Who authorized credit card companies and other creditors the right to charge us LATE FEES up to $35?
487475
The CC companies have the gov't wrapped around their finger.  They donate campaign funds to alot of house representatives, who in turn push the bills that help the CC companies hard.
879327
Yes.If they've gone to collections or an attorney then they're on your report(s) and marked key derogatory or 30,60,90,120 days late.Sometimes the creditor will sell these written off accounts to resurgent companies.At that point you should contact the resurgent company and dispute with all three bureaus.\nOnce you dispute an account that's sold or written off the creditor has no claim to it anymore and will not reply to the dispute.Then the bureaus will remove the information.I did this very same thing and am paying Capital Management only 2477.00 back on 7079.00.They buy these accounts for just a few cents on the dollar and don't report to the bureaus.Resurgent companies don't want your credit ruined.\nBankruptcy is the very last resort.It screws up your credit almost as badly,and yes these bankruptcies go on your reports.\nBarring any of this contact an agency(like the ones you see commercials for) and they can help reduce your payments.I have to do this with my evil ex-wife because I unknowingly married into 27,000.00 of credit card debt.I think we used Credit Guard but I try to think of that experience as little as my failed marriage
491556
Call your card company or bank and dispute the charges immediately, let them know the situation, they will take care of it. Also, contact the company that is making the charges and file a complaint with customer service. Finally, make sure to keep tabs on your credit report to make sure that they do not report you because you refused to pay the fraudulent charges. If it is reported to the credit reporting agencies, make sure you dispute it and send them documentation from your credit card company that you disputed the charges on your card and tried to resolve the situation. That way it will not affect your credit rating, and if it does you have proof that you took steps to close the account and collect the fraudulent charges months before. Be careful because the company could attempt to report you at any time in the next seven years.
351269
This is easy:  Next time they call just advise them that you are a consultant and your consultant fee is $5,000 dollars/minute (remember anyone could be a consultant on something).  Now that they have been properly warned, the next time they call they are formally soliciting and contracting your expert services and you can find them and bill them accordingly.  And should they NOT pay it you will refer them to a collection agency, etc.   This is well within your rights and totally legal, especially since you have proof (tel. company records) of their calls and have already filled complaints with the proper authorities.   That should hopefully take care of it.  Good Luck!
67259
Some companies use outside credit card processing companies to manage their accounts.  Any one who loans you money to make purchases for goods, etc., has the right to charge interest.  Interest rates are regulated by the federal government though, so there is a cap they can charge.
273814
A lot of collection agents like to pretend that they have filed a suit against you.  They even go as far as sending you a copy of the actual court papers (not yet filed with the courts) to scare you even more.  \n\nDid you know that it's against federal law for a collection agent to say he's going to sue you and not do it?  \n\nYou need to do two things right now!\n\n1.  Find out when the default on the credit card happened.  This is the actual date you became late on payments, NOT the last transaction that took place.\n\n2.  Go to the first link below.  It explains what the Statute of Limitations on debt is, and lists each state's SOL.  Your debt may be too old, and they can not legally recover it from you.\n\n3.  Read the next link.  It explains the Fair Dept Reporting Act.  In it you will find the part about what Debt collecters can and can't do.  It gives you information on how to file a complaint.\n\n4.  Might be nice to contact a lawyer and see if he's interested in pursuing a nice settlement for you.  Split the cost with him as his incentive.  I know several in my area who do that.\n\nGood Luck
287662
The ones with the most predatory practices.\n\nFind someone with a membership to Consumer Reports website and search for articles on which companies have been successfully sued for doing slimy things---like making payment due on a Sunday, when there offices are closed, then charging late fees on Monday when they come in and post the payments.\n\nAnd watch an episode of Frontline on PBS about the Credit Card industry.  Horrifying.\n\nAnswering your question more directly, as long as you have income and haven't done bad credit things (like make late payments to debts with interest, had a car repo'ed, etc.,) then companies will offer you cards.  Paying utility bills, landline phone bills late doesnt' hurt you.  Paying cell phone late does.  Also cable bill maybe. \n\nApply for an American Express card. Once you get it, you will get junk mail offering pre-approved cards that will follow you for the rest of your life.  Don't actually use the Amex card for anything, since you can't carry a balance on it, you have to pay it off at the end of every month.
46605
If the charge was taken from a credit card, the credit card company usually posts the telephone number of the company claiming the charge, next to the posted charge on your statement, so you should call for more information. \n\nOR\nSince Yahoo declines knowing anything about Yahoo America, request a letter from Yahoo, stating exactly that and provide the letter to the Credit card co, or who ever is making the charge or claim.
79400
Call the credit card company for advice.
