ComputerHunter.org |
|
|
|||
|
 |
The Credit Card Debt Termination Scam
"Legally terminate credit card debt! You can be debt-free in 4-6 months!" Advertisements like this are for a new type of program that has spread via the Internet over the past few years. It's called "Credit Card Debt Termination," and victims are paying $1,000s for this bogus service. One victim I spoke with lost more than $15,000! In this article, I'll review the principles behind this program and explain exactly why it's a scam to be avoided. First, let's get our definitions straight. The scheme I'm describing here should not be confused with Debt Consolidation or Debt Settlement (also known as Debt Negotiation), both of which are legitimate and ethical methods for debt resolution. The easiest way to distinguish the Credit Card Debt Termination scam from other valid programs is based on the central claim that you really don't owe any money! With Debt Consolidation, you pay back all of your debt balances. With Debt Settlement, you pay back a lower amount (usually around 50%) while the creditor agrees to forgive the remaining balance. However, with the bogus Credit Card Debt Termination program, promoters claim that you won't need to pay anything at all (except their outrageous fees, naturally). They make the surprising claim that you can legally wipe away your debts simply by using their super-duper magic documents. Based on some legal mumbo-jumbo, the claim is made that you really didn't borrow any money from your creditors! In order to understand this scam, a little background is necessary. Remember the tax protest movement back in the 1970s? People were claiming that the IRS tax collection system was unconstitutional, and based on their misinterpretation of the tax code, they refused to pay taxes. The IRS came down hard on the tax protest movement, and through the court system, they blew holes in all the legal arguments put forth by the protesters. The Credit Card Debt Termination scam is a lot like the tax protest movement. In fact, among collection professionals, it's called the "monetary protest movement." Just like the tax protest movement, there is a common theme that runs through all of the promotional materials issued by the monetary protestors. The basic idea is that our Federal Reserve monetary system and generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) do not permit banks to loan out their own money. Therefore, according to their interpretation, the credit card banks are the ones running the scam on the American public. Stay with me here, because the logic is pretty strange. If a bank cannot lend its own money, how does a credit card bank extend credit? The claim here is that your credit card agreement itself becomes a form of money (known as a promissory note) the moment you sign it. The idea is that the bank "deposits" your agreement as an asset on their books, and then any credit you use is offset as a liability against that asset. In other words, the core concept here is that you literally borrowed your own money from the credit card bank. So let's say your balance with ABC Credit Card Bank is $10,000, which you borrowed against the card to make everyday purchases. The scam promoters say all you need to do is notify the bank that you want your original "deposit" back. However, you will permit the bank to offset the amount you borrowed against the amount you have on "deposit." Presto! You don't owe the balance anymore! Now, as you can imagine, the banks don't take kindly to such tactics. Many of the consumers using this technique are getting sued by their creditors. But the scammers have more tricks available, as if the "smoke and mirrors" financial nonsense wasn't enough. One of their techniques is the use of bogus "arbitration" forums. Arbitration is of course a legitimate system that allows businesses and individuals to resolve disputes without going to court. What do the scammers do? They coach people on how to set up a fake arbitration forum, for the express purpose of making a dispute against their creditors! Naturally, the creditors will not send representatives to some non-existent arbitration forum, so the consumer gets to rubber-stamp their own arbitration award. If they get sued in a regular court, they present their bogus award to the judge in the hopes that the creditor's lawsuit will be dismissed. There are other techniques used by promoters of this scheme, but the key point to remember is the central claim that your credit card debt does not really exist. Of course, it's all nonsense based on a misinterpretation of our monetary system, and if you step back and think about for a minute, the truth seems pretty obvious. What these scammers are saying is that the entire $700 billion credit card industry is operating on an illegal basis! Even if the legal theory used by the promoters were true (which it isn't), do you think for a moment the government would allow this giant industry to go under? That's exactly what would happen if the promoter's claims were proven true and used on a widespread basis. The Federal Trade Commission, which has jurisdiction here, hasn't stomped on these con artists yet, but it's only a matter of time. Unfortunately, in the meanwhile, consumers are being bilked out of millions of dollars for a worthless program that will only get them into deep trouble with their creditors. If you are approached by someone offering to wipe away your debts using this system, I strongly recommend you run in the other direction while you hold on tightly to your wallet or purse. Remember, you can eliminate your debts if you take a disciplined approach to your finances, make a budget and stick to it, and don't use your credit cards unless you can pay off new balances in full each month. Good luck in your financial future! Charles J. Phelan has been helping consumers become debt-free without bankruptcy since 1997. A former senior executive with one of the nation's largest debt settlement firms, he is the author of the Debt Elimination Success Seminar?, a five-hour audio-CD course that teaches consumers how to choose between debt program options based on their financial situation. The course focuses on comprehensive instruction in do-it-yourself debt negotiation & settlement designed to save $1,000s. Personal coaching and follow-up support is included. Achieves the same results as professional firms for a tiny fraction of the cost. http://www.zipdebt.com/article2
Google News - Top Stories
