THIS BUSINESS IS NOT BBB ACCREDITED

Guardian Credit Solutions

(888) 444-6947 27121 Towne Centre Drive Suite 200A, Foothill Ranch, CA 92610

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Description

This company's business is providing loan modification, debt restructuring, financial advisement, asset collections, debt negotiation, property and casualty insurance services.

BBB Accreditation

This business is not BBB Accredited.

Businesses are under no obligation to seek BBB accreditation, and some businesses are not accredited because they have not sought BBB accreditation.

To be accredited by BBB, a business must apply for accreditation and BBB must determine that the business meets BBB accreditation standards, which include a commitment to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaints. BBB Accredited Businesses must pay a fee for accreditation review/monitoring and for support of BBB services to the public.

Reason for Rating

BBB rating is based on 16 factors. Get the details about the factors considered.

Factors that lowered this business's rating include:

Length of time business has been operating103 complaint(s) filed against businessFailure to respond to 60 complaint(s) filed against business22 complaint(s) filed against business that were not resolved48 serious complaint(s) filed against businessOverall complaint history with BBBGovernment action(s) against business

Customer Complaints Summary

103 complaints closed with BBB in last 3 years | 0 closed in last 12 months
Complaint Type Total Closed Complaints
Advertising / Sales Issues 19
Billing / Collection Issues 1
Problems with Product / Service 77
Delivery Issues 4
Guarantee / Warranty Issues 2
Total Closed Complaints 103

Additional Complaint Information

We have received a significant number of complaints against this company. In at least some cases, the complaint allegations are very serious. Most complainants allege the company accepted advance fees for loan modification services using the company name Green Credit Services, failed to provide services, and refused refund requests. Other customers complain the company disappeared or changed names without notifying customers of the change. Recent complainants report they are contacted by Guardian Credit and advised they have taken over the contracts for previous Green Credit customers. The company responds to some complaints by agreeing to issue refunds. In other cases the company contends that fees were earned, or that modifications were negotiated which the customer would not agree to.

Complaint Details | Definitions | BBB Complaint Process | File a Complaint

  • Government Actions

    Agency: Department of Real Estate
    Description: On June 25, 2009, the California Department of Real Estate filed a Cease and Desist Order against Green Credit Solutions, and it's principals and designated broker. The order was filed in the public interest when the DRE caused an investigation to be made on their activities concerning loan modifications.

    Based on the investigation, the DRE determined that the respondents were engaging in or attempting to engage in acts or practices in violation of State law. The violations include, but are not limited to “Advance Fee Violations,” such as depositing fees collected in advance in their general business account, and not in a trust account as required, failing to properly maintain trust account records, using a fee agreement that was not approved by the DRE, comingling funds, and advertising without ad approval by the DRE. Other violations include engaging in real estate activities using unlicensed business names, and advertising services and collecting advance fees with no broker affiliation.

    The Order prohibits the company doing business under their name or any other name from soliciting borrowers, or performing services for borrowers in connection with loans secured by collateral or liens on real property, or any acts requiring a Real Estate license unless or until licensing requirements have been met. The Order specifically prohibits the company from collecting any advance fees in connection with loan modification services. Upon entry the Order was finalized.









    Date of Action: 6/25/2009

    Agency: Attorney General (AG)-SAMP/Credit Svcs
    Description: On December 7, 2011 the California Attorney General’s office announced the arrests of two of this conmpany’s principals, Curtis Melone, and Christopher Fox who allegedly operated under the guise of an attorney-backed loan modification company and collected more than $6 million from homeowners nationwide for services that were never performed.

    Christopher Fox, 37, of Laguna Niguel and Curtis Melone (AKA Curtis Kubat), 37, of Huntington Beach were arrested Tuesday on 37 felony counts, including conspiracy, grand theft and unlawful collection of advance fees. They are being held at the Orange County Jail on $500,000 bail and will be arraigned in Orange County Superior Court.

    Fox and Melone - along with King Harris III, 42, of St. Louis, Missouri - collected more than $6 million in up-front fees through Orange County- based Green Credit Solutions. The Attorney General's office will seek extradition of Harris, who currently faces federal mail and wire fraud charges in Missouri.

    In June 2009, the Attorney General's office launched an investigation of Orange County- based Green Credit Solutions - later renamed Guardian Credit Services and Get My Credit Grade - in response to numerous consumer complaints filed with the office, as well as with the Better Business Bureau, the California Department of Real Estate and the State Bar of California.

    Through witness interviews, analysis of the company's marketing materials, and its business and financial records, DOJ investigators uncovered a scheme in which thousands of victims paid $3,500 for what they believed were attorney-backed loan modification services to reduce their interest rates, monthly payments or principal balance.

    According to the Department of Justice, from November 2008 to October 2009, Fox, Melone and Harris collected more than $6 million from thousands of homeowners across California and nationwide. Victims were told their funds would be held in a so-called "attorney escrow account" until services were completed. In fact, those fees were often deposited into the account of a disbarred attorney and then promptly transferred to GCS.

    Likewise, the company fraudulently claimed that loan modification services would be performed by attorneys; Harris is a disbarred Tennessee attorney and marketing materials referred to his alleged partners at the defunct law firm of "Smith Harris PLLC." The case is currently pending.

    Date of Action: 12/7/2011

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Additional Information

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BBB file opened: 2/9/2009 Business started: 3/24/2008
Contact Information
Curtis James Melone - COO/Co-Founder
    Lawrence Bracco (President/CMO)Warren Hutter (Senior Credit Advisor)Stacie Smith (Negotiator)Brian La Ruffa ()Hector Montes (Wholesale Manager)
Business Category

Other Credit Services

Alternate Business Names
Guardian Credit SolutionsGetmycreditGrade.comgetgreencredit.comErickson Law GroupPacWest FundingGreen Credit Services
Alternate Web Sites
Industry Tips
This company previously operated as Green Credit Solutions. Past customers of Green Credit report they are receiving phone calls from Guardian Credit Solutions who claim to have taken over the contracts held by Green Credit customers.

Effective October 11th, 2009, it is illegal to collect any fees, regardless of the form, for negotiating or attempting to negotiate a loan modification for a residential mortgage. All services must be fully completed before any charges can be imposed. It is also illegal to divide advance fees or services into components for the purpose of avoiding this law.

Housing and Development approved housing counselors are exempt from this law.