Beware of Credit Repair Scams in Pennsylvania
If you are facing overwhelming debt or have even filed for bankruptcy to eliminate it, you may be vulnerable to scams claiming to repair your credit report or remove bankruptcy and liens from your credit file.
Credit repair companies can help you get back on track financially, but be sure to do your research to make sure they’re reputable before you give them any information. Credit repair scams are all too common, and can take many forms. Here are some of the warning signs to be wary of if you are seeking credit repair, or contacted by a company claiming to offer it:
1) 900 or 976 numbers. Many credit scams will have you call a 900 or 976 number, for which you can be charged $50 or more.
2) Email advertisements. If you get an email from a credit repair company that you didn’t request, ignore it. Scam companies will often send email that looks official.
3) Upfront charges. Legitimate companies will never require payment before any service is provided. If a company asks for an upfront fee, it’s a scam.
4) Claims that only the credit repair company can change information. If a company tells you only the company can change accurate information on your credit history, or remove inaccurate or old information, it’s a scam. Your credit history is actually updated by your private credit bureau.
5) Claims that the company can change poor credit history. If you have poor credit history, even if only because of unemployment or illness, only time will improve it. Only inaccurate information, or information from before the seven or ten-year reporting period, can be erased.
6) Requests for your checking account number. Some scams may advertise easy credit approval or low interest rates, and then ask for your checking account number as certification. They can then take unapproved money out of your account.
7) Blank forms. Never sign any blank paperwork or provide personal information on it. This is a common form of identity theft.
To check out a company that purports to repair your credit, contact your local BBB, state or local consumer affairs agency and state attorney general to find out if any complaints or legal actions have been filed against it. You should also consult a skilled Pennsylvania debt relief lawyer.
Contact us at Harold Shepley & Associates at 1-866-284-7062 or visit us at shepleylaw.com.
May 6, 2015 Posted in Debt Tagged credit repair companies, debt repair scams, debt scans Leave a comment
