Are Debt Settlement / Debt Negotiation Companies Legit or a Load of Crap? And... What Has Made the Curadebt BBB Rating PLUNGE!? |
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...See The BBB Reports on These Companies Below!... Besides Curadebt, see also what the BBB has to say about CareOne Credit Counseling Services - Comparing the Curadebt and CareOneCredit.com BBB report is very interesting, indeed!
...Is Curadebt a Scam? ...Why Has CareOne Received an A+ from the BBB?
YOU DECIDE after reading the report I made and the questions I bring up about the BBB ratings, below!
...Whether it's business OR consumer debt solutions you seek, IT DOESN'T MATTER ...ALWAYS Do Research Before Buying Into ANY Credit Card Debt Elimination, Debt Settlement or Debt Consolidation Service!
Fallen Into a Debt Trap?Debt Stress Getting to be More Than You Can Take?
Need Help Now?
If You are Desperate to LEGALLY Eliminate or Reduce Credit Card Debt, whether it be for your Business or Personal Debt ...Be Careful of SCAMS.
...Because Credit Card Debt Elimination Scams Succeed Due to People's Desperation!
I conducted personal research on the BBB reports of two of the top U.S. companies that LEGALLY eliminate or reduce credit card debt - Curadebt, and CareOne Debt Relief Services (also known as CareOne Credit Counseling).. I also do ongoing periodic UPDATES on these BBB reports..
...And the February, 2010 Results Are In:
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REPORT - Curadebt BBB Rating Takes Dive in November (and STILL Hasn't Recovered its Excellent BBB Rating) - WHY?...
After a routine check on August 11, 2009, when Curadebt had a BBB rating of A+ (the highest rating the BBB gives), I found on another routine BBB ratings check (done on 11/14/09) that the BBB has given Curadebt a rating of D!
That is a shocking drop for a company who has continuously received A's and A+'s by the BBB in the two years that I've been monitoring their ratings, now isn't it?
As I look at the BBB report, I see that the Curadebt complaints HAVE gone up a little since that August '09 report. HOWEVER, the increase has not been dramatic. The August report that I published on this website was that Curadebt had 7 complaints against it in the previous 36 months, and the BBB gave Curadebt an A+ rating at that time.
Now, approximately 6 months later, the 2/02/10 BBB report states that Curadebt has 12 complaints against them - an increase of 4 complaints since August. But when you consider how many people are in financial desperate straights right now, and that many other debt settlement companies have well over 100 complaints against them in the same time period, Curadebt actually looks very good.
Here is the statement on the BBB website about why Curadebt is given this rating:
"Based on BBB files, this business has a BBB Rating of (now) D- on a scale from A+ to F. Reason for this D- rating include:
* BBB concerns with the industry in which this business operates."
(End Quote)
...Why doesn't this say anything specific about what Curadebt did to receive such a poor grade, instead of about the "industry"?
CareOneCredit.com Has More Complaints than Curadebt, Yet a BBB A+ Rating
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The BBB received 87 complaints about CareOne Debt Relief Services over the same 36 months as were made against Curadebt, which had just 12 complaints.
So why does the BBB drop Curadebt's grade from an A+ to a D and CareOne receives a grade of A+, when THEY received 75 more complaints? Plus, CareOne is in the same "industry", so why aren't all companies in that industry receiving a poor grade, if it's just the BBB's "concern about the industry"?
...Does that make any sense??
So, Is Curadebt a Scam? ...Is CareOneCredit.com a Scam?
To me, these conflicting BBB ratings only confuse me more about making a decision about whether these are scams or not. My current inclination is that if the state in which they reside or the FTC hasn't shut them down or filed suit, they must have some legitimacy (I would think, anyway, wouldn't you?).And with CareOne Credit service's current A+ rating with the BBB (as of 2/2/10), I would be inclined to think it's not a scam (just my personal opinion). You never know, though, any or all of these debt companies may be in the BBB's Shit List to receive poor grades, for all we know - but on what basis?
