Atlanta Bankruptcy Attorney Blog

Today, we give thanks for food, family and friends. Tomorrow, many of us are giving thanks for the Internet.

In the past few years, online shopping has revolutionized Black Friday and the rest of the holiday shopping season. Instead of braving long lines and crowded shopping malls on a quest for the best deals early Friday morning, we can find some of the same sales - and some better - from the comfort from our own homes. And it couldn't have happened at a better time.

With most folks already struggling to pay the bills, we don't have much to spare when it comes to shopping for Christmas gifts. Unlike traditional shopping, the Internet allows instant price comparisons, access to way more stores - and potential deals - than we'd ever be able to visit on foot or by car, and less temptation for spur-of-the-moment spending, since there are no distracting window displays or sales people (though those pop-ups can be annoying).

But as with any good thing, there's always a catch - in this case, online scams.

Continue reading "More Online Shopping Means More Online Scams This Season" »

If you've watched any amount of TV in the past couple years, you've probably caught the ads for FreeCreditReport.com. You know, where the guy and his band are in a pirate-themed restaurant or his parents' basement, singing about how his failure to keep an eye on his credit ruined his life. It's catchy, for sure, but it's not entirely truthful.

Despite the name, FreeCreditReport.com isn't actually free. Signing up to get your credit report also gets you enrolled in a credit monitoring program that charges $14.95 a month. Most customers don't even realize what they've signed up for -- before they know it, they're shelling out $180 a year (a big deal, considering the majority of folks are already struggling to make the mortgage).And the ones who knowingly sign up are led to believe that paying to keep monthly tabs on their credit is a good deal.

What they don't realize is that Uncle Sam offers a way better deal - absolutely free credit reports via AnnualCreditReport.com. That's because the government requires that each of the three major credit bureaus - TransUnion, Equifax and Experian - provide consumers with a free annual report.

Continue reading "Some Free Credit Reports Come With Strings Attached" »

When you find the right bankruptcy plan, it can almost seem too good to be true. You can get creditors off your back, prevent foreclosure, gain a realistic way to pay down debts and - if you stick with it - finally find financial freedom.

So what's the problem? Sometimes bankruptcy really is too good to be true. Though it can undoubtedly be a saving grace for folks saddled with debt, it can turn in to a nightmare if you fall into the wrong hands.

We're all aware that Americans carry a lot of debt - about $8,000 on average, to be exact. And some of the less honest among us use that fact to their advantage. A recent study by the Attorney General of New York found that 80 percent of online-based bankruptcy websites were scams. These companies prey upon the desperation of the financially-troubled, take their money and leave them further in debt.

So how do you tell the good companies from the bad? Watch for red flags.

Continue reading "Making Sure Your Bankruptcy Plan Isn't Too Good To Be True " »