457309
Yes.  What the company that charged off the credit card did, was to sell your contract (account) to the collection agency/attorney that is calling you.  They can take you to court and sue for a judgment against you.  If you own a house they can put a lien on it. They can also demand $35 a week (or the sum the judge says) until the debt is payed off. Or, attach your wages.\n\nYou do have rights regarding their right to call.  You could call your State Attorney General to find out your rights.  (I know, after a while you want to disconnect the phone and except calls from no one.  I found it very depressing.)\n\nThe best thing is to eventually negotiate a settlement with them.  I think it is better to do this before it goes to judgment.  Also, Stay up with the court procedures.  As soon as you get served go to the Court house and fill out the form "Appearance".  I think if you look like a fighter they will be more willing to negotiate to a lower settlement.\n\nI got a lot of help from:\n\nwww.creditinfocenter.com\n\nGood luck!
963826
You contact the credit card company and they investigate it. sometimes it can turn out to be a parent company of something you charged. at other times it can be an error. but for example i have a bank of montreal mastercard so if i have an error on my statement i call them. if you have a store card you would call the head office etc. check the back of your card and see if there is a number. if not look up their web site online.
1078964
Late Fees Many landlords charge a fee for late payment of rent. For a late fee to be legal, it must approximate the actual damage suffered by the landlord by receiving the rent late. Late fees must compensate; they cannot penalize. "Actual damages" might include lost interest on the rent, the cost of sending the tenant a letter requesting payment of rent or making a phone call, and any penalty the landlord was charged for making a late mortgage payment. In some instances, judges have upheld late fees up to $15-20/month.\n\nLate fees must compensate--they cannot penalize. If you think the late fee you are charged is too high, do not pay it. Send your landlord a letter stating that the fee is too high and does not approximate actual damages, and thus you do not have to pay it. (See our Sample Letters--Disputing Late Fee Charge.) Your landlord may try to evict you for non-payment of rent, or deduct the remainder of the fee from your security deposit. However, if your landlord does this, you can challenge it. (See also our information on Evictions and Security Deposits.)\n\n\nthis is a great site to have bookmarked.  hope you find a great place.
551271
I'm not sure how reliable it would be to get estimates from here. Your best bet would be to call up different firms that specialize in consumer credit litigation and ask them what they charge. Maybe also contact law society members who specialize in this area as well, to get a general idea of rates they have.
1140477
Start by reporting this to your credit card issuer. \n\nThen get a report from the major credit agencies: \n\nExperian   http://www.experian.com\nEquifax   http://www.equifax.com/\nTransUnion http://www.transunion.com/\n\nGet on it right away. You will be responsible for only $50 of illegal charges, but it takes time. Don't delay.
739430
There is nothing they are going to do that you can't do yourself.  Look up your specific issues on-line, learn, and apply the lessons to your issues.  When you get involved with these groups, there are hidden fees and costs, such as interest charged for longer length loans.  Read this:\n\nHere's another example, this one involving debt settlement. Let's say you have racked up $20,000 in unsecured credit card debts. You owe $10,000 to one credit card company, $7,000 to another one, and $3,000 to a third one. You agree to contract for a five year debt settlement plan where you pay $250 a month to the settlement company.\n\nSounds good, right?  After all, $250 a month for five years is only $15,000, so you're saving $5,000 and you'll be debt-free in just five years, right?\n\nLet's examine this arrangement a bit closer. The admin fee will cost you $750 up front. Your first three monthly payments go towards that admin fee and nothing gets put into your trust account until your fourth monthly payment has been paid. The settlement company takes the first $50 of your $250 payment every month as the service fee. That means that only $200 a month is actually being added to your trust account.\n\nMost debt settlement companies will claim to be able to settle your debt for about 1/2 of what you actually owe, so let's use the middle credit card debt as an example:\n\nIf you owe $7,000 on the account and the creditor agrees to accept $3,500 as payment in full, it will take you 8 months at $200 per month to have accrued enough cash in your trust account to pay off just that one credit card bill. But remember, your first three  payments to the debt settlement company only paid the $750 admin fee. That means your first credit card isn't really settled until 11 months after you started sending them money! So what is the problem? It's really very simple - Your creditor won't agree to accept half of your actual debt amount in settlement unless, or until, that amount can be paid in full. Otherwise, they'll expect you to make your normal monthly payments.
302225
Try to reverse the charge thru complaining to your credit card company, the reason is fraud or no good or service rendered, ecurves will contact you instead of you chasing after them.
1170570
Yes n if that person don't pay they WILL come after you for the money and it will ding up your credit if they are making no or late payments!  Think long and hard before you ever co-sign no matter WHO it is!