Monthly Archives: September, 2009

Illinois Attorney General Cracks Down on Debt Settlement Industry

Attorney General Lisa Madigan today took further action to reform an abusive debt settlement industry that wreaks havoc on financially strapped consumers who are increasingly desperate to manage their rising debts in these difficult economic times. Madigan proposed legislation to prohibit debt settlement firms from engaging in unfair practices that harm consumers including charging upfront [...]

I Was the Victim of a Fraudulent Loan Scam and Can’t Pay My Bills. – Catherine

“Dear Steve, I was recently the victim of a fraudulent loan scam losing over $5,000. Federal/State authorities are looking into the company. As a result of this, many of my bill payments have fallen behind and my credit score is poor. Should I try to get a personal loan with a co-signer with good credit [...]

California Arrests Dude Operating “No FICO” Credit Card & Credit Repair Scam While Out on Bail

California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. recently announced that agents from his office and the Santa Ana Police Department have arrested a “serial con artist” who defrauded hundreds of people by charging them $500 to apply for credit cards that did not exist. Ralph Adam Rendon, 33, of Orange County, was arrested late last [...]

California Sues Credit Repair Business for Operating Illegally

California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today sued Todd Swick and Michael Sardo, owners of Los Angeles based Executive Financial Credit Services, for ignoring “repeated warnings” to register with his office and post a $100,000 bond with the Secretary of State. “Swick and Sardo violated California law by refusing to register their credit repair [...]

New York Files Criminal Charges Against Debt Collectors

Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the filing of criminal charges against 12 employees of several Buffalo-area debt collection companies for posing as law enforcement officials and threatening to have consumers thrown in jail unless they immediately paid off the debts that they supposedly owed. All of the individuals charged today worked for one [...]

Damn, I Was About to Enter a Debt Management Plan When a Debt Settlement Letter Arrived. – Richard

“Hi Steve, Thank you again for all of the great advice you provide for so many of us in need! It is greatly appreciated. My question is regarding a single creditor. I entered into a Debt Management Plan with a legitimate organization in the industry. My single concern at this point is that one of [...]

I’m Not Sure What Type of Lawyer I Need. Bankruptcy or Real Estate? – PJM

“Dear Steve, I am not sure what type of lawyer we need Bankruptzy or realestate? We are current with or 1st and 2nd mortgage and are quickly falling behind in credit cards and car payment. What type of lawyer do I need i would like to get rid of the 2nd the bank does not [...]

My Husband Walked Out on Me and Left Me Disabled and in Debt. – Maggie

“Dear Steve, Divorced, disable on Social Security, 61 yrs. old. My husband walked out on me in 2005 after taking every dime of security I had worked for all my life. I have a refurbished trailor I purchased by mortgaged property I received after my mother’s death in 2003. I had two credit cards at [...]

Should We Payoff the House, Make Improvements, or Neither? – Nare

“Dear Steve, My wife and I would like to make about $60 K worth of improvements to our house. The problem is, the house right now (with improvements over time that we’ve made) is already worth $11 K less than the maximum selling price it would fetch on the current market. We don’t necessarily improve [...]

Debt Settlement and Student Loans. Will My Student Loan Lender Negotiate With Me And Reduce What I Owe? – Alexandria

“Dear Steve, Long story short: i have student debt from the mid-late 1980′s. after graduating, i ended up working in careers that helped people, but not myself (financially!). i deferred and defaulted, but finally consolidated and got back on track. i only borrowed $25000, but after all this time (and many years of payments) i [...]

The Credit Exchange Introduced Me to Allegro Law. What Do I Do Now? – Ashley

Ashley “Dear Steve, I set up with Allegro Law through what i now know was a marketing tool The Credit Exchange. When I spoke with the credit exchange they told me they had millions of customers and specialized in my situation. I am a single mother who is losing her home since my fiance left [...]

New Regulations to Restrict Debt Settlement Forms Becomes Law, Now.

Last year Attorney General Blumenthal in Connecticut fought to get new laws in place to protect consumers from debt settlement and debt negotiators that charge consumers and up-front fee to settle debts. The law has the following provisions: Obtain a Connecticut debt negotiators license and file a surety bond Not refer to state licensing or [...]

American Debt Control and Debt Relief USA Unfortunately Back in the News

Interesting article worth reading out of Texas about debt settlement and the Debt Relief USA mess. People in desperate financial straits will sometimes go to desperate lengths to get out. And some companies use questionable practices to capitalize on their plights. The most recent example is an Addison-based company that promised to cut consumers’ credit [...]

None of that Sissy Stuff

This made me laugh. Enjoy. Get Out of Debt Guy – Twitter, G+, Facebook Are you tired of those sissy ‘friendship’ poems that always sound good, but never actually come close to reality? Well, here is a series of promises that actually speak of True Friendship. You WON’T see cutesy little smiley faces here – [...]

I’m Way Behind on Credit Card Bills and Just Got My First Collection Letter. – Alyssa

Because of the volume of submitted questions, I am behind in personally answering every single one. I need your help. I am publishing the question below for you to answer. Please help this person by adding your response and advice in the comments section of the original question. Click here. “Dear Steve, I am way [...]