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Consumer Law

Alabama Consumer Blog

Covers news and events dealing with consumer law in Alabama.
By M. Stan Herring

Post Frequency: 2.8/day

Last Entry: March 29, 2011 at 19:05:21

Lawsuit Against Experian's "Free" Credit Reports

Posted on March 01, 2010
Our friend Denise Richardson of givemebackmycredit.com has posted an article about a lawsuit against Experian, also known as FreeCreditReport.com. The suit alleges that Experian "knowingly and deliberately" advertises free credit reports, yet they are not actually free...

"Bogus" Foreclosure Claims

Posted on February 26, 2010
The Sarasota Herald Tribune has posted an article about the rising problem of uncontested, bogus foreclosure claims. "Bulk-rate foreclosure firms" are cutting serious corners and filing "sloppy documents with unverified and false claims." They usually get away with it, too, because for the most part, foreclosure claims aren't contested and the documents are seldom even skimmed...

IRS Warns Of Tax Scams

Posted on February 25, 2010
Silive.com has posted an article about the a warning from the IRS concerning scams during the tax filing season. Scam artists are using the IRS logo, name and other devices to impersonate the agency and thus obtain your personal information for the purpose of identity theft...

Higher Foreclosures Mean More Lawyer Misconduct

Posted on February 23, 2010
The Associated Press has posted an article about the direct relationship between lawyer misconduct and the rising numbers of foreclosures. Crooked mortgage lawyers have certainly leveraged the mortgage crisis for their profit. This is a nationwide problem, but the article specifically mentions the investigation of 400 attorneys by the California Bar...

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Options For Debt Collection Attorney Fees

Posted on February 23, 2010
The California Debt Blog has posted an article that gives a basic overview of the different types of attorney fees and how they can relate to a debt collection/creditor harassment case. A Contingency fee is mainly used for personal injury cases and isn't common in debt collection cases...

"New Wave Of Foreclosures By End Of 2010 Is Feared"

Posted on February 21, 2010
The Los Angeles Times has posted an article about a growing concern that the number of foreclosures will continue to go up in 2010. High unemployment is still making it hard for people to pay their mortgages and it's difficult to receive help from the government instigated programs that are supposed to help keep people in their homes...

Mistakes To Avoid When Dealing With A Debt Collector

Posted on February 21, 2010
Our friend Denise Richardson, of givemebackmycredit.com, has posted an article that gives 5 helpful tips on what to avoid when dealing with debt collectors and debt collection agencies. #1. Doing Business Over The Phone: If dealing with a debt collection agency, there's a good chance you'll end up in court and will need proper documentation of your dealings with the agency...

Obama Administration Knew Foreclosure Programs Weren't Working And Did Nothing

Posted on February 20, 2010
The Huffington Post has posted an article that that discusses how the Obama administration has chosen to ignore some of the problems resulting from the many foreclosure programs that were instigated last year. The administration has chosen to ignore the rising numbers of foreclosures and mortgage delinquencies and has not interfered with making mortgage companies reduce the amount owed by mortgage owners...

Irritating A Judge Is Never A Good Plan

Posted on February 16, 2010
Business Insider.com has posted an article about a truly strange idea a man had to help a judge "reconsider" his verdict. Judge Robert Gettlemen had found Kevin Trudeau, an infomercial pitchman, in contempt of a court order, for $36.7 million, for using deceptive tactics to market a diet program...

Incorrect Address Leads To Wrong Home Being Foreclosed

Posted on February 16, 2010
TampaBay.com has posted an article about an outrageous home foreclosure case. In 2005, Massachusetts couple Charlie and Maria Cardoso spent their life savings to pay for their future retirement house in Florida in cash only to have Bank of America seize the house, remove their belongings and change the locks five years later...

Homeowners Not Getting Loan Modifications

Posted on February 13, 2010
Our friend Denise Richardson of Givemebackmycredit.com has posted an article that discusses why most homeowners aren't taking advantage of the massive government spending that is supposed to stall foreclosing and make homes more affordable. Homeowners seeking a loan modification are often met with difficulties from the government programs supposed to help...

5 Debt Transfer Mistakes To Avoid

Posted on February 13, 2010
Our friend Denise Richardson, of givemebackmycredit.com, has posted an article with five common mistakes that consumers make when transferring debt. Transferring your debt from a high interest credit card to a new card with lower interest should raise red flags...

Consumers Paying Credit Card Bills Instead Of Mortgages

Posted on February 10, 2010
Yahoo! Finance has posted an article about the rise of consumers paying their credit card bills instead of mortgages. A recent study developed by TransUnion found the percentage of Americans who were current on their credit cards but behind on their mortgage increased to 6...

Deputy Constable Tries To Illegally Collect Debts

Posted on February 10, 2010
KFOXTV.com has posted an article about a deputy constable in El Paso, TX who allegedly tried to arrest a man (illegally) for not paying his bills from renting equipment from Buddy's Home Furnishings. "He told him that he owed Buddy's [Home Furnishings]," said Scott Vogelmeier, an attorney representing the man...

