Creditor Harassment

Debt Collectors Stoop to New Low: Credit Cards in Exchange for Expired Debt

02/11/12

Debt Collectors Offering Credit Cards With a Catch… Just when you thought debt collectors couldn’t get any lower, that they couldn’t be any more obnoxious or unethical, they started offering credit cards in exchange for paying expired debt. Yes, you read that right. The Wall Street Journal recently ran a story outing the relatively new tactic [...]

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I’m Not Current on May Car Payments, Do I Have Options in Chapter 13?

02/06/12

When you are considering bankruptcy, you have often been behind on payments for months.  You have run up credit card debt, and missed payments on your car and mortgage.  And now, perhaps your lender is threatening to repossess your car.  What are your options in Chapter 13 bankruptcy? In Chapter 13, unlike Chapter 7, you [...]

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Wells Fargo Account Freezing Okay in Some States, Not In 9th Circuit

01/30/12

Wells Fargo Freezing Accounts of Bankruptcy Debtors For years, Wells Fargo has taken an unusual and sometimes unpopular stance with regard to the bank account funds that bankruptcy filers have at their branches.  Every evening, Wells Fargo checks the notices of new bankruptcy cases, and freezes the bank accounts of people who have filed bankruptcy [...]

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Debt Buyers Must Follow Rules Too, Says Missouri

01/25/12

When credit card debt goes bad, banks sometimes sell it to vulture investors at a steep discount.  The vulture debt buyer then often tries to sue on the account to collect more than they paid.   And their lawsuits are often the final straw forcing folks bankruptcy, where the debt buyer usually wants a share of any repayment too.

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How Bankruptcy Stops Collection Calls

11/14/11

The Automatic Stay in Bankruptcy Those who find themselves struggling financially are often the unfortunate victims of creditor harassment and incessant phone calls. The calls can get so bad that families are often forced to leave their  phone off the hook at dinner time. By definition, bankruptcy involves waving the white flag in the face [...]

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Bankruptcy Filings Lower in Arizona Than Last Year

11/09/11

Bankruptcy Filings Lower in Tucson, Arizona and Phoenix, Arizona Than Last Year   Arizona bankruptcies have been declining in number for the last 9 months.   Statewide filings fell 23 percent in October of 2011, and overall bankruptcy filings are down 13 percent from 2010 so far this year. Bankruptcy has been filed more than 106,000 [...]

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Ten Things to Consider When Talking To Debt Collectors

11/04/11

No one enjoys repeated phone calls from mysterious numbers with voice messages containing the following: “we are calling to discuss an important business matter concerning [you!]” .  There are a few things to know when speaking to a debt collector that can help you understand your rights and their motivations. 1. Debt collectors are not [...]

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Credit Card Lawsuit Defenses

10/10/11

So you have been sued and are wondering what to do next.  The first thing aside from having a lawyer review the Complaint is to carefully read everything yourself and determine how long you have to file an Answer at the Courthouse to avoid a default judgment.  Most credit card lawsuits end in default judgment [...]

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Debt collector who built fake court room files for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, read Michael J. Covatto’s bankruptcy documents

06/30/11

The now infamous debt collector with the fake court room has become a Chapter 13 bankruptcy debtor himself.  After facing a lawsuit by the Attorney General of Pennsylvania and a hospital upset for millions in possibly uncollectable debts because of his actions, he has filed Chapter 13 bankruptcy to apparently to avoid the case in [...]

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Depression, Financial Ills and Bankruptcy

06/24/11

Recently in San Diego, two extreme examples of apparent financial woes have led to tragic ends. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jun/07/services-held-two-familie... http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jun/22/court-documents-show/ I am not trained in the matters of the impact of financial burdens on one’s mental health. I am a counselor, however, a counselor at law. As such, one of my primary duties is to listen to [...]

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