Atlas Consumer Law Blog

• Finally, No More Forced Arbitrations in Sexual Harassment Cases
  Feb 17, 2022
  Finally, we are one step closer to changing the landscape for victims of workplace sexual harassment. Upon President Biden’s signature, the Ending ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• How Do I Protect Myself from Spoof Calls?
  Sep 25, 2020
  Robocalls by telemarketers are a growing concern today. Fake IRS calls and telephone fraudsters asking for money are harassing thousands of people ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• What Happens to Credit Card Debt When You Die?
  Sep 11, 2020
  Credit card debt is a pesky burden that impacts 55% of all Americans who have credit cards, and with interest, it can be challenging to pay off all ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Will Filing for Bankruptcy Stop Creditor Harassment?
  Aug 24, 2020
  Debt collectors are generally allowed to use a variety of tactics to recover the money that debtors owe, including texting or making calls, sending ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• 5 Things Debt Collectors Can Legally Do
  Aug 10, 2020
  Debt collectors have been known to unfairly harass debtors, which is why the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is enforced to regulate this ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• How to Report an Error on Your Credit Report
  Jul 23, 2020
  The information contained in your credit report is sold by reporting companies to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses that use it to ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• FAQs Regarding Repossessions
  Jul 9, 2020
  Repossessions are often a daunting topic for consumers, especially for those wondering how a repossession can impact their financial futures. Our team ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Identifying Unlawful Phone Calls
  Jun 2, 2020
  Every day, a countless number of Americans receive unwanted phone calls to their phones from banks, debt collectors, and other companies. However, ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• What Constitutes Creditor Harassment?
  May 23, 2020
  Financial struggles are immensely stressful. Whether it’s because of credit card debt, mortgages, student loans, or past-due service bills, harassing ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• 3 Tips for Fighting Creditor Harassment
  May 13, 2020
  When you owe a company money and they’ve sent your case into collections, you might experience irritating calls, threatening letters, or unpleasant ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• U.S. Waives Federal Student Loan Payments
  Apr 13, 2020
  The Trump Administration is acknowledging the strain that COVID-19 is putting on Americans’ finances by deciding to suspend federal student loans ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Debt Collection Continues Amid COVID-19 Lay-Offs
  Apr 2, 2020
  One major consequence of COVID-19’s devastation of the world economy is the countless individuals who have been laid off from their jobs, including ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Can Creditors Contact My Employer?
  Mar 25, 2020
  Being contacted constantly by creditors about a debt you allegedly owe is already stressful, but what can make things even more frustrating is when a ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• What is Zombie Student Loan Debt?
  Mar 25, 2020
  For many college graduates, a major milestone to be proud of is finally paying off your student loan debt. Student loans can take years and even ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• What Is the Statute of Limitations on Old Debt?
  Feb 21, 2020
  Common knowledge on the Internet is that creditors can't sue you for "old debt." Like most things that are "common knowledge," this is only partially ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Bikram Yoga Founder in Hiding from Debt Collectors in Mexico
  Feb 10, 2020
  Bikram Choudhury, the founder of international exercise sensation Bikram Yoga, is currently on the run from creditors and hiding out in Mexico. The ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Grand Bahama Cruise Line Settles Robocall FTC Complaint
  Jan 13, 2020
  Grand Bahama Cruise Line has recently settled a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) complaint that alleged the company and others that worked closely with ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• How Many Times Can a Creditor Call You Before It's Harassment?
  Jan 10, 2020
  Everyone dreads getting calls from creditors about an outstanding debt. Even receiving a single call from a creditor can feel intimidating or ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Walmart & Other Retailers Introduce Holiday Point-of-Sale Loans
  Dec 13, 2019
  Walmart and other noteworthy retailers have started a new offering this holiday season to entice shoppers into spending more: point-of-sale loans ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Give the Gift of Peace of Mind: Stop Creditor Harassment
  Dec 10, 2019
  The holiday season often means an increase in expenditures for the average American household. There are parties to plan, gifts to buy, travel ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Education Department Rejects 99% of Student Loan Forgiveness Applicants
  Nov 27, 2019
  Last year, Congress members approved the Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness (TEPSLF) program. It set aside $700 million to help ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Man Sues Kingston Data in FDCPA Lawsuit, Represented by Atlas Consumer Law
  Nov 25, 2019
  Our team of consumer protection attorneys from Atlas Consumer Law in Chicago has filed a Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ) lawsuit against ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Scare Tactics: How Debt Collectors Profit Off Fear
  Oct 16, 2019
  In America, debt is as stigmatized as it is necessary. Even when someone is working as hard as they can, they might not have enough for surprise ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Who Can See Your Credit Score & Why?
  Oct 10, 2019
  In the digital age of today, most people want to do all they can to maintain their privacy however they can. If you’re like so many other Americans, ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Ringless Voicemail: The Latest Telemarketing Tech Terror
  Oct 3, 2019
  The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)is meant to stop creditors, telemarketers, advertising firms, and basically anyone else from spamming your ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Biggest Complaints About Creditors According to the FTC
  Sep 5, 2019
  As an American consumer with debt, you face the unfortunate reality of creditors trying to pursue that debt. Creditors and debt collectors are ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Unlimited Emails from Creditors? It Might Be Legal Soon!
  Sep 3, 2019
  Thanks to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ) and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act ( TCPA ), debt collectors and creditors have to ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Federal Communication Commission Tries to Fight Overseas Robocallers with New Rules
  Aug 13, 2019
  If you are one of the 96% of Americans who have a smartphone, then you are also probably one of millions of people who get a spam call each and every ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Capital One Data Leak Impacts 100 Million Consumers - Can You Sue?
  Aug 6, 2019
  In late July, Capital One admitted that a single hacker had bypassed their cybersecurity and firewalls, compromising up to 100 million consumers. The ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• American Association for Justice Files Amicus Brief in Wrongful Debt Collection Case
  Jul 30, 2019
  The American Association for Justice (AAJ) has provided its support in the form of an amicus brief in relation to Monette E. Saccameno v. Ocwen Loan ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• What to Tell a Telemarketer Who Won't Stop Calling You
  Jul 8, 2019
  Telemarketers are people who are just trying to make a living, just like everyone else. They have an awkward job that requires them to cold call ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• I Want to Know What My Credit Companies Know About Me
  Jul 1, 2019
  When it comes to protecting yourself from credit collection agencies and financial institutions that want your finances, as it has been famously said ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Is Your Imperfect Credit Caused by Credit Report Errors?
  Jun 11, 2019
  Most everyone dreads getting a credit check done to learn how creditors and financial institutions view and rank their credit score. Being told that ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Text Messages from Creditors for Debts: Is That Allowed?
  Jun 4, 2019
  When you are living under the shadow of debt, you will also be under the constant pressures caused by creditor harassment . There are several acts ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Three Things You Should Not Do When Targeted by Creditors
  May 20, 2019
  When you are in heavy debt, creditor harassment may unfortunately become a daily part of your life. The pressure put on you by creditors can be ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Will Filing for Bankruptcy Get Rid of Your Medical Debt?
  May 16, 2019
  Did you know that an approximated 72 million Americans struggle with medical debt at any given time? This number actually translates to more than 40% ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Are You Struggling with Your Debt? Try Talking to Your Credit Card Company!
  Apr 22, 2019
  Did you know that between 2015 and 2017 , overall credit card debt in America increased by 13%? During this time, people with low credit score saw a ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Debt Elimination Scams
  Apr 9, 2019
  If your goal is to eliminate all of your debts and restore your credit rating , then you need to commit to a plan that will help you wipe away your ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Judge Makes Ruling on TCPA & FDCPA Violations
  Mar 28, 2019
  An Illinois District Court judge partially denied summary judgment in a case involving a defendant being sued for allegedly violating the Fair Debt ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• FAQ: Debt Collection
  Mar 20, 2019
  If you are being contacted by debt collectors, it is important to know what rights you have as a consumer. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• FAQ: Credit Reports
  Mar 6, 2019
  At Atlas Consumer Law, we are committed to helping clients throughout Illinois resolve their credit reporting disputes. Below, our consumer law ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• How Can I Improve My Credit Score?
  Feb 6, 2019
  Has your credit rating been completely ruined because of your debt? Are you struggling to get approved for a credit card or loan? Higher credit scores ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• How to Stop Unsolicited Faxes
  Jan 30, 2019
  Junk faxes are not only irritating, but they also waste a person’s or business’s time checking them and money using up ink and paper. If you are ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Why Are Low Income People More Likely to Be Audited by the IRS?
  Jan 21, 2019
  According to an article from ProPublica , people who claim the earned income tax credit are more likely to be audited by the IRS than someone who ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Should I Modify My Loan?
  Jan 16, 2019
  Emergencies happen, and sometimes you might find yourself in a position where you are unable to make your mortgage payments. If you are having trouble ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Ten Attorneys of Atlas Consumer Law Named to 2019 Super Lawyers® or Rising Stars℠ Lists
  Jan 3, 2019
  Ten attorneys of Atlas Consumer Law in Chicago have been named as either 2019 Super Lawyers® members or 2019 Rising Stars℠ members for professional ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• How a Car Repo Impacts Your Credit Score
  Dec 28, 2018
  Having your car repossessed after missing too many payments can have a substantial impact on your credit rating. While you can stop a repo from ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Unsecured Debt Explained
  Dec 7, 2018
  Unsecured debt is a type of loan that isn’t backed with underlying assets. Examples of unsecured debt include: Credit Card Debt Medical Bills Utility ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Report Reveals Navient Pushed High-Cost Plans on Struggling Borrowers
  Nov 29, 2018
  According to a Department of Education audit, Navient Corp., the third largest student loan servicing company in the United States, pushed tens of ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Advocate Group Sues Betsy DeVos for Failing to Implement Automatic Student Loan Forgiveness
  Nov 15, 2018
  The Housing and Economic Rights Advocates (HERA) filed a new lawsuit against Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, saying the Department of Education ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• 4 Tips for Dealing With Holiday Debt
  Oct 31, 2018
  In 2017, American consumers racked up an average of $1,054 of holiday debt. This is a 5% increase from what was reported in 2016. As the holidays get ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Financial Tips for People Under 30
  Oct 4, 2018
  After you have graduated from college, it is time to get a “real” job and start building your life. From starting a family to purchasing your first ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• How Do I Get Rid of My Credit Card Debt?
  Sep 27, 2018
  Did you know that the average American household owes $15,956 in credit card debt? If these households only pay their minimum payments every month, ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Legal Defenses for Credit Card Debt Lawsuits
  Sep 13, 2018
  If you are being sued by a credit card company for your past-due debts, it can be a frightening and overwhelming experience. You are likely confused ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Education Secretary Tries to Make It Harder for Students Seeking Debt Relief
  Aug 29, 2018
  The U.S. Education Department has proposed new changes to rules enacted during the Obama-era that offer debt relief to students who were defrauded by ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Did Your Lender Sell Your Mortgage to Another Bank?
