Seven Scams To Avoid When Recovering From Bankruptcy

Any bankruptcy lawyer worth his fee and weight in gold, knowledgeable and experienced in the field, application, specialty sector of the market, will tell you that the intricacies and complexities of the personal bankruptcy filing process, business bankruptcy or chapter 7 or 13 bankruptcy procedures, are nothing to tangle with lightly. It is not a welcoming, inviting world for newbies and novices, or those who are going the journey and challenges alone. Not only that, it is made more perilous by criminal elements taking advantage of fraud, scams and crime, to exploit, steal, lie and get what is not rightfully their to ask or take, by some scam or scheme.

Bankruptcy law requires a fair amount of scrutiny, scruples and wise discernment, especially during the recovery phases, when there are many unscrupulous elements and exploiters out to make a quick buck, off the misfortunes, desperation and angst of those who have faltered, fallen and could not successfully stave off or avoid bankruptcy. To them any straw or glimmer of hope seems worth embracing, even if it means taking a risk, against all odds, believing in something so ludicrous that someone in different circumstances might just see right through it, without any difficulty, but they do, can not or do not want to, do not care or have no choice and are taken advantage of, lied to, stolen from and left devastated with and by yet another setback.

Utilizing the specialty services on offer in the realms and arena of the big league bankruptcy attorney California talent-pool or bankruptcy Los Angeles specialist practitioners, might cost you some disbursements and fees down the line, when assets are liquidated, bills settled for quality and comprehensive bankruptcy services rendered and delivered. However, it will be totally worth it to protect you against some of the scams, fraudulent practices and outright misleading out there.

Do not be merely one more or another statistic, be taken advantage of, sign anything until you know and verify whom you are dealing with, what is at stake, check them with the better business bureau. If you have to and retain a qualified, licensed and experienced attorney bankruptcy law expert and insider, to handle all aspects of your filing, case and recovery, do so. You will not regret it.

Home equity loan bankruptcy candidates and prospects are especially vulnerable, as they are hooked into signing away their most prized possession and asset, their home!

Many online, fly-by-night, fronts and criminal rings tap into this ‘hidden’ market to take advantage of exploiting those desperate for a bankruptcy loan, look for financing for cars, homes and other ventures, in the post-filing bankruptcy phases and stages. (These can typically last up to 7-10 years on a credit report, affecting access and credit ratings, scores negatively. They then step in, looking like the ‘heroes that save the day, at exorbitant rates and terms, getting people to sign away their life savings, pensions, equity rights and assets, from a position of powerless, hopeless, despair and desperation, turning out to be the would-be thieves, loan-sharks and criminal wolves in sheep’s-clothing that they really are, just out to make a quick buck and take what does not legally belong to them.

One of the most common bankruptcy form offenses and misleading out there, is the purchase of a falsified, fraudulent, inaccurate, or false credit score. This is actually breaking the law and a crime that you can be prosecuted for, so avoid this practice in its entirety.

If you are an unfortunate candidate for filing bankruptcy, or you have gone through the process, protect your interests and well-being, not falling victim to identity thieves, loan sharks and unscrupulous opportunistic lenders, who want to exploit your circumstances and unfortunate fate, turn of events and slow, painstaking recovery.

In the current realty markets, with all the foreclosures, some markets are especially vulnerable, think of the seniors in Florida bankruptcy processes, at risk to lose their homes and life savings. Those after hurricane season, natural disaster left with nothing but bad debt and no options, or those with simply too much credit card debt, who opt to get representation in the sunny state from a reputable Florida bankruptcy lawyer, to handle all aspects of it, only to find that they have been sold down the river, by someone posing to be what they are not.

There are lots of money to be made in the cadres and halls of after bankruptcy recovery type markets, especially now in this downturn type economy that we are facing.

#1: There are bankruptcy car loan schemes, after bankruptcy car loan financing at exorbitant rates, that promises the world, for an arm and a leg and then some, making the real market for car loan after bankruptcy more complex than it has to be, for those recovering from bankruptcy themselves, making debt relief seem even more unrealistic than ever.

#2: There are emails and spam that enter your mailbox, (spammers), enticing you to consolidate your bills into one monthly payment without borrowing; stopping all credit harassment, foreclosures, repossessions, tax levies and garnishments; or wipe out your debts. These are then offered through the means of declaring bankruptcy, without the candidate or prospect being told that’s what it is. It is a last resort, not a quick fix strategy for everyone. Take care and be cautioned to pay special attention to all the long-term negative impact on your creditworthiness of these types of steps, filings and processes. There might also even be attorney fees that you will end up being responsible for and footing the bill. Read the fine print before signing anything and know whom you are dealing with.

# 3: Home equity, home collateral type loans are also being exploited right now in the uncertain, downturn, foreclosure, over-extended mortgage market we are in. This leads to making some extremely gullible, desperate and an open target to be taken advantage of, by criminals that approach them with ‘creative’ short-term financing, that only digs the hole of debt deeper. This results in owners losing the equity or deeds to their homes, being taken advantage, especially true and sad of those facing the challenges and obstacles so common surrounding this financial situation. No real solutions, just more heartache, debt and ruined credit, stolen identity and worse.

#4: Then there are the companies offering bankruptcy credit repair services under the guise to get your information, financial details, to ruin your credit, steal, conduct crime and leave you to sort out the mess and aftermath. There are no quick and easy ways to clean or wipe out a bad credit report; delete your bankruptcy record or create a new identity using a TIN or business tax number for example. These are all fraudulent practices. Remember, if an offer sounds too good to be true, in all likelihood it is or will prove to be down the line.

#5: Offering solutions that are downright criminal, but does not sound that bad. Getting a fake identity, effectively concealing any/your bankruptcy is against the law. It is a crime for which you can be prosecuted. Getting an Employer Identification Number (EIN) that you will use in your credit application instead of your social security number actually proposes fraudulent intent, which the dress up as a great way to get your life and finances, debt, credit rating back on par – they forget to mention that you might go to jail in the process (as this is a crime)

#6: Bankruptcy foreclosure fraud scams, taking advantage of yet another loophole in the system identified as many as five different kinds and rings of bankruptcy fore-closer type scams, in the L.A. area. This is but one and a recent example of how opportunistic these types of practices can be. There are trends in the market to file for bankruptcy to delay or defraud creditors, home lenders, without the clear intention and purpose to actually see it through and adhere to the requirements for obtaining a bankruptcy discharge or completing a repayment plan.

#7: Other scams to look out for are ways others get you to part with the little that you do have, pay off creditors that do not matter (taking the money, never paying your bills). NEVER pay anyone upfront money, or funds in advance. Do not give out any personal or financial information with which you do not feel 100% confident and comfortable.

There are exploiters and abusers of the processes too, both debtors and creditors trying to obtain more than they are entitled to under the Bankruptcy Code. Do not get roped into this by so-called professionals professing and advocating maximizing the retention of assets in bankruptcy, conceal earlier crimes, maximize profit, while leaving town with your riches and precious little recourse that you had left, taking with them means, opportunity, reputation and hope.

DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU! Get expertise on your side, be smart, cautious and use commonsense when recovering from bankruptcy. It is a long and painstaking process, but there are ways that you can deal with the challenges head on.