Do you think ClearOne Advantage is not playing fair? You have rights under the law and we can help you at no cost to you. UDAAP is an acronym representing laws that prohibit Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Acts or Practices in the context of trade or business.
THE BEST PART IS…
If ClearOne Advantage violated the law, you may be entitled to money damages and ClearOne Advantage will pay our fees and costs. You won’t owe us a dime for our services. Plus, some of our clients also receive debt relief and cleaned-up credit reports. You have nothing to lose! Call us today at 312-300-5996 for a free consultation.
What is ClearOne Advantage?
ClearOne Advantage is a financial service company specializing in debt relief services. The company started doing business in 2008 and was incorporated the same year in MD, USA. ClearOne Advantage has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since 2014 and holds an A+ plus rating.
ClearOne Advantage is a private company that has received a total of $66.5 million in funding. It is an accredited member of the Consumer Debt Relief Initiative (CDRI) offering personalized plans for the customer’s budget.
ClearOne Advantage Address, Phone Number, and Contact Information
Headquarters
1501 S Clinton St #320
Baltimore, MD 21224
https://www.clearoneadvantage.com/
+1 800-657-3328
Monday – Friday: 7am – 11pm CT
Saturday & Sunday: 8am – 1pm
Harassing Calls/Emails
Complainants criticized ClearOne Advantage for sending spam messages. The company had apparently been emailing and texting complainants to apply for promo plans with them. Complainants have since been demanding to be removed from the company’s contact database.
Unpaid Debts
ClearOne Advantage’s customers have also been complaining about supposedly paid-off loans and debts. Apparently, complainants were not aware of the remaining balances and were shocked to see exorbitant interest charges. The company was negligent in sending billing notices up until consumers had racked up interests.
Delayed Refunds
ClearOne Advantage refused to refund customers who have overpaid their debts. The company claimed they will conduct further investigation and will take days before initiating the refund process. It took customers requesting help from the Better Business Bureau before ClearOne Advantage started addressing their concerns.
Poor Customer Service
According to complaints against ClearOne Advantage, its representatives had been dismissive – hanging up calls unresolved or hanging up upon connecting with their consumers. Others have reportedly been unhelpful in resolving its consumers’ issues.
Unfortunately, harassment, billing problems, delayed refunds, and lousy customer service complaints are just the beginning for ClearOne Advantage. The company’s customers are left wondering what options they have regarding their consumer rights.
We Fix Complaints When Customer Service Won’t
Has ClearOne Advantage used misleading sales tactics? Have you received poor service? Do you have complaints with billing? Do you want customer service at ClearOne Advantage to listen?
A lot of ClearOne Advantage Corporation customers aren’t happy with their service and the Better Business Bureau lists 248 customer complaints against the company in the past three years, including complaints for billing and collections practices, problems with a service/product, advertising and sales, among others.
If your complaints haven’t been heard, we can help. At Mike Agruss Law we help customers who have been mistreated by big companies–much like ClearOne Advantage–and we turn your complaints into resolutions!
We’ll not only file your legal demands with ClearOne Advantage, we’ll negotiate with the company. If your claim isn’t resolved through these negotiations, we’ll work through the legal process that is outlined in your ClearOne Advantage contract, which is typically arbitration.
Mike Agruss Law gets results–including zero balances, refunds, and other compensation.
Here’s How to Make Big Companies Listen
It can be frustrating when you rely on a service and don’t get the results you’ve paid for. Big companies make mistakes every day and not only is it their fault, it can cost you money, time, and leave you with big headaches.
Have you tried calling ClearOne Advantage to address an issue, only to be told that the representative has no authority to do so? Or maybe you’ve tried talking to someone higher up in the company, only to be ignored, dismissed, or they take too long, continuing to waste your precious time. Maybe you’ve sent an email to the company which only resulted in a prefabricated response or they never follow through with what they’ve promised.
When you’re limited in your choices for service providers or you’re locked into a contract, what can you do?
Fortunately, you do have options.
Use Arbitration to Settle Your Complaint
Most companies like ClearOne Advantage have an arbitration clause in their contracts to prevent being taken to court for traditional litigation. This is actually an advantage for the consumer. When you request an arbitration hearing, an independent third-party (the arbitrator) with knowledge of the type of situation involved will listen to the facts from both sides and make an impartial, binding decision. ClearOne Advantage will have to do a lot of work and there is no guarantee that they will have a successful outcome.