  Aug 15, 2018
  Did you take out a loan from a mortgage company or bank only to later find out that it was sold to another party? If this has happened to you, don’t ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• What You Need to Know About Wage Garnishment
  Jul 20, 2018
  If you ignore your credit card debt for too long, it can lead to your wages being garnished and your bank accounts being frozen. Garnishment is a ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Apple Customers File Class Action Lawsuit Against the Cupertino-Based Company for Deliberately Slowing Older iPhones
  Jul 6, 2018
  Apple may be on the verge of becoming the first American company to reach a market value of $1 trillion, but the road there may be a bumpy one. For ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Payday Lenders Fight New Restrictions
  Jun 6, 2018
  Payday lenders lost their fight trying to block new federal rules that will curb short-term loans that many critics say trap vulnerable people in a ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Apple Sued for Purposefully Slowing Down iPhones
  May 29, 2018
  Have you suspected that your iPhone 6 or iPhone 7 phone has been working way too slow as it gets older, despite the fact that you have taken good care ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• What Should I Do if Debt Collectors Keep Harassing Me?
  May 9, 2018
  Going through financial hardship is a distressing experience. Getting harassing phone calls about your student loans, mortgage, or credit card debt ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Judge’s Decision to Hit Bank of America with a $46 Million Award in Bankruptcy Case May Set New Precedent
  May 4, 2018
  A ruling by a judge in California, who found that Bank of America’s “brazen” and “heartless” behavior” during an improper foreclosure warranted fines ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• What You Need to Know About Payday Loan Debt?
  Apr 24, 2018
  Every year, the 12 million Americans who take out payday loans end up paying close to nine billion dollars in loan fees. Because these loans are so ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• A New Facebook Tool Can Tell Whether Cambridge Analytica Accessed Your Information
  Apr 12, 2018
  Currently, more than 100 billion people are active Facebook users. In 2015, a political consulting firm known as Cambridge Analytica began using a ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Does Removing the Label Void the Warranty?
  Apr 11, 2018
  We’re sure you've seen them before, those little stickers or tags that state the warranty on your product will be voided if it is removed. The idea ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Protecting Your Financial Information
  Mar 30, 2018
  In today’s society, terms such as “identity theft,” “security breach,” and “fraudulent activity” are now considered the norm. New cyber threats and ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Lawsuit Filed Against Facebook in Illinois
  Mar 29, 2018
  On Monday, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx filed a lawsuit against Facebook and Cambridge Analytica over the recent data scandal, alleging that ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Judge Refuses to Dismiss Class-Action Lawsuit Over Collection Letter
  Mar 21, 2018
  McMahon v. LVNV Funding, Resurgent Capital Services, Alegis Group, and Tate & Kirlin Associates , a case that was filed almost six years ago and has ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• How Deficiency Judgements Work in Illinois
  Feb 22, 2018
  What is a Deficiency Judgement? A deficiency judgment can be ordered by a court if a lender wants to pursue the balance of your loan after your ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Consumer Protection Agency Will Not Pursue Lawsuit Against Lender Who Hit Consumers with 950% Interest Rates
  Feb 16, 2018
  In April 2017, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed a lawsuit against Golden Valley Lending. The lender allegedly charged consumers up to ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• What Can Be Disputed on My Credit Report?
  Feb 5, 2018
  According to a 2012 study by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the three largest nationwide consumer reporting agencies (NCRAs) ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Five Benefits of a Short Sale
  Jan 12, 2018
  If you’re struggling to make your monthly payments, you may be looking for just about any solution possible to try and get out from some of it. ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Why You Need a Lawyer for Telemarketer Abuse
  Dec 6, 2017
  Are you tired of receiving unwanted calls or texts on your cell phone from telemarketers? If so, you should consult with an experienced lawyer to find ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• How Are Consumer Class Actions Different from Other Cases?
  Dec 1, 2017
  The idea behind class action lawsuits is that one trial for a large “class” of people is easier, faster, and less expensive than having a large amount ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Stop Robocalls With These Simple Tips
  Nov 24, 2017
  Telemarketers can be as relentless as a dog with a bone. From midnight calls to repetitive school or work interruptions, robocalls can be inconvenient ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• When to Hire a Real Estate Law Attorney
  Nov 22, 2017
  When it comes to real estate, using the services of an attorney can add a few thousand dollars to your bill, but it’s money well spent. Purchasing a ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• National Do Not Call Registry FAQ
  Nov 7, 2017
  Signing up for the National Do Not Call Registry helps reduce the number of unwanted sales calls you receive at home or on your mobile phone. ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Consumer Bureau Faces Major Set-Backs from Senate Republicans
  Nov 6, 2017
  Senate Republicans recently voted against a new rule that would have allowed millions of Americans to come together in class-action lawsuits against ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Arbitration: Losing Your Day In Court
  Oct 27, 2017
  Deborah L. Pierce an emergency room doctor who brought a sexual discrimination case against the medical group that had dismissed her, was initially ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Equifax Fails to Fix Security Flaw
  Oct 24, 2017
  Recently, it was revealed that a vulnerability which allowed hackers to access the personal data of 145.5 million people was known of as early as ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Credit Card Use After Bankruptcy
  Oct 10, 2017
  After filing bankruptcy, it can be difficult to start building up your credit score once again. There are a number of ways to improve credit, credit ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• 3 Debts That Aren’t Dischargeable by Bankruptcy
  Oct 4, 2017
  Many people are hesitant about declaring bankruptcy because of what it will do to their credit report, while others are so overwhelmed by debt they ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Why You Should Never Handle a Consumer Law Case Alone
  Sep 27, 2017
  Whenever you need to take care of something that’s outside of your realm of expertise, it is important that you ask for help from experts who know ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Things You Should Know About the FDCRA
  Sep 25, 2017
  If you are someone who is drowning underneath a pile of debt, The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, also known as the FDRCA, was created with the ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• 5 Things You Didn't Know About Consumer Law
  Sep 18, 2017
  As a consumer, it is important that you make sure your rights are protected. Nobody wants to be taken advantage of, and when your rights have been ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Do Student Loans Affect Your Credit Score?
  Sep 1, 2017
  With recent studies showing that college students graduate with an average of $33,000 in debt, it is normal to be concerned about the financial ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Federal Trade Commission States Lombardo, Daniels, & Moss Acted Fraudulently
  Aug 31, 2017
  The Federal Trade Commission has stated that Lombardo, Daniels, and Moss used intimidation and deception to defraud countless people out of $2.1 ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Debt Collector Makes FDCPA Bona Fide Error Defense, but Loses Case
  Aug 30, 2017
  At our firm, we work hard to hold debt collection companies responsible for violating federal consumer protection laws. The FDCPA bona fide error ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Secretary of Education Decision to Benefit 800+ College Career-Training Programs
  Aug 28, 2017
  Betsy DeVos, the United States Secretary of Education for the Trump Administration, has recently announced that the Department of Education (DOE) ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Most Americans Are Living Between Paychecks, New Survey Says
  Aug 25, 2017
  Unemployment rates across the United States are as low as they have ever been in the last 16 years. While this figure is certainly cause for some ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Class Action Lawsuit Regarding Cruise Robocalls
  Aug 21, 2017
  Under federal laws, consumers have a right to be protected from harassing phone calls. However, some companies, including cruise lines, have violated ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Navient Ordered to Pay $300,000 for Robocall Harassment
  Aug 17, 2017
  Robocall harassment is a growing problem in the United States. Creditor agencies and loan companies make hundreds of phone calls to the same ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• $25 Medical Bill Results in TCPA & FDCPA Court Case
  Aug 8, 2017
  Debt collection agencies must abide by federal regulations when contacting debtors. If they don’t, they may face lawsuits, litigation, and expensive ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Your Credit Report Could Be Riddled with Errors
  Jul 27, 2017
  TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian are the three biggest consumer credit reporting agencies in the country. Whenever someone wants to check their ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Chicago Area Sees Sharp Increase in Total Foreclosures
  Jul 12, 2017
  Property taxes on the rise seem to be a direct, if not the sole cause, of foreclosures increasing significantly throughout Chicago, its suburbs, and ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Dish Network Required To Pay $280 Million for Illegal Telemarketing Calls
  Jul 6, 2017
  Dish Network was recently ordered to pay $280 million for illegal telemarketing calls made through 2009. Attorney generals for California, Illinois, ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Houston Debt Buyer Ordered to Pay $25M in Civil Penalties
  Jun 28, 2017
  According to a recent article by the Houston Chronicle , a debt buyer and the companies he controls have been ordered to pay a staggering $25 million ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• How Republicans Want to Spam Your Voicemail
  Jun 26, 2017
  Few things are more infuriating than receiving calls from telemarketers. Their calls were so numerous and disruptive in previous years Congress passed ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Fighting Robocalls
  Jun 16, 2017
  A robocall is something large companies have been using more and more to reach people by phone. It uses a computerized autodialer to deliver ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Where There are More Underwater Mortgage Homes Than Not
  Jun 8, 2017
  According to information recently released by ATTOM Data Solutions – a company that gathers, analyzes, and organizes real estate market information ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Know Your Rights & Avoid Debt Buyer Fraud
  Jun 5, 2017
  Do you have a credit line of any kind, including a home, auto, or student loan? What about a credit card? Odds are you have one of these things so you ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• How to Stop Robocalls from Harassing You
  May 30, 2017
  The New York Times has recently published a report on a new type of consumer scourge: artificial telemarketers, or “robocallers.” If you’ve recently ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Your Rights Under the TCPA
  May 25, 2017
  The Telephone Consumer Protection Act, also known as the TCPA, is a law meant to protect consumers from harassing telemarketing phone calls. These ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Two Credit Reporting Agencies Caught in Fraud | Chicago Bankruptcy Attorney
  May 19, 2017
  Many people rely on credit scores to determine their financial health and stability. Employers occasionally use it to determine the responsibility ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Case Law Update: Brunner v. New York State Higher Educ. Servs. Corp.
