It took me a while, but I finally installed WordPress and set up this new site to get serious about putting FDRS out of business.
Federal Debt Relief System is a giant scam and I spent a ton of time documenting their fraud at FDRS investigation at CreditSuit.org and my legal research is at FDRS legal info.
On my long list of things to do is sending an Open Letter to California AG Jerry Brown, demanding investigation of FDRS. They should immediately seize all assets and shut FDRS down.
A reader sent me the AG letter declining to investigate and that’s just so typical.
I’ve had ENOUGH of the government PROTECTING criminals.
Christine Baker
http://creditsuit.org/
I agree FDRS is a scam. I would also suggest you try reporting them the the local FBI office in Hollywood were FDRS is located and also info the comptroller of the currency of their scam.
I can’t file a complaint with the FBI because I don’t have a claim against FDRS. From my personal experiences with the FBI, they are not helpful.
The OCC has nothing to do with FDRS. It regulates some banks and as I have documented numerous times, is a corrupt organization. It even worked AGAINST the San Francisco AG when they sued Providian and the OCC tried hard to protect Providian.
Have you noticed that despite the wonderful OCC regulation the banks are in trouble? Do you realize that the TAXPAYERS are funding the bailouts?
If I had been a client or employee, I would definitely sue.
Christine
We are currently with fdrs and we need to get out. we have not heard anything from the and it is getting tougher to eat. We need to stop payments but were wondering what the repercussions might be.
Can you help?
Thank you,
Ro D.
Diane R.
FDRS.org – definitely a SCAM! I was in their 18 month program for nearly 20 months and their gross negligence and non performance has cost me dearly.As far as I can tell – they did send some letters of dispute to some of the creditors. To name a few – over $18,000 to FDRS – 2 judgements – garnishment – one creditor cleared my bank account. They say they are “professional” and that our “Peace of mind is important to them” NOT TRUE. If anyone has information on how I can get my $ back and get these people out of business, please respond to this post.
There’s a lot you can do.
File a complaint with the Cal. AG, send a demand letter to FDRS, sue, contact their advertisers as I did at http://fdrs-debt-elimination-scam.info/fdrs-fraud-blog/2008/08/my-request-to-genesis-communications-network-to-terminate-all-fdrs-advertising/
This should be followed up by certified mail to Genesis so that it’s easier to get them to pay.
I just saw Ro’s comment and also just added a donation button and the new page about what you can do:
http://fdrs-debt-elimination-scam.info/fdrs-fraud-blog/donate-time-and-action-or-cash/
I know a lot about credit, collection and finance and about 100 million Americans could benefit from my help.
But, my resources are limited, I have bills to pay and I will not work free of charge for individuals. I already worked MANY THOUSANDS of hours trying to make a difference for all.
When it comes to advising individuals on how to stop payments and the repercussions, I obviously have to know how the payments are made, whether you contacted your bank, what their requirements are to stop payments, whether you have to close the account (as I did to stop automatic payments many years ago), whether you can open a new account elsewhere (credit rating), etc. etc. etc.
I don’t have an Oracle and it takes time to analyze finances and credit.
But of course the obvious repercussions for stopping payments are that you won’t be entitled to the FDRS services.
Is it worth what you’re paying FDRS?
I worked there! it is a joke they screw the employees, drill them on sales script & brain wash them, The do military style chants all day! The people NEVER get hepled out of debt only sued. Mark Cella yells at employess and sleeps with all the girls he can before they get fired lol! No joke! His sale manager Joel Edwards is the same they are all slim balls that hide behind 2″ bullet proof glass and filed some loop hole law protecting their scam! I cant believe the FBI has not shut them down!
I just sen them my 2nd payment and I dont know if this is a good thing or am I getting hosed please help a diabed vietnam veteran!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s absolutely true, all of it! They (Federal Debt Relief System aka FDRS) DO work behind bullet proof glass. Mark Cella of FDRS (Federal Debt Relief System) DOES sleep with all of the girls.. or should I say he tries (he has serious problems and many of them stem from “down there” so ‘tries’ is the operative word here). He likes to look like he is a big player. He has problems and EVERYONE knows it.
