American Debt Foundation-Are they really helpful or a scam?

I am currently breaking my contract with American Debt Foundation because they have been charging me 9% more than was stated in my contract, and now they won't give me a full refund. I am also paying almost $200 a month to a credit card company that they told me they were working with, and according to the credit card company, no one from ADF contacted them, and if I didn't make these monthly payments, I was going to court. They are a BAD company.

Hi Heather. I already asked the attorney about what they can do on my case against ADF but the attorney said that their


**** are covered by the contract and if i wanted to pursue the case against ADF, it will cost me more money to file a suit against them. Now, i already terminated my ties to them and the problem now is that they promised to send me back my escrow money and they claimed that they already mailed it via DHL. They gave me a tracking number as a proof that they mailed it already. I know they are playing games with me so I called them back again to verify if they really mailed my check and they told me that they already mailed it and gave me again a DIFFERENT tracking number.

How convenient is that to mail a single check but with TWO DIFFERENT TRACKING NUMBERS? isn't this a scam? if you want, maybe we can have all this people join us and file a suit against them. you can email me at stycxxx98118 at yahoo dot com so we can discuss this matter. and hope that everyone will join us and file a complaint against ADF to the FTC for illegal business practice.

[color=Red]****Adult term removed - Jason[/color]

I ended my contract with ADF on 10/27/06 and I started calling on 11/28/06 because I hadn't gotten my check. They gave me the lame ass excuses that they mailed it the day after Thanksgiving and that it would take longer to get there. I waited until the 29th and called back and asked for a manager, and every time they put me on hold, I hung up and called back because they would never take me back off hold. I finally got to a person named "David" who said he was a manager or some bullshit like that, and he said he would take care of it. I wouldn't let him off the phone until he gave me a DHL tracking number and I told him I would be continuously calling back if the tracking number didn't go thru. Low and behold, I got on DHL's website, and it was the correct tracking number, but the only info they gave DHL was my town and zip code. I had to give DHL the rest of the info or it never would have gotten to me. And what do you know, I still haven't gotten the check that they mailed out on the 24th. I am currently fighting with them to get back a complete refund as I am in law school, and a contract is null and void if there is any breach of contract on any part of each party, and they were taking 99% of the monthly payment and putting it towards their "fees" instead of the 9% which is stated in the contract. Therefore, there was a breach of contract. After almost 2 years of being in the program, they only had $32 in my account for escrow. I will be taking them to court, as I have no attorney fees, so if there is anyone that would like to start a petition with names and a small summary of your case, I would be happy to include it with mine.

Thanks Heather for the information. does not sound like a company I would want to deal with. KYSIDE38

Hey everybody--I got the info about American Debt Foundation from a friend of mine who joined up with christian debt consolidation. I was considering joining them b/c of her recommendation and ADF's promises to lower her balances so drastically....but I will NOT be signing up with them now b/c of everyone's comments on here, and I will be forwarding her this link so she can read them for herself. My plan now is head on over to CCCS...seems like that's the ONLY reputable help out there!

these ppl are nothing but fraud they take your money and run with it!!! do not join adf

To Quote Eric Cartman from South Park regarding ADF..
"They can go to hell, they can go to hell and Die!"

I strongly recommend that anyone dealing with ADF to stay in contact with your creditors on the side. It is the only way you will get an accurate idea of what is going on. Basically ADF does not give a shit about you are your problem. All the care about is the fact that you are now paying them instead of your creditiors. I urge anyone who is involved with ADF to pull out imediately and go through a debt counsler.

Hell, in my experience you can do what ADF does on your own. Let me tell you about my experience...

I had three creditors in the program. At first everythign seems great, you stop paying your creditors and you start paying ADF. I was supposed to be in the program for 27mos. 9 months into it I am getting LETTERS, not just phone calls saying that I am about to get sued!!! I try and talk to ADF which is about as easy as shitting a ton of bricks but first of they don't care and secondly they are dumb.

