The Federal Trade Commission will refund money to consumers who were alleged victims of debt consolidation scams organized by Andris Pukke and his companies, AmeriDebt Inc. and DebtWorks Inc.
According to defendants, they were deceived regarding fees and were led to believe that AmeriDebt was a nonprofit. In addition, the company falsely promised to teach consumers how to manage their credit and finances.
Before this round of refunds, the FTC returned nearly $15 million to AmeriDebt victims. In total, all refunds included will amount to more than $1.79 million to nearly 61,000 consumers.
Check refund amounts range from $12.70 to $725.10, based upon the amount of each consumer’s loss, minus the previous refund received. The FTC is urging refund recipients to cash these checks within 60 days of the mailing date. To avoid further scams, the FTC has also released a statement reminding consumers that they are never to pay money or provide information before a refund check can be cashed.
If you’re seeking additional information, or if you think you have been defrauded by AmeriDebt or DebtWorks, contact the Federal Trade Commission’s refund administrator, Gilardi & Co., at 1-888-283-7985. You can also visit the FTC’s refund page for general information.