Honesty...does it even exist anymore? I absolutely love the ads that are running on the radio now. Especially on XM radio. There are dozens and dozens of ads where people are claiming to try to help everyone in trouble. They will help you reduce your credit card debt, help you lose weight overnight, they will even help you add inches to your penis...with pills, lotions, etcs. Come on. I am so tired of hearing all of these false claims. It seems like while we are in such a financial mess and people are out of work and struggling- that they will offer everything that you need- and FAST results. OK. I want 10 more inches added to my penis overnight- and I want to have an erection lasting 24 hours and I want to be debt free...and how about world peace while we are at it. Enough. Let me tell you about two advertisers that are driving me especially crazy and exactly why. Here goes...
(1) PARSA LAW GROUP. They run ads in the San Francisco Bay Area claiming that they will help you "modify your mortgage" They go into details about how they will reduce your interest rate, perhaps even reduce your total balance owed...yadayada. Well...number one...do you know that you can work with your lender and modify your mortgage on your own with NO FEES? Really. My father went through PARSA and he had to pay $1800 in advance. They claim that they will take care of your modification in 30-60 days. They also make you sign a contract that you will not contact your lender. So- they get $1800 and you have absolutely NO AY of checking if they ever even attempted to modify your mortgage. HUMMM. 8 months later- they tell him that they are still working on it and should know something in the next 45 days. HUMMM. But can he check...no. If he cancels, he gets $700 back. So they get to keep $1200 for 8 months of leading him on and doing nothing. HUMMMM. My father has a loan through Bank of America. I have a loan through Bank of America. I called Bank of America and worked out a loan modification for me and what do you think their paperwoprk says? It says that only your lender can work out a Loan Modification for you and DO NOT EVER PAYANYONE in advance to work on your loan modification. Moral of the story- DO NOT PAY ANYONE ANY MONEY IN HOPES OF A MIRACLE!!! I just hope they give my father a refund if they are an ethical law group....HINT HINT
(2) Nevada State Corporation. They advertise on XM Radio- especially on 140- ESPN. Their ad begins as follows "The President of the United States had ORDERED banks to loan to those who qualify" WHAT THE HELL? Did I miss this? Did OBama really order the Bank to loan? Does he have the authority to ORDER them to loan? Their ad goes on to tell you that they will help you borrow thousands of dollars for your small business REGARDLESS of your personal credit. They tell you to call for IMMEDIATE credit. False and false...they just are lying. Here is what they really do. You send them $3500 up front and the somehow help you build your business credit slowly. HUH? If I had the $3500 to send you- I wouldn't need the $1,000 loan. Also- what scheme are they using where the lenders NEVER see your personal credit. HELLO. It is still me- the guy with a bankruptcy and 6 months in the rears on my mortgage and zewro dollars in my account. There is absolutely no IMMEDIATE credit. There ad is 100% false. I hear their ad over and over and over and over...I finally called and got the details. You can send them $3500...and send $1800 to PARSA too...then you are $5300 poorer and have absolutely NOTHING to show for it.
Isn't it wonderful that in these desperate times- there are plenty of people out there to take your money for doing NOTHING!!!?
So, if you hear an ad on radio or tv that sounds "too good to be true"- it is. Do not EVER give ANYONE money for doing nothing. Think about it...it is just like if Satellite Radio said that you could get a "lifetime" subscription for $1000...it would sound great. Just $1,000 for the next...hummmm...50 years? O.K. Then, they take that $1,000 from 1,000,000 subscribers and go out of business next year. You paid $1,000 for one year instead of $100 for that one year. How many of you out there have extended warranties from Circuit City? Comp USA? Handyman? Builders Emprium? GEMCO? Warranties that you paid for...lifetime warranties...that are good until the companies go out of business. Never pay for things that are not certain...How many people invested in the USFL? Isn't Steve Young still collecting on his contracting from the Los Angeles...UMMMMMMMMMMMM?