And unless I hear something more substantial about Curadebt's rating drop, I have to still think they are legitimate (again, just my opinion) due to their very low complaints level, compared to the rest of the industry. (but YOU must make up your OWN mind about what companies are legitimate or not, however. - I'm absolutely NO EXPERT).
I will continue to monitor the BBB ratings of these companies, but honestly, I don't see anything in the BBB report that has warranted Curadebt's rating drop.
* Click for Official Curadebt BBB Report
* Click for Official CareOne Credit Counseling BBB Report
NEW!!
Have Something You Want To Say About Debt Settlement Companies, or Debt in General? ...TELL US ABOUT IT!
Have you had any experience, GOOD or BAD dealing with debt settlement companies? Have you had an experience with debt that you'd like to tell readers about, or advice that has or has not worked for you? Share it!
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Want some more outside information on credit card debt elimination and on how to Legally Eliminate or Reduce Credit Card Debt? CLICK HERE for a good, objective article on what to look for in Commercial Debt Management and for consumers who want to Legally Reduce Credit Card Debt.
* FTC's Guidelines for Fair Debt Collection
DON'T BE a VICTIM!
There are dozens of debt reduction scams, debt settlement scams, debt consolidation scams, debt relief scams, debt collection practices scams ...you name it. They prey on your vulnerable emotional state of desperation. They advertise an offer that looks too good to be true (and usually is) - and all you have to do is pay a hefty fee.
Don't Fall For It!
Don't fall for credit card debt elimination scams that say they will wipe out all of your credit card debt by pulling some legal trick that no one else knows about (or some other too-good-to-be-true trick). Don't you think every "legitimate" debt relief company would be using these methods? The scam companies will take your money with a smile and RUN!
Scam Company Characteristics to Watch Out For:
- No Better Business Bureau (BBB) affiliation to prove reliability and good track record. They may post things like a Dunn and Bradstreet or Chamber of Commerce logo that any company can get. (Note: not all non-BBB members are scam companies, however, it makes you pause and wonder if they are legitimate and among the best debt negotiation or credit card debt elimination companies, doesn't it?)- If you talk to a scam company on the phone, they may promise a certain amount of money that you will save, but the contract will make no mention of a guarantee. ...GET IT IN WRITING!!
- Charge a flat commission on your debt instead of on the amount that they actually save you.
- Suggest you sign up for a credit counseling debt relief program where they consolidate debt and pay your debts in full with high interest (if they pay at all after receiving your fee).
- Suggest that debt consolidation doesn't appear on your credit report - ...it does.
- Get you started with what they say will eliminate or reduce credit card debt --- and you never hear from them again.
- Actually get you deeper in debt because behind the scenes they aren't doing a thing.
Companies that LEGITIMATELY and Legally Eliminate or Reduce Credit Card Debt Just Help You Sleep Better!
Other Things to Look For In Legitimate Credit Card Debt Elimination Programs and also Commercial Debt Management Programs:
- No Flat Fee - MAKE SURE you are only charged a commission on your debt savings. That way, no debt savings means no payment to the debt settlement company.
- A WRITTEN GUARANTEE of what you will save in their credit card debt reduction program (if you are accepted into the program).
...Only the Best Debt Negotiation Companies Offer All of These!
One Drawback of Almost ANY Debt Settlement and Credit Card Debt Elimination Program is that Uncle Sam Will Tax Your Debt Savings...
* One thing you need to know about any debt settlement agreement (and to LEGALLY Eliminate or Reduce Credit Card Debt in the process) is that Uncle Sam (the U.S. Govt) is probably going to want his share of your debt savings by requiring it to be taxable income.
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(Note: Click Zero Interest Credit Cards for another debt relief option.)
Also, see Zero Percent Credit Cards News, for the latest news on this type of credit card.
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