Secure Debt Management Consultants llp

"Debt management consultants" sounds like help for borrowers. Its own public profile says something else. It describes a recovery firm that works with banks and financial institutions on overdue loans.

Here is what that public profile says:

• What it does. It lists recovery of retail loans, credit cards, personal loans and unsecured debts.

• How it works. It describes a mix of field visits and tele-calling (phone calls).

• Where it is based. Verify the company's current registered address through official company records before relying on information supplied by a caller. 

A recovery agency is a company a lender hires to collect overdue loans. It acts for the lender. It is not a new lender, and it does not take over your debt.

A word on "LLP". Searches use it, while the company's public profile uses "Private Limited". A company's registered form can be checked on the Ministry of Corporate Affairs website, under company master data.

None of this says whether a demand you received is correct. That depends on your own loan and your own lender. For a plain overview of the role, read about a recovery agent.

Next, why this name may be contacting you.

For example, you may miss one or more EMI payments and later receive a call from a company name you do not recognise. 

Here is the usual chain:

1. EMIs slip, and the account becomes overdue. This is shown as DPD (days past due, how many days a payment is late). See what DPD means on your report.

2. The lender hands the account to a recovery firm.

3. The firm contacts you on the lender's behalf.

The debt stays with your lender. The firm is not a new creditor, and the demand still traces back to your own loan.

For many ordinary bank loans, an account is generally classified as a non-performing asset when principal or interest remains overdue for more than 90 days, subject to the applicable RBI asset-classification rules. A lender may contact a borrower about overdue payments before the account reaches NPA status. 

Not every contact means you owe money. 3 other reasons are worth ruling out:

• Old card dues. A balance from years ago may have been handed on.

• A wrong number. The caller may be looking for someone else.

• A loan you do not recognise. This needs a written query to the lender.

If you recognise the loan, here is what happens when you default. If you do not, the next section helps you check.

This checklist works for any caller, not only this name. Use it before you share a detail or send a rupee.

Things to ask for:

• The lender's name and your loan account number. A real contact can state both without hesitation.

• A written authorisation from the lender. It shows the lender has handed your account to this firm.

• A photo ID from the agent. A visiting or calling agent should be able to show one.

• The agent's IIBF certificate. This is the training certificate recovery agents need. See how to verify an IIBF certificate and what a recovery agent certificate shows.

Things that should make you pause:

• A payment request to a personal UPI ID or wallet. Payments belong in the lender's own account.

• No loan details given. A genuine contact knows your loan.

• Pressure to pay today. Urgency is a way to stop you from checking.

• A demand for your OTP. Nobody collecting a loan needs it.

The single best check is simple. Call your lender on its official number, and ask whether this firm has your account. That answer outweighs anything the caller says.

These steps work for any recovery contact.

1. Stay Calm and Do Not Pay Yet
   Take down the caller's name, company and number. A payment made to the wrong person is hard to get back.

2. Match It to Your Own Records
   Check your loan statements and your credit report for the account named. If you do not recognise the loan, say so in writing to the lender.

3. Confirm With Your Lender
   Call the lender's official number, not the number the caller gave you. Ask whether this firm has been assigned your account.

4. Keep a Simple Log
   Note date, time, caller name and what was said. For example: "7 Oct, 4:10 pm, caller named X, asked for full amount today, no letter shown." A log makes any later complaint far stronger.

5. Ask for Written Communication
   Send a short message asking for letters or emails with the loan details. This cuts confusion and leaves a record.

6. Pay Only to the Lender
   Pay into the lender's own account or its official link, then ask the lender for a receipt. This keeps the payment tied to your loan.

7. Escalate If the Conduct Is Wrong
   Abusive calls, calls to your family or workplace, or threats are not allowed. Move to the lender's grievance officer first, then the RBI complaint route.

If calls turn into threats, see threat calls from recovery agents for how to record them. If a paper arrives, read about a legal notice and a notice for recovery of money. FREED's in-house team can check whether a notice is genuine and help draft a reply, before any case is filed.

Next, what the rules say about your rights.

Some of these rules apply now. Others begin later. This section keeps them apart.

What already applies. RBI has said lenders and their agents must not use intimidation or harassment. They must not make threatening or anonymous calls. Under RBI's earlier guidance, contact should be between 8 am and 7 pm.

What starts on 1 January 2027. These changes will start on that date, not before:

• Lenders must publish a list of the recovery agencies they use.

• They must give at least 1 day's notice before an agent's first visit.