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Dont Drown Your Debts, Manage Them! Are you among the millions of people who have found themselves unable to make even the minimum payments on credit cards and other unsecured debts? If so, there is relief in sight. It is no longer necessary to keep paying constantly but never really make any progress towards reducing or eliminating your debts. You can manage your debts, reduce the amount you pay each month, and begin to decrease your balances. Debt management organizations are an excellent place to start when you are searching for way to become debt free. Stop Debt Collectors Can you stop debt collectors ? . . .You better know you can Are You Beating Up On Yourself About Debt? When you hear the word "debt", whats the first thought or feeling that comes to you? For most people debt is "bad" or it becomes the "enemy" and is something that should be avoided like the plague. Debt Elimination If you're reading this article right now I'm sure that you are looking for a debt elimination system that will help you get out from under you personal mountain of debt. Hopefully you're not looking for the magic pill that will suddenly dissolve your debt problem. I'm afraid that I have to tell you that there is no magic debt elimination system. Debt Handling Solutions Sometimes debt can seem overwhelming. In those instances, or even before things get that far out of hand, get back to basics and try some of these debt handling solutions. Debt Collectors; And what you can do to Get Them Out of your Life FTC opinion letter on validation Section 809(a) of the FDCPA, 15 U.S.C. § 1692g(a) Purchase Your Future Now While It Is Still Inexpensive Leaving school, getting a new job, or even a raise at your current one, has most people considering their next great purchase. Few think about the affect this could have on their future. Rather than pay down the debt they carry, many ponder, "What can I buy now"? The greatest purchase anyone can make is their future. Debt is The Master of Souls Wholeness requires separation. In order for you to experience yourself as being whole, you spend most of your live experiencing being separated, trying to get back to wholeness. Debt Relief with this Simple Formula Is there a way to get out of debt without getting a second job or having to increase your income in some way? Can the average person take his or her current income and pay off his or her bills in a matter of a few years, including the car and mortgage payments? How to Reduce Your Debt in 5 Easy Steps If you have incurred substantial personal debt, consider these options: budgeting, debt consolidation, credit counselling from a reputable organization and working with your creditors. You will need to choose a debt reduction method that will work best for you? The method you use will depend on your level of debt, how much spare money you have, your level of discipline, and how quickly you want to get out of debt. New Bankruptcy Law Will Not Protect You from Identity Theft Recently passed by Congress with overwhelming support, the oddly-named Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act was designed to eliminate "bankruptcy of convenience." The perceived problem is that many compulsive gamblers, shoppers and drug users often run up huge debts on easily available credit cards with no intention of paying their bills. A relatively easy bankruptcy filing through Chapter 7 of the Federal bankruptcy code wipes all the debts clean and gives the debtor a fresh start. Studies would suggest that most people who file for bankruptcy are actually suffering from sudden illness, job loss or some other catastrophic event, but the law was passed just the same, and debtors will now have to repay at least a portion of their problem debt when the new law takes place in October, 2005.A provision of the new law that was not well publicized is the fact that the law applies to any debt, including debt which has been incurred through theft of the debtor's identity. If someone steals your credit card, or driver's license, or both, and runs up a huge amount of debt by posing as you, then you will be held responsible for the debt. Identity theft has become an increasingly large problem in the last few years, but the new legislation should make everyone aware of the problem associated with identity theft. While a determined thief can probably steal anything, a few simple steps can make it harder for someone to steal your identity.:Shred your documents. There are plenty of thieves that will sort through trash, looking for credit card receipts, bills and any document that has your signature. If you are throwing away financial documents, shred them first. Shredders can be found at any office supply store for a reasonable price. Don't give out your Social Security number to anyone unless it is absolutely necessary. Congress originally intended that the Social Security number not be used as a national identity number, but over the years it has become just that. If someone with whom you are doing business asks you for your number, inquire as to whether it is absolutely necessary that they have it. Providing the number may not be required. A thief can obtain a lot of information about you if they have your Social Security number. Guard it carefully.Don't carry more credit cards with you than is necessary. It's rarely necessary to carry 20 credit cards in your purse or wallet. Go through them and see if you can't keep a few in a secure place at home.Check your credit report once a year and look for suspicious entries. It typically takes nearly a year for someone to find out that their identity has been stolen. Look out for loans or large purchases that you don't remember making. Never give out personal financial information, especially credit card numbers, to someone that you don't know on the telephone.A few simple steps, practiced regularly, can protect you from identity theft. More importantly, these steps can protect you from having to repay thousands of dollars of debt that some thief might run up in your name. Your identity is your most valuable asset. Protect it carefully. What is Debt Settlement and How Does it Work? Debt settlement involves negotiating with a creditor or creditors to pay off a percentage of your total debts at an agreed upon settlement amount. Often, people choose to utilize the services of a debt settlement company rather than attempting to do it on their own. Debt settlement companies traditionally employs various negotiation strategies to help settle your debts and can eliminate between 40-60% of your original balances. Start Small and Your Wealth Will Get Bigger We've all heard the phrase, "You have to start somewhere." Nothing could be truer of creating wealth and prosperity in your life. Sometimes the idea of becoming wealthy can seem so overwhelming that we don't know where to begin. After all, if we're up to our eyeballs in debt or barely making it, how can we possibly think about getting wealthy? Debt Recovery Can be Easy OK, so you are up to your head in debt. You are stressed out, it is now affecting the way you function and absorbing most of your daily thoughts. You have no idea what to do. Is Independence Overrated? Happy Independence Day from The Money Motivator! Ten Ways to Get Out of Debt 1) Use your Assets Debt Help and Advice for the UK At some time or another during our lives most of us will overspend and get into debt. Sometimes we can get our finances back on an even keel by cutting down on a few luxuries. The Effects of Consumer Debt Consumer Borrowing Bankruptcy Abuse Bankruptcy is little more than a smack on the hand these days. Creditors are certainly not going to look at you as a wise credit risk after bankruptcy, but that will probably not stop them from extending credit to you anyways. It seems a bit odd that consumers appear to be rewarded for skipping out on their debts through bankruptcy. Assess Your Financial Attitude and Eliminate Your Debt Forever Want to know if your attitude towards your finances is helping you or damaging your future? Take this Quiz and find out...
|
|
|
|
|
