Key Takeaways
- Canceling a Turnbull Law Group contract is not as simple as sending one email. Consumers report that written cancellation requests were acknowledged, but accounts were still debited afterward, according to BBB complaints on file as of June 2026
- One consumer saved around $4,000 by canceling before more fees were taken, according to Atlanta News First reporting from March 10, 2026
- A separate metro Atlanta consumer paid $7,700 total to Turnbull, of which approximately $6,600 went to fees, and only around $1,100 went toward settling actual debt, according to invoices reviewed by Atlanta News First Investigates, December 30, 2025
- Turnbull Law Group and Freedom Debt Relief are both currently part of a pending investigation by the Georgia Attorney General’s consumer protection division, confirmed by a GA AG spokesperson to Atlanta News First, March 10, 2026
- Justice Consumer Law offers a free consultation. If we win, the other side pays our legal fees. If we don’t, you owe us nothing.
Turnbull Law Group promises to settle your debt for less than you owe. They charge 28% of your total enrolled debt in fees to do it. For many consumers, the results have not matched that promise.
One consumer enrolled with Turnbull and made regular monthly deposits for about a year. He paid the company $5,129.44 in total. Then he lost his job in February 2025. He tried to lower his monthly payment. Turnbull refused. The company told him that reducing his payment would cause him to lose a settlement already in place. His only real option was to cancel. A Turnbull supervisor then told him he could contact the creditor directly and continue payments that way. He tried. The creditor would not accept direct payments. He then asked Turnbull for a full refund of all funds remaining in his dedicated account. (BBB.org, Turnbull Law Group IL complaints)
His experience is not isolated. Consumer complaints on file with the BBB show that Turnbull continued debiting accounts after cancellation requests were submitted and acknowledged. One consumer sent both an email and a certified letter within four days of signing up. Turnbull acknowledged the cancellation, then debited the account anyway and continued sending active program emails. (BBB complaint #24743883, April 13, 2026)
A third consumer requested cancellation on May 1, 2026 and reported she had still not received written confirmation of the cancellation as promised. (BBB complaint, May 1, 2026)
If you are enrolled with Turnbull Law Group and thinking about canceling, here is what the public record shows and what steps may protect you.
The Record Against Turnbull Law Group
- Company: Turnbull Law Group NJ, LLC / Turnbull Law Group LLC
- Headquarters: 1431 Opus Place, Suite 110, Downers Grove, IL 60515 (BBB.org)
- Additional offices: 332 S Michigan Ave, Suite 900, Chicago, IL and 211 W Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL (BBB.org)
- Licensed in: 37 states, per Christopher Turnbull’s statement to Atlanta News First, December 30, 2025
- Fee charged: 28% of total enrolled debt. Breakdown: 4.5% legal retainer plus 23.5% for non-legal services (Atlanta News First, March 10, 2026)
- Program length: 24 to 48 months (turnbulllawgroupnj.com)
- Dedicated account: FDIC-insured, owned and controlled by the client (turnbulllawgroupnj.com)
- BBB status: Not accredited. BBB placed an alert on the company in November 2020. BBB requested fee disclosures and written agreements. Turnbull refused to provide them. (BBB.org)
- BBB complaints: 115 total in the last three years. 38 closed in the last 12 months. (BBB.org, verified June 9, 2026)
- Pending investigation: Georgia Attorney General’s consumer protection division. Confirmed quote: “Turnbull Law Group as well as Freedom Debt Relief are currently part of a pending investigation.” (Atlanta News First, March 10, 2026)
- Back-office partner: Freedom Debt Relief answers Turnbull’s calls and handles administrative and customer service functions, per Freedom Debt Relief’s own statement (Atlanta News First, March 10, 2026)
Four Reasons Turnbull Law Group Consumers Struggle to Cancel
1. What You Agreed to When You Enrolled
When you enroll with Turnbull, you sign a contract and make monthly deposits into an FDIC-insured dedicated account. According to the company’s own website, funds accumulate in that account and are used to pay creditors and Turnbull’s fees when a settlement is reached. (turnbulllawgroupnj.com)
The program runs 24 to 48 months. Leaving before that timeline means navigating a process that several consumers have described as unclear and difficult. (turnbulllawgroupnj.com)
2. How Turnbull Handles Fee Refunds
Turnbull’s position, stated in multiple BBB responses, is that fees are earned at the point a settlement is negotiated and the first payment is made to the creditor. The company has declined refund requests on this basis in documented cases.