I finally had one creditor call me and tell me they could not get anyone at ADF to return their call so the were offering me directly a 50% settlement. So I called ADF and yelled at the idiot they have working settlements(Sergio) and told him to call the instant an settle with the creditor. He did!(The Penguin 1 - ADF 0)

My second creditor was the one threatening to sue and like I said, not just empty phone calls, letters from the lawyers they used to collect debt. This particular creditor does not use a collection agency, they use lawyers, so keep that in mind. I was lucky enough to speak to a wonderful lady from the lawyer and she worked with me to get ADF to settle. (The Penguin 2 - ADF 0). I am currently calling ADF on a daily basis to get a status on my remaining creditor. I will let all of you know how that turns out. But as you can see I pretty much paid ADF a bunch of money and did all the work myself.

I don't recommend you stop paying your bills and try to settle later, but hey it worked from me.

Hey HeatherR81!
I'm responding to your comment I'm currently been in this program for about a year, but I been constantly digging for more information on ADF. I just was satified what it is say on the BBB website about ADF that what led me to search more, Until I came to this website and read all the comment people made about this company. I had my owe share of experience with this company. They don't return your phone call, amount keep changing, on hold for awhile. So I decided to STOP PAYMENT all transaction to this company, I will contact them in via, phone,letter and if need to IN PERSON to inform them of the finding that I found about their company and I will also DEMAND all my monday back from them.

I will join your petition against American Debt Foundation so everyone will know that their business practice need to be addressed to Federal or State Government.
Will anyone else join your effort to petition ADF?

email me at [email]wolverine5K@yahoo.com[/email]

Both American Debt Foundation and American Debt Corp are companies you should stay away from. I have lost well over $15,000. to them. I am now back to trying pay off my debts with higher interest rates and penalites. ADF had a broker that took me to the cleaners. Now neither that broker or American Debt Foundation will return my money or repair my credit. :evil:

American Debt Foundation is an evil company. They are ripping off everyone. One of their so called counslers or brokers was such a good scam artist or I was just way too stupid but he, David Camp, talked me into sending him the toal amount and he would take care of all me accounts. Well, he did nothing about my debts and now I'm even further in debt...like an extra $15,000. So there goes my home. They, American Debt Foundation and David Camp and his new business American Debt Corp are evil. Isn't there any way to get the line that shows up when you google ADF off. The line that says "I haven't had any problems with them" Obviously sent in from someone in ADF. If anyone is interested in a class action suit email me email address removed as per forum rules - Mike I will gladly pay for a lawyer to get back our money. Deb :x

Well, just give it some time and you will have trouble. Most creditors will not deal with them. You won't get your money back. This whole debt scam business is outrageous. My advice is to get out while you can and deal with someone local. Actually try to pay off the debt by getting an extra job or think of a way to make extra money and pay off the debt yourself. I can't but maybe others can do that. My debt is too big and I am disabled so I don't even work one job. I'm still trying to keep my home. Just wanted to say good luck :(

Guest. I think we got your point.

:oops:

sorry I guess I did vent a bit...3 posts :oops:
Does anyone know how much debt to income ratio is acceptable, for instance, to purchase a car?

i'm going to say, we have an *admire'er* ??



*chuckle*

texas - we see this all the time. And amazingly, their grasp of grammar & context hasn't changed a bit from post to post. It's a silly waste of their time. It takes a moderator much less time to delete their posts than it does for them to cut and paste them.

I too, have been "ripped off" by ADF. I began having them try to settle my debt with several credit card companies in July of last year and have already lost two court cases to Love, Beal and Nixon. My wife now has two garnishments against her salary and they are preparing to take me to court for a 3rd time.
When I went to court the first time, the judge just "shrugged" his shoulders at me when I told him I was using ADF to help settle my debt and showed him my payment records. ADF will tell you that the judge will take this into account when making his decision. Yeah, he chose to ignore it. I am now paying more on these 3 c/c's than my whole settlement was supposed to be for. Please be warned that if you get any notices from Love Beal and Nixon, don't blow them off and expect ADF to help you. They won't. Close your account with ADF and try to settle with the creditors yourself. That's what I am having to do.