Arbitration is Fast, Inexpensive, and Private
Arbitration with ClearOne Advantage is conducted through the American Arbitration Association (AAA). According to the AAA Consumer Due Process Protocol, arbitration through AAA will comply with their Statement of Principles, which includes:
- The process is fundamentally fair – All parties are entitled to qualified, competent, impartial arbitrators who will conduct a fair hearing.
- You get access to all relevant information – This includes reasonable costs, confidentiality, reasonable time limits, and meeting times and/or locations that are agreeable to both parties.
- Transparency – AAA provides clear arbitration agreements and the ability for each side to hire their own representation.
- Just process – Arbitration allows the arbitrator to award the same relief as traditional litigation in a binding decision.
- Alternative to arbitration – Mediation and the ability to take the case to small claims court should be available in some cases.
Arbitration Gives you Control and Leverage
When ClearOne Advantage is alerted that you plan to pursue arbitration, they know it will cost them money out of pocket. Not only do they run the risk of losing the case, but they will also pay for their mistake(s) and the arbitration itself. This gives you more leverage with your demands.
If ClearOne Advantage doesn’t meet those demands and you have a real complaint, Mike Agruss Law can help by representing you in arbitration where you will get a fair, just, and transparent hearing.
Control and Leverage Triggers Faster Settlements
Large companies like ClearOne Advantage don’t like the uncertainty and loss of control that comes with arbitration. Not only do they lose the advantage in the situation, but you’re also on equal footing with them in the eyes of arbitration.
The first step in taking on ClearOne Advantage is to formally raise your complaint. The lawyers at Mike Agruss Law can help you to do so. We will send a letter of demands to the corporate offices of ClearOne Advantage, letting them know that you’re ready to begin arbitration if a satisfactory resolution is not achieved. Typically, this is 30 days, but it will depend on your specific contract with ClearOne Advantage.
Approximately 50% of cases will settle before proceeding to an arbitration hearing during this time. However, if ClearOne Advantage doesn’t offer a reasonable settlement within the appropriate time frame, the next step would be filing a case with AAA. Mike Agruss Law will not only put together the necessary paperwork for arbitration, but we will also help you take the next steps in the arbitration process.
UDAAP and Arbitration
UDAAP is an acronym representing laws that prohibit Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Acts or Practices in the context of trade or business. This includes misrepresentation, deception, false advertising, or false promises. These laws emerged following the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act that was enacted in response to the 2008 financial crisis. The ultimate goal with these laws is geared towards protecting consumers involved in financial transactions, educating consumers on their rights, and allowing them access to information and resources to best inform their decisions.
UDAAP laws are regulated by two organizations, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC expanded the initial UDAAP laws in 2004 to include unfair and deceptive acts and practices. Some standards for unfairness, in particular, include if it causes or is likely to cause substantial injury to consumers, the injury is not reasonably avoidable by consumers, and the injury is not outweighed by countervailing benefits to consumers or to competition.
Every state has UDAAP laws, which can vary widely. However, the lawyers at Mike Agruss Law understand these laws and can use them to get compensation for deceptive practices, representing consumers throughout the country in cases of arbitration at no cost to them. The company will not only pay the consumer, but they will also pay my fees as well. The consumer will never pay me a cent.
If you’re dealing with an issue with ClearOne Advantage, you might try filing a complaint with the BBB or the customer service team with ClearOne Advantage. Unfortunately, these avenues won’t always lead to a successful resolution for you, the customer. Instead, you may want to consider an experienced arbitration lawyer to take on your case.
Arbitration is a very useful tool for resolving disputes, and Mike Agruss Law can help. With our expert guidance, we bring the big companies to the table and provide the support needed to get your bills corrected, credit reports fixed, improper fees refunded, and more. Let us pick up the sword for you; you have nothing to lose.
How Do I File a Complaint Against ClearOne Advantage?
We will use your state’s UDAAP law to file a complaint in Arbitration on your behalf at no cost to you. UDAAP laws include misrepresentation, deception, false advertising, or false promises. Under your state’s UDAAP law, you are likely entitled to money damages for your actual damages. Plus, the other side will pay our fees and costs. You will not pay us a penny. These laws emerged following the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act that was enacted in response to the 2008 financial crisis. The ultimate goal with these laws is geared towards protecting consumers involved in financial transactions, educating consumers on their rights, and allowing them access to information and resources to best inform their decisions.