  May 16, 2017
  A recent case has been reviewed and re-reviewed by a higher court by using the standards established in Brunner v. New York State Higher Educ. Servs. ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Case Law Update: Bald v. Wells Fargo
  May 5, 2017
  A federal appellate case from Hawaii, Bald v. Wells Fargo , recently focused on a putative class action initially filed by plaintiffs who alleged that ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Enforceability of Ipso Facto Clauses in Bankruptcy
  Apr 30, 2017
  Most lease and purchase contracts include a termination-on-bankruptcy (ToB) provision. Usually referred to as an ipso facto clause, the term generally ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Loan Service Defense Motion Denied in Ongoing Breach of Contract Case
  Apr 20, 2017
  Plaintiff S. Azeem used a mortgage loan with Guaranty Bank back in 2006 in order to buy a new home. It is worth noting that her husband at the time – ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Atlas Consumer Law Obtains Successful Result Against One of Nation's Largest Debt Collectors Over Time-Barred Debt Collection
  Apr 7, 2017
  Atlas Consumer Law is pleased to announce that our Chicago consumer lawyers have secured an important victory against Portfolio Recovery Associates ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Minnesota Law Can Hold Debt Collectors Liable When Auto Dialers Call the Wrong Number
  Apr 7, 2017
  Debt collectors have used an array of tactics over the years to contact debtors and compel them to make payments toward debt. As our legal team at ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Student Loan Debt & Undue Hardship: Recent Ruling Could Provide Hope to Student Loan Borrowers
  Apr 3, 2017
  Student loans have become one of the largest financial concerns of our generation, and for good reason. Today, student loan debt exceeds all other ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Selling Your Assets After Bankruptcy: What You Need To Know
  Mar 30, 2017
  Now that your bankruptcy case is finally finished, you are probably wondering if you can begin to sell your assets for cash. But before you post your ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Debt Collection Harassment: How to Protect Yourself
  Mar 20, 2017
  As debt has become a profitable business, debt collection agencies have sprouted and thrived throughout the country. Unfortunately, these agencies and ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• The Importance of Good Credit in the U.S. and How Bankruptcy Can Help
  Mar 16, 2017
  Simply put, good credit is necessary in the United States. No, it doesn’t just help you obtain a credit card, it also provides the footing required to ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• The CFPB Seeks to Update Regulations on Voicemail and Contact Frequency
  Mar 13, 2017
  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released an Outline of Proposed Rules regarding debt collection within a 117-page document, some of ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• New Jersey Mom Continues to Pay Off State Student Loans Despite Son's Murder
  Mar 10, 2017
  Kevin DeOliveira-Longinetti was an honors student and talented athlete when he enrolled at the University of Vermont in 2009. According to CBS News, ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Case Law Update: Adams v. Fifth Third Bank
  Mar 7, 2017
  A federal case from the U.S. District Court, Western District of Kentucky recently focused on a complaint filed by two plaintiffs who executed a note ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• 7 Ways You Can Sue a Debt Collector
  Mar 3, 2017
  Most people want to pay off their debt; however, unfortunate circumstances in life can make it an extremely difficult task. On many occasions, a debt ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Attorney Jim Haller Authors Student Loan Debt Article Featured by The Hill
  Feb 28, 2017
  Chicago Consumer Attorney and Atlas Consumer Law Associate Jim Haller recently authored an opinion piece on student loan debt published by The Hill. ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Case Law Update: John Wick v. GreenPoint Mortgage Funding, Inc.
  Feb 24, 2017
  In a case involving GreenPoint Mortgage Funding, Inc., a motion for summary as to the claims raised against them by John Wick and Shirley Wick was ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Case Law Update: Kilpatrick v. OCWEN Loan Servicing, LLC
  Feb 23, 2017
  In a federal case from the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, a federal judge denied a loan servicing company’s motion to dismiss a ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Seattle Ends Relationship with Wells Fargo over Business Practices, Dakota Access Pipeline
  Feb 9, 2017
  In a bold move Tuesday, the Seattle City Council voted unanimously to end its 18-year business relationship with Wells Fargo over concerns regarding ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Plaintiff Files Suit Against Nationstar for Breach of Modified Contract
  Jan 31, 2017
  In 2009, Jennifer Castillo applied for a modification with her mortgage servicer at the time, Bank of America, which she received the following year ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Some Foreclosure Cases Still Linger Years After Housing Market Crash
  Jan 25, 2017
  Although foreclosure rates are significantly down from their historic numbers at the height of the housing market crash, experts have found that many ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Moody's Corp. Pays $864 Million Settlement for Inflated Ratings
  Jan 23, 2017
  Moody’s Corp. agreed to pay nearly $864 million to settle federal and state claims, acknowledging that they did not follow their own standards and ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• New Mortgage Rule Provides Homeowners in Bankruptcy with Increased Transparency
  Jan 18, 2017
  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a government agency that ensures consumers are treated fairly by lenders and financial companies, has ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• The Dangers of a Reverse Mortgage
  Dec 19, 2016
  Although the number of reverse mortgages backed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) significantly dropped in the past year, ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Don't Let Overspending Ruin Your Holiday
  Dec 13, 2016
  During the holidays, we often feel the pressure of gift-giving. Not just any gift, but the perfect, in demand and, in all likelihood, expensive gift. ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• CFPB Report Reveals Mortgage Servicers Using Deficient Technology
  Dec 7, 2016
  Earlier this year, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) reported that some mortgage servicers were violating the new servicing rules with ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Wells Fargo Settles TCPA Class Action
  Nov 25, 2016
  Wells Fargo Bank recently settled a class action lawsuit that alleged they called plaintiffs on their cell phones through an automatic telephone ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Ninth Circuit Court Rules that all Collectors Must Provide Disclosures within Initial Communication
  Nov 10, 2016
  The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a district court’s summary judgment in favor of a defendant regarding the Fair Debt Collection Practices ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Hope For Student Debtors?
  Nov 4, 2016
  Unlike other types of debt, student loans are notoriously known for being near impossible to discharge, with the debtor given the burden of proving ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Trash and Lock Out - Banks Try to Bypass the Law
  Nov 1, 2016
  If you miss a couple of mortgage payments, there are a few things a bank can legally do – from changing the locks with a court order to sending ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• $9.25 Million TCPA Class Action Settlement Against American Express
  Oct 26, 2016
  Earlier this year, in July, Judge John Z. Lee approved a $9.25 million settlement between American Express Co., American Express Centurion Bank, and ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Supreme Court in Colorado Issues Ruling On Possible Deceptive Practices
  Oct 18, 2016
  In Colorado, the state’s attorney general has secured a victory against a firm over alleged deceptive foreclosure practices. Two justices in the court ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• CFPB Hearing on Debt Collection
  Oct 13, 2016
  Debt collection is a $13.7 billion industry in the United States that employs over 130,000 people. At the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Minnesota Automatic Dialing Statute: Liability for Calling a Wrong Number
  Oct 12, 2016
  According to an insideARM article , any and all companies and debt collectors who use automatic dialing and recorded messages to contact Minnesota ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Case Law Update: RESPA Claim Dismissal Denied
  Oct 12, 2016
  In a new case, a plaintiff alleged that two defendants violated regulations set forth by the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act. The lawsuit ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Illinois Joins California in Suspending Wells Fargo from Bond & Investing Work
  Oct 7, 2016
  Illinois has announced that it is taking after California and suspending Wells Fargo & Co. from investment and bond work, taking away their capability ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• $9.25 Million American Express Settlement Preliminarily Approved in Illinois
  Oct 7, 2016
  In July, an Illinois federal court approved a preliminary TCPA class action settlement between American Express and consumers who accused the company ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Foreclosures from Financial Crisis Remain
  Oct 6, 2016
  On the National Public Radio special series Planet Money , a discussion occurred regarding the housing market crash and the foreclosure cases started ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Case Law Update: Smith v. Stellar Recovery, Inc.
  Oct 5, 2016
  In the case of Smith V. Stellar Recovery, Inc., the plaintiff, Lakisha T. Smith, alleged that the defendants, Stellar Recovery, Inc. and Comcast ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Nick Wooten of Atlas Consumer Law Suing Illinois Banks for Allegedly Breaking Into Homes
  Sep 26, 2016
  Nick Wooten, a Chicago foreclosure defense attorney and Of Counsel to Atlas Consumer Law, is making recent headlines as he is aiming to sue banks ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Senator Warren Says Wells Fargo Should Give Bonuses Back
  Sep 22, 2016
  Last week, Democratic lawmakers amplified the Wells Fargo controversy by taking aim at the senior executives who earned millions of dollars in bonuses ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Preventing Robocalls Or Fighting Back
  Sep 9, 2016
  If you are like most of the people throughout the nation, you have received one of the annoying — but sometimes worrisome — phone calls telling you ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Some U.S. Wal-Marts Already Have Law Firms Inside
  Sep 2, 2016
  In the May 2016 edition of the ABA Journal, there was a story discussing Axess Law opening up on of their offices in a Canada-based Wal-Mart. At the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• insideARM Spotlight: June FDCPA Case Law Review
  Aug 15, 2016
  Each month, insideARM puts out a list of some of the most influential FDCPA cases for the month. It is a resource regarding both positive and negative ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Angelo Mozilo Fraud Case Dropped By Justice Department
  Aug 10, 2016
  According to a recent article, the United States Justice Department has decided to drop the civil fraud case against Angelo Mozilo. The lawyer for ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Black Knight Financial Services Spending Foreclosure Profits On NHL Hockey Team
  Aug 8, 2016
  According to recent reports, a new NHL team is on the horizon: the Las Vegas Black Knights. The rumors began 18 months ago, but now it is becoming a ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Telephone Consumer Protection Act Multi-District Litigation Settlement Reached
  Aug 3, 2016
  In a case involving alleged violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), Midland Credit Management Inc. — a subsidiary of Encore ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Did Sports Agent Uncover Greatest Financial Fraud in U.S. History?
  Jul 25, 2016
  A new post by the New Republic details how Nye Lavalle, a sports agent and founder of Sports Marketing Group, was the victim of the greatest financial ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Case Law: FCRA Investigation May Require Examination of Account-Level Documentation
  Jul 21, 2016
  The 11 th Circuit Court recently reversed in part a trial court’s ruling granting summary judgment in favor of a debt buyer, its affiliated debt ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• What is Charge-Off Date Fraud?
