The sad truth is that it’s easy to scam people with debt problems. Companies do it all the time. They promise magic outcomes for an advance fee.

People in trouble believe the sales messages and fail to filter the promises of both for-profit and non-profit debt help companies. When people leap at the first solution that comes along or the one that is sold as the “best” solution, they often learn that they’ve been taken.

I don’t want you to be a victim. I want you to educate yourself about what to do to avoid being scammed. Below you will find articles that will help you do just that.

If you think you are getting the run around and you become unsure what to do, ask me for help.

Don’t Be a Victim. Avoid Being Scammed.

The following information will be helpful to help you avoid getting scammed by a debt relief company or when getting debt help.

• How to Check Out a Business or Company to Avoid Getting Scammed or Ripped Off
• 10 Must Do Steps to Find the Best Credit Counseling or Debt Settlement Company for You
• The Ultimate Consumer Guide to Checking Out a Debt Relief Company Before You Sign On the Line
• The Truth About The Success Rates, Failure Rates and Completion Rates of Credit Counseling, Debt Settlement, and Bankruptcy
• How to Get the Right Help for Debt Problems – Get Out of Debt Guy Show

If you feel like you have been scammed
Report It Here

Below you will find many of free guides and articles that address specific issues about debt and getting out of debt. But before you head off to those posts I’d like to invite you to read How Do I Get Out of Debt Quickly? Change Your Mindset. It is a very important post that addresses how to have the right mindset to best tackle your situation.

• Important General Get Out of Debt Advice

  • The Get Out of Debt Guy 8 Easy Steps to Eliminate Your Debt Checklist
  • How Do I Get Out of Debt Quickly? Change Your Mindset.
  • How to Get Out of Debt. The Honest and Unvarnished Truth.
  • The Truth About The Success Rates, Failure Rates and Completion Rates of Credit Counseling, Debt Settlement, and Bankruptcy
  • There is Life After Debt and It’s Awesome
  • Debt Related PTSD and Financial PTSD Quietly Hurts Many
  • How Do I Get Out of Debt? – Simple.
  • Debt and the Theory of Dissaving. Why You Need to Take Action.
  • What Repaying Your Debt Will Cost You in Retirement – Calculator
  • The Universal Secret to Dealing With Debt
  • Dealing With Debt – It’s All Bullshit
  • The Saddest Avoidable Mistake People Make When Getting Out of Debt
  • Debt Got You Down? Read This and Get Back Up.
    

• Bankruptcy Articles and Posts You Must Read

  Click Here to Find a Bankruptcy Attorney in Your Area

  To get ready to read the information below with the right frame of mind, please first read How Do I Get Out of Debt Quickly? Change Your Mindset.

  Bankruptcy Advice

  • Those That File Bankruptcy Do Better Than Those That Don’t
  • How to Know if You Should File Bankruptcy
  • So You Are Going to File Bankruptcy. That’s Great News. Congratulations.
  • Easily Rebuild Your Credit After Bankruptcy
  • The Truth About Bankruptcy Success Rates
  • How to Get Out of Debt Calculator
  • How Long After Bankruptcy Can I Buy a House?
  • Is Bankruptcy Sinful and Bad or Right and Moral? An Examination
  • What Does the Bible Say About Bankruptcy? Is Bankruptcy Scriptural?
  • How to Get Out of Debt. The Honest and Unvarnished Truth
  • The Emotional Seven Stages of Debt
  • Getting a Job After Bankruptcy
  • Chapter 7 Bankruptcy – What is the Truth?
  • Low Cost / Pro Bono Bankruptcy Resource Locator
  • Bankruptcy Should Be the Last Resort Many Say. But That’s Just Not True
  • The Ethical Considerations of Bankruptcy
  • Is Bankruptcy Right For Me?
  • 14 Reasons You Should Not Avoid Bankruptcy
  • How to Really Discharge Your Student Loans in Bankruptcy. Many Can. But Never Try.
  • Life After Bankruptcy: How to Quickly Have Great Credit and Dumb Mistakes to Avoid
  • How to Find a Great Bankruptcy Attorney
  • You Have Not Failed if You File Bankruptcy
  • The Saddest Avoidable Mistake People Make When Getting Out of Debt
    