Anyone involved with American Debt corp and David Camp beware! I contracted his services in mid-December for the purpose of debt reduction and settlement. To date not one of my creditors has been contacted. I was took for almost $9,000.00, more then half of which was for a debt settlement that never occurred. Not one of my creditors has been contacted by Camp or his company. I am located in Orange County CA. and filed a complaint with the Sheriff's Dept that is currently being investigated by the Economic Crimes Division of the District Attorney's Office. I urge anyone with legitimate issues concerning David Camp and or American Debt Corp to contact both your local Police and the OC DA's office and file a complaint. My home is going into foreclosure and I am also being sued by one of my creditors with more to follow I'm sure. Trusting this man has just escalated negatively my situation and now will take considerably more time, money, and energy to fix. If you can't afford a lawyer, which I can't, then Small Claims Court offers a venue to submit your case and perhaps get a judgment against Mr.Camp. In my case the dollar limits of the court won't allow full recovery should I win, but any judgment and public illumination of these low-ball businesses is a victory. If I never receive one cent of repayment I can live with it, as long as this man is stopped from ruining lives. Any help in that direction would be a public service in my opinion and I plan to utilize our legal system to it's fullest extent. A crime is punishable by law so why not let the law fight this guy into submission. Thanks for letting me vent and have a great day.

Latest info. on these guys compliments of www.bbb.org & www.sunbiz.org Florida Secretary of State.

So far everything I have read on this page I am experiencing with adf. I do however talk with someone each time even though it is a different person eash time. I have received one summons after a year, and I signed off on one settlement so far. If I were a young person I would give a crap about my credit but I have been rich and I have been poor and believe me money is not worth the worries at this stage of my life. So, I guess if ADF don't settle my credit accounts I will get sued they will garnish my Social Security to get what pound of flesh and drain what little blood I have left. Time will tell.

Ellos son imposteres no les crean. Un gran problema con mi credito despues que page. Este es un dis-servicio a la communidad. Perdi casi $3,000.00

I had worked with (or thought I did - I sent them my money) the ADF for a year. They were great with returning my calls until I received a Summons and Complaint and then they stopped. I had to retain an attorney for 2K to figure out the mess they had gotten me in. I paid them over 5K and they told my attorney I didn't exist (except of course, when they told me I was delinquent in my payments to them). Well, duh. I called them, I wrote them, my attorney wrote and called them and also went through Laura Hess - one of the attorneys. One person said they would send me ALL of my money back. Then they said I didn't exist. Now I have to file a complaint with the FTC and FBI (interstate fraud)because they STILL won't respond to me!!!!! They left me with a shitty credit report and never helped me. GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN!!!!!!!!!

I suggest that anyone who feels they were defrauded by David Camp of ADF contact the following FBI Special Agent, who is located in La Crosse, WI:
SA Andy John
P/N - 608-782-6030
e-mail - andrew.john(at)ic.fbi.gov

My husband and I cancelled our contract with ADF 1 day after we signed on. In the wording of the contract it stated we had 10 days to cancel and we would receive a full refund. That was over a year ago and we are still trying to recoup the money. Mr. David Camp was the guy who scammed us.

I have submitted numerous complaints to the BBB of Southeast Florida and to the Federal Trade Commission regarding ADF and David Camp. I have found out that David Camp was let go from working for ADF because of his business practices. He has moved to southern California and is doing the same thing there he did in Florida. Scamming more people into debt settlement. What I want to know is how does he get by with it? If I owed as many people money as he does I'm sure someone would find me sooner or later and try to get their money back. It's obvious he doesn't have a conscience.

Today I received an e-mail from American Debt Foundation and the BBB telling me, after all this time, that I needed to hunt down David Camp myself and try to get my money back from him directly. All I can say is what a deal. I may as well kiss that money goodbye, I'll never see a refund!

STAY AWAY FROM ADF AND DAVID CAMP. HE NEEDS TO BE PUT OUT OF BUSINESS AND BEHIND BARS!!!

