Complaints
Customer Complaints Summary
- 127 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 45 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:07/07/2023
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Lost my job and unable to make payments so they closed my account and disabled me from seeing or logging into my account and drained all money after closing the account.
Business Response
Date: 07/31/2023
We have spoken to ****************** and he has decided to remain active in our program. We will continue to take all steps necessary to resolve his accounts. Thank you.Initial Complaint
Date:06/28/2023
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Credit Associates continues to send solicitation letters through the U.S. mail service even though they have been advised to ***************** Further, in their written communications they imply they have a relationship with the federal government. This is misleading. In their heading, they list credit card companies that we never had credit with. Most egregious, they share my information with other similar type venues, and now I am getting inundated with countless solicitations for "debt relief" EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NO DEBT.Business Response
Date: 07/06/2023
We are more than happy to completely opt ************ out as she requested. In order to do that, we need the full address to be opted out (an opt out cannot be accomplished by a name or email address only). We reached out to ************ to obtain that information but have not heard back. Once we receive that information, the opt out will happen immediately. Thank you.Customer Answer
Date: 07/07/2023
I am rejecting this response because:
1. CREDIT ASSOCIATES IS LYING - THEY HAVE NEVER REACHED OUT TO ME ONCE.
2. CREDIT ASSOCIATES WAS SENT A LETTER FROM ME - WITH A COPY OF THEIR OWN SOLICITATIONS TO ME AT MY MAILING ADDRESS WHICH THEY HAVE IN THEIR SYSTEM.
3. I DID NOT SOLICIT THEM. I NEVER HEARD OF THEM UNTIL THEY CONTACTED ME.
4. I NEVER CONTACTED THEM VIA E-MAIL OR ANY OTHER MEDIA PRIOR TO "THEM" SOLICITING ME!
5. AT WHICH POINT, I SENT THEM A LETTER WITH A "CEASE & DESIST" INCLUDING MY ADDRESS THEY ARE CURRENTLY MAILING THEIR SOLICITATIONS TO ME. SO HOW IS IT THEY DON'T HAVE MY ADDRESS?
6, YOU AT THE BBB "ALSO" RECEIVED THEIR SOLICITATIONS IN MY INITIAL COMPLAINT.
7. I SUGGEST THAT CREDIT ASSOCIATES CONTACT MY OFFICE WITH A PLAN FOR FINANCIAL RESTITUTION FOR ALL THE POSTAGE AND TIME OUT OF POCKET THAT I HAVE SPENT DEALING WITH THEIR VIOLATION OF FEDERAL FAIR CREDIT LAWS.
TOTAL POSTAGE: $38.70 TIME OUT OF WORK: $200.00 TOTAL DUE: $238.70.
WHEN THEY PAY ME FOR ACTUAL EXPENSES - EXPENSES INCURRED BY THEIR VIOLATIONS - WE WILL CLOSE THIS MATTER. OTHERWISE, WE FULLY INTEND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PUBLICLY AND LOUDLY.
IT IS LONG PAST TIME THAT CONSUMERS ARE NO LONGER HELD HOSTAGE BY PREDATORY LENDERS WHO FEEL THEY CAN VIOLATE FEDERAL LAWS AND CONTINUE TO HARASS PEOPLE.
Business Response
Date: 08/17/2023
Yes, this confirms we have 100% and completely opted out the consumer based on the solicitations they have now submitted to the BBB. The opt out request has been fully honored. Thank you.Customer Answer
Date: 08/22/2023
I am rejecting this response because:
THEY RECEIVED OUR COMMUNICATIONS VIA EXPRESS MAIL LETTER ON APRIL 24 and JUNE 25, 2023 TO "OPT OUT." WE HAVE PROOF FROM THE U.S.POSTAL SERVICE.
WE JUST RECEIVED TWO "MORE" SOLICITATIONS FROM CREDIT ASSOCIATES TODAY 8/22/2023!!! WITH LARGE PRINTING ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ENVELOPE THAT READS "IN DEBT? DEBT FORGIVENESS etc." THIS IS CONTINUED AND CALCULATED SLANDER TO MY GOOD NAME!
HAVE *****************, THE PRESIDENT OF CREDIT ASSOCIATES OR HIS LEGAL COUNSEL CONTACT ME FOR RESOLUTION. THIS IS FAR FROM OVER.
THIS IS INTOLERABLE! AND ILLEGAL.
Business Response
Date: 08/23/2023
We have 100% opted this consumer out of our records. As with any opt out process, we cannot pull back mail that was already in the *********** or at the ************ An opt out process is meant to stop all future mailings that have not already been placed in the mail. We opt out each and every consumer who ever asks to be opted out and we have done so here as well. Thank you.Customer Answer
Date: 08/23/2023
I am rejecting this response because:
THIS IS AN ATTEMPT BY THE BUSINESS AND IT'S PRESIDENT ***************** TO AVOID THE ISSUE. THERE IS NO BUSINESS THAT HAS MAILINGS SITTING AT ANY U.S.POST OFFICE FOR MONTHS, NOR DOES IT TAKE MONTHS FOR THEIR SOLICITATIONS TO REACH US - HOW DO WE KNOW THIS? BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL DATED.
