Considering credit counseling? Beware. http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2006/01/andrispukke.htm "For Release: January 9, 2006 AmeriDebt Founder Settles FTC Deception Charges Andris Pukke Barred Permanently from Credit Counseling and Debt Management, Relinquishes His Assets for Consumer Redress The Federal Trade Commission today put a successful end to the largest case against deceptive credit counseling and debt management brought by the agency. The FTC announced a settlement with Andris Pukke, founder of AmeriDebt, Inc., and with a related company owned by Pukke, DebtWorks, Inc. The agreement, if approved by a federal court in Maryland, would require Pukke to give up virtually all of his assets for a consumer redress program for victims of the deception, a fund that ultimately could total as much as $35 million. The agreement also bars Pukke permanently from engaging in credit counseling, debt management, and credit education activities, prohibits him from violating the Telemarketing Sales Rule, and prohibits him from engaging in other conduct in connection with telemarketing. ââ?¬Å?Our case alleges that these defendants used their credit counseling business to deceive nearly 300,000 consumers about the services they provide, the fees they charged, and their status as a non-profit company,ââ?¬Â said Lydia B. Parnes, director of the FTCââ?¬â?¢s Bureau of Consumer Protection. ââ?¬Å?This settlement bans the defendants from the credit counseling business permanently and requires them to give up the money they made from this scheme.ââ?¬Â ..."
They've been after him for years. In fact, the FTC took some sanctions against him several years ago. You'd think he'd learn, wouldn't you?
