In December, the CFPB will begin distributing refund checks to more than 4 million consumers harmed by a ring of corporate entities operating some of the largest credit repair brands in the country, including Lexington Law and CreditRepair.com. The companies violated federal telemarketing laws by illegally collecting upfront fees for telemarketed credit repair services. The CFPB also alleged that the companies violated Federal consumer protection law by engaging in bait-and-switch advertising.
As a result of the CFPB’s enforcement action, the companies were ordered to pay $2.7 billion in consumer redress and civil penalties and were banned from telemarketing credit repair services for 10 years.
CreditRepair.com and Lexington Law redress and civil penalty payments
Between December 5, 2024, and January 6, 2025, JND Legal Administration will distribute $1.8 billion in civil penalty funds and consumer redress to harmed customers. You do not need to take action to receive a check. The CFPB has identified eligible individuals based on records provided by the companies.
If you have questions about your eligibility, please review the following frequently asked questions. If you need additional support, we encourage you to wait until after January 6 due to the large volume of checks being processed and distributed.
CFPB is mailing paper checks to eligible consumers between December 5, 2024, and January 6, 2025. We have received reports of bad actors attempting to scam consumers into providing sensitive information or money in exchange for funds from this distribution. This scam may look like:
A company or individual claiming they can “help” you receive a check, money, a giftcard, or funds in some other format from the Lexington Law or CreditRepair.com matter. This is likely a scam.
A company or individual asking you for any banking details to issue you a check, for you to cash a check, or to “advance” you money from this distribution. This is likely a scam.
A company or individual asking you for your social security number, your date of birth, credit card numbers, or bank account numbers. This is likely a scam.
A company or individual asking you to send them money or a gift card before or after cashing a check. This is likely a scam.
A company or individual claiming they can help expediate the mailing of your check from this distribution. This is likely a scam.
You do not need to do anything to receive and cash a valid check from this distribution. This payment is the result of a legal action between CFPB and the companies Lexington Law and CreditRepair.com. As part of the legal settlement, CFPB collected mailing addresses and harm amounts for all victims in this case. If you have received a check that looks to you like it may be a scam, please call our administrator, JND Legal Administration, at 1-855-680-8991 8 am-9 pm, Monday- Friday except Holidays, and a live agent can validate your check for you. More advice for spotting scams can be found on our website.
What is a redress payment, and who is sending it?
A redress payment compensates a consumer who has been wronged.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a U.S. government agency dedicated to making sure you’re treated fairly by banks, lenders, and other financial institutions. When we enforce the law, we or a court may order the company or person to take action to correct the harm caused to consumers. This can include requiring the company or person to compensate its victims through redress payments.
These payments may be distributed directly by the company, through the CFPB’s Civil Penalty Fund, or by a payments administrator. In the case of CreditRepair.com and Lexington Law, JND will be the third-party administrator that will process and issue checks to harmed consumers.
How do I know if I’m part of the redress?
Eligible consumers were identified as customers of CreditRepair.com and Lexington Law who were illegally charged upfront fees or were subjected to allegedly deceptive advertising.
If you’re eligible for a payment, you’ll receive a letter and payment addressed to you. You don’t need to do anything.
How are the payments calculated, and how much will I receive?
The payments are calculated based on a pro-rata share of the fees you paid to CreditRepair.com and Lexington Law. The amount you receive, however, may not cover all of the fees you paid.
If funds remain after the distribution is complete, additional checks may be sent to consumers who cashed their initial check. You don’t need to take any additional action.
How can I tell if my check is a scam?
The CFPB never asks you to provide money and never charges you a fee to cash or receive a check. If someone asks you to send them money before or after cashing a check, it could be a scam.
If you need to verify if your check is real, contact JND at (855) 680-8991 during business hours, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. You can also call the CFPB toll-free, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday, at (855) 411-CFPB (2372) or TTY/TDD (855) 729-CFPB (2372).
Please be patient and keep in mind that customer service wait times may be long due to the large number of check recipients.
If I don’t receive a check, can I file a claim?
No. There won’t be opportunities to file claims for this redress case.
Will my payment be taxed?
The check is considered a refund of payments you made to the defendants, so it’s unlikely to be taxable. If you have tax-related questions, however, please contact a tax advisor.
Where can I cash my check?