Water seeks it’s own level. His closest affiliates in his office are a bunch of low-lifes that can’t get work elsewhere. Either they are illegally working in this country or they are just idiots. They follow Mark Cella around and do whatever he says to do. They screw with people, love to intimidate, and laugh when clients try to cancel. They are unethical in all of their business dealings. The 18 month program is a sham. They STILL DO NOT have any clients that have completed the program successfully. They will blame it on the client. But 200 clients a month can NOT all be doing it all wrong. It is the system/scam they are reselling for CCDN. HA! They are even screwing them over in the non-competition clause they have in their contract with CCDN. They DO NOT have a legal team, they do not even have one lawyer working for them.
They send out the generic letters from their back office. A group of flunkies work there. They work in fear of Mark Cella and his idiot managers that intimidate and sexually harass their employees. They DO chant weird chants each day, at LEAST twice a day. No less than 200 “sales” per month- 2400 (minimum clients per year) at an average cost of $18,000 per client. You do the math! Millions of dollars scammed! The office of FDRS (Federal Debt Relief System) wreaks of EVIL and GREED!! Mark Cella is at the center of it, but his close associates are no better.
Mark Cella’s final blow after abusing his employees with yelling, put-downs, chants, and weeks of mind control/brain washing conspiracy theory training….. HE keeps their final check! He charges his employees $20 per day retroactively if they ever leave him, for using HIS PHONES to sell “his” scam!!! If that is not enough, if you try to collect or try to talk to him about it, or go off to work on your own, he sends other dirtbags to harass and intimidate futher. They threaten physical harm and follow through. Pathetic, heartless, Napoleon. He treats his employees like dirt and he does NOT have any more respect for his clients. Ruthless, dirty con-man who lives in a huge mansion off of the money he collects from his clients. He’s a drunk at the very least.
Keep your money and negotiate with your creditors, it will cost you the same, 30%. If you are already in collections, guess what? Paying the bill to the collection agency WILL NOT change your credit score, not by even ONE POINT. So, if it’s that bad, ignore them and move on. Start over. But remember, whoever claims your body when you pass on, they acquire your debt. So, think about it. But DON’T USE FEDERAL DEBT RELIEF SYSTEM!
FDRS is on the run from the Department of Justice! They snuck out of their Hollywood office a few weeks ago to a super small hole in the wall reportedly in Burbank. What Mark Cella doesn’t realize is that he has had true heros for the people working inside the whole time just gathering enough info to put him and his cohorts in crime away for a long time. It’s so ironic because they are going down for the exact kind of crimes they say they are fighting against. Fraud, Forgery, Intent to Deceive, and one of the most important is the facilitation of the US postal service for their scam. You don’t mess with the People and you sure don’t mess with the Post Office, suckas! Now is the time for all of the poor souls seduced by the devil into FDRS to rise up against false prophets, thieves, and charlatans! Go to the BBB and demand a full refund, go to the Department of Justice and tell them everything you know and don’t relent until they are brought down once and for all!
It’s true. They are practicing the very crimes that they say they are fighting against. They use the conspiracy theories to confuse the facts, just as they say “the media” does. Mark A. Cella tries to control people just the way he says that the government does. He says “we are in a police state” and hates authority, yet he treated his employees with the same disrespect he claims to hate.
He has said “I have all of ‘this’ because there are so many followers”. Yes, he looked around his dumpy office and swept his arm in front of himself as if it was really something, and thinks he is a true leader, a hero for the people.
We all need to keep working closely with the Dept of Justice and make sure that he and his loser management team- Dan Lyle Grossnickel, Elizabeth Salazar, Veronica Rangel, Joel, etc. are put away for their disgraceful scam.
When I think of the good people that put their trust in Mark Cella and FDRS and have had their lives ruined, I want to cry.
Mark Cella, Dan, Liz, I WILL see you losers in court. I am working closely with the Dept of Justice.
Mark Cella and his fraudulent band of idiots are going down!
Please post their new address as soon as you have it, ANYONE. I know a few people that would like to pay the office a visit.
