Quick Answer: The BBB Canada warns against two US debt settlement companies: Florida-based Vortex Debt Group (D rating, 35 complaints) and California-based Cambridge Life Solutions, both requiring advance fees before negotiating with creditors. These companies generated hundreds of consumer inquiries in Canada’s Lower Mainland within two months.
Looks like debt settlement troubles have headed up to Canada and a couple of U.S. based companies have made a noticeable splash.
A Canadian newspaper is warning consumers to be wary of two specific U.S. based debt settlement companies. The Now is reporting:
In the last two months, numerous companies identifying themselves as debt settlement experts or credit counsellors have begun advertising in the Lower Mainland, according to a press release, prompting hundreds of inquiries to the BBB.
Most money news tells you what happened. I tell you what to do about it.Every weekday I read the enforcement actions, filings and fine print the outlets skip, and turn them into the one or two moves that actually improve your position — a rate worth moving for, a fee you can refuse, a deadline to beat before it costs you.
In the latest issue (Oct 6): When fear picks your debt plan
I write Your Money Actually most weekdays — actionable money information you will not find anywhere else, and the small decisions that compound. It is free, I sell nothing, and I take no money from any company I write about.
One of those companies, a Florida-based organization called the Vortex Debt Group Inc., has been aggressively promoting its debt negotiation services. However, the company has a D rating with the BBB, based on 35 complaints filed against it.
Another company, California-based Cambridge Life Solutions Inc., has established a mailing address in Vancouver and has already generated more than 300 inquiries from consumers in just over a month. Both companies offer debt settlement services and require the majority of their fees to be paid in advance of negotiating consumers’ personal debt with creditors. – Source
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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.
Yes, look at the A rating CLS has on the BBB, also look at the actual settlements they are negotiating for their clients everyday. This witch hunt is a pathetic attempt to defame a legitimate company that is helping thousands of Canadians get out of debt. The fact that Steve puts CLS in the same category as Vortex is just a ploy to get hits on his website so he can sell more advertising…Don’t be fooled people, just because Debt Negotiation was corrupted in the US doesn’t mean its the same in Canada. Canada has regulations and licensing requirements that the US did not. So do your homework, learn about all your options for professional debt relief and their respective pros and cons and then make the best decision that’s right for you. And by all means don’t listen to this ‘Get out of Debt’ guy, his motives of ‘write anything for marketing dollars’ are apparent.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=373607822660921&set=a.217946744893697.57229.185191364835902&type=1&theater
no its not a witch hunt its true. I used to work for them for years. I know the day to day operations of them. dont think your fooling people. I haven’t found a job in 3 years because they cant locate the mccallens to give us a reference.
Cmon man! you are directly employed by Cambridge to do damage control. wait…you might be the marketing director/owner, trying to defend this obvious scam. If it really works, then Why not change your PREDATORIAL fee structure? You didnt learn the first time, and I know for sure you already hit the Iceberg..of Titanic proportions.
This place is a scam they I signed up for a 1 year program and the savings they put me on did not cover the settlements at all they say thay are still working on this and nothing has changed. I call the same Girl Carolina everyday and she has no answers, she Tells me her Manager Hector will call me back and he does and i get the same answers from him… They are a Joke and Carolina is rude and basicallyrushes me off the phone as soon as possible. They are is the US and have a few Fake Offices in CA. total scam!!!!
The funny part about Johnson78 is he is only telling the story one sided. I am a real client of Cambridge Life Solutions and I too have spoke to my customer service reps and I am debt free they only tell you updates if they have something for you, they don’t waist your time they get straight to the point and that is debt free. Clearly Johnson78 is a liar and more then likely was never in this program. I am a avid supporter of Cambridge and will refer their services to anyone!
They are theives. I could give you blow by blow and copies of emails that prove they are scammers. I used to work there. So if this is one of mcCallens asshole idiot. Dont put me to the test. You ruined all your emplyoees lives and the customers that trusted you. I hope you all go to jail
what about the Canada business CAPITAL
SELECT FINANCIAL out of
Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, L4B 3B2
What about the Canadian debt settlement companies who have companies in the USA setting up customers? I was going to enroll when I found out there are based in texas and not canada
I’ve certainly written about those as well.
I have a client who currently resides in the US, but his debt is from Canadian creditors. Unfortunately, the Canadian government does not have in place laws to protect consumers against bill collectors, as we do here in the United States, which has led to some very frustrating moments during the process of negotiation. This article leads me to wonder why the Canadian BBB warns consumers of US Debt Settlement companies, but the Canadian government doesn’t have laws in place to protect consumers from bill collectors?
I have a client who currently resides in the US, but his debt is from Canadian creditors. Unfortunately, the Canadian government does not have in place laws to protect consumers against bill collectors, as we do here in the United States, which has led to some very frustrating moments during the process of negotiation. This article leads me to wonder why the Canadian BBB warns consumers of US Debt Settlement companies, but the Canadian government doesn’t have laws in place to protect consumers from bill collectors?
Look at The BBB ahead of the curve….
Look at The BBB ahead of the curve….