You might get those flyers in the mail from businesses offering you a quick fix to help your credit score. But there is one thing, there is no quick fix to repairing credit.
Noelle Carter with Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Buffalo said often times these are scams. Businesses claiming to repair credit, instead they are taking your hard earned money and making your credit worse.
"Unfortunately there are for-profit-companies out there who have large marketing budgets and they are able to advertise a lot on the radio and tv. You know they tend to over promise and under deliver on their services," Carter said.
Christina Landis knows all to well what it feels like to be in debt. It took the Hamburg mom of five years to pay off $20,000 dollars in credit card bills. She used the free services at Consumer Credit Counseling to get it paid off.
"I mean I had to put on my big girl pants as I like to say and I had to come to the conclusion I really needed help," Landis said.
She said she didn't fall for the quick fixes because she knows getting out of debt is a lot harder and slower than it is to get in it.
Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Buffalo plans to launch ads on the radio and social media, featuring Landis, to warn people about the for-profit-companies. The ads will also showcase the services Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Buffalo offers.
Buffalo State Economics Chair, Dr. Frederick Floss has a warning for consumers. Floss said in order to avoid credit repair predators, call the Better Business Bureau for a listing of non-profit counseling services. He said you should never have to pay anything upfront for help with managing your debt.
"There are non-for-profits that are tied for an example to the United Way, that help people, and they should be helping you for free. If they are saying to you that you have to give them $500 or that you have to give them some percentage of the money they are going to save you get up and walk out." Floss said.
