Rise Above Debt Relief Evaluation
Have you heard of a company named Rise Above Debt Relief - I am thinking about them for debt relief.
Have you heard of a company named Rise Above Debt Relief. I am thinking about them for debt relief.
By
Mark Cappel
- Learn how to find a reputable debt resolution firm.
- Look for AFCC membership, when selecting a debt settlement company.
- Select a debt settlement firm whose debt consultants are IAPDA certified.
Thank you for your question about Rise Above Debt Relief, the debt settlement company you hired. I am not familiar with Rise Above Debt Relief and I do know most of the leading players in credit counseling and debt resolution so they must be small or new.
Comparison Shop to Find the Best Settlement Company
I suggest that you do some comparison shopping. Speak with more than one firm. Remember, when selecting a debt settlement, it is not the company that says that it can save you the most money, but the company that gives you an accurate idea of what to expect that you want to choose
You can get a free consultation from Bills.com's approved partners by following this link: Free Debt Relief Savings Quote
I can share with you that looking at Rise Above Debt Relief's public information I see that the company has only 10 employees and hasn't been around long enough to have graduated a material number of clients. On that basis, I would be very wary, since there are a lot of fly by night companies out there that are very small. I generally advise consumers to stick to larger companies that have been in business for several years and proven themselves through successfully settling the debt for thousands of clients.
When seeking a debt settlement firm to help you resolve your debts, look for a firm that is a member of AFCC, the American Fair Credit Council, formerly The Association of Settlement Companies (TASC). The "AFCC is ONLY for those willing to abide by the AFCC's new Code of Conduct that emphasizes full compliance with the federal and state rules regulating what we do. There is now a bright line between good actors - and bad." USOBA, another debt settlement industry trade group, does not require its members to comply with the FTC rules, so Bills.com does not recommend any USOBA member debt settlement firms. Don't be scammed by a debt settlement firm that charges upfront fees!
Bills.com also recommends firms whose debt consultants are accredited by the IAPDA, the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators.
I hope this information helps you Find. Learn & Save.
Best,
Bill
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NCNeal,Tempe, AZ,Jul, 2012Rise Above's customer service is terrible. It is outsourced to India so it is difficult to understand their reps who are not well trained. They do not return phone calls as promised. They do not live up to their contracts. I would not recommend them.
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VLVince,Los Angeles, CA,May, 2011Rise Above is terrible. They are a big rip-off. Not to mention that they take advantage of the elderly. They get authorization to take money from your account, and then they just take your money even after you tell them not to do it. Then when you try to call you get the run around. They ripped off my Mom and stole her money to the point where she can't pay her rent. This is the worst company EVER. DON'T EVER USE THEM !!!! I have spent hours and hours trying to get in touch with them just to have them make false promises on making good.
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CAClaudia,Moline, IL,Aug, 2011I would not recommend this agency. I had a horrible experience with them. Yes when they are trying to get you to sign up with them they are really nice, but once you need their help they are mean and rude.
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JPJennifer,Crown Point, IN,Feb, 2011I personally encountered a series of events that caused me some significant hardships this past year or so. I used Rise Above Debt agency against my hesitation. There is a hesitation for a reason. They have taken more than 3k of my money and have not done anything for me. If your are in financial trouble you are better off falling behind and taking a settlement with your credit card company directly! I was scammed by the touchy feely lies that RAD was going to provide me financial freedom! It is all lies!!!
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SSean,Oct, 2010Bill- WHY would you recommend one of these companies that charges ALL their fees BEFORE they do any work? Freedom for example? Or a TASC company? TASC, a NOW DEFUNCT lobbying org for front loaded programs- by whose own Congressional admission help less than 10% of their clients. The other 90% paying huge fees and never getting settlements. There are a few companies who do NOT charge fees upfront! And why... if your such an unbiased blog, would you not mention that FTC law effective 10-27-10 BAN upfront fees? All you have to say to these poor people is WAIT a few weeks! I dare you to post this & dare you to answer! telecomslave@yahoo.com
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BABill,Oct, 2010That is a good question, and the answer is timing. We posted this answer well before the new FTC rules went into effect, but I would whole-heartedly agree with you that in the new age of FTC "advance fee" bans that no consumer should use a firm that charges fees before resolutions are completed or that does not comply (read: violates a federal law) with the new FTC rules. As far as I am aware, there are only a handful of companies that have announced full compliance, and to the best of my ability they are: Freedom Debt Relief, D&B Financial, New Era and possibly a few others. People - wait a few weeks or just go ahead and join a company that has already made the changes and is currently in compliance. Great comment and thanks for the note. Bills.com
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BABill,Sep, 2010
I am sorry to hear that you had a negative experience with Rise Above Debt Relief's debt resolution program. As in every industry, there are good firms and not good firms in the debt resolution industry. When selecting a debt settlement program, I recommend that you find a firm that is a member of the AFCC, the American Fair Credit Council, which was formerly TASC,The Association of Settlement Companies. Also look for a firm whose debt consultants are certified by the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators.