One consumer had been enrolled for 11 months. He made 11 payments of $550 each, totaling $6,050 in deposits. He reported that in that entire time, Turnbull could not settle even one account that owed less than $1,500 to a creditor. He stated that more than half of his total deposits went to fees and that he received zero debt relief. He asked for a full refund. Turnbull declined. The company said in its BBB response that fees were “earned” because five settlements had been negotiated, even though those settlements later fell through after a missed deposit. (BBB complaint #24556015, consumer answer March 14, 2026)
3. Your Power of Attorney Does Not Cancel Itself
Canceling your contract does not automatically notify your creditors. One consumer described having to manually send power of attorney documents back to each creditor after canceling her Turnbull contract. Until she did that, creditors still recognized Turnbull as the authorized party on her accounts. (Atlanta News First, March 10, 2026)
4. Debits That Continued After Cancellation
A consumer who filed a BBB complaint on May 1, 2026, reported that after requesting cancellation, all her enrolled accounts were suddenly relabeled as “Preparing for Negotiation” with no explanation. She had been taking regular screenshots of her account. The status change happened only after her cancellation request. She could not reach her assigned representative and had not received written confirmation that her account was closed. She had been paying $450 per month. Only $106 of her payments across three months had gone toward actual debt. The remaining $334 per payment had gone to fees. (BBB complaint, May 1, 2026)
How to Cancel Your Turnbull Law Group Contract
Step 1: Review Your Contract
Pull out your original enrollment agreement and read the cancellation section carefully. Note any deadlines, notice requirements, or specific instructions. Do not rely on what a phone representative tells you. The written contract is what matters.
Step 2: Send Certified Mail
Send your cancellation request in writing. Use certified mail with a return receipt requested. Keep the tracking number and the return receipt card when it comes back. This creates a dated record that Turnbull received your notice.
Email alone may not be enough. One consumer sent an email first. It was not acknowledged. A certified letter sent the next day was acknowledged. (BBB complaint #24743883, April 13, 2026)
Step 3: Request Written Confirmation
After sending your notice, follow up in writing. Ask Turnbull to confirm the exact date your program ends, that no further debits will occur, and that your power of attorney has been revoked. Keep every response you receive.
Step 4: Monitor Your Bank Account
Check your bank account for several weeks after canceling. Consumers have reported that Turnbull continued debiting accounts after written cancellation was confirmed. If an unauthorized debit occurs, contact your bank immediately and dispute the charge.
Step 5: Notify Your Creditors
Contact each creditor enrolled in your Turnbull program. Tell them you have canceled your contract and no longer authorize Turnbull Law Group to act on your behalf. Ask each creditor to confirm in writing that the power of attorney has been removed from your file.
Step 6: File a Complaint If Needed
If Turnbull continues debiting your account after cancellation, or refuses to return funds remaining in your dedicated account, file complaints with:
What Consumers Have Saved by Canceling Early
The numbers in the public record are specific. A metro Atlanta consumer who canceled her Turnbull contract after paying $7,700 found that approximately $6,600 of that total had gone to fees. Only around $1,100 had gone toward settling her actual debts. She received a partial refund only after filing complaints with the Georgia Attorney General, the Illinois State Bar, and the State Bar of Georgia. (Atlanta News First, December 30, 2025)
A second consumer who canceled after learning about Turnbull’s fee structure saved an estimated $4,000 in fees she would otherwise have paid. (Atlanta News First, March 10, 2026)
Turnbull charges 28% of your total enrolled debt. On a $30,000 enrollment, that comes to $8,400 in fees over the life of the program. On a $50,000 enrollment, that is $14,000. The sooner you exit a program that is not delivering results, the less of that total you pay.