Mark Cella has a new website and will be peddling his scam under a new name. BEWARE!
I have completed the program and am out 10,000. Plus I now owe my creditors 9,000 more than what I did when I began this fraud program. Does anyone have any ideas of how I can get my money back. I don’t want to contact the AG if they wont do anything. Any thoughts and Ideas. I feel like such an idiot for believing every lie they fed me over the last 2 years. Should I just contact the BBB and AG anyway?
joels sons are the gangsters and mark is a freak, he screwed me and i trained everyone there.
joels last name is edwards and marks middle name is anthony
and his last company was carefree debt
the new address is 2900 olive ave, burbank ca, suite 5, go to the desk and say you want to go to the 5th level and he will let u up.
retraction 2600 olive ave
Thanks!
I just found this posting when searching for the address:
“I got a distressing email from my debt advisor at FDRS.
He said he left the company because Mark Cella was taking client’s money instead of it going for attorney’s fees to eliminate our debt. My debt advisor was met at the front door of the FDRS office building by someone from the Attorney General’s office saying FDRS is under investigation. The Hollywood office was empty on the fourth floor where they worked. They moved to another office. Mark Cella has 10 people working out of a small office in another town at:
2600 Olive Ave.
Burbank, CA.
with just a handful of front people telling clients via phone everything is alright.
First, I advise closing the debit account they use to get at your money, ask for a supervisor at your bank and tell them about the FDRS scam.
Second, call FDRS account department or client care department at extension 772 if they are still using this extension, close this account with them and get a refund of your money and all your correspondence returned.Document your conversation. Don’t spend one more dime, also email them that you close your account with them and again require a refund and all correspondence returned via mail.
Mark Cella’s accounts have been frozen I heard.
50 million dollars worth of client’s hard cash. Con men and sly salesmen such as he know how to prey upon those who are desperate and hope for a light at the end of the debt tunnel. Report your loss and this company to the Attorney General’s office cooperate with them to get Mark Cella and your money back.
I have been advised that all the ‘pro’ thoughts or blogs about FDRS are written by their con men and women. All other pro thoughts are by those clients who are clinging to false hope. Please run away from this fraudulent company quickly.
I was also told not one person has gone through the program and eliminated their debt.
Anyone trying to intimidate those of us who have been burned by this company are just trying to feed their own pockets. Don’t be fooled. Bullying is a form of abuse.
Look into total Bankruptcy it may be a legal solution to your debt. Price Law group in California are good as well as others get a referral from a close friend or co-worker. Consult an Attorney. It costs much less then FDRS and it’s legal!
Best wishes for a stress free New Year.”
I’d like to add here that you do NOT need an ATTORNEY to stop paying your debts UNLESS you want to file for bankruptcy.
And you ONLY need to file for bankruptcy if:
1) a creditor got a judgment against you
AND
2) you’re not judgment-proof and they can garnish your wages.
I estimate that AT LEAST 20 million people could simply stop paying their unsecured debts and NEVER have to pay one penny because you can’t squeeze blood from a turnip.
I have been a client of fdrs for almost 3 years and owe more than I did when I started,going to file paperwork monday at courthouse because mann bracken is sueing me. Should I do this or call the attorney generals office or get a lawyer, help!
All of the above.
You absolutely HAVE to name FDRS and Mark Cella as responsible parties and add them to the suit.
If you can’t find an attorney, I highly recommend that you subscribe to http://creditfactors.com/subscription-and-services/subscription/ and utilize the legal resources. In fact, many attorneys who don’t regularly defend against debt buyers and creditors would greatly benefit from a subscription.
Will it help or hurt me to file the paperwork fdrs sent me with the clerk of court and send a copy to mann bracken?
I would definitely file the contract, evidence of payments and other documentation with the motion to dismiss or response.
It’s an affidavit, so I should still file?
where the hell did christine go?
Who the hell are you?
I would really like to talk with you Christine. I have paid almost 22,000 dollars to FDRS and would like to take action against them. I have read through much of you blogs comments. I am wondering where everything stands as of today, February 4.