People, First
We are proud to serve consumers in arbitration cases. We see you as a person, not just a client – and that makes us better at the work we do. We listen. We learn your story. And, as we help you get the money you deserve, we go above and beyond in a way most law firms never could and never would. Because we’re not just lawyers. And you’re not just a client. We’re friends, neighbors, family. We’re all people and here at Mike Agruss Law, we put People, First.
Share Your Complaints Below Against ClearOne Advantage
We encourage you to post your complaints about ClearOne Advantage. Sharing your complaints against this big company can help other consumers understand what to do when they have problems with this company. Sharing your experience may help someone else!
Submitted Comments
Paul Betts who work at Clearone Advantage,3500 Boston Street suite 413 Baltimore MD 21224. I gave Paul Betts my information because he needed it to put in the computer to see about getting me the lowest payment plan that he could get me. I told Paul Betts not to use my bank account information because the funds weren\'t going to be there I was also in the process of getting another bank, he said he wouldn\'t but he did. My bank charged me 30.00 dollars for the funds not being there which they called a returned draft fee. I never gave any promises to Paul Beets that I was going to take his offer . I would like my 30.00 dollars refunded back to me that Paul Betts caused I\'ve reached out to Clearone Advantage spoken to numerous people including Paul Betts and nothing. February 23, 2024 is when my account was hit with $140.17 cents but funds weren\'t there I have the record on my phone which I sent to Clearone Advantage and Paul Betts and there loyalty department department. Please help in any way you can. Thank You. Neal Chase
Paul Betts who work at Clearone Advantage,3500 Boston Street suite 413 Baltimore MD 21224. I gave Paul Betts my information because he needed it to put in the computer to see about getting me the lowest payment plan that he could get me. I told Paul Betts not to use my bank account information because the funds weren\'t going to be there I was also in the process of getting another bank, he said he wouldn\'t but he did. My bank charged me 30.00 dollars for the funds not being there which they called a returned draft fee. I never gave any promises to Paul Beets that I was going to take his offer . I would like my 30.00 dollars refunded back to me that Paul Betts caused I\'ve reached out to Clearone Advantage spoken to numerous people including Paul Betts and nothing. February 23, 2024 is when my account was hit with $140.17 cents but funds weren\'t there I have the record on my phone which I sent to Clearone Advantage and Paul Betts and there loyalty department department
I was given a monthly withdraw amount which was at the time lower than my credit card payments. However after a year and a half they\'ve only settled one out of 6 accounts and every time they want to settle, they want to increase my monthly amount which I would be paying nearly what I was paying to begin with and without their crazy fees! Customer service is awful. I sincerely feel this is a bait and switch Co. I feel this was one of the biggest mistakes I\'ve made.
I was told my monthly payment would be 475, its gone up each time I\'ve settled, so I was told I s=dont have to settle right away but that I could be sued. Now I have received summons and am beasically going to have to pay a huge monthy pmt or get sued. I was told this would not happen to me. I cant afford the monthly payment and was not made aware of it going up. I was told not to worry about the lawfirm that my one credit card was sent to, yet now I received a summons
I was defrauded and my family is homeless
I have been calling for over 2 weeks to pay off my debt completely, with no one wanting to help me. Then someone finally decide to help me. There were agreements that were made with creditors that I did not authorize. There are fees and interest payments that I wasn\'t aware of. They are saying it will take 60 -90 days to close these as they will sit on the final payment then proceed. Instead of paying the accounts off in full. Plus they refuse to close my account until 2026 even though i am wanting to pay it off completely.
I have been enrolled with Clear One for a little over a year, and I pay them $380 month. I received a summons to appear for mediation at the beginning of January and have been trying to get Clear One\'s help since the day I was served. I have chatted, called, and emailed and no one will help me or even call me back. The chat agents say all they can do is have someone call me, but then no one calls. I tried to call the law office that I got the summons from, but they say they can\'t talk to me because I\'m enrolled with Clear One. I don\'t know what to do.
Thank you for taking the time to review the unfortunate situation that I\'ve encountered dealing with Clear One Advantage.
This company utilizes deceptive tactics during the initial information provided that made it feasible to actually enroll and try to work out payments with my creditors with this company. But I do not understand, why they are dragging these payments for 24 to 48 months when they have the funds to pay these creditors more money, they actually told me today that they were still paying Republic Finance and that a payment of $155.55 was sent to them on 10/04 when the creditor pulled out of the agreement on 09/15 and both Republic and Clear One sent me emails letting me know of this.