  Jul 20, 2016
  When a consumer fails to make timely payments and becomes severely delinquent on a debt, their creditor may “charge off” the account, meaning that the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Debt Collectors May Be Penalized for Filing Claims in Bankruptcy
  Jul 19, 2016
  Bad news for debt collectors: the 11 th Circuit Court held in Johnson v. Midland that debt collectors may face penalties under the Fair Debt ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• FBI Investigation of Foreclosure Fraud in Florida
  Jul 15, 2016
  When Jacksonville, Florida FBI agents sent a memo to higher-ups in Washington D.C. six years ago, it could have been the discovery of what would have ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Case Law: Bazemore v. Jefferson Capital
  Jul 14, 2016
  In 2005, Christina Bazemore applied for a credit card online through First Bank of Delaware. She charged several items to the card, but was unable to ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• The Federal Trade Commission Stops Large Mortgage Relief Scam
  Jul 13, 2016
  According to a recent article published by Housingwire , the Federal Trade Commission stopped a large mortgage relief scheme enacted by a variety of ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• What "The Big Short" Missed about the 2008 Mortgage Meltdown
  Jul 13, 2016
  The Academy Award-winning and Oscar-winning film “The Big Short” received praise from audiences and critics alike, and for good reason – it did a ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• FL Court Reverses Decision in Foreclosure Case
  Jul 12, 2016
  The District Court of Appeal of the State of Florida, Fourth District, has reversed the final judgment of foreclosure in favor of the defendant ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Case Law: Garmou v. Kondaur Capital Corp.
  Jul 11, 2016
  In the case of Garmou v. Kondaur Capital Corp. , which was heard in the United States District Court, E.D. Michigan, Southern Division, the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Case Law: Alleyne Sylvester and Celeste Wenegieme v. Bayview
  Jul 6, 2016
  According to a recently published opinion regarding the case of Alleyne Sylvester and Celeste Wenegieme v. Bayview Loan Servicing LLC , District Judge ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Florida Attorney General & FTC Take Action Against Robocallers
  Jul 5, 2016
  The Office of the Florida Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission have charged a number of Orlando defendants with bombarding consumers with ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Caribou Coffee to Face Class Action for TCPA Violations
  Jul 1, 2016
  Caribou Coffee Co. Inc. was recently hit with a class action lawsuit out of Wisconsin alleging that the company violated the Telephone Consumer ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Motions to Dismiss Denied in FDCPA/FCRA Case
  Jun 30, 2016
  A recent FDCPA/FCRA case out of the U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division resulted in a denial of all attempts by the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• insideARM Spotlight: April FDCPA Case Law Review
  Jun 29, 2016
  Each month, insideARM provides a case law review highlighting positive, and some negative, outcomes for the accounts receivable management industry. ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Private Equity Firms Repeating Banks' Mistakes After Housing Crisis
  Jun 28, 2016
  Millions of people lost their homes when the housing crisis struck in 2008. After the banking system thoroughly failed American families, private ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Fighting Foreclosures on FHA Loans
  Jun 27, 2016
  In an insightful and intelligent article for the Harvard Law and Policy Review, Rachel Labush, a staff attorney at Community Legal Services of ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• We're Seeking a Paralegal - Apply Today!
  Jun 22, 2016
  Atlas Consumer Law is currently looking for an outstanding paralegal to add to our dynamic team. If you are looking for an exciting career at a ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Consumer Defense: A Tactical Guide to Foreclosure, Bankruptcy, and Creditor Harassment
  Jun 22, 2016
  Attorneys Ahmad T. Sulaiman and Matthew H. Hector are the authors of Consumer Defense: A Tactical Guide to Foreclosure, Bankruptcy, and Creditor ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Motion to Dismiss Denied in FDCPA Case
  Jun 20, 2016
  In December of 2015, Latonia M. Foster filed a lawsuit against Allianceone after receiving a collection letter that violated Section 1692e of the Fair ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Legal & Economic Issues in Subprime Litigation
  Jun 16, 2016
  A Harvard Law School discussion paper from 2008, right around the time of the subprime mortgage industry crisis, highlights the legal and economic ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Millions of Borrowers Facing Crushing Loan Costs
  Jun 14, 2016
  If you’ve ever had to take out a payday loan, you know how expensive they can be. A loan for only a few hundred bucks could easily end up costing a ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• ROBOCOP Act Brought Before Senate
  Jun 13, 2016
  Back in April, a bill was introduced in the House of Representatives that would force phone service providers to make it simpler for customers to ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Kansas Supreme Court Ruling Challenges Validity of MERS
  Jun 10, 2016
  Systemic foreclosure fraud was rampant in the years leading up to the 2008 financial crisis, throwing into question our nation’s entire property ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• New Data Furnisher Reporting Requirements Effective Soon
  Jun 9, 2016
  Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax issued a memo in March to all data furnishers providing notification of upcoming changes and new initiatives to ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• John Oliver Gives Away $14M on Last Week Tonight
  Jun 6, 2016
  On last night’s episode of Last Week Tonight, host John Oliver gave away $14 million as part of an effort to increase awareness of debt, debt buyers, ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Student Loan Firm Accused of Borrower Abuse
  Jun 6, 2016
  A group of more than two dozen state attorneys general has accused Navient Corp. (formerly known as Sallie Mae), America’s largest student loan firm, ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• How the Telemarketing Sales Rule Protects Consumers
  Jun 5, 2016
  Let’s face it, telemarketing calls can be annoying. One way the Federal Trade Commission protects your rights is by putting you in charge of how many ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• New Rules Could Overhaul the Payday Lending Industry
  Jun 3, 2016
  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has proposed a set of new rules aimed at protecting consumers from the cycle of long-term debt that often ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• How Wall Street's Foreclosure Fraud was Uncovered by Three Ordinary Americans
  Jun 1, 2016
  David Dayen of the Daily Kos recently published a book on the story of three South Floridians and their role in uncovering the largest crime against ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Deputies Seize Bank of America's Assets After They Unjustly File Foreclosure on Couple's Home
  May 31, 2016
  Recently, WINK News reported a story about a couple who had deputies foreclos e on Bank of America after the bank filed foreclosure papers on the ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• ProPublica Reports Unsettling Findings about Debt Collection Lawsuits
  May 25, 2016
  Millions of Americans struggle with old debts they can’t pay back, and live with the uncertainty of knowing that at any moment, they could have their ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• SCOTUS Throws Out Ninth Circuit Decision in Spokeo v. Robins
  May 18, 2016
  The Supreme Court recently threw out the decision made by the Ninth Circuit Court in the case of Spokeo Inc. v. Thomas Robins , which held that a ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Supreme Court Backs Privacy Rights of Consumers
  May 17, 2016
  According to a recent United States Supreme Court decision, consumers can file lawsuits for statutory damages if a corporation commits an unlawful act ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Justices Wrestle with Debt Collection Tactics
  May 16, 2016
  The Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments in a case involving an Ohio law that allows the state attorney general to use “special counsel” ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• The CFPB Orders A Law Firm and A Debt Buyer To Discontinue Illegal Processes
  May 11, 2016
  According to an article published by Time , the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ordered two different firms to discontinue an illegal ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Father Wins Student Loan Debt Relief
  May 9, 2016
  A federal appeals court has urged a bankruptcy judge to consider a settlement that would allow a Duxbury father to erase more than $246,000 in student ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• How Judges Can Help Prevent Zombie Foreclosures
  May 6, 2016
  According to RealtyTrac, 25 percent of foreclosures in the U.S. are “zombies” – homes with no clear ownership of title. This happens when the owner ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Judge Orders Rapper to Stop Flashing Wealth He Doesn't Have
  May 4, 2016
  Rapper 50 Cent’s flamboyant displays of wealth on social media were recently taken to task yet again by a bankruptcy judge. At the beginning of this ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Federal Judge: Broke Lawyers Can Have Their Student Loan Debts Cancelled
  May 2, 2016
  This March, The Wall Street Journal reported that law school graduates who file for bankruptcy can receive a discharge of the debt they racked up ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Lenders Make Mistakes, Too
  Apr 25, 2016
  According to an article published by The Wall Street Journal , Ocwen Financial Corporation, a business that specializes in risky loans, will become ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Beware of This New Debt Collection Scam
  Apr 22, 2016
  The Federal Trade Commission is warning consumers of a new debt collection scam involving fake collection notices for phantom debts. According to the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• How Courts Punish People for their Poverty
  Apr 20, 2016
  Think debtors prisons no longer exist? Think again. One way that court systems commonly raise revenue is to impose fees and fines on those who commit ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac to Offer Principal Reductions Under New Loan Modification Program
  Apr 18, 2016
  Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have announced the first-ever principal reduction loan modification program for homeowners with underwater mortgages – ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Midland Credit Management Hit with Proposed Class Action Lawsuit
  Apr 15, 2016
  One of the largest debt collectors in the United States, Midland Credit Management, Inc. is facing a potential class action lawsuit from consumers ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• What Standards Must Every Item on a Credit Report Meet?
  Apr 11, 2016
  It is extremely important to check your credit report on a yearly basis. The three major credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Supercomputer Gives Insurers a Full Picture of Your Life
  Apr 1, 2016
  Thanks to a supercomputer owned by data analytics company LexisNexis, your insurance company can find information on just about every aspect of your ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Fannie Mae Lowers Mandatory Waiting Period to Two Years
  Mar 29, 2016
  New changes from Fannie Mae will make it easier for people to get approved for a mortgage after a bankruptcy, foreclosure, or short sale. The ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Our Chicago Debt Relief Lawyers Defend Client Sued by a Creditor
  Mar 22, 2016
  Recently, our Chicago consumer law attorneys, Attorney Paul M. Bach and Attorney Penelope N. Bach asked the bankruptcy court to review a case for our ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• How Did Three Credit Agencies Gain a Monopoly?
  Mar 18, 2016
  The practice of extending credit dates back to the 19 th century when industrialization led to the mass production of expensive machines that most ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Myths & Facts About Payday Loans
  Mar 15, 2016
  It is pretty common for those who are considering bankruptcy to have taken out one or more payday loans in the past. Payday loans, also called cash ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• HANGUP Act to End Unwanted Robocalls
  Mar 10, 2016
  Two House Democratic Lawmakers introduced a new law that would roll back a budget bill provision of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 allowing ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Justice Scalia's Death Causes Disarray in Supreme Court
  Mar 8, 2016
  U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s unexpected death in February at the age of 79 threw into disarray the fate of many of the Supreme Court’s ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• TCPA Exemption for Fed-Backed Loans Circulated to FCC
  Mar 8, 2016
  On February 17, a draft rule to exempt robocalls to collect federal debt from TCPA rules was circulated to the FCC. This proposal is looking to create ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Rapper 50 Cent Ordered to Bankruptcy Court Over Instagram Photos
  Mar 3, 2016
  A bankruptcy judge has ordered 50 Cent into her courtroom to explain a number of photos of the rapper posing with large stacks of cash, suggesting ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Will Your Children Have to Face Unpaid Creditors in the Future?
  Mar 1, 2016
  A topic that is often overlooked regards debts for people over the age of 65. If debts are large enough, who will be responsible for paying such debts ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Ocwen Lawyer Accused of Feeding Questions & Answers to Witnesses
  Feb 26, 2016
  Ocwen has been in enough hot water lately without adding to their long list of questionable activities. You may recall from our previous blog that ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• What Will the Supreme Court Do Without Justice Antonio Scalia?
