Being in debt can be a headache. When the debts get unbearable, so can the headache. However, there are many options for you to consider in getting yourself out of your piling debts. My Uncle Davis opted to sign up with a debt settlement company that helps Americans work their way towards paying off their debts like Freedom Debt Relief. The search for the right debt settlement company caused Uncle Davis quite a headache as well. Nowadays there are many bogus companies out there that claim to be able to help people settle their debts within an unreasonably short period of time and reduce their debts to up to 70%. These promises of miracles attract desperate debtors like bees to honey. There are many ways to tell whether a debt settlement company is legitimate or fraudulent.

Uncle Davis started by looking into the history and track record of the debt settlement companies that he shortlisted from various online debt settlement advertisements. Naturally a good debt settlement company should have a good track record. He read up on all relevant information regarding the companies online including reviews and ratings by former clients. He also called up each and every company to ensure that the companies were really functioning and not just some online scam. Uncle Davis even went as far as checking with The Association of Settlement Companies (TASC) to see that the companies have high performance record. This is because the TASC only accepts a member with high performance statistics and feedback. Unresolved complaints are rarely tolerated.

Service fees are part and parcel of many debt settlement companies, even those who claim to be non-profit. Generally the fees depend on the type of service engaged by the client. When Uncle Davis called up the debt settlement companies that he had already shortlisted, he did not only inquire about their history and background but also on the fees that they might be charging their clients. He knew that the standard practice for many debt settlement companies is to charge their clients an enrollment fee of about a few hundred dollars and a settlement fee of about 5 to 20 percent of the debt amount. However, companies that insisted that their fees were to be paid upfront before any service was rendered were struck off by Uncle Davis. Legitimate companies in general do not require their clients to pay fees before anything is done.

Uncle Davis was and is still not a fan of slogans and catchphrases. This definitely worked in his favor as companies with catchy slogans that promise many incredible things are often fraudulent. Uncle Davis was aware that the catchphrases were meant to attract new clients but he was also wise enough to understand that there would be no shortcuts to solving his debt issues. Therefore any company claiming to be able to settle his debt problems with a snap of their fingers was immediately crossed off from his list. Promises of debt reduction of up to 90% did sound tempting to Uncle Davis but he realized that the chances of that ever happening would be slim to none. These companies might also have been the same companies that insisted their clients to pay all their fees prior to delivering any service.

Generally Uncle Davis had to do a lot of work to ensure that he signed up with the right debt settlement company. He did his research thoroughly and spared no detail. He even scoped out the address of every company on his list and visited their office to ensure their existence. Sometimes these companies may exist online but with bogus physical address. In the end, all Uncle Davis’ hard work paid off as he is now officially debt free.

Author Bio: freedom debt relief

Category: Finances
Keywords: freedom debt relief