I just started with a company called american debt foundation from florida i notice they are not as helpful or friendly as they were at first. Credit cards people keep saying they haven't sent anything to them and they tell me they did .the companys keep harrasing me day and night. Now they took out first fee and i just read something on web about some unhappy customers saying that adf is arip off. Don't know what to do if any one else is with american debt foundation please! Get back to me and tell me that they are not a bogus company because if they are i'm in a lot of trouble i'm disabled with my son and can't afford aproblem like this. I'm barely geeting by now. That's why i got together with them. David [/url]

I'm glad that things worked out for you, using ADF. They sure screwed me over well! All they seem to do is take your money... you are better off dealing with your creditors directly yourself. They will usually work with you, if you talk to them.

ADF took my money, and I got harrassing calls daily from my creditor. They threated to sue me, so I called and spoke with ADF (who weren't really any help!) Then I called the creditor and worked out a payment plan with them (they are putting me on hardship and lowering my interest rate and working with me to pay what I owe them).

ADF is horrible - they wouldn't even email me back when I contacted them this way.

I started the program in June too. I just told them verbally to cancel and I am going to write a letter. I also put a freeze on my bank account to stop them taking more $. I only lost a few hundred with their "fees" When you are in this program you creditors will not receive money for a year and you will probably get sued. Just work it out with your creditors.

I'm looking to begin the program and would like some advise. Is it a good idea to use them? or could you refer me to another company?

American Debt Foundation is a horrible company and the Better Business Bureau is a Joke!!! I had major problems with ADF and complained to the Better Business Bureau and all they did was send my complaint to them and then send my their reply with a note saying there was nothing they could do. I ended up negotiating with my creditors myself, but since ADF had my money I had to fight with them to pay my creditors. I was lucky enough to get a loan an be able to pay off the debt, but I would recommend that you gather up about 50%-60% of what you owe and call your creditor with a settlement offer yourself. That is all ADF does, the problem is they are so horrible that creditors don't want to deal with them. Stay away and look for help elsewhere. There are plenty of free counceling services that work much better.

I see people are still not happy me neither. I signed up in Nov and am still getting phone calls constanly. We need to do something here. Lets start storming BBB and writing letters.

I'm ready to quit.

Has any one seen any letters here from happy customers?

Have we all been had?

Linda
CT :?

Solicitation is not allowed on this board. - Uncle Wulf

Solicitation is not allowed on this board. - Uncle Wulf

ADF is a joke!! They lie and steal. You have to stay on hold forever and they never return emails. The BBB is stupid too. They disregard complaints. Stupid Adf NIPS!!!

You don't understand, do you? Solicitation is not allowed on this board. - Uncle Wulf

a C- with the bbb is not in good standing stanley. company is a scam group. have yet to find one person who used them and has something good to say about them.

anybody dealing with adf will get screwed just like I did . it cost me 7.000 big ones. I contacted the bbb on them twice. I think they should be put out of business. I am now trying to settle theses accounts myself