  Feb 22, 2016
  Justice Antonin Scalia unexpectedly passed away on Saturday, February 13. Unfortunately, this death is not only disheartening, but it may cause ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• U.S. Marshals Arresting Student Loan Borrowers
  Feb 19, 2016
  The U.S. Marshals Service is arresting people in Houston for not paying their outstanding federal student loans. According to a Fox 26 article on the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• How to Fix Your Credit Report After Bankruptcy
  Feb 16, 2016
  One of the most frequently asked questions we receive from clients is how to fix a credit report after bankruptcy. While it is very important for ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's October 2015 Complaint Report Highlights Credit Cards and Chicago Consumers
  Feb 10, 2016
  The CFPB issues monthly complaint reports. These reports highlight the types of complaints that the Bureau receives and the number of complaints for ...
  Posted By Matthew Hector
  Read More
• Rising Drug Prices Hurting American Families
  Feb 5, 2016
  Martin Shkreli-style drug price hikes are everywhere , according to an article published by CBS News. You may recall from recent news that Martin ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Can A Company Shut Down a Class Action by Making a Settlement Offer?
  Jan 28, 2016
  According to an article published by Consumerist, if a company causes harm to consumers, that company cannot preempt an entire lawsuit by offering ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• America's Foreclosure Crisis is Far From Over
  Jan 28, 2016
  In our previous blog , we talked about the $5.1 billion settlement that Goldman Sachs is responsible for paying as recompense for its part in the 2008 ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Are Income Taxes Dischargeable in Bankruptcy?
  Jan 26, 2016
  Contrary to popular belief, income taxes can be discharged at bankruptcy under certain circumstances. In fact, local, state, and federal income taxes ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Goldman Sachs to Settle Federal Probe for $5.1B
  Jan 20, 2016
  Investment bank Goldman Sachs Group is set to settle a government probe into how it handled mortgage-backed securities to the tune of $5.1 billion ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Here's What You Should Know About Reverse Mortgages
  Jan 15, 2016
  Reverse mortgages are mortgages available to older adults (age 62 and older) that allow them to borrow money based on the value of their homes. By ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• FHFA Finds Principal Forgiveness Ineffective
  Jan 11, 2016
  Are you an underwater borrower? Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have several tools that may be useful in these situations, one of which is known as ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
  Read More
• Most Americans Unable to Handle a $500 Surprise Bill
  Jan 8, 2016
  The U.S. economy has recovered from the latest recession, but many Americans are still living paycheck to paycheck, putting them one unexpected bill ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• What is a Designated Lender Counsel?
  Jan 5, 2016
  According to an article published by The New York Times, titled “A Growing Conflict in Wall St. Buyouts,” it is crucial for people to understand the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Experian to Answer for Data Breach
  Dec 30, 2015
  Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Ohio, is leading the charge against credit-reporting giant Experian, demanding that it release details ...
  Posted By Omar Sulaiman
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• Plaintiff Who Filed for Bankruptcy is Harassed by a Financial Servicing Company
  Dec 29, 2015
  On April 16, 2007, the Plaintiff executed a mortgage loan from Bank of America, N.A. After the Plaintiff failed to make adequate payments, Bank of ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Capital One Is America's Largest Subprime Lender and Most Aggressive Filer of Lawsuits
  Dec 29, 2015
  By: Matthew Hector According to a story published by ProPublica and The Daily Beast , Capital One filed the most credit card collection lawsuits in ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Regulations X and Z Impose Stricter Rules for Mortgage Loan Servicers
  Dec 28, 2015
  It has been two years since the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) enacted amendments to Regulation X of the Real Estate Settlement Protection ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Robert Jackson, et. al. v. Blitt & Gaines, P.C. Argued Before The Seventh Circuit
  Dec 24, 2015
  On October 27, 2015, Atlas Consumer Law senior associate, Matthew Hector, presented an oral argument in Robert Jackson, et. al. v. Blitt & Gaines, ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Missouri Man Finally Clears Credit Report of Errors
  Dec 23, 2015
  One man in Missouri has finally reached the conclusion of a three-year quest to clear his credit report of errors after a U.S. senator stepped in to ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• New Tax Bill Provides Relief to Homeowners Struggling with Debt
  Dec 22, 2015
  A tax package unveiled last week could help some struggling homeowners get the tax relief they need. Normal tax law imposes income taxes on any debt ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Why It's Important To Know Your Rights As A Consumer
  Dec 17, 2015
  Many people are unaware of their rights under the various federal consumer protection statutes. Even more are unaware that many of these statutes have ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Summary of Judgment Reversed in Prescott v. Seterus, Inc.
  Dec 14, 2015
  In April of 2004, Kevin Prescott obtained a loan of $160,000 from Bank of America in order to purchase a piece of real estate in Pembroke Pines, ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Congress Consents to an Exception that Allows Some Automated Calls
  Dec 11, 2015
  It has probably happened to you at least once before. Your phone keeps buzzing with calls from random numbers and finally, you answer. To your dismay, ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• RCS's Post-Trial Motions Denied in Hammer v. Residential Credit Solutions, Inc.
  Dec 10, 2015
  In our previous blog , we reported that national mortgage loan servicer Residential Credit Solutions (RCS) was ordered to pay punitive damages ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Appellate Court Upholds Decision in 1010 Lake Shore Ass'n v. Deutsche Bank National Trust Co.
  Dec 9, 2015
  Last week, the Supreme Court of the State of Illinois has just affirmed the trial court decision in the case of 1010 Lake Shore Ass’n v. Deutsche Bank ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• The World's Wealthiest People Now Own Half of the World's Riches
  Nov 21, 2015
  According to a story published by CBS News, the world’s wealthiest citizens now own about one-half of the world’s riches. Earlier this year, the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Are You Wondering When to Start Social Security?
  Nov 19, 2015
  If you are approaching retirement and are wondering how to maximize your Social Security benefits, you may have questions about when the best time is ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• SCOTUS Hears Oral Arguments in Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins
  Nov 10, 2015
  You may remember back to our previous blog where we discussed what is at stake in the case of Spokeo v. Robins , a case tackling the question of ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Tentative Budget Pact Will Allow Robocalls to Debtors' Cell Phones
  Nov 2, 2015
  A tentative budget deal struck on Monday by the White House and Congressional leaders will result in some irritating consequences for Americans with ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• The Story of a Debt-Ridden Former Military Member Victimized by The World Law Group and Orion Processing
  Oct 26, 2015
  Recently, a former military member who was struggling to make payments on a few Federal Credit Union Visa credit cards reached out to The World Law ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Ocwen Is Sending Out Misdated Letter Claim Program Notices
  Oct 23, 2015
  Our office recently received a communication from Ocwen (on behalf of a client). Last October, the New York Department of Financial Services alleged ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Student Loan Debt Relief: How Much Hardship Does it Really Take?
  Oct 23, 2015
  The Department of Education has recently intervened in the case of a 65-year-old man named Robert Murphy, who has struggled for over three years in a ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Hack of the Month
  Oct 22, 2015
  Living in a world centered on data and the channels through which it travels, high-level hacking is an all too familiar occurrence. Not too long ago, ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Security-Chipped Credit Cards Replace Magnetic Strip Credit Cards
  Oct 19, 2015
  Credit card fraud has been one of the most common types of fraud for quite some time. In fact, the Federal Reserve reports that in 2012, over 13.7 ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Why Student Debt is Worse Than You May Think
  Oct 19, 2015
  It is no secret that student debt is becoming a massive problem in the United States, threatening both the financial futures of students bogged by ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Spokeo v. Robins: Privacy and Rights to Public Information
  Oct 15, 2015
  Oral arguments in the U.S. Supreme Court case Spokeo v. Robins are scheduled to be heard on November 2. If you haven’t heard about this case yet, you ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Can a Credit Score Alter Your Chances of Finding Love?
  Oct 14, 2015
  When it comes to “perfect” relationships, many people imagine romantic dates and getaways, bouquets of roses, and nice walks on the beach. However, ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Collection Lawsuits Disproportionately Affect Black Neighborhoods
  Oct 12, 2015
  Financial distress can happen to anybody at any time, but new analysis by ProPublica reveals that black neighborhoods are drastically more likely to ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Security-chipped Credit Cards Will Become the New Standard
  Sep 30, 2015
  On October 1, 2015, the standard for credit and debit cards will be renewed. Security chips will become the new standard for the credit card industry. ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Return of the Homebuyer
  Sep 30, 2015
  The ups and downs of the housing market have greatly influenced America’s economy over the last decade. After taking a disturbing plunge in the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Tuition Payments and Bankruptcy
  Sep 28, 2015
  Recently, a bankruptcy trustee in New Haven Connecticut filed suit against Johnson & Wales University alleging that tuition payments made by the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Residential Credit Solutions Ordered to Pay $1.5M in Punitive Damages
  Sep 25, 2015
  Earlier this year, Alena Hammer, a resident of Illinois’ DuPage County for the past 27 years, was awarded a total of two million dollars from ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• CFPB Takes Action Against Encore Capital Group and Portfolio Recovery Associates
  Sep 24, 2015
  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced on September 9, 2015 that it has taken action against Encore Capital Group (ECG) and ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• OMG! Did you know the Telephone Consumer Protection Act Applies to Text Messages?
  Sep 18, 2015
  Many of us have, at one point or another, received an unsolicited call to our cell phones. Whether they come from debt collectors or telemarketers, ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• What Do I Do if Creditors Harass Me After I Have Filed for Bankruptcy?
  Sep 17, 2015
  One of the benefits of filing for bankruptcy is the protection of the automatic stay. During the bankruptcy process, creditors are forbidden from ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• 2015 Avvo Clients' Choice Award to Attorney Ahmad T. Sulaiman
  Sep 4, 2015
  Attorney Ahmad T. Sulaiman has been honored with the 2015 Avvo Clients’ Choice Award for his outstanding legal contributions to his community. His ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Steps That Service Members (And Others) Can Take To Protect Their Credit
  Sep 4, 2015
  According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau , service members have submitted 650 complaints about credit reporting since 2012. One in six of ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Is It Time for Your Annual (Credit) Checkup?
  Sep 3, 2015
  When most people think about annual checkups, a visit to the doctor comes to mind. Annual checkups are an important part of maintaining your physical ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Can You Sue if a Credit Reporting Mistake Ruined Your Credit?
