Georgia Sues IBA Solutions and Owners, Alleging 'Credit Repair' Built on Fake Social Security Numbers and Forged Paystubs

Published Nov. 9, 2026. Case status is current as of that date.

The pitch is familiar on social media: bad credit, past evictions, a criminal record or a bankruptcy don't matter, because a company can give you a fresh start and a credit score above 800. Georgia's attorney general says one Lawrenceville-based business delivered that "fresh start" by manufacturing new identities. On Nov. 6, 2026, Attorney General Chris Carr announced a civil complaint against IBA Solutions LLC, its purported charitable arm IBA Solutions Second Chance Corporation, and the businesses' owners, Carlina Pridgen and Anthony Pridgen [1].

Status: This is a civil lawsuit, not a criminal case. The verified complaint was e-filed in the Superior Court of Gwinnett County on Oct. 23, 2026 (Civil Action File No. 26-A-09636-9) [2]. Everything below is an allegation by the state. No court has ruled on it, the defendants have not been found liable, and we found no criminal charges against them. We did not find a public response from the defendants.

What the state alleges

According to the attorney general's release and the complaint [1] [2]:

• The Pridgens created IBA Solutions in 2015. It advertises on its website and on Instagram, Facebook (in English and Spanish), TikTok and YouTube, and through unsolicited calls and emails. The complaint says defendants even approached tenants outside courthouses on their way to eviction proceedings.
• IBA Solutions claims "a customer base of over 10,000 individuals," and the release says it offered services to "tens of thousands of consumers throughout the United States."
• Defendants promised to help people get rental housing, car loans, credit cards and mortgages, and to get credit scores above 800, regardless of credit history or criminal background. The complaint says they advertised help to "bypass Snappt," a tool landlords use to check applicants' income and documents.
• To deliver, the state alleges, defendants created fake Social Security numbers or used numbers assigned to other people; used them to create so-called "consumer privacy numbers" (also marketed as "credit privacy numbers," "credit profile numbers" or "credit protection numbers"); built "squeaky-clean" credit profiles with consumer reporting agencies; and created counterfeit Social Security cards, bank statements, tax documents and paystubs for nonexistent jobs.
• Defendants charged upfront and, when customers learned what the service involved and tried to cancel, refused refunds, according to the complaint.
• The complaint says customers could face criminal liability themselves, "even if consumers are unaware of Defendants' methods."
• The state also alleges defendants sold legal and immigration-related services without a license, and that IBA Solutions Second Chance, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, solicited donations without registering under Georgia's Charitable Solicitations Act. The complaint calls Second Chance "a shell corporation" used to shield IBA Solutions' sales from regulation.

Operating a credit repair services organization is a crime under Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 16-9-59), and the state says the conduct also violates the Georgia Fair Business Practices Act [1]. The lawsuit seeks to stop the business, impose civil penalties, and require disgorgement of revenue.

The defendants and their status

All details are from the complaint [2] and are allegations unless they describe public records.

• IBA Solutions LLC. Georgia LLC based in Gwinnett County; registered office in Lawrenceville. Sued civilly.
• IBA Solutions Second Chance Corporation. Georgia nonprofit based in Gwinnett County. Sued civilly.
• Carlina Pridgen. Gwinnett County, Ga., resident; CEO of both entities, per the complaint. Sued civilly. The complaint says she holds a Georgia real estate salesperson license but is not a licensed broker or attorney, and that a state immigration-assistance license she once held lapsed in 2021. The release says she has sold legal services without a license "for decades in both Georgia and Florida."
• Anthony Pridgen. Resident of Lexington County, S.C.; operates the businesses with his wife, according to the complaint. Sued civilly.

All four are presumed not liable unless and until a court rules otherwise.

Why "CPNs" are a trap

"CPN" offers have circulated online for years, usually marketed as a legal way to start a new credit file. The Georgia complaint alleges that the numbers these defendants used were built from fake Social Security numbers or from numbers assigned to other people [2]. A clean-looking profile built on someone else's number does not erase your real history. As the complaint notes, it can expose the customer to criminal liability, even if the customer did not understand what was being done in their name.

Red flags

These are general warning signs, not claims about any defendant beyond the allegations above.

• A company offers a new number to use instead of your Social Security number.
• It promises an 800+ score or approval "no matter what."
• It offers paystubs, bank statements or tax forms for you to use on applications.
• It charges upfront for credit repair. Federal law (the Credit Repair Organizations Act) bars credit repair companies from charging before services are performed.
• It approaches you outside court or through unsolicited calls or messages.

What to do

• Fix errors yourself for free. You can dispute inaccurate items directly with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Get free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com.
• Never use a CPN or any number other than your own SSN on a credit or rental application.
• Get help from a nonprofit credit counselor (for example through the NFCC).
• If you paid IBA Solutions or a similar service, you can file a complaint with the Georgia Consumer Protection Division at (404) 651-8600 or consumer.georgia.gov, and at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
• If your SSN may have been misused, report it at IdentityTheft.gov.

Case status (as of Nov. 9, 2026)

Defendant	Court	Status	Source
IBA Solutions LLC	Superior Court of Gwinnett County, Ga., No. 26-A-09636-9	Sued civilly by State of Georgia (verified complaint filed Oct. 23, 2026; announced Nov. 6); no ruling reported	[1], [2]
IBA Solutions Second Chance Corporation	Same	Sued civilly; no ruling reported	[1], [2]
Carlina Pridgen	Same	Sued civilly; no ruling reported; no criminal charges found	[1], [2]
Anthony Pridgen	Same	Sued civilly; no ruling reported; no criminal charges found	[1], [2]

Statuses can change.

Sources

1. Georgia Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, "Carr Announces Complaint Against IBA Solutions over Allegations of Illegal Credit Repair and Fraud," Nov. 6, 2026. https://consumer.georgia.gov/press-releases/2026-11-06/carr-announces-complaint-against-iba-solutions-over-allegations-illegal
2. State of Georgia ex rel. Carr v. IBA Solutions LLC et al., Verified Complaint, Superior Court of Gwinnett County, No. 26-A-09636-9, e-filed Oct. 23, 2026. https://consumer.georgia.gov/document/document/iba-solutions-complaint/download

---

Corrections and updates: If you are named in this article, or represent someone who is, and believe anything here is inaccurate or out of date (including a dismissal, acquittal, or change in case status), please contact us at editorandchief@scammers.com. We will review it and update the article promptly.