The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is sending more than $10.9 million to consumers who were harmed by a credit repair operation known by various names, including Financial Education Services (FES), United Wealth Education, United Credit Education Services, and Youth Financial Literacy Foundation.

In 2022, the FTC filed a lawsuit against FES, alleging that the company exploited consumers with low credit scores by promising an easy fix to their credit issues. Instead of providing legitimate services, FES recruited these consumers into a pyramid scheme, where they were encouraged to sell credit repair services to others, resulting in significant financial losses.

In 2024, the FTC reached settlements with FES and its owners, mandating the cessation of their fraudulent activities and the return of funds to affected consumers. A total of 443,048 customers will receive checks, which they should cash within 90 days as specified on the checks.

Consumers with inquiries regarding their payments can reach out to the refund administrator, Analytics, at 833-699-7995 or via email at FES@refundadministrator.com. The FTC emphasizes that it never requires individuals to pay money or provide personal account information to receive a payment.

Additionally, the FTC's interactive dashboards offer a detailed state-by-state breakdown of refunds from various cases. In 2024 alone, FTC actions resulted in over $339 million in refunds to consumers nationwide.