  Sep 2, 2015
  Credit inaccuracies can be very problematic for anyone trying to obtain credit. Your credit score also has an impact on how much you pay for things ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• First Wave of Student Loan Forgiveness Coming Soon
  Aug 25, 2015
  Of all consumer debts, student loans have the highest rate of default and delinquency rates. As many as 43 million people make up this $1.3 trillion ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• U.S. Supreme Court Ruling May Threaten Consumer Protection Laws
  Aug 18, 2015
  A recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court may jeopardize consumer protection statutes like the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. In Reed v. Town of ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• How Dishonest Wall Street Bankers Managed to Stay Out of Jail
  Aug 17, 2015
  The dishonesty and profligacy of Wall Street bankers, traders, and executives has always been a problem, but it has been made most evident in recent ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Credit Repair Scammers Pay Up
  Aug 14, 2015
  We’ve all heard the saying, “where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” Just as sure as that statement was, is, and always will be, there will always be ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Not Too Shocking: HAMP Has Not Helped Many People
  Aug 13, 2015
  The Home Affordable Modification Program was designed to help homeowners weather the foreclosure crisis and (hopefully) keep their homes. ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Talkin' Bout My Generation-The Age of Credit Worthiness
  Aug 12, 2015
  Growing up in middle class America, most people are aware of credit cards, auto loans, student loans, and other ways to obtain credit. What many ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• Is Student Debt Financially Crippling Young Americans?
  Aug 11, 2015
  The Federal Reserve Bank of New York revealed that, according to research, students in the United States collectively owe roughly $1.2 trillion in ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• The CFPB Is Conducting A Debt Collection Study
  Aug 10, 2015
  According to a letter sent to debt collectors, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has requested that debt collectors complete a survey regarding ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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• The CFPB's Most Complained About Financial Companies
  Jul 31, 2015
  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently released a list of the most complained-about financial services companies. While companies like Bank ...
  Posted By Matthew Hector
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• Hammer's $2 Million Verdict
  Jul 13, 2015
  On April 20, 2015, after a six-day trial at the Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Court House in Chicago, Illinois, Alena Hammer was awarded a ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• Strategic Default: What Is It and Can It Help Me?
  Jul 8, 2015
  Strategic default can be useful to relieve yourself of the burdens of a mortgage while minimizing the negative consequences. Let’s say that the home ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• NCLC Proposes New Debt Collection Regulations To The CFPB
  Jul 8, 2015
  The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) has issued recommendations to the CFPB that would further regulate when and in what manner debt collectors can ...
  Posted By Matthew Hector
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• OCC Report: $131 Billion in HELOC debt to reset
  Jul 2, 2015
  ke The OCC's latest Semiannual Risk Perspective says that out of the nine largest home equity lenders face a big problem from 2015 to 2017—the ...
  Posted By Matthew Hector
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• Protect Yourself! Recognize the Warning Signs of Creditor Harassment
  Jun 29, 2015
  By law, creditors are not allowed to contact debtors to demand payment after a debtor files for bankruptcy. What you may not realize is this practice ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• FCC Announces New Proposed Rules To Make The Telephone Consumer Protection Act More Consumer-Friendly
  Jun 2, 2015
  FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler recently announced new proposed rules that strengthen the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), making it more ...
  Posted By Matthew Hector
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• Portfolio Recovery Associates Hit With $83 Million Jury Verdict
  May 22, 2015
  A jury in Missouri has ordered Portfolio Recovery Associates (PRA) to pay Maria Mejia almost $83 million for violations of the Fair Debt Collection ...
  Posted By Matthew Hector
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• The hidden costs of paying off debt vs. bankruptcy
  May 12, 2015
  Most people want to pay off unpaid bills because they feel it is the morally correct and most responsible thing to do. Financial experts preach ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Bank of America, Chase To Change Credit Reporting Practices For Discharged Debts
  May 11, 2015
  According to the New York Times , Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase will be fundamentally changing how they report debts that were discharged in ...
  Posted By Matthew Hector of Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Supreme Court rejects bankruptcy appeal
  May 8, 2015
  A recent decision by the United States Supreme Court regarding a bankruptcy case could have an affect on Illinois debtors who want to file for ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• How The Sale Of Discharged Debt Thwarts The Bankruptcy Discharge
  May 7, 2015
  BloombergBusiness has published an interesting article about the sale of discharged debts. Many consumers do not know that banks will sell debts that ...
  Posted By Matthew Hector of Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Credit Invisibles
  May 7, 2015
  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Office of Research recently released a research report regarding credit invisibles--adults that have no ...
  Posted By Matthew Hector of Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Developing debt reduction strategies for Illinois residents
  May 1, 2015
  Illinois residents have options when it comes to paying off debt and improving their financial situation, according to a book called "The Debt Escape ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• U.S. Supreme Court To Decide Fair Credit Reporting Act Case
  Apr 27, 2015
  On April 27, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court granted a petition for writ of certiorari in Spokeo, Inc. v. Robbins , an appeal from the ruling of the 9th ...
  Posted By Matthew Hector of Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
  Read More
• Major $2 million verdict for Illinois homeowner
  Apr 27, 2015
  On April 21, 2015, a jury rendered a $2 million verdict in the case of Elena Hammer v. Residential Credit Solutions, Inc. Via our firm, Ms. Hammer ...
  Posted By Matthew Hector of Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Chapter 11 filings declining
  Apr 22, 2015
  Illinois business owners may be interested to learn that the rate of filed business bankruptcies is falling across the country. Illinois Chapter 11 ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Federal lawsuit exposes massive debt collection fraud
  Apr 16, 2015
  Consumers in Illinois should beware fake debt collectors that use intimidating tactics to defraud people of money they do not owe. The Consumer ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Many homeowners remain in their homes after foreclosure
  Apr 8, 2015
  Homeowners in Illinois who are facing foreclosure may be able to keep living in their homes, according to a recent report. The article concluded that ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Changes in credit reporting may be good news for consumers
  Mar 30, 2015
  Some recent changes in credit reporting could be good news for many Illinois residents. The changes, which were instituted by the federal Consumer ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Things to consider before filing for bankruptcy
  Mar 24, 2015
  Illinois consumers who might be considering bankruptcy may be interested in a recent article that discusses issues that a person might need to ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Credit card debtor rights in Illinois
  Mar 16, 2015
  According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, credit card companies have taken steps to limit consumer rights in the event of a credit card ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Debtors may find bankruptcy better than ignoring the problem
  Mar 12, 2015
  According to a new report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, debtors in Illinois and around the country are more likely to avoid filing ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Tax debts may be eligible for discharge with bankruptcy
  Mar 5, 2015
  Illinois residents who have outstanding tax debts may be interested in ways to discharge those debts through bankruptcy. While this is not always ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• DOJ Announces $50 Million Settlement With JP Morgan Chase Over Robosigned Docs In Bankruptcy Cases
  Mar 4, 2015
  According to the DOJ's press release , JP Morgan Chase has agreed to a $50 million settlement with the U.S. Trustee Program. As part of the settlement ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Mandatory Arbitration and Credit Card Companies
  Mar 3, 2015
  The Washington Post ran an article today entitled, "Why it's nearly impossible for you to sue your credit card company." It discusses the prevalence ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Can They Really Call Me This Much?
  Mar 2, 2015
  In my experience, many of my clients are plagued by collection calls. Many of these calls violate a bankrupcty discharge, or are made once the debt ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• When cancelled debt is treated as taxable income
  Feb 23, 2015
  An Iowa resident who receives forgiveness for part or all of one or more outstanding debts by a creditor might be surprised when a 1099-C federal tax ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Working with collection agencies for reduced payments
  Feb 16, 2015
  People in Illinois who have outstanding credit card or other financial obligations may be able to negotiate with debt collectors for a settlement. If ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Defending against Illinois foreclosures
  Feb 12, 2015
  If you are involved in a dispute with your mortgage lender, you may have the specter of foreclosure looming. Alternatively, you may owe far more on ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• National Consumer Law Center to CFPB: Ban The Collection Of Time-Barred Debt
  Feb 9, 2015
  The National Consumer Law Center has issued a policy paper entitled, "Zombie Debt: What the CFPB Should Do About Attempts To Collect Old Debt." The ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Understanding the differences between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13
  Feb 3, 2015
  Illinois residents who are struggling with credit card debt may be interested in information on the types of personal bankruptcy available to them. ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• CFPB To Issue New Rules For Payday Lenders
  Feb 2, 2015
  According to this article in the New York Times , the Consumer Financial Bureau is set to release its first set of rules for payday lenders. Full ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• When is discharge in bankruptcy possible?
  Jan 29, 2015
  Discharging a debt after personal bankruptcy is an issue that many Illinois residents might be curious about. There are circumstances where a person ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Consumers' rights dealing with debt collection agencies
  Jan 23, 2015
  Many Illinois residents have credit card or medical debts that they have had trouble paying off, and in some cases these obligations are assigned to, ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Mortgages and bankruptcy in Illinois
  Jan 14, 2015
  When a person files bankruptcy, an automatic stay goes into effect preventing the creditors from continuing further collection activity. What will ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Aereo permitted to auction technology assets
  Jan 7, 2015
  In dealing with a significant amount of debt, an Illinois resident or business might decide to sell off material goods to satisfy some of their ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Debtors may not be harassed by collection agencies
  Dec 29, 2014
  Illinois residents may know that debt collectors are restricted by federal law from harassing the debtor. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Unsecured debt and property seizures
  Dec 17, 2014
  Some residents of Chicago may be interested in learning more about unsecured debt collection. Although many people know that secured creditors can ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Ways to avoid foreclosure
  Dec 11, 2014
  As Illinois homeowners may know, the rate of foreclosures has been high since the economic downturn of 2008. This is a complex situation but often ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Debt relief and bankruptcy
  Dec 5, 2014
  Consumers in Illinois may benefit from learning more about the distinguishing factors that differentiate filing bankruptcy from obtaining debt relief. ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• New York State Unveils New Debt Collection Regulations
  Dec 4, 2014
  New York governor Andrew Quomo recently announced New York's new debt collection regulations. The regulations, issued under a provision of the New ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Personal bankruptcy and credit card debt
  Nov 26, 2014
  Many people throughout Illinois are struggling with credit card debt. It is all too easy to swipe a credit card for a few purchases and eventually ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Alternatives to foreclosure in Illinois
  Nov 19, 2014
  The mortgage payment is often an Illinois resident's largest monthly expense, and an unexpected illness or layoff may make meeting this obligation a ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• American Bar Association Issues New Ethics Opinion Regarding Debt Collectors Renting Prosecutor Letterhead
  Nov 17, 2014
  Two years ago, I wrote a blog post about debt collectors using prosecutors' letterhead to collect a debt . This is generally done because the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Understanding corporate bankruptcy
  Nov 14, 2014
  Investors in Illinois may benefit from learning more about the principles of corporate bankruptcy as described by the Security and Exchange ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Peer To Peer Lending -- Great Idea or Major Pitfall?
