Consumer complaint received 2026-04-20 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Credit card debt
Issue: False statements or representation — Attempted to collect wrong amount
Company: NATIONAL DEBT RELIEF LLC
State: UT

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I enrolled in National Debt Relief 's ( NDR ) debt settlement program based on specific written representations NDR emailed me about how the program would work and the financial outcome I could expect. NDR 's written representations to me included, under " How the program works '' : - " We negotiate with your creditors to settle your debts ; our estimate is a 50 % reduction in the balances you owe. '' - " Your payments are placed into a 'piggy bank ' that we set up in your name. '' - " After negotiating your balances, we use the money you deposit into this account to pay your creditors. '' - " During this process, you are making the voluntary decision to no longer pay the creditors directly to demonstrate your hardship which causes the score to come down temporarily. '' Under " Your Debt Relief Savings, '' NDR gave me a specific, quantified written promise : - Original balance with creditors : {$53000.00} - Total payment without NDR 's help : {$190000.00} - What I pay with NDR 's help : {$40000.00} Relying on these written representations, I stopped paying my creditors as NDR instructed and made monthly deposits into the dedicated account NDR established. ACTUAL OUTCOME : Three accounts were enrolled : XXXX XXXX ( ~ {$23000.00} ), XXXX ( ~ {$23000.00} ), and XXXX ( ~ {$7600.00} ). NDR settled only one XXXX XXXX. I paid {$13000.00} to XXXX through NDR ( 24 monthly payments of {$570.00} from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX ). I negotiated the other two accounts myself : - XXXX was charged off and sent to XXXX XXXX XXXX. I contacted XXXX XXXX directly and settled the debt for {$11000.00} on my own. - XXXX I am paying directly. I negotiated the arrangement myself. NDR told me throughout this period that they were " working on '' XXXX and XXXX. When I withdrew from the program, NDR told me I was " on my own. '' NDR did not settle these accounts despite collecting fees from me for that purpose. FEES CHARGED BY NDR : NDR charged me at least {$5100.00} in fees, including : - A {$790.00} fee on XX/XX/XXXX, the same day as my first payment which appears to violate the FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule 's advance-fee prohibition ( 16 C.F.R. 310.4 ( a ) ( 5 ) ), as no debt had been settled at that point. - {$1400.00} in fees charged after the XXXX account was fully paid off on XX/XX/XXXX, including fees dated XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, and XX/XX/XXXX, with no corresponding service that I can identify. ALLEGED VIOLATIONS : 1. FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule, 16 C.F.R. 310.3 and 310.4 misrepresentation of material aspects of debt relief services ; advance fees before any debt was settled ; fees collected for services not rendered ( XXXX and XXXX, which I settled myself ). 2. Credit Repair Organizations Act, 15 U.S.C . 1679b untrue and misleading representations about NDR 's services and the expected total cost. 3. Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, Fla. Stat. 501.201 et seq. NDR 's quantified {$40000.00} " total '' promise and the " 50 % reduction '' estimate were material to my decision to enroll, stop paying my creditors, and accept credit damage NDR characterized as " temporary. '' NDR settled one of three enrolled accounts, I negotiated the other two myself, and NDR collected thousands in fees including after the one account they did handle was fully paid off. DESIRED RESOLUTION : 1. Full refund of all fees paid to NDR ( $ XXXX ). 2. Refund of the {$1400.00} in fees charged after XX/XX/XXXX with no service rendered. 3. Written release from my enrollment contract with no further fees or obligations. 4. Retraction by NDR of any negative credit reporting NDR or its affiliates made or caused. 5. Written itemized accounting of every deposit made, every fee collected, amount paid to each creditor, and service performed on each enrolled account. 6. Written confirmation NDR will not pursue any claim against me arising from the enrollment agreement.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation