Tracy Ballard - Success Credit Services promise of correcting credit score $3600 later could not get the time of day Big ripoff 30day money back guarantee means nothing they simply would not return calls, could not get the money back Huge Ripoff! Van Nuys California

FTC final took action

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2008/10/opcleansweep.shtm

The Federal Trade Commission and 24 state agencies today announced a crackdown on 33 operations that deceptively claim they can remove negative information from consumers' credit reports, even if that information is accurate and timely. In the seven FTC actions announced today the Commission seeks to halt the defendants' allegedly unlawful business practices, prohibit further violations, and make them pay consumer redress and give up their ill-gotten gains. In addition, the FTC announced three related credit repair cases earlier this year.

'Companies that promise they are able to scrub your credit reports of accurate, negative information for a fee are lying - plain and simple,' said Lydia Parnes, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. 'Under federal law, accurate, negative information can be reported for up to seven years, and some bankruptcies can be reported for up to 10 years.'

In response to thousands of complaints from consumers throughout the nation, the FTC launched 'Operation Clean Sweep' with 24 state agencies in 22 states. In the cases announced today, the Commission charged seven operations with violating the FTC Act and the Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA) by making false and misleading statements, such as claiming they can substantially improve consumers' credit reports by removing accurate, negative information from their credit reports. The agency also alleged that the defendants violated the CROA by charging an advance fee for credit repair services. The 26 state actions include alleged violations of state laws and the CROA.

According to complaints filed by the FTC:


Successful Credit Service Corporation, also doing business as Success Credit Services, and Tracy Ballard, also known as Tracy Ballard-Straughn, based in California, promote their credit repair services primarily through appearances at seminars offering real estate investment or other business opportunities. They also promote themselves via audio podcasts on third-party Web sites and through their Web sites, www.successcreditservices.com and www.successfulcreditservices.org. They claim to have special relationships 'with every creditor, collection company, public records provider and credit bureaus,' and that because of this, they can perform 'hard' or permanent deletions of all kinds of derogatory information from consumer's credit reports. Consumers typically must pay advance fees ranging from $3,000 to $4,000 per person.

The Commission vote to authorize staff to file the complaint was 4-0. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Western Division. The FTC thanks the California Attorney General's office for its invaluable assistance.

On a process you can do yourself for approximately $20? Send certified letters of dispute to each of the 3 credit reporting agencies. Wait 30 days. Voila! $3600??? Geez, I should start charging $3600 for writing the letters! What a great idea!!!

Lets set the record straight. 1st some of these reports are out right Lie's written by Tracy's Ex Husband who has been FIRED from her company and by three ex Employee's who have also been "FIRED" for underhanded dealings. They are jealous of how good Tracy has done and they know that they have been found out and are now out of the picture so they are trying to ruin Tracy's company reputation. Also there is an Ex Employee who has started his own company in the same neighborhood(against a signed contract) and has written Tracy's clients and told them lie's in order to steal them over to his new company.

We are in the process of taking him to court for breech of Contract and other items. Tracy's Ex Husband has also started his own company using Tracy's company name and is trying to ruin her personal and company reputation. That will soon be taken care of in court.

Isn't it strange how all these people come to work for her company, think they have learned the business and set out on their own to try to duplicate what it has taken Tracy years to build? Problem is, it only takes a very small amount of time and bad reports to ruin a business by a bunch of scum sucking want-a-be's. Some people are willing to believe the worst if they see it in writting (hope they are not voting in the election this year) or were really in trouble.

Trouble was Tracy "trusted" too many people to run her business especially her soon to be ex husband. Tracy runs her business on the up and up and if you have any problem call her direct and talk it over with her. Another problem was that the ex employee's and husband would never give her the messages that came in. Tracy had some female problems and her ex husband and ex employee's said they would handle everything (yea right). Well Tracy is back and her medical problem is cured. Please Give Success Credit a chance to fix any problems you may have had with the company.

Tracy is a true professional and truly care's about her clients. If you are a real client that has had a problem, call the office and the "new" personal and Tracy will make it right. Don't tell stories about other people unless you have walked and mile in their shoes>>then if they don't like what you said your a mile away and have their shoes........ Lets make it right. >>>>>And to the idiot's causing the problem, YOUR DAY IS COMING SOON, SEE YOU IN COURT. (or if your unlucky maybe in person)

I was totally scammed by Tracy Ballard, the owner of Success Credit Services. Does anyone remember the 'Dolly Dingle' example given by Tracy on stage? It's a bold face LIE! It's been more than two years and my credit is exactly the same. Later, I found out that they can only do soft deletes (if they're lucky!), which means if they get a derogatory off your credit report, it can come right back on again. On stage Tracy said when a derogatory gets deleted, it can never get put back on your credit report. I also found out that they are running everything through a fake mortgage company. I didn't even get a Equifax credit report pulled by them for over eight months (I called to ask why and they make up excuses that they are helpless against stall letters)! They SUCK! And getting them to return calls is a nightmare. I've left over ten messages...and I'm still waiting! So now...2 years later...I'm out all this money and have the same credit score. These guys are major scam artists and if you are in a dispute with your refund, go to the Attorney General. I was told that they are not suppose to take your money before they render services.