  Nov 10, 2014
  We're back from a long hiatus. We've seen the usual in the past few months: sources conflicting on whether foreclosures are up or down; the return of ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Fighting vehicle repossession in Illinois
  Nov 4, 2014
  Many Illinois residents have run into difficulty making their monthly car or truck payments in an economy that has yet to fully recover from the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• What is the role of a U.S. trustee in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy?
  Oct 29, 2014
  During bankruptcy, a trustee is assigned to assist with the process. In Chapter 11, the U.S. trustee's role is important in monitoring the case as it ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Why should I use an attorney to file a personal bankruptcy?
  Oct 20, 2014
  While a corporation or partnership that files for bankruptcy must do so through an attorney, individual debtors who are filing for bankruptcy in ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• What are the eligibility requirements of Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
  Oct 17, 2014
  An Illinois individual, partnership, corporation or other business entity can file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, though the only people who qualify for ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
  Read More
• What is Chapter 11 bankruptcy and how does it work?
  Oct 2, 2014
  Illinois businesses may be familiar with a form of bankruptcy that allow a business to reorganize debt and refinance it in order to prevent final ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• What is Chapter 13 bankruptcy and how does it work?
  Oct 2, 2014
  Two of the most common types of personal bankruptcy are Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Unlike a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, where a debtor's ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• What is predatory lending and what legal protections do I have?
  Sep 17, 2014
  Some Illinois consumers are growing increasingly wary of the terms and conditions associated with taking on debt, and with good reason. Predatory ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• What is chapter 7 bankruptcy?
  Sep 16, 2014
  Chapter 7 bankruptcy is one of two options available for most individuals filing for bankruptcy in Illinois. Chapter 7 is also known as liquidation ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Help for Illinois homeowners facing foreclosure
  Sep 9, 2014
  Homeowners in the Chicago area may be among the many individuals across the nation who are facing foreclosure. However, our firm offers individuals a ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Securing a credit card is possible after bankruptcy
  Aug 26, 2014
  Illinois residents who have gone through bankruptcy may wonder how it will affect their ability to get a credit card. While it may take some time to ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Study finds bankruptcy effective against foreclosure
  Aug 19, 2014
  Illinois readers may be interested in the findings of a university study regarding the effectiveness of bankruptcy actions in forestalling or avoiding ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
  Read More
• Understanding discharge dates in different bankruptcies
  Aug 15, 2014
  An Illinois resident may be eager to see their debt gone when filing for bankruptcy, but the discharge rules can be different based on the type of ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
  Read More
• How to use bankruptcy to delay foreclosure
  Aug 11, 2014
  For Illinois homeowners who are facing foreclosure, bankruptcy may be a powerful tool to stave off any action by a lender to take their home away. The ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
  Read More
• DOJ Settling With Citi and (Maybe) BoA Over Mortgage Securities
  Aug 11, 2014
  The Department of Justice took a lot of flak for failing to prosecute the banks whose mortgage lending practices contributed to the collapse of the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• FICO Scoring System Changing To Reduce Impact Of Medical Debt
  Aug 8, 2014
  According to the Chicago Tribune , the formula used to determine FICO scores is being changed to minimize the negative impact of bad medical debts. ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Paying credit card debt owed by a deceased loved one
  Jul 30, 2014
  Residents of Illinois might wonder who pays a deceased consumer's credit card debt. When the consumer is a parent, grandparent or spouse, grief is the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Small bad debt is still bad debt on a credit report
  Jul 24, 2014
  As many Illinois residents may know, forgotten debt may pop up on a credit report at the worst possible time. Being alert to this possibility and ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Retirement accounts and credit card default
  Jul 21, 2014
  Some debtors in Illinois may wonder if defaulting on a credit card can affect retirement funds. According to a recent article, a creditor must file ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Debt collection companies must prove debt is legitimate
  Jul 14, 2014
  Some Illinois residents who have lost a parent may face harassment by debt collectors who insist they are responsible for paying bills their parent ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• What rights do Illinois debtors have?
  Jul 7, 2014
  A woman is refusing to pay a $20 charge that she incurred on her Kohl's credit card in November of 2013 due to claims that the company harassed her ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
  Read More
• Thinking about bankruptcy and personal credit scores
  Jun 30, 2014
  Americans have learned to be very protective of their credit scores. Even if we don’t know exactly how our scores are calculated, we know that this ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• How to deal with past medical debt in Illinois
  Jun 26, 2014
  Routinely checking one's credit report can be a good habit to get into. Sometimes, it will alert an individual to an unpaid medical debt that may have ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
  Read More
• CFPB report sheds light on illegal debt collection practices
  Jun 25, 2014
  Late last month, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released a report citing illegal practices among some American debt collectors and so-called ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Forget About Trump, Look At Our Blighted Neighborhoods
  Jun 20, 2014
  Dawn Turner Trice, a columnist for the Chicago Tribune, wrote a great column today . She took the opportunity to turn the current brouhaha about ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• How Foreclosures Have Impacted Chicago
  Jun 12, 2014
  Last month, I wrote a post about the number of vacant properties in Chicago and how long those properties had been vacant. Now, to elaborate on that ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
  Read More
• Why Collecting Time-Barred Debts Hurts Consumers
  Jun 10, 2014
  The FDCPA Defense Blog recently published a post decrying the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and FTC's position regarding debt collectors ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
  Read More
• The evolution of mortgage modification litigation
  Jun 9, 2014
  In the wake of the most recent financial crisis, many homeowners who had either lost their homes to foreclosure or who were fighting to keep their ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Are SSD and SSI benefits protected in bankruptcy?
  May 30, 2014
  We frequently write about both the benefits and temporary drawbacks of filing for personal bankruptcy. When individuals are struggling to cope with ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
  Read More
• 20% of Vacant Properties In Chicago Have Been Empty For More Than Five Years
  May 28, 2014
  That's right. According to the Chicago Reporter , one in five vacant properties in Chicago have been empty for more than five years. These are the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• How to use credit cards when rebuilding your credit score
  May 23, 2014
  The idea that you could possibly use credit cards for your benefit when recovering from overwhelming debt seems counterintuitive. However, if you use ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
  Read More
• Why individuals get bogged down in credit card debt
  May 16, 2014
  We have previously discussed the fact that the American public generally views debt differently in the wake of the 2008 economic downturn. After the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Beware of payday lenders for numerous reasons
  May 9, 2014
  When you have fallen a few hundred dollars short of what you need to pay your bills, eat and put gas in your car, visiting a payday lender may seem ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
  Read More
• Why We Need To Create New Rules For Debt Collection Lawsuits
  May 9, 2014
  Judge Jonathan Lippman, New York's chief judge, recently proposed a new set of rules for debt collection lawsuits filed in the State of New York. ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
  Read More
• Independent Foreclosure Review -- The GAO Report
  May 8, 2014
  The Independent Foreclosure Review remains the biggest failure of our regulatory system. It turns out that it was an even bigger failure than ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Why co-signing a loan may not be the best choice you can make
  May 5, 2014
  Loved ones tend to support one another, especially when times get tough. Although there is no one correct way to support another person, loved ones do ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• When a student loan co-signer dies
  May 2, 2014
  Many young adults opt to attend college within the first few years following their graduation from high school. At such a young age, rarely do any of ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Four Easy Ways To Improve Your Credit...
  Apr 24, 2014
  I found an article today that describes four lazy ways to improve your credit. The ideas are pretty good. The first is to let your credit accounts ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Do you still need to be battling foreclosure?
  Apr 18, 2014
  Since the beginning of the foreclosure crisis, millions of American homeowners have weathered with the process of fighting to keep their homes. The ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Bankruptcy Filing Fees To Increase on June 1, 2014
  Apr 17, 2014
  During its March 2014 session, the Judicial Conference decided to raise the bankruptcy filing fees effective on June 1, 2014. The fee to file an ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Supreme Court considers personal bankruptcy case
  Apr 13, 2014
  Parents almost always work to fulfill the dream that their children will have more opportunities and even fuller lives than they themselves have had. ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Will filing for bankruptcy result in significant tax liabilities?
  Apr 6, 2014
  Tax season is nearly over. However, many individuals struggling with overwhelming debt are already thinking ahead to next tax season and to the next ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Have you inherited a home affected by a reverse mortgage?
  Mar 29, 2014
  A number of individuals in the financial industry convinced a staggering number of elderly homeowners to enter into reverse mortgages before the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Watchdog comes down hard on U.S. due to mortgage fraud response
  Mar 21, 2014
  When the subprime mortgage crisis exploded in 2007 and helped to spark the nation's most recent recession, lawmakers, experts and the general public ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• CFPB tries to secure free credit scores for consumers
  Mar 16, 2014
  The federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) serves as a consumer-friendly watchdog with its eyes on the financial industry. According to ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Thinking about business-related debt loads
  Mar 7, 2014
  The entrepreneurial spirit has long been praised throughout American history. Ours is a society which prides itself on invention, innovation and ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Sharp uptick in consumer debt is more frightening than fun
  Feb 28, 2014
  Earlier this month, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York released data about the amount of debt that Americans are currently juggling and struggling ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Debt Collectors Calling? Why You Should Always Answer Your Phone.
