Compliance is the product.
How Friendly Debt Relief protects consumers and meets the standards of federal and state regulators.
Regulatory framework we operate under
Friendly Debt Relief operates as a marketing service, not as a debt relief provider. As such, we are subject to the following frameworks:
Federal
- Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. § 45) - unfair or deceptive practices
- FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 310) - includes specific debt relief provisions
- Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) - governs our use of consumer reports for eligibility
- Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) - governs telephone and SMS consent
- CAN-SPAM Act - governs commercial email
- Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) - governs financial information privacy
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) - supervisory authority over consumer financial services
State
- California Consumer Privacy Act / California Privacy Rights Act (CCPA / CPRA) - privacy rights for California residents
- State-specific debt settlement and telemarketing laws - vary by state, enforced through our excluded-state filtering and partner provider licensing
Our consumer protections
TrustedForm certification on every touchpoint
Every consumer inquiry generates a TrustedForm certificate at the point of consent. When we match a consumer to a provider, a second TrustedForm certificate is generated at the handoff. This creates a documented, industry-standard record of consent that is portable, verifiable, and tamper-evident.
Explicit TCPA consent
Consumers consent to contact by name to the specific provider they will be matched with. Generic blanket consents are not used.
FCRA-compliant soft credit pull, by consent only
If a soft credit check is run, it is run only with the consumer's explicit written consent captured on our domain. Soft pulls do not impact credit score and do not appear on credit reports as visible to lenders.
Excluded-state filtering
Before any provider match, the consumer's state is checked against each provider's allowlist. If no provider in our network serves the consumer's state, we tell them upfront and do not attempt a match.
Suppression list honored across channels
Unsubscribe and opt-out requests are processed within one business day across all channels: email, SMS, and phone.
No rebrokering
We originate our consumer experience on our own domain. We do not forward leads from other affiliate chains. The consumer's direct relationship is with Friendly Debt Relief.
Accreditation roadmap
Better Business Bureau (BBB) accreditation
Application submitted April 23, 2026 to BBB serving the Pacific Southwest, Central & Inland California. Application number 62417884-800a-4bf0-88c5-67f46632c6a3. Review in progress.
Association for Consumer Debt Relief (ACDR)
Membership application under evaluation. ACDR is the primary industry association for debt settlement providers. Membership requires adherence to ethical standards.
Vendor compliance reviews
Providers in our network are vetted for state licensing, BBB rating, customer reviews, and compliance complaints before onboarding.
This page will be updated as accreditations are granted.
Reporting a concern
If you have a concern about how we have handled your information, our matching process, or the conduct of a provider we matched you with, please contact us immediately.
We take all consumer concerns seriously and respond within one business day.
You may also report concerns to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint or to your state Attorney General's office.