Hi Christine, I don’t know whether it’s true that the AG froze the FDRS account and what’s going on.
Have you tried calling the AG investigator?
If you already paid $22K, I can imagine how much you owe. Hope you’re judgment proof or ready to fight.
I filed a complaint with the BBB today. I also called the DOJ, Gayle Weller. She told me to send everything I have in dealing with FDRS to: Public Inquiry Unit, P.O. Box 944255, Sacramento, CA 94244. I was very encourage in speaking to her, she was very familiar with the company. She asked if I knew their new address. I gave her the Olive St address I found on this blog. Does anyone know the Zip code? I know that the Christine who started this blog is weary of all this, but I would like to encourage anyone who has lost money to these crooks, to take the time, make the effort, to file a formal complaint….Then if nothing happens, at least you will know you tried and it is not your fault. If you are like me, you probably have feelings of shame for being taken by these guys. At least if you make the complaint, there is a chance of action. If you can’t take the time to complain, then you not only got ripped off, but you are wasting your tax money as well. You got lots of documents together for FDRS, now get them together against FDRS.
Christine, thanks much for the update.
And of course people should file their complaints, BUT, I just wanted to make sure that everybody understands the corruption of the State of California.
I just looked it up, on 11/10/08 I first posted Gayle’s address.
I happen to know that the AG had PREVIOUSLY received FDRS complaints and REFUSED to accept one reader’s complaint and told him that he needed to file the complaint with the Department of Corporations.
CLUE: FDRS is NOT a licensed California corporation.
That’s how corrupt and incompetent these government morons are.
I’m sure that everybody knows that California is broke, BUT, if you get sued by a creditors, NAME not only FDRS, Mark Cella and the employees you dealt with as counter defendants, NAME the California AG as DEFENDANT!
EVERYBODY who got scammed by FDRS SHOULD get reimbursed for any payments made within a few weeks of the first complaint received by the AG.
The California AG should be not just ashamed, but heads should roll.
Next week I’ll get to town and there SHOULD be a check from someone how donated a few dollars. If that actually happens, I’ll spend some more time on this.
I don’t know why *** I *** am the only person in the world who cares enough about this fraud to actually DO something and go public.
And FDRS doesn’t even owe me one penny.
Thank you VERY much for the donation, I updated at http://fdrs-debt-elimination-scam.info/fdrs-fraud-blog/donate-time-and-action-or-cash/ and I’m going to contact the AG.
Unfortunately, my primary computer died today, see http://trado.info/content/good-news-i-woke-up-bad-news-my-lenovo-notebook-did-not
And I have a court filing in the doctor Tameira Hollander case due early next week.
This is an extremely important case because if SHE can commit perjury and get my main site http://creditsuit.org/ shut down without repercussions, FDRS could get this and any other critical or complaint site shut down too.
So I hope I can get this old Dell working properly for the court filings (most software can only be installed on ONE computer) and then the Cal. AG and FDRS are next.
get ccdn
Christine
Why have you not looked into CCDN the Robert K Lock Jr group of scammershe is an alter ego of Mark Cella
the CCDN group of misfit Marketers are the source of the FDRS SCAM
Currently about 6 billion humans live on this planet and MANY are pure scum and MUCH WORSE than Mark Cella.
Until you PAY me to pursue others, I’m going to CHOOSE and hopefully I’ll choose wisely.
Unfortunately, that means that I won’t be pursuing anyone because it is definitely NOT wise to waste many thousands of hours on saving total stangers a lot money while they in turn do NOTHING for anyone else.
REALITY CHECK:
Most people are takers and deserve what they have coming.
I’m a sucker and I feel sorry for people who get scammed in general and especially for people who are ill, old, not very bright or don’t speak much English.
But as I’m now 50 years old, I have no retirement account or any savings and not even health insurance, it’s time I start taking care of MYSELF.
ME ME ME!
Yes, I can say it too.
ME!!!!
paul you are all messed up, ccdn has nothing to do with cella anymore, since he fired them! he had hired them to do the legal work, they are not the same!
any word on the Cella scam? Heard they were taking on clients again and their site is up and running again.
