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How would you avoid falling prey to scam credit repair companies?

Article by Justin scott

With numerous credit repair companies mushrooming all over, it may be difficult for you to differentiate the scams from the legal ones. Your credit score might demand that you get them rectified immediately but that should not mean that you resort to illegal means. Promises made by scam companies may seem extremely tempting especially when you have a disastrous credit report. However, the tried and tested ways, though time consuming, is the best approach to repairing your credit.

What are the signs of a scam credit repair company?

Of course there are signs, but it is for you to understand. When you are in deep trouble with your debt and credit report, and you come across a company that makes promises that sound too good to be true, beware! With the condition you are in, you might easily fall prey to the false promises made by such companies and lose out on a lot of money without even being helped by them.

Here are few signs to watch out for a scam company. A credit repair company is a scam if:

1) It asks you to pay up for their services even before you have received any service. According to the Credit Repair Organization Act, you cannot be asked by any credit repair company to pay until they have successfully provided you their services as promised.

2) The company insists that you should not contact any of the credit reporting companies directly.

3) They advise that you should dispute all the debts on your report irrespective of whether they are valid or not.

4) They do not let you know what rights you have as a debtor and what you can do to help yourself for free.

5) They tell you that you can get rid of all or most of the negative information on your report even if the information is current and valid and hence repair credit.

6) They advise that you create a new credit identity, a new credit report by applying for a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) and use it instead of your Social Security Number.

What would be the impact of following advice from a scam company?

If a credit repair company advises on how you can hide your true credit history is a violation of the Federal Credit Repair Organization Act. If you consciously follow illegal advice you could be charged and prosecuted for committing fraud.

What are the signs of a legitimate credit repair company?

Legitimate companies, first of all, do not make promises to repair credit that sound too good to be true. The next time you go company hunting keep this in mind. Here is how a legitimate company works.

1) They do not make false promises and will help remove only inaccurate information from your credit report.

2) Some companies might follow the State mandated ‘right of rescission’ periods where they allow a breather to you and do not charge you until the period gets over.

3) They offer comprehensive consulting on how you can become a better consumer and reduce your debts.

4) They are upfront about the fees that they charge and some companies may also provide an option to ‘cancel at any time’.

5) They have good relationships with creditors as well as the credit bureaus.

6) They will let you know that the process of credit repair can take from 3 -6 months and may even last 1 year.

7) They will tell you for free what are the things you, as a debtor, can do to help yourself in repairing your credit.

They will not be on the FTC watch list or even on their database of scam companies.

It is understandable how tempting it is to believe the false promises that the scam companies make, but it is also up to you to restrain yourself and act legally. It can be a little time consuming but, nevertheless, it is the best approach you can have in such a case. Wary consumers must realize that there can be serious implications if they commit fraud.

Find More Scam Reports Articles

by Alex E. Proimos

10 Tips to Avoid Atlanta Painting Scams

Article by Michael Giulianti

Spring and summer bring warm weather, barbeques, swimming and gardening. But this time of year also brings out Atlanta home improvement scam artists and Atlanta painters looking to take advantage of Atlanta homeowners. Shady Atlanta contractors come out of the woodwork as soon as the weather gets warm to prey on innocent homeowners.

Complaints against home improvement contractors are one of the most common complaints consumer organizations and federal consumer agencies receive. With over 0 billion spent in America each year, home repairs and improvement make an attractive target for scam artists.

Although the painting and roofing scam artists tend to focus on tornado ravaged areas such as Joplin, Missouri and the flood-ravaged Midwest and South, Atlanta is not immune to their tricks. They are often referred to as “travelers”, “painting gypsies” or “storm chasers”, similar to the “ambulance chasers” that plague the legal field.

Atlanta painting scam artists generally ring your doorbell and offer you a great deal on painting the exterior of your home, the interior of your home, repairing your roof or repaving your driveway. As reputable Atlanta painters, we’ve heard horror stories about houses painted with cheap grades of paint, roofs repaired with poor quality roofing materials and driveways reconditioned with motor oil and a small amount of asphalt. And these unscrupulous Atlanta contractors tend to prey on unsuspecting older adults, requesting a down payment on a job that is never completed.

Here are some tips for protecting yourself from unscrupulous Atlanta contractors:

1. Don’t do business with an Atlanta home improvement specialist that comes door to door. Legitimate, established and reputable Atlanta contractors tend to find enough work through word-of-mouth referrals, legitimate advertising, and the internet, that they don’t need to be going door-to-door to attract customers.

2. Do not let these door-to-door salesmen into your Atlanta home. They could be scoping out your house to see if anything is worth stealing.

