How to Vet a Lead Vendor: Ten Questions to Ask Before You Buy

The Short Answer

A good lead vendor can show you, in writing, where each lead came from, what the prospect agreed to, who else receives the lead, how it was checked and what happens when a lead is bad. A vendor who can't answer those questions clearly is asking you to take the risk for them.

"Don't buy leads, they're all garbage" is a common view among MCA and debt settlement teams, and it usually comes from buying on price alone. The questions below separate vendors worth testing from the ones that cause that reputation.

1. Where Do the Leads Come From?

Ask what channels generate the leads (search ads, social ads, content, affiliates) and whether the vendor runs those campaigns itself or buys from other sources and resells them. Leads that pass through several hands are older, harder to trace and more likely to have been sold before.

2. Can You See the Consent Record?

For every lead you should be able to get the lead ID, timestamp, IP address, the exact consent language the prospect agreed to and the page they submitted from. If you will call or text the prospect, check that the consent language covers your company and the way you plan to contact them. A vendor who can only offer a generic statement that leads are "TCPA compliant" has not answered the question.

3. What Does "Exclusive" Mean in Writing?

Exclusive should mean the lead goes to your team only — not "exclusive for 24 hours" or "exclusive in your state". Get the definition in your agreement. If you buy shared or semi-exclusive leads, ask exactly how many other buyers receive each one.

4. How Fresh Is Each Lead When It Arrives?

Ask how long it takes from form submission to delivery. Real-time delivery to your CRM means your team can call while the prospect still remembers asking for help. Leads delivered in daily batches, or months after submission, are aged leads and should be priced and worked as such.

5. What Is Checked Before Delivery?

At a minimum a vendor should validate phone numbers (for example with a carrier lookup), check email deliverability, remove duplicates and filter obvious fraud. Ask what happens to a lead that fails a check — it should never reach you.

6. Which Qualification Questions Are Asked?

The form should capture what your team needs to decide whether the prospect fits: monthly revenue and time in business for funders, positions and daily debit for MCA debt relief, unsecured balance for debt settlement, tax liability for tax resolution, and chapter and situation for bankruptcy. A single generic "need money?" form serving every vertical produces leads that fit none of them well.

7. What Is the Credit Policy for Bad Leads?

Get a written list of what qualifies for a credit (disconnected numbers, duplicates, leads outside your agreed criteria), how long you have to report it and how quickly the vendor responds. Vague promises to "make it right" are hard to enforce.

8. Do They Offer Live Transfers, and How Are They Screened?

If you buy live transfers, ask who screens the call, which questions are asked before the transfer, what happens when your rep doesn't answer and how a transfer is billed if the call drops. A live transfer should arrive with the same consent record and qualification answers as a data lead.

9. What Are the Real Costs?

Ask for the per-lead price range for your vertical and what moves a lead within that range, plus any platform, seat, setup or minimum-volume fees. A low per-lead price with a large monthly platform fee can cost more than a higher price with no fees.

10. Will They Start With a Small, Defined Test?

A confident vendor will agree to a limited first order with criteria written down in advance. Be wary of long contracts or large prepaid packages before you have seen a single lead.

How to Run the Test

• Agree the criteria, volume, delivery method and credit policy before the first lead arrives.
• Call every lead quickly and follow up several times, the same way you work your best source.
• Track contact rate, qualified conversations and closed deals for the test batch.
• Compare sources on cost per funded deal or enrolled client, not cost per lead.

How Premium Qualified Leads Answers These

We run our own campaigns and use a separate qualification form for each vertical. Every lead carries a field-level consent record, is checked before delivery and arrives in real time by CRM, API, webhook, email or live transfer. Exclusive leads go to your team only; semi-exclusive leads are shared with up to three buyers. Credit requests are reviewed within one business day, exclusive leads carry a contact guarantee, and there are no platform, seat or setup fees. Book a strategy call and we will set up a defined first order for your vertical.