Clear Start Accountants

sassymurdoch

I rang the Step Change charity for debt advice who said they couldn’t help me as I had a mortgage. They put me on to Clear Start Accountants who charge a fee to speak to creditors on your behalf (about £600 a year). After some breathing space I spoke to National debtline who helped me with speaking to my creditors in person, who were very understanding and happy to discuss options as well as putting a 30 day freeze on charges and interest. One of the creditors suggested payplan who do a DMP/speak to creditors on your behalf for free. They went though my budget and said that I did not need a dmp and that I could afford to continue to make overpayments. I’d been out of work for 3 months and my money ran out so I was worried and had panicked. I’ve now received my first salary in my new job and resumed my payments as before. I complained to Step Change about putting me on to Clear Start accountants and not helping me, and they said that it was someone impersonating Step Change. I emailed Clear Start Accountants and said I no longer wished them to represent me but 6 days later they took £180 out of my account. I’ve asked the bank to block any future payments. Clear Start are chasing me. I rang the fake Step Change and the number had been discontinued.

Have you had a similar experience? 

sourcrates

Lots of fake companies out there purporting to be stepchange and the like, always keep in mind that a debt charity will never "put you in touch with a fee charging company".

You have been a victim of scammers unfortunately.

You have posted on the bankruptcy board, a better place would have been debt free wannabe.

StepChange_Aidan

sassymurdoch said:

I rang the Step Change charity for debt advice who said they couldn’t help me as I had a mortgage. They put me on to Clear Start Accountants who charge a fee to speak to creditors on your behalf (about £600 a year). After some breathing space I spoke to National debtline who helped me with speaking to my creditors in person, who were very understanding and happy to discuss options as well as putting a 30 day freeze on charges and interest. One of the creditors suggested payplan who do a DMP/speak to creditors on your behalf for free. They went though my budget and said that I did not need a dmp and that I could afford to continue to make overpayments. I’d been out of work for 3 months and my money ran out so I was worried and had panicked. I’ve now received my first salary in my new job and resumed my payments as before. I complained to Step Change about putting me on to Clear Start accountants and not helping me, and they said that it was someone impersonating Step Change. I emailed Clear Start Accountants and said I no longer wished them to represent me but 6 days later they took £180 out of my account. I’ve asked the bank to block any future payments. Clear Start are chasing me. I rang the fake Step Change and the number had been discontinued.

Have you had a similar experience? 

Hi,

I’m sorry to hear about what’s happened. Unfortunately, there are some companies online that impersonate StepChange or other advice charities, who will try to sell debt solutions that may not be right for you.

If you have any more information about this company, please get in touch with us directly so that we can investigate.

There’s some more information about ‘clone firms’ and how to spot them here.

I’m glad to hear that you’re now back in work and can resume paying the debts directly, but if you need any further help going forward, please let us know. You can get debt advice using the online tool on our website or can call us to speak with an advisor.

Kind regards,

Aidan

fatbelly

Are Clear Start the dodgy company that pretend to be accountants so they can get away with unregulated debt advice?

sassymurdoch

Thank you for responding. I was so shocked when I found out I had been scammed by someone impersonating Step Change. Good to spread the message to warn others. 

Unfortunately the number I called for the fake Step Change is now not working and I didn’t note the website I used.