Whats the name of the law firm that they hooked you up with?  I'd like to call them to discuss my situation ansd get a verification on FFG.  I'm in NYC and maybe they can recommend a firm here for me to call.  Thanks.

The fake positive posts were removed. Thank you for the alerts.

I'm no fan of the BBB, or its ratings, pro or con.  But here are the details, FWIW

Golden State Debt Management, Inc.

(866) 624-4690 23842 Hawthorne Blvd. Suite 201, Torrance, CA 90505

Advertising / Sales Issues     1
Billing / Collection Issues     2
Problems with Product / Service     3
Total Closed Complaints     6

If these guys are legit (I don't know, and haven't commented on them) that's fine, but I still maintain that this is an entire industry to be avoided, not so much any particular member of that industry.  

I do find the sudden influx of positive posts suspicious and shill like, but I certainly allow for the possibility that I am being overly cynical in my assessments.  I stand ready to be persuaded by solid and verifiable facts, in all matters.

Tell me, are these law firms working pro bono?  How is this group funded?  Are they getting referral fees from the law firms?  Any info you have to share would be helpful to us all.

Thanks.

It is currently my personal opinion that all of these positive posts are being made by shills, who are trying to market a very questionable "business", possibly an outright scam, to an unsuspecting public.  Am I wrong to contemplate this possibility?

Please, post your VERIFIABLE bonafides, so that we may all learn the truth about you.

Thanks for your assistance.

Legitimate non-profits do not cold call.

Anyone can file for 501(c)(3) (non-profit) status and still use the activity to line their pockets.  Non-profit is more about accounting methods than it is about altruism.  This is an all too common way to operate scams.  Fake charities, dubious debt settlers, and others, do this all the time.

Anyone can lie about being a non-profit when they are not.

The "debt reduction" industry has a terrible reputation.  You may find yourself scammed out of a lot of money, and that your debt situation has gotten much worse, because the creditors have not received a penny.

They really aren't doing anything that you can't do for yourself, although I appreciate the emotional burden people face in handling such unpleasant matters.  But that burden will be a lot worse if you have been ripped off, AND the creditors have gone months without payment.

If you must use such an organization (and I strongly recommend against doing so) you should know that the FTC has banned upfront fees to such companies.  You should also know that they are extremely unlikely to be able to deliver what they promise in the way of debt reduction.  If you educate yourself, you can do as well or better than they can, and I am about to tell you how to educate yourself.

Better choices are some or all of the below:  

Go check "The Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey <www.daveramsey.com> out of your public library or buy a copy.  The book is available most places that sell books, but his web site often has them on sale for $10.

Work with a legitimate Credit Counselor. <www.nfcc.org/> is the place to start that process.

Or just make out a budget and be firm but proactive in dealing with your creditors.  

Clark Howard's web site <www.clarkhoward.com> is also a good resource.

Please, do not make your problems worse than they already are.  Be VERY careful who you deal with.

You should also read the following before proceeding:

<http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/12/26/consum ... irt-the-new-ft/>

<http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre19.shtm>

<http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/credit/debt.shtm>

<http://www.bankrate.com/finance/debt/ftc-bans ... ent-fees-1.aspx>

they've been calling me too. i guess i'll answer now that i know who they are

they are a non-profit company helping people with foreclosures and credit card debt. they work with a bunch of different programs and offer a free consultation with a non-profit counselor to analyze your debts and budget to determine which program is best for you then can help you process your application. they have saved me over 18,000 dollars now from what i owed citibank, chase, discover, and bank of america. the law firm they matched me with has been a god send. i had lost my income and thought i was going to have to file bankruptcy.

A scam! lol They're a non-profit company. Why do people freak out when they don't know who's calling them? They are a non-profit company helping people get out of bad financial hardship situations. They don't even charge a fee for the service. They really know their stuff and the programs they recommend are great programs.

I have been out of work for over a year and Family Financial Group looked at my budget and how much I could pay, and who my creditors are, and referred me to an attorney who does debt arbitration to negotiate my debts down to 40%. My first debt is about to be settled and I very happy about that. I couldn't afford my payments to credit cards anymore after I fell behind and I couldn't afford to catch up and keep them current. I though I was going to have to file bankruptcy until I talked to Amanda and she was able to get my payments cut in half which I could afford to pay. They are so helpful every time I have a question or need something. They have been great!

They are not a scam, they are a non-profit company listed with the state of Florida and they're saving me over $14,000 with the debt management program they referred me to, and they have an A+ rating with the BBB http://www.la.bbb.org/business-reviews/Credit ... nce-CA-13201740

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Picked up phone no answer. Who is this? Called back and got Family Finance Group. Are they for real or a scam?

Who is this number 888-452-8129 calling me about my credit card debt? Nice girl called me with a non-profit company. How did she get my info? She was sweet but is she for real?