• Recovery calls must be recorded, and the recordings kept for at least 6 months.

• Agents must hold IIBF certification, and are expected to carry ID and an authorisation letter. [LEGAL FLAG: confirm the ID and authorisation letter point against RBI's text.]

These are practices RBI treats as harsh:

• Abusive language.

• Posting your details on social media.

• Excessive calls.

• Threats.

• Contacting relatives or co-workers.

• False claims about the debt.

The 2027 rules make the family and co-worker point explicit. A recovery agent does not have the authority to arrest you simply because you have missed a loan payment. If someone threatens arrest or criminal action during a recovery call, document the statement and seek appropriate legal or police assistance where necessary. 

Today's date is in 2026, so the 2027 items are upcoming, not yet in force. For the full list, read what agents cannot do and how agents are appointed. To act, see how to file a complaint and where to complain.

What if repaying is not possible? That comes next.

Softer options come first. Settlement comes last. Read the table by asking 2 questions: who does the work, and what can go wrong?

1. If you can, repay in full.

2. Ask the lender for a new repayment schedule in writing.

3. If you are still paying every EMI but stretched, consolidation is a separate product.

4. Settlement is for people genuinely unable to repay.

Ways to Handle an Overdue Loan

Rates and ranges shown are indicative. Final terms decided by the bank. FREED is not a Loan Provider. No outcome is guaranteed. Please verify directly with your bank.

If you are still paying, check your load with EMI Score. When EMIs take more than 50% of take-home salary, consolidation may fit, and FREED's Debt Consolidation Program merges several unsecured dues into 1 new loan with 1 lower EMI. Your credit score starts to improve.

Settlement is not something a borrower chooses out of preference. It is for people who genuinely cannot repay in full. The lender decides the terms, not the recovery firm. A caller's promise of a lower amount means nothing without a written letter from the lender.

For the basics, read what loan settlement is and how settlement affects your score. If you are unsure, FREED's team can look at your situation on a free call and tell you what options exist.

FREED Shield helps ensure that customers don't have to face recovery-related pressure alone. It is available to everyone, not only FREED customers.

FREED Shield applies in 2 situations:

• A recovery call has turned abusive or threatening.

• An agent visits your home or office without following the right steps.

FREED does not step into every call. Ordinary recovery calls are not a trigger.

To use it, file a complaint in the FREED app. During a live harassment call, you can call the helpline. FREED Shield helps you report harassment, keep a record of interactions, and understand your rights. It also includes legal notice support. FREED's in-house team checks whether a notice is genuine and helps draft a reply, before any case is filed. It does not stop calls, and it does not file RBI complaints for you.

Settlement is not something a borrower chooses out of preference. If you genuinely cannot repay in full, FREED's Loan Settlement Plan is built for unsecured loans. FREED's team handles the paperwork and the back-and-forth with the bank. The bank decides the terms, and the process takes months. The waiver can be up to 50%*, and a Settled mark can stay up to 7 years.

FREED does not handle home, car or gold loans. More than 20,00,000 people have been counselled by FREED, which started in 2020 in Gurugram.

Rates and ranges shown are indicative. Final terms decided by the bank. FREED is not a Loan Provider. No outcome is guaranteed. Please verify directly with your bank.

Missed EMIs and a Settled or Written-Off status affect your report. The effect depends on your starting score.

Rates and ranges shown are indicative. Final terms decided by the bank. FREED is not a Loan Provider. No outcome is guaranteed.

Use the result as a guide only. Your real report decides what happens. For more, read the impact of settlement on your score. You can also see which loans show on your report with Credit Insights.

Contact can go on for a while. These 5 habits keep you steady.

• Tip 1: Keep every letter and message. They are your proof if a question comes up later.

• Tip 2: Put replies in writing and note reference numbers. A written trail is easier to prove than a phone call.

• Tip 3: Keep calls short and civil, and note the time. A calm tone helps your record, and the time helps any complaint.

• Tip 4: Never share an OTP or login with anyone. Your OTP gives access to your accounts.

• Tip 5: Once an account is settled or repaid, ask the lender for the NOC letter. Then check your report after 1 to 2 reporting cycles. See the NOC guide, and what to do about calls after a loan is settled.

You are not the first person to get a call like this, and there are clear steps to take.

The 2027 row has no RBI link yet. If it cannot be added, soften the Law box and the rights section to "RBI has issued new recovery rules that take effect in 2027" and drop the figures.