You can cash your check at any bank that you have a checking account with by signing the back of the check and depositing it through your online banking application, at your local bank branch by talking to a teller, or by using an ATM. Please keep in mind, sometimes deposits are not immediately available from your bank after depositing. Please check with your bank regarding check hold times.
I do not have a bank account. Where can I cash my check?
If you do not have a bank account, you can cash your CreditRepair.com and Lexington Law check at any domestic Wells Fargo banking branch for no fee. You need to talk to a Wells Fargo teller and show a valid ID that matches the name on your check. Alternatively, you can also take your check to any check-cashing service or to a supermarket or retail establishment that cashes checks. Keep in mind that these companies charge fees for check cashing.
Can I have my check reissued, including if it’s been lost, damaged, expired, or my name or address has changed?
You can submit a reissue request through the Administrator’s website at www.cfpb-lexlaw.org or by email: info@cfpb-lexlaw.org. In both cases, you need to provide your Unique ID, name, and current address. Your Unique ID number can be found on your check or at the top of the letter that was mailed along with your check.
If your address has changed, please provide your new address along with your previous address for verification purposes. If you need to have your name changed, submit a reissue request by email along with a copy of a government-issued ID displaying your current name and appropriate legal documentation – including a marriage license, divorce decree, or court order – indicating the name change.
Reissues are sent in scheduled runs that occur about once every two months, beginning in the middle of February 2025. This may include reissue requests received in the middle of January 2025.
If you are not able to submit your request online or email your request, we will accept your request via mail. Please do not send original documents, as we cannot return them to you. Please only send copies. Please note that mailed-in requests will take longer due to longer processing and mailing time. Your request can be mailed to:
Lexington Law Matter c/o JND Legal Administration P.O. Box 91015 Seattle, WA 98111
Please note that information you submit is treated in accordance with the Privacy Act.
A check is made out to a deceased family member. What do I do?
A check that was made out to a deceased individual can be reissued to the sole beneficiary of the estate or the estate itself, but proper documentation must be submitted in writing. These requests cannot be taken over the phone.
To request that we reissue the check in your name as the beneficiary, a written request must be submitted via email by the sole beneficiary: info@cfpb-lexlaw.org. You will need to provide:
Proof of your identity
Death certificate of the deceased harmed consumer
Legal documentation that you are the sole beneficiary of the deceased harmed consumer’s estate
Your proof of identity must be an official government issued ID, such as driver’s license, REAL ID, or passport. Examples of legal documentation that shows you are the sole beneficiary of the deceased harmed consumer’s estate would include a will, small estate affidavit, letters testamentary, or letters of administration.
To request that we reissue the check to the “estate of” the individual who received a check, a written request must be submitted by email by the executor of the estate. These requests must come from the executor, and the executor must provide the death certificate of the deceased harmed consumer, proof of identity, and a legal documentation providing proof of executorship.
Please be patient as reissues are sent in scheduled runs that occur about once every two months. The first reissue run will occur in the middle of February 2025, and it is anticipated that complete reissue requests received by the middle of January 2025 will be included in that reissue run.
If you are not able to email your request, then we will accept your request via mail. Please do not send original documents, as we cannot return them to you. Please only send copies. Please note that mailed-in requests will take longer to process to allow for mailing and processing time. To mail your request, the mailing address is:
Lexington Law Matter c/o JND Legal Administration P.O. Box 91015 Seattle, WA 98111
Please note that information you submit is treated in accordance with the Privacy Act.
What is the Privacy Act Statement?
The information requested is being collected to determine your eligibility for a Civil Penalty Fund payment from the CFPB to compensate you for harm suffered from a violation of federal consumer financial law that was the subject of the agency’s enforcement action.
Identifying information collected may be used by and disclosed to employees, contractors, agents, and others authorized by the CFPB to receive this information to contact you and/or assist in related activities. It may also be disclosed:
To a court, magistrate, or administrative tribunal in the course of a proceeding
For enforcement, statutory, and regulatory purposes
To another federal or state agency or regulatory authority
To a member of Congress; to the Department of Justice, a court, an adjudicative body or administrative tribunal, or a party in litigation
Pursuant to the CFPB’s published Privacy Act system of records notice, CFPB.025 – Civil Penalty Fund and Bureau-Administered Redress Program Records
The collection of this information is authorized by the Dodd Frank Act.
You are not required to submit or provide any identifying information. However, we may not be able to process your request unless you allow us to collect this information from you.
State-by-state distribution of Lexington Law and CreditRepair.com payments