American Debt Foundation, Inc.
debt settlement is a form of debt relief that can assist you in overcoming the burden of overwhelming debt in less time and for less money than other debt relief options.
On average, consumers who complete the American Debt Foundation????????s debt settlement program do so in 3 to 5 years and generally pay less than half of the balance owed.* That amount typically includes any interest charges, late fees, and the debt settlement company????????s fees.
American Debt Foundation????????s debt settlement program is an alternative to bankruptcy, which exists to assist consumers with significant debt due to personal or medical hardships. Too often, consumers join consumer credit counseling services in an attempt to repay their debt, but soon find that it may have not been their best debt relief option. Some estimates show over 75% of people who turn to consumer credit counseling services either quit or are dropped from the program. As a result, many clients end up filing for bankruptcy. Debt settlement is an alternative solution for people who legitimately cannot afford to repay their debts and are looking for an honest way out of a debt-burdened life.
Debt settlement serves an important role in the debt relief industry because it is not like consumer credit counseling, debt consolidation and other debt relief options that coach you through repaying your entire debt, even if you cannot afford to do so. Instead, debt settlement involves negotiating with your creditors to settle your debt for a reduced amount. This is why debt settlement is a growing debt relief solution.
Many credit card companies have debt negotiation and settlement departments for the specific purpose of negotiating with debt settlement companies like American Debt Foundation. While they prefer that you repay the entire amount you owe, creditors understand that lending credit is a risk, and sometimes consumers experience legitimate financial hardships that prevent them from repaying the full debt.
It is important to us that you understand the debt settlement process ???????? or any other debt relief option you choose ???????? before committing to a program. The following pages explain how and why the debt settlement process works. Keep in mind that not all debt settlement companies are alike and others may not have the same process and steps described here.
What is debt settlement?
Debt settlement is when you repay your creditors less than you owe to satisfy your debt. People with overwhelming debt can enroll with a debt settlement company who will negotiate with their creditors to settle their debts for a fraction of what they owe.
In a debt settlement program, you deposit money into a savings account each month, instead of paying your creditors. Once enough money builds up, the company negotiates with your creditors to accept a lump sum payment. If the creditor accepts, this agreement ???????settles??????? the account. Your debt is considered paid and you can begin saving for the next settlement offer.
What settlement results do your clients typically see?
On average, we settle our clients???????? debts for about 30-50% of the entire amount owed.
How long will it take me to get out of debt?
Our program graduates are typically out of debt in 12 to 36 months.
Can American Debt Foundation help with harassing collection calls?
No company can completely stop debt collector calls. However, we ask your creditors to contact us directly about your accounts. We also offer specific advice for dealing with unwanted collector calls that come to your home.
Does American Debt Foundation offer any guarantees?
American Debt Foundation is one of the few companies in this industry to offer a 30 day money back guarantee.
How much is American Debt Foundation????????s debt settlement program going to cost me?
Our professional debt consultants will work with you to create a customized payment plan according to your financial situation. Our fees are a percentage of the total amount you owe.
Why would my creditors accept less than the full amount I owe?
Your creditors prefer to collect the full amount you owe; however, they know that if you file bankruptcy, they may receive no payment at all. Creditors are usually open to debt settlement once they recognize that you are facing significant financial hardships and are trying to avoid bankruptcy. Your creditors would rather accept a lump sum payment of 50% of your debt than risk getting nothing at all.
Can I be sued by my creditors while enrolled in your program?
We do everything in our power to negotiate a mutually agreeable settlement, but there is the possibility a creditor can take legal action to get you to pay. This usually happens when creditors think they can recover the full amount you owe through the courts. We are not a law firm and we recommend you speak with a licensed attorney in your state for more information.
How will debt settlement affect my credit?
Debt settlement can have a negative impact on your credit. However, debt settlement can also get you out of debt faster than many other debt relief options so you can begin rebuilding your credit sooner. If you are already behind on payments, or you might be shortly, your credit is already impaired - you have too much debt compared to your income. This is known as a high debt-to-income ratio. To be considered credit-worthy again, you must drastically reduce or eliminate your debt, thereby reducing your debt-to-income ratio. Remember, you can always rebuild your credit and it????????s much easier to rebuild your credit without the burden of overwhelming debt or a bankruptcy mark on your credit report.
Once I've enrolled in American Debt Foundation's debt settlement program, who maintains control of my finances?
You maintain control of your finances. Instead of paying us or your creditors, you deposit money into a third-party savings account every month. When enough money accrues and your creditors are ready to settle, the money from that account goes toward your settlement. Because you ultimately maintain control of your finances, your commitment is essential to the success of your program.
What if I need to cancel the program?
You can cancel the program and withdrawal the money in your set-aside account at any time. We do not have a long term commitment, so you are under no contractual obligation to stay if you decide the program is not right for you. You will not be charged any penalty fees, closing fees or any other hidden charges.
Does everyone qualify for American Debt Foundation????????s debt settlement program?
Not everyone qualifies for debt settlement. Debt settlement is an alternative to bankruptcy for people with overwhelming debt who have endured personal or financial hardships that prevent them from repaying their creditors.
What types of debt does American Debt Foundation settle?
There are generally two types of debt: unsecured and secured. Secured debt is backed by collateral such as a house or a car. American Debt Foundation cannot settle secured debts because creditors can simply repossess the assets if you fall behind in payments. Unsecured debt is not backed, or ???????secured,??????? by collateral and therefore it can be negotiated. Unsecured debts include credit card debt, medical bills, repossessions, etc.

thanks for giving us the company schpiel shill.we all know american debt foundation is a scam.your supposed company should have been shut down long ago.

