Board Certified Specialist in Bankruptcy
I recently ran across an article in the St. Petersburg Times involving a person in a Florida bankruptcy case who scheduled very few assets in his bankruptcy filing but conveniently forgot to tell his attorney about $35,850 in an account that he owned. A sharp-eyed Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee discovered the account. This resulted in the guy losing his account and being convicted of a federal … [Read more...]
People who can least afford to lose money are too frequently targeted by con artists. This video interview (below) with a Better Business Bureau executive highlights some of the prevalent scams that prey on people who are in financial difficulty.Our advice is if you are looking for employment and a company asks you to pay up front for ANYTHING, be wary. Call the Better Business Bureau in … [Read more...]
Increasingly, we hear from new clients that they have paid a substantial sum of money to someone who has promised to “stop a foreclosure.” Generally, these new clients tell us that they found “an agency” or “a law firm” online with an out of state address that advertises such services and requires an up-front, non-refundable fee. Behind the slick ads and promises When we ask for … [Read more...]
Unfortunately, companies touting their ability to "fix/lower/relieve income tax debt" are often in the business of helping themselves to the detriment of their clients.In the latest development, American Tax Relief of Beverly Hills, CA has been sued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for bilking customers of some $60-100m and siphoning off some $30m for its owners. While the FTC is … [Read more...]
Beware the "business consultants" and "business advisers" who promise small business owners and sole proprietors that they can take care of debt problems. Over the past few years, we've seen small business owners who fall victim to such scams. Anatomy of a scam Sometimes, small business owners come to us with tremendous business debts and and tell us that they hired an "advisor" or … [Read more...]
We've been writing a great deal lately about financial coping through a prolonged period of unemployment. If you feel you're alone in your financial predicament, here's a wider view of the national landscape.Below the chart, watch a video on preventing employment fraud schemes (from the Better Business Bureau). … [Read more...]
Older Adults Can Learn about Fraud Prevention at Senior Scene on October 5 Presented by the Better Business Bureau Consumer Foundation, Senior Scene will be held on Tuesday, October 5 from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at St. Stephen Methodist Church, located at 6800 Sardis Road, Charlotte, N.C. 28270.Senior Scene 2010 is Charlotte's premier event for information on Medicare fraud, prescription … [Read more...]
We've written extensively about the perils of using debt settlement companies here. Before dealing with one of these organizations, do your research. … [Read more...]
The kind of identity theft that most often leads to bankruptcy is perpetuated by someone KNOWN to the victim. The usual scenario involves someone knowingly allowing a friend, family member or associate apply for and use credit in his or her name, because the other person isn't credit worthy but agrees to pay the bills.Surprise: they don't.This video may help you prevent identity … [Read more...]
Bloomberg Business Week published an article on a new scheme for profiting in the real estate market during a time of unprecedented foreclosures. Back during the boom, people "flipped" houses by buying low and selling high. During the bust, that same premise is being used to "flop" houses through the use of short sales.In flopping, investors or home buyers hire brokers to assess a home for … [Read more...]