Great Article from SmartMoney.com

1.”We’ll say anything to get you to pay.”

“You just need to pay me $1,200 by 2 p.m. or I’m going to send the sheriff out to arrest you.” That’s what one debt collector told a client of credit counselor Jan Jones, who works with the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Alaska. One woman in her 70s who fell behind on credit card payments was told she’d be deported if she didn’t pay right away, says Dafne Torres, director of operations for InCharge Debt Solutions, an Orlando, Fla., nonprofit credit-counseling service. While some collections agencies are courteous and professional, “a lot of them will say anything and everything they feel they can get away with it,” says Torres. View more here

2.”You can stop our calls.”

Phone calls are one of collectors’ most powerful weapons. But under federal law, repeated calls, obscene language, threats of arrest and threats of violence are all illegal. Consumers need only to send a collector a written letter asking the collector to stop contacting them, and the collector must comply.

view it here

Debt Collectors can be ruthless. Read this article below, this is against the law. You have rights, view them here http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre18.shtm 

By STEPHANIE HOOPS Scripps Howard News Service | 0 comments

The Federal Trade Commission has halted operations and frozen assets of a Southern California debt collection firm accused of threatening to kill pets, dig up deceased relatives, and a long list of other harassment complaints from across the country.

The business operated under a variety of names including Joseph, Steven and Associates and Specialized Debt Recovery.

According to the FTC, the business is accused of telling a woman who was unable to pay the balance due on her daughter’s funeral that they “were going to dig her up and hang her from a tree if she did not pay the debt,” and would take her dog and “eat him.”

An Iowa woman said she told the company they had the wrong person after repeated phone calls and was told if she didn’t send a check “they would fart in my face.”

In another instance, the FTC alleges the defendants contacted a mother with two special needs children and told her she should “sell her retarded children.”

In Van Nuys, the company operated as Commercial Investigations Inc.; Rumson, Bolling and Associates; Forensic Case Management Services Inc.; and Commercial Receivables Acquisition Inc.

The owner was David M. Hynes Jr., who ran it with his wife, Lorena Quiroz-Hynes; in-house attorney Randy Chang; and four other people, James Hynes, Kevin Medley, Heather True and Frank E. Lindstrom Jr.

The FTC called Lindstrom’s tactics particularly “devious.” They reported finding an email he sent that read: “Jesus paid his bills. Why don’t you? We have had this account for 4 months now. Not even $1. That is not what Jesus wants. That is why the Muslims are winning.”

Many of the employees working for the business were California Department of Corrections parolees. The defendants’ lawyer, Christopher Pitet, said they did a good thing by hiring them.

“My understanding is that they did it at the request of the state of California to help them find jobs so that they wouldn’t find their way back to the penal system,” he said.

Pitet said his clients deny the government’s allegations. The case is proceeding through the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

Pitet noted if employees did threaten things like digging up deceased relatives and eating pets it would have been unacceptable.

“If those specific things happened, they’re outrageous,” he said. “But if they did happen it was not the company’s policy.”

Former employee Edward Gonzales disagrees. He said employees were expected to do anything to secure funds, including using abusive and foul language.

“The leads on the floor left it up to you with suggestions on how to be forceful,” he said. “They loved confrontation because the longer you kept the debtor on the phone, the more likely they will offer some sort of monetary settlement to get you off the phone.”

The FTC halted the business’ operations on Sept. 30 and froze more than $800,000 held at bank accounts tied to the operation, after charging that its practices violated the Federal Trade Commission Act and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

A permanent receiver has been appointed to run the operation while the FTC moves forward with a federal case. After the FTC took over, the receiver wrote in his report that prohibited practices are ingrained in the defendants’ daily operations. Getting the business to comply with necessary changes “would require a sea change in the culture and all operational aspects of the business.”

What does Google give us as the top debt consolidation result? Dave Ramsey. Interesting article written by Dave on the misconception of Debt Consolidation. Here is an exert “Debt consolidation is nothing more than a “con” because you think you’ve done something about the debt problem. The debt is still there, as are the habits that caused it – you just moved it! You can’t borrow your way out of debt. You can’t get out of a hole by digging out the bottom. True debt help is not quick or easy.”

