US LEGAL AID - PARALEGAL STAFF SUPPORT LLC - uslegalaid.net - JEREMY MARCUS DEBT ELIMINATION Internet***Editor’s Comment:  Ripoff Report has learned that Paralegal Staff Support - US Legal Aid has been, or is actively being, investigated by authorities.

I worked with Jeremy and didn't see any issues with anything he did. This report above is concerning, although I didn't see any of these issues with working with Paralegal Staff Support. What is odd is that the website for this company no longer works. Did it go out of business? I am sure he has moved onto other things. If you see this signature then you know you are working with him.

The debt industry seems to be pretty tough to crack. Even if this report is false, I know there are plenty of shady companies out there. I would read with caution if I were you.

Elimination of Credit Card and other Unsecured Debt



The question regarding the  Elimination of Credit Card debt is one which many Americans are somehow confused. Companies like U S LEGAL AID are set up to take advantage of the same inherent weakness that got subprime /unqualified unsecured borrowers into Credit Card debt in the first place.



The first question one has is "What type of person willingly would give a 'boiler room' telephone operator their SS#, full Banking details or full Credit Card details? 



The answer is unfortunatly a desperate fool. One who might believe that not paying the Creiditor and being told (verbally) to actually stop* paying the creditor (*although a written contract hereby suppiled states to the contrary). The desperate fool may be told to log and report each time the Creditor attempts to collect the due debt on the basis that the Creditor is breaking a law and may be fined thus.



Further, the desperate fool may be shown the enormous penalizing fines that Creditors have  settled with customers after years of Federal Investigations into incorrect charges, fees other practices that Credit card issuers have been found guilty of. Inquiry with both the FTC and Federal bodies reveal that there are no individual penalties or fines levied against Creditors for correctly attempting to collect debt due to to them. 



Further, a company may claim that by their relationship with an Attorney (s) that Creditors will no longer receive collection attempts due to a Dispute status. Ths is also misleading as the recordings clearly provide telephonic evidence that references to a Power of Attorney are clearly incorrect. 

In the specific case of U S LEGAL AID: The Legal Club of America is available to anyone that subscribes:  www.legalclub.com/Default.asp. Inquiries are to be made. 



In summary: U S LEGAL AID purports to eliminate unsecured credit card (and other similar unsecured debts) by having its clients cease paying the Creditor (recorded evidence), (although its lengthy contract states to the contrary); the Client is told that U S LEGAL AID performs a forensic auditing of the Creditors files seeking ways to penalize and fine the Creditor for conducting business as usual. U S LEGAL AID purports to bring about an elimination of customers debt by the aforementioned Penalty's and Fines. This is a gross misrepresentation, one that simply adds a further monthly payment burden to U S LEGAL AIDS customers as well as further endangering the customers credit score due to the nature of this maliciously created confidence trick.



Other examples exist here:

http://voices.yahoo.com/debt-elimination-scams-156793.html?cat=3

http://www.fraudguides.com/consumer_credit_card_debt.asp

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/debt/20031212a1.asp

   

Further, The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (USA) has this to say about Debt Elimination and all Fees's paid prior to performance:



Unlike legitimate legal companies who work with debtors to help them responsibly repay their debts, debt elimination scammers promise to make you debt free in exchange for a modest upfront or membership fee that they simply pocket.

Victims pulled in by these schemes will certainly lose that fee, but they may also lose property, incur additional debt, damage their credit rating, risk identity theft, or face legal action. To learn more, read Answers about Debt Elimination and Fraudulent Schemes or visit the Bureau of Consumer Protection on the Federal Trade Commission Web site.



Further, Jeremy Marcus is a prior felon with a public journal of arrest. Taken with the above it does not seem likely that customers of U S LEGAL AID will fare well eliminating credit card debt.



All my opinion FWIW









Letter on "Debt Elimination Scams"

BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE

FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

WASHINGTON, D. C. 20551

DIVISION OF BANKING

SUPERVISION AND REGULATION

SR 04-3



January 28, 2004



TO THE OFFICER IN CHARGE OF SUPERVISION AND APPROPRIATE SUPERVISORY AND

EXAMINATION STAFF AT EACH FEDERAL RESERVE BANK AND DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN BANKING

ORGANIZATIONS SUPERVISED BY THE FEDERAL RESERVE

SUBJECT:



Debt Elimination Scams



Board staff has become aware of various illegal schemes being offered to the

public that purport to eliminate outstanding debt through the use of specially

prepared documents. The organizers of these schemes concoct specious legal

documents based on the borrower's debt, which are then presented to the

borrower's bank, mortgage company, finance company, or other lending institution

in an attempt to satisfy the debt. The scams are reminiscent of the tax

protesters' tax evasion schemes seen throughout the 1990s.