After spending over 5 hours trying to get answers, I was told that the $155.55 was not paid to Republic Finance but that it was a settlement fee, I asked why if the account was not settled and the representative had no response for this. I also was disconnected several times by reps when asking for receipts of how these payments were being allocated. I do have access to an account Global Holdings but some of the payments they mentioned like the $5.00 to personify I do not see there or is clear what it was for.
Bottom line, I have 3 creditors left with them and they are charging me $451.00 per month to send $115 to One Main, $25 to Personify (they told me they started paying $5.00 per month in March and are increasing it every few months by $5.00 so now they are at $25.00) and $20.00 to Portfolio Recovery and charging me unreasonable fees while not negotiating debts to benefit me, instead prolonging the debts when I am paying and have paid for the past year or so. It is unreasonable and deceitful at best. They\'ve only paid personify $93.00 out of all the money I\'ve paid them in the past 7 months, it makes no sense, and the reps only told me that Personify made up those payments, which is practically impossible since Clear One is negotiating and knows how much I pay and know that I could have paid more than that towards that debt.
My husband also opened an account through them and they drafted $500 out of his account but he has not seen any progress as well.
On top of this they want to charge me over $2,500.00 for settling debts that #1 have not been fully paid (they have not paid off any debts until now) and or dropped from the program. This company is fraudulent in their practices, does not disclose information and makes decisions on how to allocate my funds without my consent, or keep on drafting amounts for accounts that are no longer in the program (Republic Finance). At this point I feel like I have spent money on help that did not receive and I would have been better off paying or making arrangements with my creditors directly.
I thank you in advance for looking into this. I do not know if I have a case against them, but I am sure I am not the only individual going around thinking their debts are being paid.
Problems with clearoneadvantage. Misled and now credit is ruined.
I\'ve been in the debt relief program over two years. My final required draft payment was completed as of Oct 01, 2023. The company informed me that I will remain in the program until September 25, 2024 even with my paid in full balance. Also, I feel like they\'ve over charged me.
Best Egg
Original Creditor Best Egg
Account Status Settlement in Full
Balance with Creditor at Time of Settlement $30,427.72
Enrolled Balance $30,224.00
Settlement Amount $15,228.00
COA Settlement Fee $7,556.00
Total Cost of Settlement with Fees $22,784.00
Savings $7,643.72
Current Creditor Capital Management Services
Original Creditor Citibank
Account Status Settlement in Place
Balance with Creditor at Time of Settlement $17,622.22
Enrolled Balance $12,859.08
Settlement Amount $6,408.00
COA Settlement Fee $3,214.77
Total Cost of Settlement with Fees $9,622.77
Savings $7,999.45
Can you help with the issue below?
Note: issue below sent to the CFPB and FTC
February 2018
ClearOne Advantage Debt Settlement Company Around 2/2018 (agreement later signed 7/3/2018)
I was contacted by Clearone Advantage regarding a debt settlement offer. I was having problems due to many challenges largely due to taking care of my dad (passed away in 2020). From the start of the relationship with Clearone, I was advised the company has the best negotiators to help resolve all debts and get a brand-new start on my credit within 2 years. Also since Clearone would be entering into the negotiations on my behalf, they would get a reduce principal amount from each creditor. I was instructed not to contact my creditors and if the creditors contact me to not speak to them under any circumstances as it would hamper the negotiations. The company has indicated to stop making payments on my credit cards. The company was collecting approximately $600 from my bank account along with other fees. In 2019, I received approximately 5 lawsuits from my various creditors for non-payment. ClearOne did nothing to help me and after speaking to a Senior leader at the company, they indicated certain debts were not being negotiated. I had to immediately respond to all lawsuits and in some cases settle outside of court with the creditors. I wrote a complaint letter to the senior team of ClearOne but nothing happened (see letter attached). As of this present day, largely my accounts are charged off. I had to resolve the lawsuits as best I could without an Attorney and negotiating with the creditors\' Attorneys. Further because of ClearOne’s instructions to me to stop paying my accounts, it has had a: 1) Detrimental impact to my credit score 2) Has impacting my ability to get employment because employer run a background check as part of the employment process. The delinquent accounts are showing. 3) Multiple charge offs are listed on my accounts 4) Search engines have picked up the lawsuits when searching my name. I had to pay $4000 to a reputation company to remove my name from databases. Also I have had to work with Trellis Law and Unicourt to see if my name can be redacted from search engine databases. This also has impacted my brand and reputation.