Mortgage Lenders Still Go After Homeowners Even After Foreclosure

Posted on February 09, 2010
CNN Money.com has posted an article about how you might still be pursued by mortgage lenders even after your home has been foreclosed. If a foreclosed home sells at auction for less than what the mortgage is worth, the former homeowners are responsible for the difference...

Debt Collection Through Text Messages

Posted on February 08, 2010
The CL&P Blog has posted an article about some companies beginning to use text messaging as a form of debt collection. This method has some conflicts with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act's regulations on debt collectors disclosing themselves. Some of them, like the validation message required under section 1692g, are only required within five days of the initial communication, and so can be sent in other ways, but under section 1692(e)(11), all communications must disclose that the communication is from a debt collector...

Difficulties Getting Mortgage Modifications

Posted on February 04, 2010
The New York Foreclosure Law Blog has posted an article about some of the difficulties that consumers face when seeking a mortgage modification. Difficulties with banks seem to be the most common. Banks are generally not equipped and are too understaffed to deal efficiently with the large numbers of modification requests sent in over the past year...

Risks Of Using Social Media

Posted on February 03, 2010
Yahoo!Finance has posted an article that gives insight into how social networking websites can work against you in several situations, including debt collection, employment prospects and scams that can lead to identity theft. Jobseekers should automatically assume that potential employers will do a Google search of their name and often social networking sites are some of the first results...

Four Reasons To Contact A Foreclosure Defense Attorney

Posted on February 03, 2010
MortgageLawNetwork.com has posted an article that gives advice on when is the right time to contact a foreclosure defense attorney. Andy Miofsky, author of the article, lists four circumstances where it might be in your best interest to contact a foreclosure attorney...

Common Traits Of Identity Theft Victims

Posted on February 01, 2010
Yahoo!Finance has posted an article that discusses traits that victims of identity theft have in common. Experian, a credit bureau, has conducted a study that indicates identity thieves go for "affluent suburban consumers" who often live in higher-income neighborhoods with few renters and own one or more new or luxury vehicles...

300 California Law Firms Investigated for Mortgage Scams

Posted on February 01, 2010
MortgageLawNetwork.com has posted an article about a recent investigation into accusations against about 300 California law firms that were involved in loan modification scams, according to a California Bar Association report. "Typically, homeowners facing foreclosure complain that they paid attorneys who then did nothing to help them keep their homes...

Florida, A Non Judicial Foreclosure State? Well.....

Posted on February 01, 2010
The mortgage companies want it to be. Right now Florida, unlike Alabama, is a judicial foreclosure state which means the mortgage companies and banks that want to foreclose have to prove their case in court. They don't like to do this. Because they usually can't...

Alabama Foreclosures Up 156%

Posted on January 30, 2010
The Birmingham Business Journal has posted an article about the huge rise in Alabama foreclosures. Nearly one in every 107 households in 2009 was dealing with a phase of foreclosure. Foreclosures have risen 257% in Alabama since 2007. Ourbroker.com has also posted an article that further elaborates on the massive rise in foreclosures nationally...

Identity Thief Sentenced To 16 Years in Prison

Posted on January 30, 2010
BusinessWeek.com has posted an article about a recent identity theft case. Leonardo Darnell Zanders was convicted for helping to lead a ring of identity theft that caused $1.5 million in losses to financial institutions, including Ben S. Bernanke, a Federal Reserve Board Chairman, and his wife among the victims...

The Problem Of "Shadow Inventory"

Posted on January 26, 2010
American Banker has posted an article, written by Kate Berry, about two possible outcomes of the current mortgage crisis. Several hundred homes thousand homes have been repossessed and are n the process of foreclosure, and several million homes that have already been foreclosed...

Tips To Clean Up Your Credit Score

Posted on January 26, 2010
Forbes.com has posted an article with tips you can use to clean up your credit score. First, get your credit report. However, be cautious when obtaining a copy as many advertisements for a free credit report can be scams. The Fair Credit Reporting Act enables you one free credit report a year from three major agencies...

Four Major Mortgage Companies Remain In Debt

Posted on January 25, 2010
The New York Times has posted an article about the current financial states of Fannie Mae, The American International Group, GMAC and Freddie Mac. Despite receiving massive amounts of money in government bailouts, the companies are still not able to begin to repay the debt...

Second Mortgage Problems

Posted on January 22, 2010
The CL&P Blog has posted an article that discusses the problems with homes that have two mortgages facing foreclosure. First mortgages are usually held by investors in "mortgage backed securities" whereas second mortgages are held by "banks on their own balance sheet...

Lesser-Known Factors Affect Your Credit Report

Posted on January 20, 2010
MSN Money has posted an article about "secret" ways that lenders keep track of your credit score and gauge what kind of customer you would be. Credit scores aren't the only things that companies look at. "You're being judged by the type of transactions you make, how you pay your bills, how much profit you generate for your lenders and a host of other factors...

"Securitization Is A Problem For Mortgage Workouts"

Posted on January 19, 2010
The CL&P Blog has posted an article based on The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's 3rd quarter report on foreclosures and mortgage modifications. The report discusses how it is more difficult to get a mortgage modification with a securitized mortgage than with "mortgages held on the lender's own books, known as "portfolio" loans...

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