3. Do not make large down payments to Atlanta painters, roofers or landscapers – the three fields with the most scams! DO NOT pay in full for a project before any work has been done.

4. Ask for references from friends, neighbors, family or check on the Internet or with the Atlanta Better Business Bureau to see if previous customers have reported complaints.

5. Ask for proof that the Atlanta contractor is bonded, carries liability insurance and provide worker’s compensation insurance.

6. The Atlanta painter’s business card should have a certifiable street address and office phone number. Be wary of those with only post office boxes and answering machines.

7. Require the Atlanta painting contractor to use a written contract that lists materials to be used, charges cost and start and completion dates.

8. Be suspicious of an Atlanta contractor who drives a truck with no company name and has out of state plates.

9. Do not fall for the “I want to use your Atlanta home as a model” scheme in return for a hefty discount. Established Atlanta contractors should have completed enough previous projects that they won’t need your job as a demonstration.

10. Avoid the “I can help you finance the project” ploy. Sometimes an Atlanta painter will suggest you borrow money from a lender the contractor knows. This could indicate a home-improvement loan scam, as the contractor may be getting kickbacks from the lender.

There are numerous reputable Atlanta painters and Atlanta home improvement specialists to choose from. Don’t be fooled by these Atlanta scam artists who perform substandard work. Do your homework and research Atlanta painters and Atlanta home improvements specialists thoroughly.

Image taken on 2008-05-15 22:40:58 by bkusler.
I’ve heard of stuffing envelopes, but I can not distinguish between fraud and legitimate. Has anyone encountered this, what should I check? Please help me out I’ve been looking on the internet and this just can not understand the scams!

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If you regularly use the internet, you’ve probably come across a people finder Australia services website or two. They promise to locate lost loves, missing family members, or old schoolmates.

Just pop in a name, pay a nominal fee and you’ll soon have your missing person’s contact information. Tempting, isn’t it? Especially if you’re someone looking for a people finder Australia service on a minimal budget.

When faced with this or any online offer that sounds too good to be true it pays to remember the old adage. Before you reach for your credit card step back and ask some practical questions. Despite new online security features and the presence of thousands of legitimate businesses, the internet remains a “buyer beware” marketplace.

The good news is there are legitimate people finder Australia services being offered online. They are not all scams, but it is up to you to identify those that are. Look closely at their websites to see what’s really going on. Bait and Switch

Internet sales and marketing schemes generate tremendous income for specialists world-wide everyday. How do they do it? Although their medium is the internet, many of these marketers still rely on tried and true sales techniques.

Consider the people finder Australia site that lures you in from a search engine with the promise of a “free” instant search. Since it costs nothing you’re convinced of its value. You jump at the chance to try it out by clicking on their link.

You type the name of your missing person into their search bar. Next you’re told “records” are available but you need to pay a fee in order to access them. The search itself was free, but the results will cost you. Bait and switch, plain and simple – if only people would recognize it!

What if you decide to pay? You may or may not receive some information about the person you’re searching for. There’s no guarantee about how dated or accurate results will be.

There’s usually no guarantee it will even refer to the person you’re after. In many cases, it’s the same information you could have found yourself with a free online directory. It sounded too good to be true, and guess what? It was. People finder Australia Ad-sites

People finder Australia ad-sites are a popular way internet marketers generate income. They are by no means as devious as outright scams, but they can mislead you and waste valuable time and money.

How can you recognize an ad-site? These websites literally bombard you with ads related to whatever you originally searched for. “Related links,” Google “adsense” ads, banner ads, or other advertisements cover the top, sides, bottom and even the middle of the home page.

Stop and think for a minute and you’ll see what’s really going on. If a legitimate people finder Australia service was being offered why would they direct you to another website?

Internet marketing experts strive to have their ad-sites rank among the first websites search engines direct you to. They earn their income when you buy products and services via their ads. It is up to you to decide if an advertisement link on an ad-site leads to a legitimate search service.

But were you looking to shop for people finder Australia products and services? Weren’t you trying to find someone? Distracting you from your main goal is one of the hazards of ad-sites. People Finder Australia Website Red Flags

In reality advertisements have nothing to do with a genuine people search. Legitimate people finder Australia services are not overly interested in advertisements because their profession occupies them.

There may be helpful links to other services included on legitimate people finder Australia websites. Other legitimate search services may even be advertised. But these ads are being placed there as a courtesy to help you succeed with your search. They are by no means the sole focus of your attention or part of a marketing scheme.

If you are interested in a service you see advertised on an ad-site that appears to be a legitimate search service, consider typing the url into your browser instead of clicking on the link you’re shown. Explore and evaluate each website independently to avoid being lost in the maze of people finder Australia marketing schemes.

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