  Life After Bankruptcy

  • How Long After Bankruptcy Can I Buy a House?
  • How to Rent a Lovely Home or Apartment After Bankruptcy
  • Life After Bankruptcy – The Truth
  • How to Easily Rebuild Your Credit and Have Good Credit Again After Bankruptcy

  Filing Bankruptcy Yourself

  • Filing Bankruptcy Yourself, Pro Se

  Click Here to Find a Bankruptcy Attorney in Your Area

• Budgets and Budgeting

  • Here’s How to Build the Best Budget
  • The Budget Reality of Digging Out of Debt

• Calculators and Tests

  • Money Personality Quiz and Test. What Are Your Spending Habits?
  • How to Get Out of Debt Calculator
  • The Hidden Cost of Credit Counseling and Debt Settlement

• Credit Counseling

  • Consumer Credit Counseling Pros and Cons. My Ultimate Guide to Understanding How Credit Counseling Really Works.
  • The Hidden Cost of Credit Counseling – Calculator

• Credit Score / Credit Repair Advice

  • The Get Out of Debt Guy Free and Easy Credit Repair Guide
  • How to Easily Rebuild Your Credit and Have Good Credit Again

• Debt Collector Help

  • Four Magic Words to Get Out of a Debt Collector Lawsuit
  • How to Dispute and Ask a Debt Collector to Validate a Debt
  • How to Deal With The Debt Collector
  • Most Debt Buyer Lawsuits Foiled By Inability To Prove Debt Owed
  • Hooray, You Are in Collections! The Debt Collector is Calling. The Debt Collector is Calling.
  • Having Problems With a Debt Collector. Legal Help Available Here.
  • Debt Collection Form Letters to Stop Debt Collectors in 5 Different Situations

• Debt Consolidation Loans

  • The Ultimate Debt Consolidation Loan Guide: Getting Approved, Acting Smart, and Being Wise
  • Best Debt Consolidation Loans

• Debt Relief Program Issues or Problems

  • How to Try to Get a Refund From a Debt Relief Company
  • How to Avoid Getting Scammed When Getting Debt Help
  • The Ultimate Consumer Guide to Checking Out a Debt Relief Company Before You Sign On the Line
  • 10 Must Do Steps to Find the Best Credit Counseling or Debt Settlement Company for You
  • How to Check Out a Business or Company to Avoid Getting Scammed or Ripped Off

• Debt Settlement Advice

  • Debt Settlement Pros and Cons. My No BS Guide to Settling Your Debt.
  • The Hidden Cost of Debt Settlement – Calculator
  • DIY Debt Settlement for Those Interested in Do It Yourself Debt Settlement – Podcast
  • IRS Form 982 is Your Friend if You Got a 1099-C

• Identity Theft Advice

  • Life After Bankruptcy: How to Quickly Have Great Credit and Dumb Mistakes to Avoid
  • Identity Theft Fraud Victims, Here’s Everything You Ever Need to Know to Fix the Mess

• Life After Debt

  • 6 Ways to Not Be a Broke Ass American After Kicking Your Debt

• Mortgage Help

  Be sure to first read How Not to Get Scammed by a Mortgage Loan Modification Company.

  Debt-to-Income Calculator

  First you’ll need to determine your current debt-to-income ratio. The target debt-to-income ratio under the Home Affordable Modification program is 31%. Use this free online DTI calculator.

  Mortgage Modification Calculator

  The mortgage modification eligibility calculator will ask you several questions and then show you which programs you may be eligible for.

  The free mortgage modification calculator can be found here.

  

  Free Mortgage Modification Help and Counseling

  If you have questions about the process or eligibility you can call 888-995-4673 and get connected with an mortgage modification adviser for free. This help is provided by government subsidized HUD Housing Counselors and they can be a big help in navigating the modification process.

  In order to assist you, the housing expert will need to gather some information from you. Have the following documents handy:

  • Information about your first mortgage, such as your monthly mortgage statement.
  • Information about any second mortgage or home equity line of credit on the house.
  • Information about the monthly gross (before tax) income of all household members contributing to pay the mortgage, including recent pay stubs if you receive them or documentation of income you receive from other sources.
  • Information about your savings and other assets.
  • Account balances and minimum monthly payments due on all of your credit cards.
  • Account balances and monthly payments on all your other debts such as student loans and car loans.
  • Your most recent income tax return.
  • It may also be helpful to have: A letter describing any circumstances that caused your income to be reduced or expenses to be increased (job loss, divorce, illness, etc.), if applicable.

