Consumer complaint received 2025-12-15 00:00:00
Product: Debt or credit management — Debt settlement
Issue: Didn't provide services promised — 
Company: Alperstein and Associates, LLC
State: VA

Complaint narrative:
I enrolled in a debt settlement program administered by Alperstein & Associates , LLC, in XX/XX/XXXX. Under the program, I made monthly deposits into a designated account managed by XXXX XXXX, which was represented as being used to accumulate funds for creditor settlements. 

In XX/XX/XXXX XXXX a settlement with XXXX XXXX was reached. Immediately after the first settlement payment was transmitted to XXXX, Alperstein & Associates withdrew two substantial program-related fees from the trust account on the same date. These withdrawals materially reduced the account balance. 

Although I continued making my XXXX and XX/XX/XXXXXXXX  program deposits, the trust account balance had already been materially reduced by Alperstein & Associates earlier fee withdrawals, as well as continued program fee withdrawals in XXXX and XXXX. Following a missed XX/XX/XXXXXXXX XXXX  deposit, Alperstein continued withdrawing program fees, and XXXX subsequently voided the settlement. Absent those earlier withdrawals, sufficient funds would have remained in the account to support the settlement. 

After the XXXX settlement was voided in XX/XX/XXXX, Alperstein continued withdrawing monthly program fees. The XXXX XXXX later provided by Alperstein reflects no documented settlement activity for approximately XXXX months following the XX/XX/XXXX void, despite Alpersteins continued withdrawal of monthly fees during that period. The log reflects contact entries only and does not document settlement negotiations, renegotiation efforts, or substantive creditor communications during that time. 

In summer XXXX, XXXX initiated litigation against me. Upon receipt of the summons, I contacted Alperstein & Associates, who forwarded the litigation materials to an affiliated entity XXXX XXXX  ). No hearing information, continuance notices, updates, or court appearances were provided. I did not receive any communication from XXXX until nearly a month after a default judgment had already been entered, and only after I notified Alperstein of my intent to cancel the program. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I formally notified Alperstein & Associates of my intent to cancel the program and requested documentation supporting the fees charged, settlement activity, and litigation coordination. On XX/XX/XXXX, I sent a certified written notice reiterating these requests and providing a deadline of XX/XX/XXXX. Alperstein indicated that the accounting issues were under management review on XX/XX/XXXX and again on XX/XX/XXXX. I later extended the deadline through XX/XX/XXXX, in good faith. 

The materials provided by Alperstein to dateincluding a Settlement Log sent on XX/XX/XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX not constitute itemized internal fee accounting, earned-fee documentation, trust ledger movements, or evidence of post-void settlement activity. The materials did not substantiate the fees collected or demonstrate services performed during the prolonged post-void period. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I requested resolution in the amount of {$8000.00} based on the fee activity, lack of documented services, and coordinated litigation failures. On XX/XX/XXXX, a {$7600.00} refund was proposed and escalated to management. On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX the extended XX/XX/XXXX deadlineAlperstein confirmed in writing that management approved a {$7600.00} refund. 

After approving the refund, on XX/XX/XXXX, Alperstein presented a standard release agreement that extended beyond a refund of fees and included broad waivers unrelated to the refund itself. I objected and requested a release limited solely to the agreed refund. On XX/XX/XXXX, Alperstein requested additional time to revise the release, citing management availability, and requested an extension through XX/XX/XXXX, which I agreed to. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, after requesting additional time to revise the release, Alperstein retransmitted the same overbroad release and stated that failure to sign would result in withdrawal of the refund. 

At no point did I agree that execution of an expanded release would be a condition of payment. 

As of the date of this complaint, Alperstein has not issued the approved refund and continues to condition payment on execution of an overbroad release, despite having acknowledged entitlement to a refund and despite the absence of documented settlement activity during extended periods in which fees were collected. 

Although I agreed to accept a reduced refund of {$7600.00} in good faith to resolve this matter without regulatory escalation, Alperstein later conditioned payment of that approved refund on execution of an overbroad standard release unrelated to the refund itself. 

In total, Alperstein collected {$4100.00} in legal-related fees for which no documentation was produced demonstrating litigation representation or services. Additionally, Alperstein collected at least {$4400.00} in program fees between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX, during which no documented settlement activity or creditor negotiations occurred. 

Alperstein & Associates conduct raises concerns under the FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule, 16 C.F.R. Part 310, including the collection of substantial and ongoing fees without corresponding documented settlement activity, in a manner that appears inconsistent with the proportional fee requirements set forth in 16 C.F.R. 310.4 ( a ) ( 5 ). The continued withdrawal of fees during extended periods without documented settlement efforts, combined with the lack of substantiated service records, also raises concerns under 16 C.F.R. 310.3 ( a ) ( 1 ) regarding misrepresentations and omissions related to the nature and performance of services.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation