{"id":7858,"date":"2026-09-23T09:56:34","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T14:56:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stpaulfcu.org\/?post_type=education&#038;p=7858"},"modified":"2026-09-23T09:56:36","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T14:56:36","slug":"debt-relief-scams","status":"publish","type":"education","link":"https:\/\/stpaulfcu.org\/education\/debt-relief-scams\/","title":{"rendered":"Debt Relief Scams"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Debt can be a ferocious beast, devouring your budget and destroying any chance you might have at financial wellness. Unfortunately, scammers know many folks would do almost anything to be debt-free, so they target these people with debt relief scams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s what you need to know about these scams and how to avoid them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-the-scams-play-out\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How the Scams Play Out<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Debt relief scams use any or a combo of the following guises:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A \u201cdebt repair\u201d service that can greatly increase one\u2019s credit score in no time<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Claims they can remove negative credit report info<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Promise to reduce credit card rates\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The target, desperate to shed their debt, will pay any price for the promised outcomes. When the scammer fails to come through as promised, the consumer finds themselves even deeper in debt.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-red-flags\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Red Flags<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These red flags can help you identify a debt relief scam:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A guarantee to bring your credit score up by a specific number of points within a short time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Promises to get rid of factual credit report information on your credit file.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The service demands an up-front payment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Claims to be affiliated with a credit card company, but that company doesn\u2019t recognize the service.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The service tells you to cut off all communication with creditors.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-the-do-s-and-dont-s-of-credit-repair\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Do\u2019s and Dont&#8217;s of Credit Repair<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re looking for a legitimate credit repair service, these tips can help.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-do-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Do:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Research the service you consider using. Look for a secure site with a phone number and street address, as well as positive reviews from past clients.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the service claims to be affiliated with a credit card company, give the company a call to verify.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ask for a clear explanation of all fees and conditions.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-don-t\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Don\u2019t:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Never pay an upfront fee for a debt relief service.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Don\u2019t believe a service that guarantees to bring up your score by a certain amount in a specified timeframe.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Don\u2019t believe that a service can get rid of negative information on your credit file.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re deep in debt, don\u2019t despair. Let St. Paul Federal Credit Union help you find a solution to get out of debt. Call, click or stop by today to learn more about debt consolidation loans and other possible paths.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Debt can be a ferocious beast, devouring your budget and destroying any chance you might have at financial wellness. Unfortunately, scammers know many folks would do almost anything to be debt-free, so they target these people with debt relief scams. Here\u2019s what you need to know about these scams and how to avoid them.&nbsp; How [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":7859,"template":"","education-category":[194],"class_list":["post-7858","education","type-education","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","education-category-tips-resources"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.6 (Yoast SEO v28.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Debt Relief Scams - St. Paul Federal Credit Union<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Debt can be a struggle. 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