They took 3,300 from me and want 250 more. I could have settled both accounts with the money I gave them. My husband went to court 3 times, we have a lean on our house and have to pay 75$ a month for 20 years. The credit card co will make 17,000 on top of the 5,000 we owe. Herman, Noel and Kevin are liars.
Linda, did your husband advise the court that you have been paying FDRS?
Christine, Yes he did. They laughed at him and told him FDRS is a scam.
Herman Lewis is a bully at FDRS. Kevin Bilsland is more of a “nice” guy. They won’t let him talk to us anymore.
Anyway we are waiting for the courts to come after us with an even bigger bill because FDRS had us send papers to the Lawyer saying we are stopping payment. Last month was the first month we didn’t pay.
I’m going to blog everywhere about this so called Company.
Linda, too little too late.
NOBODY could possibly have NOT found my research if they had just spent a few minutes searching the web since last summer!
“They laughed at him …” Who, the judge?
Did you read http://fdrs-debt-elimination-scam.info/fdrs-fraud-blog/2009/04/sample-letter-to-collector-or-creditor-who-sued/ ?
If you really want to do something, pit the BANKERS and FDRS against each other!
There is NOTHING more effective to expose the corruption than to pit the criminals AGAINST each other.
Obviously, you have to publish your communications for that to work. I’d really like to see the bankers “laughing” in their letter and post it right here.
I don’t know if you read here that FDRS is no longer the problem.
http://fdrs-debt-elimination-scam.info/fdrs-fraud-blog/2009/03/its-time-to-shut-down-john-gliha-and-debt-crisis-solutions/
I’m a bit surprised by the number of cowards who signed up for FDRS. MANY heard or saw the FDRS commercials at the Alex Jones show/site and at World Net Daily.
I expected that at least a few of the FDRS “victims” would be fighters, true patriots, willing and able to raise hell for their country.
Most of the “victims” that I personally had contact with were and still are suffering serious medical problems. So they have an excuse.
But I can’t imagine that ALL were ill and considering that you’re not exactly putting your life on the line unless you’re living in So Cal, it’s been “interesting” so see what whussies the freedom fighters really are.
My rant for the day. Back to you Linda:
“Anyway we are waiting for the courts to come after us with an even bigger bill because FDRS had us send papers to the Lawyer saying we are stopping payment.”
Practicing law without a license is a FELONY in most states and illegal in all.
I have NUMEROUS legal documents filed by the “victims” and provided by FDRS, one guy even got sanctioned by the court. But, I can’t make people stand up for their rights.
So, I go back to fighting MY battles.
I’m proud to publish my work and to identify myself, to publish my mistakes and expensive lessons learned in the corrupt American “justice” system so that the ignorant masses can get a clue. And, occasionally I even get a small check for my efforts through settlements or judgments. Not enough to write home about, but still many thousands of times more than what I get from the FDRS “victims.”
I’ve worked free of charge for the FDRS “victims”, did a TON of research, PAID to get info, but for the most part, it was a giant waste of time.
People find this site AFTER they realize they got screwed and NONE have taken action.
I just found your site. We too have been ripped off by FDRS. Many names of employees mentioned in these postings are familiar to me. I will be taking action! Thank you Christine who ever you are for taking the time to put this info up and do the research. Many of us are what I call regular folks who hold down one or two jobs to make ends meet and do not have the skills or to knowledge to know how to do this type of research. Please do not think it is a waste of your time. I like many have paid this bunch of thieves, been or being sued and do not know what to do now to stop the legal proceedings against us. That is where I need help. To stop the law suites and start to really get rid of the debt and get our credit score back up.
How do I advise the court that I’ve been making payments to FDRS?
I would list it as affirmative defense in the answer and name FDRS, Mark Cella and the reps I dealt with as 3rd party defendants.
Where do I list this? Or is there a specific letter or form for this?
FDRS is back in Hollywood. They left Burbank in September. They started a new entity and are completely blowing off old clients. Cella is scum. They are on the fourth floor in the old building.