If you want to save the planet and save money by going solar, you need to do two things first. 1) Educate yourself about the types of solar energy available and which one may be right for you. 2) Be aware of typical scams and fraud and how to a

It’s April- Don’t be fooled by false threats from debt collectors!

Apr 9th, 2021 7m 9s

In this episode we discuss the false threats debt collectors often make to SCARE people into making payment on a debt when they don’t have the money- often at the expense of paying for rent, food, utilities and other necessary bills. We review

The Ides of March During the Pandemic- and Debt Settlement

Mar 18th, 2021 8m 32s

To Romans the Ides of March was a time for settling debt. The first new moon of the year at this time was also a time for celebration. While we are celebrating the widespread rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines, many are struggling with debt. In t

Yo-yo Car Sales and Financing- Don’t Get Caught in this Trap

Jan 29th, 2021 10m 55s

Many Car Dealers engage in a practice called yo-yo sales. They send you home thinking you have bought a car only to call you and say you have to bring it back because the financing “didn’t go through”. Learn the warning signs and what you can d

Beware of Early Wage Access Services

Jan 8th, 2021 10m 1s

Susan Ingles discusses early wage access programs that are becoming more common. Learn how they can really be just like payday loans and not worth the risk of getting into what really amounts to just another cycle of debt.

Nationstar Mortgage, LLC dba Mr.Cooper settlement

Dec 26th, 2020 6m 36s

SC Dept. Of Consumer Affairs and the Consumer Finance Division of SC State Board of Financial Institutions announce settlement of multi year investigation of state and federal laws. Tune in to find out what it means for you if your loan is serv

FTC cracks down on CBD product sellers

Dec 18th, 2020 4m 52s

The Federal Trade Commission announced the first 6 companies to fall victim to “Operation CBDeceit” enforcing rules against deceptive health claims by product makers that are unsupported by scientific evidence- here CBD -containing products.

Avoid COVID-19 scams offering vaccines, treatments & supplies or seeking your donation or investment

Nov 20th, 2020 13m 46s

In this episode we review 7 scams surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and 7 ways to avoid them. Don’t let your fears, desire to help or need for investment returns cause you to let your guard down. Scammers really come out of the woodwork when di

What Lenders Say to Get You to Borrow- Top 10

Nov 13th, 2020 10m 42s

Lenders who lend money at high interest rates use these top ten statements and more to convince you to borrow from them. Take your time to think about what it really costs and whether you will be able to pay it back.

Economic Impact Payment registration deadline extended for non filers

Oct 9th, 2020 4m 31s

If you aren’t required to file an income tax return due to the amount of your annual income, and you haven’t filed a return for 2019 and don’t plan to, you can still register until Nov. 21, 2020 to receive an Economic Impact Payment

Loss Damage Waiver product results in violation of Consumer Financial Protection Act

Oct 2nd, 2020 8m

Lobel Corporation entered into a consent order with the CFPB last week requiring it to pay $1,345,224 to car loan borrowers and a civil money penalty of $100,000 for unfair practices related to the Loss Damage Waiver agreement it requires borro

CFPB enters Consent Enforcement Orders with 8 Mortgage Companies that targeted Veterans

Sep 25th, 2020 8m 34s

This episode reviews a recent sweep by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that resulted in 8 mortgage companies agreeing to enforcement orders. The companies were targeting veterans and military service-members with mailers that contained

Foreclosure Moratorium Extended to December 31, 2020

Sep 18th, 2020 14m 16s

Congress has extended the foreclosure moratorium on federally backed mortgage loans contained in the CARES Act to December 31, 2020. This episode explains what that means, how to find out if your mortgage is covered and also how to get a forbea

CDC issues Eviction Moratorium until Dec. 31, 2020

Sep 3rd, 2020 8m 35s

Find out if you qualify and what you need to do NOW to get the benefit of the CDC’s moratorium on evictions if you can’t pay your rent right now.

Beware of scammers impersonating power companies and threatening to cut your power

Aug 21st, 2020 9m 37s

This episode describes the scam where you get a call from a utility threatening to cut off service if you don’t pay within an hour using store bought debit cards or gift cards. If this happens to you, ask yourself- - does the power company oper

It’s Shark Week - Avoid these Dirty Dozen scams, ripoffs and abuses

Aug 14th, 2020 6m 29s

Predatory lenders target people who are already in difficult financial situations. In this episode we list 12 scams, ripoffs and loan abuses that can take a bite out of your financial transactions.

Credit Reporting During The COVI-19 Pandemic

Aug 7th, 2020 18m 43s

Rules about credit reporting under the CARES Act when a creditor provides you with an accommodation on payment

New Robocall Law To Provide More Protection for Consumers

Jan 3rd, 2020 7m 49s

TRACED The Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act.

Gift Cards are for Gifts, not for payments! Never get duped into paying a scammer with a gift card.

Dec 20th, 2019 9m 5s

It’s the season of giving and many of us give gift cards. Watch out for the other use of gift cards. Ways that gift cards are used in scams where scammers demand payment by gift cards are examined.

Federal Trade Commission Shuts Down Advocare’s Illegal Pyramid Scheme

Oct 18th, 2019 9m 3s

On October 2,2019 the FTC announced a 150 million dollar settlement w/Advocare in which the company, its CEO and 2 top promoters are permanently banned from multilevel marketing and “distributors” may get some of their money back.

Know Your Rights in auto warranties- express or implied

Oct 4th, 2019 8m 18s

This episode reviews your rights when it comes to car warranties. They can be express or implied and even disclaimed by the dealer or manufacturer.

Post Disaster Financial Problems

Sep 6th, 2019 11m 55s

Learn about the 9 financial issues you may face after a natural disaster and what you can do about them - common themes as compiled by the CFPB from what people called them about after experiencing a natural disaster.

Extreme Debt Collection by the SC Dept. of Revenue

Aug 22nd, 2019 17m 34s

Find out how the SC Dept of Revenue can collect gov't and quasi gov't debts from you using set off of your refund, wage garnishment, liens and levies. We see this most often with medical debt collection for public hospitals.

State law relief from student loan servicer abuses

Aug 16th, 2019 6m

Recent cases have addressed state law relief on student loan servicer abuses and the issue of federal preemption. These recent cases and a list of reported servicer abuses are discussed in this episode.

HOA Complaint Process in SC

Aug 9th, 2019 10m 16s

This episode reviews the SC Homeowners Assoc. Act, the requirements of HOAs and it’s provisions for filing a complaint about disputes with the SC Dept. Of Consumer Affairs.