“Dear Steve,
Is this company legitimate? They talk about my credit card debt… how do they get access to that type of information?
Mary”
Dear Mary,
Thank you for sending in a scan of the flyer you received.
I have no idea what the outside looked like but my best is it may have been posing as an official looking mailer.
The headline “Texas Assistance Center” seems like a very generic term and not the name of the company behind the mailer. The only clue who the company is, is just the name FSDR. But what does that even stand for? One the page you sent me it does not appear to be disclosed.
I did a search with the Texas Secretary of State and there was no finding for a company registered under the name “Texas Assistance Center.”
The letter sure seems to imply that is the name of the company behind the letter. They say, “The Texas Assistance Center is not a collection agency…” But the tiny print at the bottom says “FSDR is not an agency of the state or federal government.” Who the hell is FSDR?
The mailer says “it has been determined that you can resolve this distressed debt for $11,700.00.” But then in the fine print the mailer says, “Program fees are not calculated in settlement amounts,” and “We do not guarantee that your debts will be lowered by a specific amount or percentage, or that you will be debt free within a specific period.” Which leaves me puzzled how they can then determine what your debt will be resolved for?
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Then again they go on to say your payments may be reduced up to 60 percent and your debt will be completely eliminated in 24-48 months. How can they say that if the say they can’t guarantee any reduction or time?
I’m left with more red flags than answers after reviewing the scanned image you sent in.
Oh, and by the way, the reference to Department of the Treasury Publication 4681 is a reference to a long standing IRS publication about tax liability for debt if it is forgiven and you are insolvent. It is not a new program and would not be applicable if you are not insolvent. The publication address a number of debts, not just credit cards.
Regarding how they got your information, the most likely way is they published a mailing list from a credit bureau.
I would recommend that anyone considering using such a company should read the following free guides.
- The Ultimate Consumer Guide to Checking Out a Debt Relief Company Before You Sign On the Line
- 10 Must Do Steps to Find the Best Credit Counseling or Debt Settlement Company for You
- How to Check Out a Business or Company to Avoid Getting Scammed or Ripped Off
Please post your responses and follow-up messages to me on this in the comments section below.
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I just got one. Latest phone number is 888-757-9974.
Thank you so much for the post on FSDR. I recieved the same mailer, but titled Kentucky Assistance Center. Skeptical I did an online search and found your post. Thanks both to Mary for sending a copy of her mailer, and to Steve for his expert advice. I will use Steve’s links to find reputable assistance with my debt.
David
This has got to be one of the most frustrating aspects of this industry! Even after all the classes, all the postings and complaints on this site, law enforcement actions and advisories, these direct mail companies are still sending this crap out. I will tell you this: The CFPB will pick up that phone, dial in that number and quickly call to account the companies still using these deceptive mailers. I hope their “attorney” was right in approving these. I can tell you based on experience, he or she is not. It definitely sucks for the solid firms out there still operating clean business. The excess scrutiny will certainly hurt their business as well.