Consumer complaint received 2022-06-07
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit repair services
Issue: Confusing or misleading advertising or marketing — 
Company: FREEDOM FINANCIAL NETWORK (NY)

Hello, my name is XXXX XXXX XXXX. I am involved in a debt resolution program with the company freedom debt relief of which I have been resolving my unpaid debts with for over a year now. Some accounts have been resolved but in the process, a specific issue arose with the account owed to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. This debt had not yet begun resolution durring the program with freedom debt relief but was in their words placed on a strategic hold while they negotiate other accounts. During that hold, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX handed over my debt to be collected by a law firm XXXX XXXX and XXXXthey had sent me mail informing an attempt to collect the debt and I uploaded all documents with freedom debt relief as I received them. Eventually reilman XXXX and XXXX called me on the phone around the week of XX/XX/XXXX and informed me that they would soon be forced to submit a judgment if no action was taken. I told them I was working with a company helping me to resolve these issues and would contact them so that way something could be done. At which point I immediately called freedom debt relief and had conversations that they have confirmed have been recorded in which I was advised by their representatives after informing them of the issue and my wishes to avoid having a judgment submitted against me, they informed me that if I deposited XXXX dollars extra into my account with freedom debt relief that they would be able to have the funds needed to begin to negotiate with XXXX XXXX and XXXX. This number was told to me by one of their reps and as I had just received my tax return and had such funds, I agreed over the phone to make a XXXX time deposit on the basis that the deposit would be used and appropriated for negotiation with XXXX XXXX and XXXX. 

After the deposit cleared, I suddenly was asked to accept settlements with other accounts being resolved ( XXXX  XXXX accounts ) and the freedom debt relief reps advised me to decline these settlements as I was looking to use those now additional funds to negotiate with the legal account ( reilman XXXX and XXXX ) as it was a priority and to decline negations with the XXXX XXXX accounts as to ensure those funds would be appropriated towards the legal account first and foremost. I declined these offers as advised Over time, XXXX XXXX and XXXX were never contacted and they proceeded to submit the jumdent against me and file a law suit against me for the owed debt. I called freedom debt relief for an explaination and was informed both on the phone and via email that Instead freedom debt relief ended up using XXXX dollars of the XXXX dollars I deposited to pay freedom debt reliefs own companys fees as the company takes any extra money in the account to pay off their fees on each settlement first and foremost. I was never informed of those funds being used for this and feel my funds were misappropriated for the companys own advantage. I have contacted them on multiple occasions and tried to resolve the issue and representives from the complaint department have informed me that whats done is done and there is nothing they can do, but fully admit a mistake was made on their behalf. I now have legal trouble that I feel I could have possibly avoided, as I used funds I could have possibly used on my own accord to help avoid the situation with XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX, and feel that Freedom debt relief relief has led me astray and tricked me into putting myself into further disadvantage