September 2020 - August 2022
Beyond Finance Debt Settlement Company Around September 2020
I enter into another debt settlement agreement with Beyond Finance. The company was trying to help me with the remaining creditors from the ClearOne agreement. I had a relationship with Beyond Finance until August 2022. At this point, I don\'t believe there are any issues with Beyond Finance.
August 2022 - Present
Litigation Practice Group Debt Settlement Company Consumer Legal Group Debt Settlement Company Oakstone Debt Settlement Company Phoenix Law Group Debt Settlement Company in August 2022
I was contacted by Litigation Practice Group. A representative explained they had authorization to work with me to help me remove medical debt and previous charge offs from my credit report. Essentially, all the previous credit card debt that ClearOne did not negotiate in 2018 that was charged off, Litigation Practice Group indicated they would contact all my old creditors and resolve all my debt for a reduced amount plus get the charge offs removed from my credit and once again my credit would be back on track in two years. I agreed to cancel the Beyond Finance agreement and enter into an agreement with Litigation Practice Group because the company stated they would handle all my creditors including any medical debt/collections (approximately $1200). I entered into an agreement for approximately $250 per month. Around 3/14/2023, Litigation Practice Group sent me an email and indicated they were transferring my account to Consumer Legal group since I was not satisfied with their services. In reading the email. it seems as if I had an issue with their services. I made no complaints. On 3/14/23 I received a Welcome email from Consumer Legal Group with instructions to sign a new agreement. I tried contacting Litigation Practice Group but the telephone number went straight to a busy line. I also emailed the company but no response. I went on the website to final a number for the Managing Attorney (Daniel March) that sent the Litigation Practice Welcome Packet. I spoke to his assistant and ask for a return call. Attorney March never called. His assistant mentioned my account was transferred to Oakstone not Consumer Legal Group. When I called Oakstone, they indicated, they did not have my files. I called and emailed Consumer Legal Group indicating I don\'t have an agreement with them and requested a refund plus a status on my creditors (note: I can\'t see the status of my creditors on the Litigation Practice Group Website). Consumer Legal Group indicated I must cancel my agreement. I indicated that I don\'t have any agreement with them and let the rep know they did not have authorization to contact my creditors not withdraw any money from my bank. To date, I have tried call Attorney March from Litigation Practice Group and sent emails. I don\'t know the status of my creditors. 3/29/23, I received a welcome email from Phoenix Law indicating my file was transferred to their company. When I called to get an update on my file, they indicated they did not know the status of my creditors. Also, if I want to cancel my enrollment, I need to contact a senior compliance officer. I instructed the rep not to take any money from my account, asked for an email of the status of my account with my creditors, requested a refund for all monied paid to Litigation Practice Group, and asked for a company of my agreement with them. The rep indicated I would get an email. No one is responding to my phone calls. I sent a final later today and then decided to file this complaint.
See also the Better Business Complaints below: Better Business Bureau (BBB) Complaints ClearOne Advantage https://www.bbb.org/us/md/baltimore/profile/debt-relief-services/clearone-advantage-0011-90096368/complaints Litigation Practice Group https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/tustin/profile/lawyers/litigation-practice-group-1126-1000064767/customer-reviews Phoenix Law https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/los-angeles/profile/lawyers/phoenix-law-group-1216-1000007506 Consumer Legal Group--- Could not find Oakstone - -
available upon requests: Agreements and refund demand letters
After choosing my ClearOne advantage to settle my credit card account with Bank of America on January 27, 2019, I thought everything was fine as I was told all settlement payments were paid and my debt was clear. I was shocked to find out this past month in February of 2023, while applying for a mortgage, Clear one advantage did not properly settle my debt and made late payments. This caused a breach in the settlement and I still owe 2,300 to Bank of America, who has not told me I need to settle or they may decide to sue me. I would like to sue ClearOne as there gross negligence has affected my credit score, prevented me from qualifying for a mortgage, caused a serious delinquency on my record, and now is cost me money that was already paid. Please help me.
Clearone advantage keeps calling me from random numbers and don\'t even state their business. At this point it\'s just harassment I don\'t know what they want from me is there any legal action to be taken?