We have been working with American Debt Foundation for 9 months.
We just terminated our account with them.
We are in WORSE shape financially than when we first signed up with them.

ADF takes advantage of people in a very emotionally and financially vulnerable condition with the promise of helping and making things better.

We've been paying them close to $500/mo for 9 months. (about $4,500)

Now, we're being sued by our creditors. All our bank accounts have been frozen and there is NOTHING ADF can do to help us. ADF has NO ATTORNEYS that can do anything for you. We have paid ADF all this money and they have been NO help. We could have used our money to pay a real attorney or simply negotiate with our creditors ourselves. We have WASTED our $4,500 and I feel like we have been robbed. There is no way to recover our $4,500 from them; (though, I am going to use every avenue to try to do that: Report them to the BBB and File a complaint with the Attorney General).

Only now, we have found out that ADF could have NEVER helped us. Our debt was just too great. I only wish they were more honest with us in the beginning.

When you sign up with them, they make it seem like they are there to help you and are on your side. The Christian Debt Consolidators that referred us to ADF kind of reel you in with the God bless you and the talk of how they want to help you.
When I called Christian Debt Consolidators to tell them about our problem with ADF, there was NO compassion for our situation. The gentleman just read me from the "line 7" that there was always a chance that we could get sued. He said there was no guarantee that ADF could help us.

Well, if that's the case, why not TELL US that when we sign the contract? Why not make the fact that you may not be able to help us just as PLAIN and CLEAR as your message that you CAN help us? ADF's methods are VERY DECEPTIVE!

When you try to contact ADF by phone, it is very difficult to get through to them. If you finally get through, they are very little help. They honestly seem like a bunch of college kids that don't know what they are doing. If they can't answer your question at the time, and say they will call you back; they NEVER do.

You receive NO monthly updates/COMMUNICATION from ADF about your account unless you call Customer service and request it.

This whole situation has been AWFUL. We were in a vulnerable financial and emotional condition to begin with and now it's even WORSE!

Please, spare yourselves the misery and WASTE of your money and emotions and DO NOT sign up with them. I would NEVER recommend doing business with American Debt Foundation.

If you have a lot of debt, I would recommend that you just get a real debt/bankruptcy attorney. My opinion is that they will be able to help far more than American Debt Foundation.

I had terrible experiences with ADF and now have pending lawsuits and the threat of wage garnishment. ADF was great at the start, but once I signed up, they stopped returning my calls, and ignored faxes and emails. I could never reach anyone and the staff changes constantly. No one there seemed to know what they were doing. I placed a stop payment at my bank so they couldn't withdraw more funds and that took care of that. After repeated phone calls and emails that went ignored, asking them to refund the money they were holding in my escrow account, I finally called the Florida State Attorney General. My last email to ADF was a statement that, since no one felt the professional responsibility to contact me to close my account and refund my funds, I was proceeding with a report to the Attorney General. Less than a week later, my account was closed and my check was in the mail. Although I did make the report, I didn't have to pursue it further than letting ADF know that I knew my rights and wasn't going to tolerate their unprofessionalism.

has anyone used christian debt consolidators lately?

Don't use them! They are worse then ADF! They claim to use the name of the Lord for in the mean time they are a$$holes. There are people losing their homes because of these people and ADF and CDS are sitting back in luxury. JERKS!

American Debt foundation is a joke they play on peoples emotions and vulernability they say they can help you end up having you sign a contract with 15% up front fee taken out of what your debt is before they actually start putting money aside that does not include fees they apply. They change employees like crazy they do not return calls. As a person who used them I ended up declaring bankruptcy honestly better than being harrassed everyday by creditors. When you sign a contract they don't disclose information to you I have invested over $4,500 lost every penny I put into it. As a honest person who asked for help I feel disgusted and I filed a complaint with State Attorney general office top it all off they still were deducting money out of my account when I quit using them. I lost another $400.00. This was my worst nightmare of my life....

There is an attorney in Florida that sues Debt Settlement companies based in that state.