“Congratulations, you’ve won a free Chrystler”

“I’m about to die and want to give all of my money away before I pass.  All I need is your bank account number”

If you’re like me, you’ve received these phone calls or emails before.  My hope is that you’ve completely ignored them.  They are SCAMS!

The scams above are probably pretty obvious for the average person to pinpoint.  However, some aren’t so obvious.

Target is a very popular store, and it’s been in the news recently for it’s data breach.  Now there’s a new Target scam.

This scams offers a $25 store credit at Target for taking a survey – this seems very practical and easier to fall for than the examples above.

So, what are you to do in a world full of scams and hackers out to get you?

Question things…be cautious.

Mitch Lipka, consumer columnist for Reuters, Boston Globe, Boston.com and MSN Money, offers three tips in his Consumer Alert:

 

    • Don’t believe what you see.  Scammers use technology to make emails and phone calls appear to come from a reputable source.  Just because it looks credible does not mean it’s safe.
    • Be wary of unexpected emails that contain links to attachments.  As always, do not click on the links or open the files in unfamiliar emails.
    • Watch for bad grammar: Typo-filled text messages and emails are usually a dead giveaway that it’s from a scammer, not a corporation.

 

A man in Memphis recently fell for a scam when trying to pay off his high MLGW bill.  This man was struggling to pay his bills and was offered a shortcut from a source he didn’t know, claiming to be associated with the Shelby County Community Services Agency.  The man fell for the scam and fell even deeper in debt.

Be wary of scams and don’t take unexpected and unnatural offers to help pay your bills.  If you’re struggling and have bills you just can’t pay, consider a much safer option. If you are considering filing for bankruptcy, or would like to explore other options around resolving your debt, please call a leading bankruptcy law firm Memphis, TN residents have been relying on for over a decade.

A bankruptcy can help and it’s nothing to be afraid of.  By filing bankruptcy, you can either discharge or pay back your bills via an affordable payment plan.  Once your bankruptcy is finished, you have a clean slate and can re-establish and rebuild your credit the right way.

At Darrell Castle & Associates, we can help you with this.  We can offer a free 14-week program, “7 Steps to 720” that will teach you how to rebuild your credit.  This program is free for our clients.

Let us help.

If you’re struggling to pay your bills and you’re considering bankruptcy, or if you have any questions, please contact us today.  Contact us online or call us at (901) 327-2100 and one of our experienced Memphis bankruptcy attorneys will be ready to speak with you, free of charge.