WE CONTACTED CREDIT ASSOCIATES IN APRIL AND JUNE OF THIS YEAR, VIA TELEPHONE AND REGISTERED MAIL NUMEROUS TIMES - TO "CEASE & DESIST" FROM ALL MAILINGS. IT IS NOW ALMOST THE END OF AUGUST (!) AND WE ARE STILL RECEIVING SOLICITATIONS. THEIR COMMENT FALLS FLAT ON ALL FRONTS.
1. WE HAVE BEEN TO THE MAIN POST OFFICE (NOT A BRANCH) IN *********** TO DISCUSS THIS VERY MATTER. NO BULK MAIL SITS IN ANY POST OFFICE FOR WEEKS OR MONTHS BEFORE BEING MAILED. BULK MAIL IS MAILED AS SOON AS IT REACHES THE POST OFFICE. 2. CREDIT ASSOCIATES WERE ADVISED IN "APRIL" AND "JUNE" OF THIS YEAR, TO STOP SOLICITATIONS. WE WERE ASSURED NUMEROUS TIMES VIA TELEPHONE BEGINNING IN APRIL 2023 THAT MY NAME WAS REMOVED AS WE SPOKE ON THE TELEPHONE. "WAS" REMOVED - NOT IN A QUEUE WAITING TO BE REMOVED.
THEY LIED. THEY HAVE NO INTENTION OF OPTING OUT - WE RECEIVED ANOTHER SOLICITATION THIS MORNING DATED 8/10/2023.
HAVE ***************** OR HIS LEGAL COUNSEL CONTACT ME, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT GOING AWAY. IGNORING THIS FURTHER WILL ONLY COMPLICATE MATTERS FOR THEM. **** AND CREDIT ASSOCIATES ARE NOT INVISIBLE AND OUR LEGAL COUNSEL WILL BE HAPPY TO SPEAK WITH THEM TO RESOLVE THIS.
IT IS NOT RESOLVED.
YOU HAVE TO WONDER WHY THEY REFUSE TO COMMUNICATE WITH ME? I HAVE GIVEN THEM EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO, AND YET THEY REFUSE. WHY? WHY REFUSE TO CHAT WITH SOMEONE WHO IS ASKING FOR RESOLUTION?
THIS HARASSMENT IS GOING TO STOP. PLEASE BE ADVISED WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL CREDIT ASSOCIATES REACHES OUT TO US.
Initial Complaint
Date:06/22/2023
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Around about August of ***************************** with an advertisement offering their consolidation services. Ive been paying $440 to them for a year so they could pay off my debt owed. They never made payments on my behalf and now creditors are threatening to *** me due to unpaid debt. The debts are closed and charged off. I never made these authorizations and I am requesting my credit be repaired and I want to receive compensation for this entire mishap.Business Response
Date: 07/07/2023
We spoke to ****************** and he wishes to remain enrolled in our program. In addition, we are issuing him a partial refund. Please let us know if you have any other questions. Thank you.Initial Complaint
Date:06/12/2023
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Credit Associates took thousands of dollars from my elderly parents misleading them into believing they were helping them preserve their credit. They believed their debt was being negotiated down, consolidated, and kept in good standing when the opposite was true! My mother has given written permission for me to handle on her behalf as she is partially blind and unable to manage computer software, documentation, or the process. My father has since passed away. Credit Associates negligence resulted not only in the destruction of my parents credit, but in additional costs in penalties, interest, court costs, attorney fees, having to appear in court, and additional lawsuits by creditors that Credit Associates completely ignored for over a year! My parents made $450 monthly payments to Credit Associates through *************** LLC, beginning on 11/12/2020 at $423.11 and then increased to $450 each month on 12/07/2020 thereafter; this was reduced a year later to $350 per month, after my father died, beginning on 11/05/2021. They enrolled in this program on October 19th, 2020. Credit Associates made very small payments, one as low as $5 per month, towards these debts. They negotiated settlement with only one creditor at a time with a period of months between each (there were 10 debts enrolled) leaving the remaining debts to sit and accrue the above listed costs. The higher the balance of the debt finally addressed by Credit Associates, the higher the Credit Associates Success fee they took at 25% when a settlement was negotiated and accepted by the creditor. They advised us to ignore the creditors threatening to **** and they did not address them, resulting in our having to ultimately answer on our own, appear before a judge, and set up our own payments with them...one that had racked up court costs, interest, and penalties, and two additional lawsuits that didnt go as far as court because I answered and settled with them myself before that happened.Business Response
Date: 06/22/2023
Pursuant to her request, we are issuing a refund to ******************** parent. They will receive that refund within 7 to 9 days. In the meantime, the account with our company has been closed. Thank you.Customer Answer
Date: 06/22/2023
I have reviewed the business response and accept this resolution.Customer Answer
Date: 06/22/2023
I have reviewed the business response and accept this resolution.Initial Complaint
Date:06/12/2023
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
This company sends me unsolicited junk mail, they are a scam and I would like them to immediately cease all communication attempts with me.Business Response
Date: 06/12/2023
Pursuant to her request, we are completely opting ************ out of our records and offers. Gong forward, ************ will not be sent offers. Again, we are completely opting ************ out. Thank you.Initial Complaint
Date:06/09/2023
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
