How this article was researched

Primary regulator documents answer one reader decision. Aggregate evidence, proposals and original checklists are separated from personal outcomes; no provider ranking or approval prediction.

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An unexpected caller says a bank or government program can cut your debt. Before explaining your balances, save the message and end the contact. Verification starts from a route you find independently, not the number, link or transfer instructions the caller supplied.

This checklist does not decide whether you qualify for debt relief or a refund. It helps you verify identity, preserve evidence and choose a safer next step without sharing more information than the check requires.

Save the contact before you investigate

Take a screenshot of the caller ID, text, email or letter. Record the date, time, claimed company, person, callback number, website and exact promise. Do not click a payment link or download an attachment. If the contact arrived by phone, write down the wording while it is fresh.

Keep the evidence separate from your main financial documents. A screenshot can help you compare names and claims without giving the sender another chance to pressure you. It can also support a report if the contact proves fraudulent.

Find the official identity yourself

Search for the organization using a government page, a statement you already received or a verified company domain typed manually. Compare the exact legal name, address and telephone number. Similar logos and familiar words do not establish identity.

If someone claims to represent your bank or card issuer, use the number on your card or statement. Ask whether the department, offer and reference number are real. Do not let the caller transfer you to the supposed verification team; start a new call through the route you found.

Separate the court case from your own status

The FTC announced on 22 October that a federal court entered orders on 14 October in a case involving an alleged debt-relief scheme. The agency said operators had impersonated banks, credit card companies and government agencies, with seniors and veterans among those targeted. [C1]

The order and monetary judgments do not establish that every recipient of a similar call is part of the case. They also do not create a general refund application or cancel a consumer’s debt. Money collected under an order becoming available for redress is different from a confirmed payment to a named person.

Run the three-warning test

Write yes or no beside three questions: Are you being asked to pay before debts are settled or a management plan begins? Is the company guaranteeing fast forgiveness or settlement of every debt? Did an unexpected contact ask for personal or financial information?

FTC consumer guidance identifies those patterns as scam warnings. [C2] One warning is enough to stop the exchange and verify. Do not provide a Social Security number, account password, one-time code or payment while the identity and service remain unresolved.

Price the service only after identity is clear

Ask for written information describing the service, every fee, which debts are included, what happens to payments and how cancellation works. Reputable credit counseling organizations should provide information before asking you to commit. Keep any quoted saving separate from the fee and from the amount creditors actually agree to accept.

Do not stop an existing payment because a caller predicts a settlement. Check the current creditor instruction through a verified route. Missed payments, fees and collection activity can continue while a proposal is only being discussed.

Use a no-payment comparison

Before paying an intermediary, check what you can do directly. A creditor may have a hardship or support route. A local credit union, university, community college or military personal financial manager may offer low-cost counseling. Ask about charges before sharing a complete financial file.

Compare one task at a time: budgeting support, a debt-management plan, negotiation or information about a specific account. A broad promise to eliminate debt can conceal which service is actually being sold.

Protect the information already exposed

If you already shared a password or one-time code, contact the real provider through a trusted route and change access details. Review transactions and alerts. If you shared identity information, use current official identity-theft guidance appropriate to what was disclosed. Do not pay a second company that promises to recover the first fee without verification.

If money moved, preserve the transaction reference and contact the payment provider promptly. Describe the facts without promising yourself that the transfer can be reversed. Recovery depends on the method, timing and provider process.

Report the exact claim

The FTC directs consumers to ReportFraud.ftc.gov for suspected scams. Include the claimed identity, contact channel, requested payment method and promise. Avoid sending passwords or unnecessary account records in an initial report.

A report is not a refund claim and does not decide a private dispute. Keep your contractual debt records and any complaint with the actual creditor in a separate file.

Finish one verification card

On one page, write: claimed company, independently verified contact, service offered, fee timing, debts covered, unresolved question and your decision. If you cannot verify the identity or the company insists on payment first, record “do not proceed.”

Your next action is small: make one independent call or visit one official page, then update the card. For related help, Dispute a credit-report error; Verify an FTC refund message; Read the separate UK warning guide. Continue with the consumer-rights guides.

From comparison to calculation

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Primary sources and product pages

Product details last checked Oct 26, 2026; next scheduled review Nov 25, 2026. This US-focused guide is educational information, not individualized financial, legal or tax advice. Product terms, offers and eligibility can change.