Chapter 13 – Watch out for scams

June 6, 2009
>> Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, Scams

This post is intended to let you know about a particular kind of scam to watch out for, especially for debtors in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy case.

In a nutshell, scammers often try to take advantage of people who are in need of a job. This affects people who have filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy (or are considering filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy), because Chapter 13 is a form of repayment plan. And to make a Chapter 13 repayment plan work, you need to have some sort of steady income, i.e., a job.

As a result, if a person loses his/her job, or if they’re worried that they might lose their job, then suddenly the pressure to find a job becomes very great. Because if the trustee in a Chapter 13 case finds out that the debtor no longer has a job, they can invalidate the debtor’s case. And if one of the purposes of filing Chapter 13 (rather than Chapter 7) was to protect a home, then you can see how this can turn into a very troublesome situation.

It’s this weak point that a good scammer exploits.

How do you know if you’re being targeted by a scammer? Here are some things to watch out for:

non-professional e-mail addresses (e.g., yahoo.com, gmail.com, aol.com, etc.)
toll-free phone numbers (but no local phone number)
addresses with a P.O. box
no website
and of course any offer that sounds too good to be true.

No matter how much pressure you’re feeling or how worried you are about your situation, always do your due diligence, and always check with someone you trust, such as your lawyer. Bankruptcy lawyers see these situations all the time and we can spot a scam from a mile away, so don’t be afraid to ask if you have some doubts or concerns.

If you’re considering filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy attorney Brooklyn NY and you’re looking for good information about bankruptcy in New York, please feel free to contact me or any of my colleagues at Rosenberg Musso & Weiner LLP (http://www.nybankruptcy.net).

Brooklyn Bankruptcy, Chapter 13, Foreclosure, Scams

Rosenberg, Musso & Weiner, L.L.P
26 Court St # 2211
Brooklyn, NY 11242, USA
718-855-6840
http://nybankruptcy.net/

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