We tend to agree.  While everyone’s situation is unique, we feel Debt Settlement is a great option for some and worth exploring.  Learn about Debt Settlement by clicking here

http://www.daveramsey.com/article/the-truth-about-debt-consolidation/

ClearOne Advantage is now on Facebook and Twitter. We realize that social media is a great medium to stay in contact with our clients, business partners and vendors. You can follow us on Facebook by clicking here

For more information on ClearOne’s Debt Settlement program click here

You can follow us on Twitter by clicking here

With the fees going up, what other options do you have? ClearOne likes a few of these but we don’t necessarily agree with using your credit card instead of debit card. While it can lead to less bank fees, we caution people who have credit card issues. Interesting read non the less.

http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/113596/time-ditch-debit-card-smartmoney?mod=bb-checking_savings

by SmartMoney staff

Friday, September 30, 2011

What’s the least-friendly piece of plastic in your wallet? With Bank of America’s recent announcement that it will start charging for debit card use, upset customers might say there’s a strong argument it’s the debit card — and increasingly, there are better alternatives.

The change in debit card terms has been gradual. Most recently, Bank of America announced its plans to levy a $5 monthly fee for making debit-card purchases starting next year. Banks including Wells Fargo, SunTrust and Chase have already eliminated debit rewards programs, and Chase, PNC and TD Bank are testing ATM fees as high as $5 a pop in some markets.

Given the rising costs, consumers may be better off without debit cards at all, says Dennis Moroney, senior analyst covering bank cards at TowerGroup consulting firm. “I never understood why people wanted debit cards in the first place,” he says.

Credit cards can often be a better fit. Consumers who pay off their balances in full avoid expensive interest charges and fees, often while earning rewards of 1% or better. And as recent data breaches have highlighted, credit cards offer better protections than debit cards in the case of fraud or theft. (When debit cards are stolen, consumers risk losing everything in their checking account if they don’t report the theft before the card is used.)

Banks are also expected to start pushing prepaid cards as a debit alternative, says Odysseas Papadimitriou, chief executive at credit-card comparison web site CardHub.com. American Express became the first major bank to introduce one earlier this year. Of course, most of these cards aren’t free either. Users with the American Express prepaid card get one free ATM withdrawal each month, then pay $2 for each one thereafter — in addition to any fees the ATM’s owner might charge. The Green Dot Gold Prepaid Visa card may seem closer to a traditional debit card: For someone who signs up for direct monthly deposits of at least $2,000 and visits the ATM at least once a week, the card levies no additional fees, according to CardHub.com.

Remember cash? No fees or fine print, and more businesses are offering discounts for shoppers who use it. Of course, if it’s stolen, there’s no way to recover it. So even consumers who go cash-only should maintain a checking account with ATMs convenient to work and home, says Richard Barrington, an analyst at MoneyRates.com, which tracks bank rates.

For anyone who still really wants a debit card, smaller banks and credit unions may be the best alternatives. At online bank PerkStreet, for example, customers can earn up to 2% cash back on their debit purchases, as well as 5% on specific categories, like housing or dining, that change each month. (The bank has 37,000 ATMs throughout the country.) At Sovereign Bank, debit card holders get up to 20% cash back on purchases at more than 1,200 retailers, including Restaurant.com, TurboTax and Brookstone, which is then credited to their checking account.

Readers, would you pay $60 per year to use your debit card?

Here is a quick look at some top settlements we received this month for customers enrolled in last 6 months

These are completed negotiations.  Negotiations from the same time period that have not been completed are not factored into the %.   We would like to stress that these settlements are being achieved by the company, and not inclusive of all consumers or predictive results for any specific consumer.  Fees are not included on this and would increase total payback by 25%.

This program is not available in all states, individual results may vary and are dependent on successful completion of program and ability to save funds. ClearOne Advantage does not assume or pay any debt, nor does it provide legal advice or offer credit repair. Read and understand the contract terms before enrolling.

There are NO upfront fees and you do NOT pay our fee until we get you a settlement.

New Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rules regulating the debt relief industry took effect one year ago – changes that included the well-known advance-fee ban, prohibiting debt relief companies from collecting any fees until after a result has been negotiated for and accepted by a customer. Because of these FTC rules, the entire industry has changed – and continues to evolve – dramatically. In fact, combined with an uncertain economy, fears of another recession, and rising consumer debt, the industry is experiencing the most rapidly changing business environment in its short history.

http://www.insidearm.com/daily/credit-card-accounts-receivable/credit-card-receivables/the-changing-debt-relief-industry-one-year-later/

http://www.americanfaircreditcouncil.org/conduct.html

By
choosing to work with an AFCC member, you have chosen to work with an
industry leader that has agreed to provide services according to our
strict Code of Conduct.  If you believe the company you are working with
is not complying with any part of our Code of Conduct, please let us
know and we will promptly address the situation.

American Fair Credit Council (AFCC) Code of Conduct / Truth in Services

1.  Members
shall comply with all federal and state laws regulating credit advocacy
and debt relief services, including, but not limited to, the 2010 FTC
Rules for debt relief providers.

The FTC Rules, among other things, only permit fees to be charged after:
a.)  A written agreement is entered with a consumer;
b.)  A settlement or result is obtained; and
c.)  The consumer authorizes and accepts such result.

As
a matter of clarification, the AFCC cannot and will not make
determinations as to whether any claimed “exemption” to the FTC Rule is
valid.  Any company that is charging Advance Fees for debt relief
services will not be eligible for membership, regardless of the legal
validity of any claimed exemption.

2.  Communications with clients and the public shall be honest and truthful.

3.  Members shall work with the AFCC to maintain transparency and trust with the public.

4.  Agreements and services shall be conducted in good faith.

5.  Members
shall advocate solely for the consumer and shall not accept
compensation, fair share, contributions or donations from creditors.

6.  Fees charged for services shall be fair and reasonable.

7.  Representations regarding the services and potential outcomes of the service shall be fair and accurate.

8.
Estimates used in setting up a program for clients such as the total
cost and program length shall be based on historical and substantiated
data.

9.  Members
shall clearly and conspicuously disclose both the risks as well as the
benefits of credit advocacy to individuals enrolling in programs.

10.  Members
shall clearly and conspicuously explain what fees are charged for
services, how they are charged and when such fees are earned.

11.  Members shall protect the privacy of personal information of clients and prospective clients.

12.  In addition to the above, AFCC members shall abide by the more detailed AFCC Standards in their operations and dealings.

We named our company ClearOne Advantage because we believe in giving our clients a superior advantage when taking on credit card debt. Finding the best way to get out of debt can be an overwhelming experience. We strive to help our clients over come those obstacles.

Advantage is defined as “Any state, circumstance, opportunity, or means specially favorable to success, interest, or any desired end”.

So what is our Advantage?  Above all else, we offer our clients the absolute best opportunity to successfully manage this debt process.  ClearOne is on the cutting edge in Technology, Negotiation systems and Negotiation strategy to help resolve our clients’ debt issues.   We have over 40 years of combined experience in the financial services industry, creating business systems for over 20 companies.  ClearOne has been getting people out of debt since 2007 and we have have successfully negotiated millions in credit card debt for thousands of clients.  We talk to them every day and understand their financial situation.  The bottom line is we know our customers, we know what they are going through and we know how to be successful in conquering their Debt.

Through our vast experience, industry leading concepts and strategies, ClearOne gives our customers the best opportunity for success.

Advantage:  YOU!

Call us today if you have any comments or questions  888-785-5376 or go here to find out more www.ClearOneAdvantage.com/apply

Getting out of Debt can be overwhelming. First first part is realizing you need to do something. Just paying the minimum payments on credit cards is a loosing battle. So then what? Some people can manage this process on their own. We would be more then happy to sit down and explain how to settle your own debt. Some people have full time jobs, families, and other responsibilities that make this option pretty hard.  So if you come to the conclusion you need some help, what are your other options?

On our website we have a section that that shows you “Options for managing your debt”.  It is very helpful in making a decision.  What is going to be your total payback, credit impact, time to get out of debt?

http://clearoneadvantage.com/debt-relief-details/