On may 31,2023 I sent an email to cancel my debt settlement program with credit associates due to financial issues(we have lost hours at work and cant afford ****** month to them)On june 1 I had not received any confirmation from Credit associates,so I sent the email in a certified letter and a fax.Today I have no response from them.I went to my bank and put a stop pay on this account.They have ****** in my savings that I have requested.Business Response
Date: 06/26/2023
Pursuant to her request, ******************' account with our company has been fully canceled. In addition, any funds remaining in her separate savings account will be returned to her. Thank you.Customer Answer
Date: 06/27/2023
I am rejecting this response because: They have not sent anything back to me far as money owed.I believe they owe me alot.I settled 3 of my accounts and they still charged me ****** month for nothing.Im currently settling accounts they never did.Initial Complaint
Date:06/01/2023
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I signed up for Credit Associates and followed the instructions they gave me and did not communicate with any of the card companies. I was told to ignore their calls and letters. I received one letter from a company to settle for $2500 and ignored it as advised. I was then served from the same company for $4500. I submitted all of the documents to them, and again followed their instructions of answering the suite. I called today to see what the next step was, ands they said time's running out you should pay the $4500 or hire a lawyer. They say that they have people to help you, but please do not believe them. I could have saved $2000 if I had not listened to them.Business Response
Date: 06/21/2023
Pursuant to her request, we removed the account at issue from our program. We reached out to ********************** and explained this to her. Thank you.Customer Answer
Date: 06/22/2023
They called me to see if I wanted to remove the credit card from the program, I agreed since I already had set up payments with the creditor. I am still not happy with the whole situation, they said they would coach once of the agents. At the end of the call they asked me to remove my complaint from the BBB, which I declined. I would try to find another company if you are in this situation.Initial Complaint
Date:05/31/2023
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I was not made aware of their fees prior to having them withdrawn from the account that they set up for me. I paid $2643.08 into an account that I was told would pay my credit cards. Credit Associates took my money before paying any of the settlements from my credit card debt. I was also told that my debts would be settled in 3 months and we are now going on 5 months with only 3 of 19 settlements and now my credit is destroyed. They tell you not to pay any of your credit card bills because they'll take care of it but do not tell you that they are paying themselves first before any of your bills are paid. They paid themselves $1589.50 before paying any settlements.Customer Answer
Date: 06/13/2023
I was contacted by Credit Associates and they asked that I retract my complaint. They offered no resolution for my complaint. There only concern was that I made a complaint and they wanted me to retract my statements in order to not deter others from signing up with the program.Business Response
Date: 06/22/2023
Pursuant to her request, ****************** account with our company has been canceled. In addition, we are issuing a refund to **************. ************** will receive her refund within 5 to 7 days. Thank you.Initial Complaint
Date:05/15/2023
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
This is a scam that this company has been running to trick people into paying them their hard earned money by deceiving them that those funds are going towards their debt - they are not. I have been receiving this junk mail for over a year. I have REPEATEDLY called the number to opt out which proved to just be a further Phishing scam to get MORE of my personal info. I want to NEVER RECEIVE ANOTHER PIECE OF DECEITFUL JUNK MAIL FROM THIS COMPANY EVER AGAIN. THIS IS A CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION.Business Response
Date: 05/16/2023
Pursuant to Ms. ******* request, we are fully opting her out of our records and all future offers. No further offers will be sent to ************** (unless they have already been mailed). ************** is opted out. Thank you.Customer Answer
Date: 05/16/2023
I have reviewed the business response and accept this resolution. I will take legal action if my personal information and contact details are further exploited - EVEN ONE MORE TIME - in the future. This is a scam.Initial Complaint
Date:05/15/2023
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I was told I didn't have to speak to creditors then I was sued by one of them. This has caused a strain on me due to the added charges of a lawsuit. I decided to explore my options and cancelled my account with ********************** on 4/25/23. I was told the money remaining in my account would be refunded to me within **** days. I never received this money and when I inquired about it I was told it was taken for fees. This was never explained to me when I canceled. Credit associates claims on their website that you have control of your own savings account yet when I asked to have my money in my account sent to me it was taken without my approval after my account was cancelled.Business Response
Date: 05/22/2023
Pursuant to his request, we have issued a refund to **************. He will receive that refund within 5 to 7 days. Thank you.
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