Summary: <p>Are there rough seas ahead for you due to the pandemic? Foreclosures, bankruptcy, or predatory lenders? Our guest from the MS Center for Justice, Director of Consumer Protection, Charles Lee took questions for this podcast. <a href="https://www.mscenterforjustice.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.mscenterforjustice.org/</a></p><br><p><strong>Resource Information for Consumers</strong></p><p><strong>A resource on managing personal finances curing COVID19 for Mississippians created by the Mississippi State Extension Service.</strong></p><p> <a href="http://extension.msstate.edu/content/managing-personal-finances-during-covid-19" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://extension.msstate.edu/content/managing-personal-finances-during-covid-19</a></p><br><p><strong>Coronavirus and dealing with debt: Tips to help ease the impact</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/coronavirus-and-dealing-debt-tips-help-ease-impact/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/coronavirus-and-dealing-debt-tips-help-ease-impact/</a></p><br><p><strong>Sample Letters for Dealing with Debt Collectors</strong></p><p>The following sample letters will help if you’re experiencing common problems that may come up with debt collectors.</p><p><br></p><ul> <li> <a href="https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201307_cfpb_debt-collection-letter_1-not-my-debt.doc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">I do not owe this debt </a>.</li> <li> <a href="https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201307_cfpb_debt-collection-letter-2_more-information.doc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">I need more information about this debt </a>.</li> <li> <a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/f/201509_cfpb_debt-collection-letter-3_stop-contacting.doc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">I want the debt collector to stop contacting me </a>.</li> <li> <a href="https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201307_cfpb_debt-collection-letter-4_contact-my-lawyer.doc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">I want the debt collector to only contact me through my lawyer </a>.</li> <li> <a href="https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201307_cfpb_debt-collection-letter-5_heres-how-to-contact-me.doc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">I want to specify how the debt collector can contact me </a>.</li> </ul><p><br></p><p>If you use any of these letters, it’s important to do so as soon as possible after you’re first contacted, and to keep copies of any letters you send. In certain situations, you <strong>only have 30 days</strong> after you’re contacted to ask for certain information, but even if more than 30 days pass, it’s still a good idea to ask for what you need.</p><br><p><strong>Credit Reports</strong></p><br><p>Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 3 national credit reporting companies are offering free weekly online credit reports through April 2021.</p><p>Link to <a href="https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action</a></p><p>Through December 31, 2026, all U.S. consumers can also get six free credit reports every 12 months from Equifax by establishing a "myEquifax" account at <a href="https://my.equifax.com/consumer-registration/UCSC/#/personal-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://my.equifax.com/consumer-registration/UCSC/#/personal-info</a> or by calling 866-349-5191</p><p>.</p><br><p><strong>How to Dispute Errors on Your Credit Report</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-do-i-dispute-an-error-on-my-credit-report-en-314/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-do-i-dispute-an-error-on-my-credit-report-en-314/</a></p><p><strong>Resources to Help Consumers Avoid Scams</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/coronavirus/avoiding-scams/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.consumerfinance.gov/coronavirus/avoiding-scams/</a></p><p><strong>Tips to Cancel a Time Share Contract</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.debt.org/real-estate/timeshare-cancellation/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.debt.org/real-estate/timeshare-cancellation/</a></p><br><p><strong>MPB’s Money Talks </strong>recently had a representative from the National Foudnation for Consumer Credit. <a href="https://www.nfcc.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.nfcc.org/</a> You can hear their podcast from May 12th on their website <a href="http://moneytalks.mpbonline.org/episodes/money-talks-credit-counseling" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://moneytalks.mpbonline.org/episodes/money-talks-credit-counseling</a></p><br><p><strong>National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline</strong> at 866-720-5721 or via email at disaster@leo.gov _ </p><p> Report scams to the<strong> IRS</strong> at phishing@irs.gov</p><p><strong>The Federal Trade Commission </strong>also has information <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams</a></p><p><a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/scam-alerts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/scam-alerts</a></p><p><a href="FTC.gov/complaint" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FTC.gov/complaint</a></p><p><strong>The Mississippi Attorney General’s guide to Consumer Protection</strong> http://www.ago.state.ms.us/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Consumer-Guide-to-Mississippi-Consumer-Protection-Law.pdf</p><p><strong>CARES Act:</strong> <strong>Temporary student loan relief: </strong>All loan and interest payments are deferred through Sept. 30 without penalty to the borrower for all federally owned student loans. <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/03/26/821457551/whats-inside-the-senate-s-2-trillion-coronavirus-aid-package" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.npr.org/2020/03/26/821457551/whats-inside-the-senate-s-2-trillion-coronavirus-aid-package</a></p><br><p>Calls concerned:</p><ul> <li>time shares</li> <li>title problems</li> <li>housing</li> <li>warning about scams</li> <li>more scams</li> </ul><p>Attorney Charles Lee can be reached at the Mississippi Center for Justice at 601-352-2269 extension 104</p><br><p><br></p><p><br></p><br><hr><p style="color:grey;font-size:0.75em;"> Hosted on Acast. See <a style="color:grey;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://acast.com/privacy">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