The purported legal documents used in the current scams include fake

financial instruments that claim to eliminate the borrower's debt obligation.

The instruments usually question the authenticity of financial obligations, and

often refer to a specific government agency (such as the Federal Reserve) in an

attempt to support their claims. Some of the literature seen by Board staff

questions the legitimacy of the Federal Reserve and the validity of United

States currency. The literature may selectively cite from passages of government

publications, statements by politicians, constitutional provisions, court

decisions, various statutes, and private newsletters to support claims and to

ultimately conclude that a specific government agency sanctions these debt

elimination programs. For example, some of the documents specifically refer to

the elimination of debt through the use of a "Federal Reserve approved"

procedure.



Debt elimination programs that claim Federal Reserve approval or acquiescence

and the satisfaction of legitimate debts through the presentation of suspicious

documents are totally bogus. The Federal Reserve does not approve and is in no

way involved in any program aimed at eliminating anyone's debt obligations.

These schemes are proliferating on the Internet, and the organizers are

charging borrowers substantial up-front fees and commissions based on the total

amount of debt that can be forgiven. Members of the public are being harmed as

borrowers generally pay significant amounts of money without eliminating or

reducing their overall debt obligations - which of course is not in fact

possible through any of these programs. Also, the cessation of legitimate loan

payments increases the risk of a foreclosure or other legal action being taken

against the borrower, and in addition could negatively affect a borrower's

credit rating. Financial institutions may find that the use of the specious

documents complicates the collection process, and may at least temporarily

prevent any final action against the consumer.

Examiners and banking organizations should be cognizant of these scams, and

the public should avoid becoming involved with them. Bank holding companies and

state member banks should modify their policies and procedures as needed to

ensure that staff involved in any way in a lending function is able to identify

and respond appropriately to these current schemes. If an institution supervised

by the Federal Reserve is presented with fraudulent documents as described in

this SR letter, the institution is expected to file a Suspicious Activity Report

(SAR) in accordance with the Board's suspicious activity reporting rules. The

banking organization must also retain the written materials associated with the

purported debt elimination scheme as supporting documentation to the SAR, as

required by the Board's SAR rules.

Reserve Banks are asked to distribute this SR letter to domestic and foreign

banking organizations supervised by the Federal Reserve in their districts.

Questions regarding apparent fraudulent debt elimination schemes can be directed

to Leonard Zawistowski, Senior Special Investigator, at (202) 452-6488.

Richard Spillenkothen

Director



http://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/srletters/2004/sr0403.htm

Response,

I take great offense to this posting. I have a great deal of experience in helping consumers with consumer debt needs. Ive been putting my customers before my personal life. I personally dont think that this deserves a reply but unfortunately people believe what they see on the internet to be true unless otherwise contradicted. Im proud of what I do. I help people get out of tough situations with banks and collection agencies and back on to solid footing.

Ps. Non-profit consumer debt relief help ie: credit counseling- Is designed to squeeze every penny out of
consumers before they default. As cited:  http://getoutofdebt.org/7233/the-truth-about-the-failure-rates-and-completion-rates-of-credit-counseling-debt-settlement-and-bankruptcyCambridge Credit Counseling has a 72% failure rate.

Credit counseling agencies work for the banks, they double dip on fees. They get paid a fair share contribution from banks (percentage of debt collected) and they collect fees from consumers. Instead of banks selling their debt to third party collection agencies to collect the debt, credit counseling agencies have the non-profit status and work to collect the debt.

What most people dont realize:

1.     Credit counseling was designed for failure.

2.     Your credit is still going to be harmed. (DMP) on credit.

3.     Youre going to have to spend 150-180% of what you owe if you complete.

4.     It takes 5 years on average to complete.

5.     Have high monthly payments.

6.     Miss two payment and you get kicked out ( typically interest rates return to astronomical levels)

If you really want help with these debts you have to stand up for your rights and determine what you are legally contractually obligated to pay and then have an aggressive attorney fight on your behalf.