  You can also get free help and housing counseling from a local HUD approved counselor. You can find your local free housing counselor, here.

  Contact Your Mortgage Company

  Not sure if your mortgage company offers modification programs? Not all do. You can contact your mortgage company to ask them about mortgage modification programs you might be eligible for. Click here to find your mortgage company.

  NPV Calculator

  Want to know the net present value (NPV) of your home for the mortgage modification process? No problem, use the free NPV calculator to find out. The NPV calculator is right here.

  The calculator can be used by homeowners who have been denied a HAMP modification because of their NPV result or can also be used by homeowners prior to applying for a HAMP modification to help them better understand the NPV evaluation.

  No Advance Fees

  The Federal Trade Commission has a Mortgage Assistance Relief Services Rule which prohibits advance fees for mortgage rescue services or mortgage modification help.

• Repossession Advice

  • Repossession: Why it happens, what you can do, and your rights before, during and after repossession

• Saving Money

  • 6 Ways to Not Be a Broke Ass American After Kicking Your Debt
  • The Saddest Avoidable Mistake People Make When Getting Out of Debt
    

  • Odds Are You Are Going to Retire Hungry and Poor
    

• Student Loan Resources

  You can use the following student loan resources to help reorganize, discharge or forgive your student loan payments.

  The Overall Guide to Dealing With Student Loan Debt

  • The Ultimate Guide to Dealing With Student Loans You Can’t Afford

  Get Help For Your Student Loan Problem

  • Student Loan Help – Discharge, Eliminate, Settle or Adjustment Assistance

  Discharge Your Student Loans in Bankruptcy

  • How to Really Discharge Your Student Loans in Bankruptcy. Many Can. But Never Try.
  • A Look at Sallie Mae and Other Student Loans Discharged in Bankruptcy in 2012
  • Federal Student Loans Discharged in Bankruptcy. A Look at the Surprising 2012 Data and Cases.
  • These Private Student Loans Can Be Easily Discharged in Bankruptcy
  • All Student Loan Bankruptcy Discharge Articles

  Getting Sued Over a Student Loan

  • Being Sued for a Federal Student Loan? Don’t Panic. Read This!

  Private Student Loan Help

  • Top 10 Reasons You Should Stop Paying Your Unaffordable Private Student Loan

  Student Loan Default

  • How to Borrow Your Way Out of a Student Loan Default and Lower Your Payment

  Student Loan Forgiveness and Discharge Information

  • The Ultimate Guide to Dealing With Student Loans You Can’t Afford
  • Obama Student Loan Forgivess Program
  • Military Student Loan Forgiveness and Discharge Programs
  • Student Loan Forgiveness or Discharge Can Create a Huge Tax Bill. Watch Out!
  • Student Loan Public Service Loan Forgiveness – New Forms and Documentation Released
  • Government Student Loan Disability Discharge

  Watch Out for Student Loan Assistance Programs

  • Student Loan Assistance Rescue Scams On the Rise – Buyer Beware
  • Student Loan Assistance Report Out. Shows Danger of Such Programs.

  Administrative Wage Garnishment

  • The Easiest Way to Stop a Student Loan Wage Garnishment – Loan Rehabilitation

  Student Loan Consolidation Information

  • Student Loan Consolidation Payment and Interest Rate Calculator
  • Student Loan Consolidation Opportunities and the Best Way to Lower Your Student Loan Payments
  • Federal Direct Consolidation Loan Online Calculator

  Specific Federal Student Loan Repayment Program Information

  • Standard Repayment Plan
  • Graduated Repayment Plan
  • Extended Repayment Plan
  • Income Based Repayment Plan
  • Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan
  • Income Contingent Repayment Plan
  • Income Sensitive Repayment Plan

  Maybe College Isn’t the Answer

  • Maybe You Should Not Go to College

Get Out of Debt Guy – Twitter, G+, Facebook