A tipster (send in your tips here) just sent this in. “Jon Ansbach is leaving USOBA to be general counsel/lobbyist for MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving).” I reached out to USOBA for a confirmation but at the time of this publication I had not heard back from them. I can always use your help. If …
The letter below was just added to the public record but as you can see, up to 7 days before the announcement of the new telemarketing sales rules, USOBA was still at it. What I find interesting is the new telemarketing sales rules apply to others and not just debt settlement companies but no other …
Yesterday I wrote about a statement that The Association of Settlement Companies (USOBA) made about the new consumer protection rules passed by the Federal Trade Commission covering debt settlement companies. Now today the other trade association, United States Organizations for Bankruptcy Alternatives sends out their press release on the new rules. First off, I was …
Peter Goodman from the New York Times had a piece published recently, excerpts below. It slayed the debt settlement industry as opportunists and harmful for consumers at large. Those that feel they offer a legitimate and fair debt settlement service are not going to like the long article much. But then again, the good guys …
There were some recent interesting meetings over at the Federal Trade Commission. These involved the proposed telemarketing sales rules the Federal Trade Commission is going to put forward. The first meeting was with representatives of The Association of Settlement Companies (TASC) and the United States Bankruptcy Alternatives (USOBA) in attendance. At the June 3, 2010 …
In a move that flies in the face of protecting consumers at large, the United State Organization of Bankruptcy Alternatives (USOBA) has enlisted the help of the following Republican Members of Congress to attempt to sway the Federal Trade Commission from issuing upcoming rules that will impact upfront fee debt settlement companies. The cover letter …
The State of Texas recently held hearings on proposed debt settlement regulation. I wrote about them indirectly here. The hearing was hours and hours long but what you are about to hear are the last two people offering testimony. The first is Jeff Meek who previously wrote that USOBA members were told to not work …
Reuters covered the hearing yesterday and published their take on the Senate Hearings on the debt settlement industry. Debt settlement Firms Rife with Fraud: GAO (Reuters) – A big percentage of debt settlement companies lie to and defraud people who contact them asking for help with credit problems, according to a GAO report and law …
If you are interested in the comings and goings of the debt settlement industry I think you’ll find the artcile in the New York Times titled “The Debt Settlement Industry Is Busy, but It’s a Bit Nervous, Too“, interesting. Noting “the legal firestorm that has subsumed the debt settlement industry” in recent years, Jeffrey Tenenbaum, …