You are viewing the printer-friendly version of Credit CounselingCredit CounselingIf you do decide to seek help from a consumer credit counseling agency be very careful. Some agencies claim to be nonprofits but charge you big fees and make promises they can't keep. Any company that makes these promises is probably lying:We can eliminate your debt Pay us and we'll pay your bills Pay us a percentage of the bills we get rid of; No company sues over unpaid bills We can have bad credit taken off your credit history Use our system and you'll avoid bankruptcy Don't talk to your creditors any more If you hear any of those promises, steer clear of the company. To check out a consumer counselor, the best thing to do is to contact your state attorney general (http://www.fraud.org/info/links.htm). The Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/fiscal.htm) has more information on how to tell if a credit counseling company is on the level. aa |