The up-front fees were between $100 and $1,300. The FTC alleges that Ameritech and Brandon Frere violated the FTC Act by providing deceptive student loan relief representation and the Telemarketing Sales Rule by accepting an advance fee for debt relief services.
Federal Student Loan Relief Is Free for Consumers
Ameritech and Brandon Frere’s alleged conduct is absolutely disgusting because they are charging consumers (illegally) to access free information. There are numerous federal student loan relief programs that have no up-front fees (or other fees). Examples include Borrower’s Defense to Repayment, Teacher Loan Forgiveness, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and income-driven repayment. There are other programs as well. Each program has its own qualifications, but the supporting government agencies of each program do not charge consumers for the application process.
