaints in raw numbers
Step 3: Read Their Trustpilot Reviews
You can find ClearOne Advantage’s Trustpilot reviews here. 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 phone call or easy enrollment — that’s interaction quality, not program performance. Look for reviews that specifically mention outcomes: debt settled, program completed, fees as promised.
- 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 relief 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 “ClearOne Advantage attorney general” or “ClearOne Advantage settlement” — many enforcement actions happen at the state level and won’t appear in federal databases
- 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 Commit
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 — and is it charged as a percentage of enrolled debt or settled amount?
- How long does the program typically take, and what’s the realistic range?
- What happens to my credit score during the program?
- What are the consequences if a creditor won’t settle or files a lawsuit during the program?
- How is my monthly savings held, and what happens to it if I cancel?
- What percentage of clients who enroll actually complete the program?
Before You Commit: Debt settlement isn’t right for everyone. Run your situation through my Find Your Path tool to see whether debt settlement, bankruptcy, a debt management plan, or another option fits your situation better.
Key Takeaways
- Verify credentials through AFCC membership, state licensing, and BBB before anything else
- Read CFPB complaints for patterns — not just raw numbers
- On Trustpilot, compare 5-star reviews about interactions vs. reviews about actual outcomes
- Check CFPB and FTC enforcement history for any regulatory actions
- Get fee structure, program timeline, and cancellation terms 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ClearOne Advantage a nonprofit?
No. ClearOne Advantage is a for-profit debt settlement company. Nonprofit status would mean they operate without a profit motive and file IRS Form 990s — that’s not the case here. Their business model is fee-based, typically charging a percentage of the debt enrolled or settled.
How do I file a complaint against ClearOne Advantage?
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 ClearOne Advantage accredited?
Check the AFCC member directory directly to verify their current membership status. Membership can change, so verify it yourself rather than relying on what the company’s marketing materials say.
What is debt settlement and how does it work?
Debt settlement involves negotiating with creditors to accept less than the full amount owed. Typically, you stop making payments to creditors and instead deposit money into a dedicated savings account. When enough funds accumulate, the settlement company negotiates a lump-sum payoff with each creditor. This damages your credit significantly during the program, and not all creditors will settle. You should understand the full process before enrolling.
Should I use ClearOne Advantage to get out of debt?
That depends entirely on your situation. Debt settlement works for some people and isn’t the right fit for others — it depends on your income, the types of debt you have, how much you owe, and your goals. I’d encourage you to run your situation through my Find Your Path tool before committing to any program.
Share Your Experience with ClearOne Advantage
If you’ve worked with ClearOne Advantage — 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.
