The three main credit reporting agencies (CRAs), Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, recently announced that this summer, they will remove certain types of medical debts from Americans’ credit reports and change how they report these debts. Medical debt is a major concern for many Americans. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) estimates that more than $88
A summarized guide to consumer laws and what to do if your rights are violated. If any of your rights listed below have been violated, it’s time to contact an attorney and start fighting for your life back. Fair Credit Reporting Act The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) protects the accuracy and privacy of your
With graduation comes adult life. You’re starting out in your career, getting a place of your own and… paying off those student loans. The good thing about student loans is that most of them have a grace period of six months after graduation; this gives you time to settle into your post-graduate life and start
Look out: many consumers across the country receive phone calls from fake debt collectors. These phone calls could include demands on repaying a loan you never took out or an amount within a loan that wasn’t what you originally took out, among other situations. The Federal Trade Commission warns consumers like you to be wary
Credit Report Errors can devastate and cost you big time! Credit report errors can lower your credit score. A low credit score can result in higher interest rates on your credit card bills, home mortgage, and student loans, denial of loan and credit offers, and affect your U.S. government clearance. Background check errors can result
It’s not uncommon for debt collectors to dish out empty threats to intimidate and pressure consumers into taking action on a debt. These threats are illegal and are used to get consumers to agree to make some kind of payment, even when there’s no proof of the consumer actually owing the debt. While there are
What is Zombie Debt? The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) defines zombie debt as “debt you think is dead, gone, and forgotten, but has somehow come back to life.” Zombie debt can be a result of a multitude of things, and knowing what it is, where it came from, and how to dispute it is critical.
A recent case against a debt buyer was decided by a Missouri jury, awarding the a Kansas City woman almost $83 million. The offending company was Portfolio Recovery Associates, which was accused of harassing this woman for 15 months. The company was charged with violating the Fair Debt Collections Act. This violation cost the company
PHILADELPHIA – A Pennsylvania man recently sued a Florida debt collection firm alleging consumer law violations in 2014. John C. Pawlowski Jr., of Southampton, brought a class action complaint against United Tranzactions LLC (UTA), of Miramar, Fla., and Janet Eden in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on April 28, alleging
A few months ago, I brought my oldest daughter for an x-ray to have her sinuses checked. The process went smoothly and I paid my copay and went on with my day. A month or so went by and I received a letter in the mail from the lab company stating that I owed quite