Your Legal Options Against Turnbull Law Group
Claims You May Be Able to File
You may be entitled to compensation if Turnbull Law Group:
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- Debited your account after you submitted a valid written cancellation notice
- Collected fees before settling any of your enrolled debts, which may violate the FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule
- Failed to return funds remaining in your dedicated account after cancellation
- Did not provide a clear written fee breakdown before you signed your enrollment agreement
- Kept your power of attorney active after you canceled, causing creditor and credit damage
Federal and State Laws That Apply
1. Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA), 15 U.S.C. §§1679 through 1679j
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- A debt relief company cannot collect fees before it delivers results
- A written contract must be provided before any services begin
- Violations may entitle you to actual damages plus punitive damages
- Attorney fees are recoverable, so pursuing a claim does not require money up front
Illinois Consumer Fraud Act
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- Covers deceptive business practices and allows you to recover actual damages plus attorney fees
- Courts may apply enhanced penalties when practices targeted financially vulnerable consumers
- Statute of limitations: three years (JCL website)
FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule
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- A debt relief company cannot charge fees until at least one debt has been settled and the consumer has made at least one payment toward that settlement
- If fees were collected before any debt was resolved, that may already be a violation of federal law
Better Alternatives to Turnbull Law Group
| Alternative | Cost | Credit Impact | Success Rate | Time to Complete |
| Nonprofit Credit Counseling | Free to $50 per month | Neutral to Positive | High | 3 to 5 years |
| Direct Creditor Negotiation | $0 | Varies | Moderate to High | 6 to 18 months |
| Chapter 7 Bankruptcy | $1,500 to $3,000 | Negative initially, recovers faster | Very High | 4 to 6 months |
| Turnbull Law Group | 28% of enrolled debt | Very Negative | Not guaranteed | 24 to 48 months |
1. Nonprofit Credit Counseling
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- Free or low-cost help with no credit damage required
- Debt management plans that keep your credit intact
- Find approved counselors at justice.gov
2. Direct Creditor Negotiation
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- Call your creditors directly at no cost
- No fees paid to any third party
- Many creditors prefer working directly with consumers
3. Legal Consultation
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- Bankruptcy often costs far less than years of settlement program fees
- Provides immediate legal protection from creditors and active lawsuits
- Our page on debt settlement versus bankruptcy versus legal defense walks through all three options in detail
Why Justice Consumer Law
Exclusive Consumer Protection Focus: We only handle cases against companies like Turnbull Law Group that are accused of violating consumer rights.
No Risk to You: Our no-cost guarantee means you pay nothing unless we recover money from Turnbull Law Group or another company that harmed you.
Experience with Debt Relief Cases: We understand the specific tactics companies like Turnbull Law Group are accused of using, including alleged post-cancellation debits, failure to return dedicated account funds, and fees collected with little or no debt relief delivered.
Maximum Recovery: We fight to recover every dollar you may be entitled to under federal and Illinois consumer protection laws.
Take Action Today
The Georgia Attorney General’s consumer protection division has confirmed a pending investigation into Turnbull Law Group, according to Atlanta News First reporting from March 10, 2026. If you have already canceled your contract, or if you are trying to cancel right now, and the company has continued taking money from your account or refused to return your funds, you may have legal options available today.
Contact Justice Consumer Law today:
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- Free consultation to review your Turnbull Law Group case
- No attorney fees unless we recover money for you
- Experienced representation against debt relief companies accused of violating consumer rights
Remember: There are strict time limits on legal claims. The sooner you act, the more options you have.
FAQs
Can I get a refund from Turnbull Law Group after canceling?
It depends on when you cancel and what fees have already been collected. Turnbull has declined refund requests in documented BBB cases, stating fees were “earned” after settlements were negotiated. However, if fees were collected before any debt was settled, that may conflict with the FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule and the Credit Repair Organizations Act. Contact an attorney to review your specific situation.
What if Turnbull keeps debiting my account after I cancel?
Contact your bank immediately and dispute the charge as unauthorized. Also send Turnbull a written demand to stop all debits. If the debiting continues, file complaints with the CFPB, the Illinois Attorney General, and the BBB. You may also have grounds for a legal claim.
How long do I have to take legal action against Turnbull Law Group?
It depends on the type of claim. Illinois Consumer Fraud Act claims carry a three-year limit. Other federal claims carry different deadlines. Contact an attorney as soon as possible so you do not miss your window.
What should I do about the power of attorney after canceling?
Send written notice to each creditor revoking Turnbull Law Group’s power of attorney. Ask each creditor to confirm in writing that the authorization has been removed. Keep copies of all correspondence.
How does Justice Consumer Law’s no-cost guarantee work?
You pay no attorney fees unless we win. When we win, federal law requires the other side to pay our legal fees. You pay nothing out of pocket.