I learned about PDS Debt (also known as Puridy Debt Solutions) from a friend who heard of it on a podcast, and I wanted to write a review about what I’ve learned so far.
The friend immediately asked if I knew of them, and I was surprised because I had never heard of them.
I have been in the debt industry for many years, so I immediately wanted to study who Puridy Debt Solutions was exactly, and what product it may offer.
So, I dug in and found the ad for PDS debt, and found this ad stating that you can get a “0% interest for anyone struggling with debt, and there is no credit score requirement“
Wait, what?
I checked today and found that I have an 817 credit score, and I cannot get a 0% interest loan, so what is it this company is offering?
Let’s jump right in.
What Does PDS Debt Offer?
From my research, PDS debt uses YouTube and Podcast to market it’s 0% interest option to consumers.
I believe the product that PDS is marketing is called debt relief where your accounts go behind and then a company tries to negotiate the balances of your debt for less. It’s got a lot of pros and cons to consider.
I don’t like this marketing because interest is what lender charges a borrower and is a percentage of the principal—the amount loaned.
PDS does not appear to be lending any money. Why is it saying interest in its ads?
In addition, I believe that PDS Debt may refer leads to providers such as Century Support Services or Americor (source: pdsdebt.com) and then get compensated for those leads that it sends. So, PDS Debt appears to have amazing reviews about the onboarding process, but it could be helpful to read specifically about Century Support Services or Americor if the representative refers you to that company.
Let’s chat about debt relief companies.
Not All Debt Relief Companies are Created Equal
When comparing debt relief companies to work with, you may want to use the following:
- Take a debt relief fee estimator to see how much you are being charged for fees.
- Check out a free debt options calculator to get a price estimate for options such as nonprofit credit counseling where your accounts don’t fall behind and you don’t get sued.
- Understand the BBB rating and reviews of the company you are being referred to.
By looking at BBB Reviews, and comparing fees, you can potentially provide an assessment of how your experience may be if you join a debt relief program through PDS. It could also be helpful to understand how debt relief companies work if you are unfamiliar with the process.
PDS Debt Reviews
Puridy Debt Solutions appears to have really solid reviews. That said, many people who join a debt relief program may feel an initial weight off their back and hope for a full debt free life right after they sign up for a program, so it can be hard to say how these reviews work if PDS is only a referral source.
That said, PDS does have incredible reviews, similar to TurboDebt reviews which I wrote about a lot a while ago.
Let’s first look at Google reviews then BBB and Yelp
Google Reviews
According to Puridy Debt’s Google search, the company has a 4.9 rating based on over 1,1100 reviews.
I was able to find some Google reviews, but I could not find the base Google My Business page for Puridy Debt Solutions despite so many attempts.
That said, it’s clear that the company does have Google review because I clicked on the following review that took me to Google.
So, overall, I was confused where the other reivews may have been, but it does look like they overall have good reviews.
BBB reviews
According to BBB, PDS is BBB Accredited, and has an A+ rated and a 4.97 based on 149 reviews.
In addition, BBB states that the company is located in Eden, Utah, stated in 2019, and has been accredited since 2021.
Reddit Reviews
I like to look on Reddit for reviews as well to see what others state. Here’s what I found:
PDS Debt – Reddit Review #1 – From this review, it appears that some of the above hypothesis was correct that they referred the individual to another debt settlement company that is negotiating the debt.
PDS Debt – Reddit Review #2 – This review felt more negative, but it didn’t feel necessarily geared towards PDS Debt as it did against debt relief.
Puridy Debt Solutions – Reddit Review #3 – Another review that was more of a net negative against debt consolidation companies, but not specific to Puridy Debt Solutions
Puridy Debt Solutions – Reddit Review #4 – This review had potentially the most information about what Puridy Debt Solutions representative actually said. Here’s a summary:
The user initially discovered PDS through an ad on The Why Files YouTube channel. They filled out a form detailing their debts and set an appointment to discuss options. In the call, PDS outlined the program, which starts by advising clients to pause payments to creditors. This pause is crucial for leveraging future negotiations but does result in a credit score drop, which some clients may find challenging.
Next, Five Lakes Law Group or PDS establishes an escrow account where clients deposit a fixed monthly amount based on their total debt. Instead of making payments to creditors, clients pay into this account over a period ranging from 12 to 48 months. The purpose of this fund is to gather enough money to negotiate settlements on the client’s behalf.
To minimize collection calls, PDS provides a contact number to share with creditors, so all collection attempts are redirected to them. After enough funds are accumulated, PDS begins negotiating for a lower lump sum settlement with creditors using the escrow funds. While the credit score impact may feel uncomfortable, this stage is essential for reaching a reduced settlement amount.
Conclusion
My hypothesis is that Puridy Debt Solutions is mostly a marketing company that then sells leads to debt settlement back-end providers that negotiates your debt. I got that information from the multiple reviews that mention other debt settlement companies like the one above from Nicole who said that her experience with “Americor” has been very positive.
So, it could be helpful to know where PDS may refer folks to get an understanding of the reviews of someone who is actually in a debt relief program.
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