Credit Card Debt Advice: Honest Debt Resolution Help: Settlement: Counseling: Bankruptcy
Need Debt Help? Confused by Debt Resolution Options? Get Unbiased Credit Card Debt Advice to Find Honest Debt Settlement Programs, Credit Counselors, and Bankruptcy Attorneys
Today marks the day that Debt Settlement companies can no longer charge fees upfront before they actually settle a debt for their clients. As I was reflecting back on the last few months leading up to this change, my thoughts turned to John Ansbach who represented The United States Organization for Bankruptcy Alternatives (USOBA) and sort of became the face of the movement against the upfront fee ban. I certainly don’t envy the job he was required to do. He […] Read more »
Credibility – The quality of being believed or trusted. How does a debt settlement company acheive credibility among consumers? It seems to me that there are two ways. Option number 1 is to be honest, provide a great service for a fair fee, put the needs of your client above the needs of your own and over time you will naturally build credibility as the number of satisfied clients grow and word gets out. Option number 2 is to purchase […] Read more »
An Emperor who cares for nothing but his wardrobe (Debt Settlement Companies) hires two weavers (TASC and USOBA) who promise him the finest suit of clothes from a fabric invisible to anyone who is unfit for his position or “just hopelessly stupid”. The Emperor cannot see the cloth himself, but pretends that he can for fear of appearing unfit for his position or stupid; his ministers do the same. When the swindlers report that the suit is finished, they dress […] Read more »
If I had to guess, I would say that I am probably unanimously disliked by every Debt Settlement company who is a member of TASC and USOBA and pretty much most of those who are not. Spend 5 minutes on my blog and you will know why. I call it like I see it, and what I see is a whole bunch of bullshit programs ripping off consumers. What really gets me going though is when these guys pretend that […] Read more »
For the past few weeks I have really been scratching my head and trying to figure out just what the heck is going on over at TASC and USOBA. It seems as if they are the only ones that didn’t get the memo that the days of the rip off, “front loaded fee” debt settlement company are over. On one hand you have USOBA running around telling any legislator that will pretend to listen that “front loading” their fees is the only way debt […] Read more »
I recently read the Debt Settlement Consumer Protection Act of 2010 and I have some major concerns about how this bill will effect consumers in a negative way. Much of the opposition to this bill is coming out of very low credibility organizations like TASC, USOBA, and rip off settlement companies concerned that they will be shortly run out of town. I certainly see a lot of finger pointing going on between the settlement and the credit counseling industry. From […] Read more »
A few days ago a debt settlement salesperson went into a public forum and basically told me I was full of it for saying TASC and USOBA are not really looking out for consumers. As evidence, he claims that he was secretly shopped by TASC and it was found that he didn’t lie to the undercover consumer. Now I have never said TASC and USOBA didn’t do anything. Some of the requirements they have are certainly better than nothing. Of […] Read more »
If you only have the time to read one of my articles pertaining to debt settlement, then you must read this one if you are considering hiring a debt settlement company. I believe that we are about to witness a mass exodus of debt settlement companies closing their doors and leaving their existing clients in very bad financial shape. I have been warning consumers for years that these companies who front load all of their fees are very bad news. It seems […] Read more »
Currently the FTC is considering a proposal to Ban the large upfront fees that most debt settlement companies charge. USOBA – The United States Organization for Bankruptcy Alternatives, recently submitted testimony to the FTC that such a ban could put up to 84% of their member debt settlement companies out of business. USOBA is a trade association for the Debt Negotiation Industry. They claim membership of about 200 debt settlement companies. Since most Debt settlement companies incorporate a similar advance fee […] Read more »