  Feb 24, 2014
  The natural response to a phone call from a debt collector is to ignore it. After all, that's what voice mail is for, right? In my opinion, it's ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Homeowners in trouble are filing more and more lender complaints
  Feb 23, 2014
  The nation’s largest banks have been under fire for several years now due to shady, unethical and even illegal lending practices. However, a new group ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• When your loved one is in debt at the time of his or her death
  Feb 15, 2014
  When a loved one dies, the emotional toll that this loss can take on you can understandably leave you feeling incapable of handling the everyday tasks ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Affordable Care Act will not eliminate overwhelming medical debt
  Feb 9, 2014
  A great deal of controversy surrounded the creation of the Affordable Care Act. This piece of legislation, also known as “Obamacare” remains a subject ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Zombie Foreclosures Are Back -- Again
  Feb 5, 2014
  The Woodstock Institute recently revived the concept of zombie foreclosures and mortgages by issuing a new report . The report details the patterns of ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Holiday spending, leftover holiday debt and you
  Jan 30, 2014
  It is the end of January. As a result, you are probably receiving bills associated with holiday spending in your mailbox. Perhaps you steadfastly ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Credit Tips From The National Association of Consumer Advocates
  Jan 23, 2014
  The National Association of Consumer Advocates has written a five-step guide to improving your credit score. The guide rather useful, in particular ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• The Top 5 Things That You Should Not Do When Sued
  Jan 15, 2014
  The longer I practice law, the longer my list of "what not to do" becomes. Here's my updated list of what not to do when you are sued by a creditor. ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• The Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act Has Expired -- What It Means For You
  Jan 8, 2014
  In 2007, Congress enacted the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act. It was designed to remove the negative tax consequences of a short sale, deed in ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Ocwen Enters Into Multi-Billion Dollar Consent Order For Mortgage Servicing Misdeeds
  Dec 24, 2013
  Ocwen is the latest mortgage servicer to enter into a consent order with the CFPB and 49 of the 50 states. Ocwen is being held accountable for its ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Los Angeles Sues Everyone
  Dec 12, 2013
  Well, not quite. The city of Los Angeles has filed lawsuits against Wells Fargo, Citigroup , and Bank of America for discriminatory lending practices ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• CFPB's Mortgage Disclosure Rules Need Work
  Dec 4, 2013
  I normally applaud the CFPB for its aggressive regulation and its attempts to expand its regulatory reach. When the CFPB first started rolling out ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Loan modification options for heirs inheriting mortgages
  Nov 30, 2013
  If a loved one has died and left his or her home to you, the gesture may seem overwhelming for numerous reasons. First, you may be struggling with the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Considering Filing Bankruptcy? Be Sure To Preserve Your Claims Against Creditors
  Nov 11, 2013
  When you file for bankrupcty, you are required to disclose all of your assets and liabilities. Most people think of assets as things (tangible or ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Debt Collection, Debt Buyers, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
  Nov 8, 2013
  The CFPB has issued a request for comments regarding debt collection practices. This is the first step in the CFPB's rule making process. The CFPB is ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Amending The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
  Nov 4, 2013
  On October 30, 2013, U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN) introduced H.R. 3402, the Fair Debt Collection Improvement Act . The bill was referred to ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Bank of America Liable For Mortgage Fraud
  Oct 30, 2013
  On October 23, 2013, Bank of America was found liable for civil fraud in a federal lawsuit filed in New York. The U.S. Department of Justice brought ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• JP Morgan Chase To Settle With U.S. Government -- But Is The Settlement A Tax Break?
  Oct 28, 2013
  Over the last two weeks, we have seen the Too Big To Fail banks agree to some rather large settlements for a wide variety of lawsuits. Currently, the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Updates on the National Mortgage Settlement
  Oct 18, 2013
  Early in 2012, five banks agreed to a $25 billion mortgage settlement after being accused of a number of improprieties resulting in the nationwide ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• The Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Consent, And You
  Oct 14, 2013
  In general, when you apply for a credit card, an automobile loan, or a home loan, you are consenting to being called by the creditor. Most creditors ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Are Judges Trending Pro-Homeowner?
  Sep 30, 2013
  The New York Times ran an article on Saturday that takes a look at judges that are taking a critical view of banks in foreclosure matters. As one ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• A New Path To Home Ownership
  Sep 26, 2013
  I just read an article on Dennis Rodkin's blog about Hyperion Homes, a company with a new approach to renting and purchasing homes. Hyperion works ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Lawmakers push hospitals to standardize patient debt collections
  Sep 21, 2013
  A sudden and unexpected serious injury or illness can catch anyone off guard. In fact, this particular scenario inspires more Americans to file for ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• State of Illinois v. Safeguard Part 2 -- Consumer Illustrations
  Sep 13, 2013
  According to AG Madigan's complaint , the Illinois Attorney General's Office is aware of over 200 complaints from Illinois consumers against Safeguard ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Guest Post: CFPB Puts Companies On Notice About Duty To Investigate Consumer Credit Report Disputes
  Sep 13, 2013
  This a guest post written by Associate Attorney Dan McGarry: It happens all the time. Inaccurate information routinely finds its way into the credit ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Lisa Madigan Files Suit Against Safeguard Properties, LLC
  Sep 12, 2013
  Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced on Tuesday that she has filed a lawsuit against Safeguard Properties, LLC, alleging illegal eviction ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Working On A Loan Modification With Bank of America? Here Are Some Tips.
  Sep 9, 2013
  As anyone who has tried to secure a loan modification can tell you, the process is not easy. On more than one occasion, I have referred to it as ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• How to avoid becoming a victim of foreclosure scams
  Sep 4, 2013
  When your debt load has become overwhelming, it can be tempting to panic. It can be tempting to allow your stress, anxiety and frustration to rule ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Why You Should Fight Credit Card Lawsuits
  Sep 4, 2013
  In my experience, when consumers appear in court, they often make bad choices by "doing the right thing." Let me be very clear -- confessing to ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• EverBank To Pay $37 Million In Independent Foreclosure Review Payments
  Aug 28, 2013
  On August 26, the OCC announced that it had reached an agreement with EverBank where the lender will pay $37 million to more than 32,000 eligible ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Can I Force The Bank To Take Back My Home?
  Aug 27, 2013
  I have been asked this question more times than I can count. My answer is usually, "Unfortunately, no." That may be changing. Last month, the United ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• The Latest CFPB Supervisory Report: Banks Not In Compliance With Regulations
  Aug 23, 2013
  This likely comes as a shock to no one, but banks aren't very good at customer service or complying with regulations. The Consumer Financial ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Illinois Governor Pat Quinn Signs Bill Extending Tenant Protections In Foreclosure
  Aug 22, 2013
  A federal law that protects renters whose buildings are in foreclosure will expire this year. Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signed a bill into law that ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• FHA Changes Eligibility For Borrowers Post-Bankruptcy and Post-Foreclosure
  Aug 21, 2013
  FHA loans have been a reliable source of mortgage lending for people with less-than-perfect credit. It is possible to get an FHA mortgage two years ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Department of Justice Sues Bank of America, Confirms What We've Always Known
  Aug 8, 2013
  On Tuesday, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Bank of America . The lawsuit alleges that BofA lied to investors about the quality of ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Homeowners consider crowdfunding in fights to avoid foreclosure
  Jul 31, 2013
  Experienced bankruptcy attorneys are often able to help homeowners avoid foreclosure through utilization of a variety of legal options. However, even ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Equifax Hit With $18.6 million Fair Credit Reporting Act Judgment
  Jul 31, 2013
  Julie Miller, a woman from Oregon, has been awarded $18.6 million in her lawsuit against Equifax. According to The Oregonian , the jury awarded $18.4 ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Independent Foreclosure Review -- Uncashed Check Update
  Jul 25, 2013
  According to Housing Wire (apparently via the Huffington Post), approximately 400,000 Independent Foreclosure Review settlement checks were mailed to ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• CFPB Sues To Enforce Dodd-Frank Compensation Rule
  Jul 25, 2013
  When the mortgage industry collapsed along with our economy, lawmakers attempted to improve things by passing Dodd-Frank. While the bank lobby found ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Independent Foreclosure Review -- Cash Your Checks!
  Jul 22, 2013
  According to this article , about $1 billion in Independent Foreclosure Review settlement checks remain uncashed. The checks are only valid for 90 ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Encore Capital Group and Midland Credit Management, Inc. -- When A Consumer Bill of Rights Doesn't Mean What It Says
  Jul 9, 2013
  In 2011 Encore Capital Group rolled out a "Consumer Bill of Rights" that was touted as an effort to " set the industry standard for consumer conduct. ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Independent Foreclosure Review -- Ally/ResCap Calls It Quits
  Jul 8, 2013
  When the rest of the banks settled with the OCC and began sending out rubber checks, Ally/ResCap decided to continue its portion of the Independent ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Guest Post -- Ryan v. U.S. (In re Ryan) Case Note
  Jul 8, 2013
  This case note was authored by Atlas Consumer Law's Penelope N. Bach. Ms. Bach is an attorney in the firm's bankruptcy practice. As can be seen from ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• American Banker: Chase Halts Credit Card Debt Sales
  Jul 2, 2013
  According to American Banker , Chase has quit selling credit card debt in anticipation of increased regulatory scrutiny. This comes as no surprise ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Debt Collectors, Debt Buyers, and Collection Agency Act
  Jul 1, 2013
  I recently attended Max Gardner's Debt Buyer Boot Camp. During the boot camp, the panel briefly discussed the Unifund CCR Partners v. Shah series of ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Foreclosure maintenance settlement will target blighted areas
  Jun 27, 2013
  When the economic recession and foreclosure crisis of 2008 rocked the nation, some areas were unquestionably hit harder than others. Some residential ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Activist Shareholders Seek Answers From Bank of America Regarding the Current Whistleblower Scandal
  Jun 26, 2013
  Bank of America has been in the news lately thanks to the testimony of six whistleblowers . Those whistleblowers described a corporate culture where ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Bank of America Whistleblowers: BofA Lied to Homeowners, Incentivized Foreclosures
  Jun 20, 2013
  If you have ever applied for a loan modification on your own, then you may have encountered some very frustrating situations. I frequently hear about ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• National Mortgage Settlement Update -- Tightening Up Dual-Tracking
  Jun 20, 2013
  According to this article , the initial compliance reports from the National Mortgage Settlement are causing regulators to consider tightening up the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Independent Foreclosure Review and National Mortgage Settlement Checks -- An Update
  Jun 18, 2013
  As we get further into the summer, we should be receiving more information about the Independent Foreclosure Review settlement and the National ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Overview of 2013 Chicago Housing Market
  Jun 13, 2013
  While homeowners in other housing markets across the country are breathing a collective sigh of relief amid increasing home prices, those here in ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Avoiding pre-approved mortgage schemes
  Jun 12, 2013
  American consumers are often quite familiar with the concept of pre-approval for a variety of services. Credit card applications arrive in the mail ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Bank of America's New Ad Copy -- Same As It Ever Was
  Jun 12, 2013
  According to a recent article at American Banker , Bank of America is using questionable advertising materials to advertise refinance packages to ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Chicago City Council Passes "Keep Chicago Renting" Ordinance
  Jun 6, 2013
  On June 5, 2013, the Chicago City Council enacted the "Keep Chicago Renting" ordinance. The ordinance is designed to prevent vacancies in foreclosed ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• HAMP Extended Two More Years -- But Are Loan Modifications Working?
  Jun 4, 2013
  The Obama Administration recently announced that it was extending HAMP for two more years. HAMP was scheduled to end on December 31, 2013 -- now it ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Do not let the threat of foreclosure overwhelm you
  May 30, 2013
  Home may indeed be wherever the heart resides. For many people, their houses actually are exactly where their hearts live. Whether individuals have ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Is The OCC Actually Regulating A Bank?
  May 30, 2013
  According to the Washington Post , the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is ramping up its investigation into JP Morgan Chase's credit card ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America Claim That They Have Satisfied The Terms of The National Mortgage Settlement
  May 22, 2013
  In an attempt to get ahead of next month's National Mortgage Settlement monitor's report, both Chase and Bank of America have announced that they have ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• California's Attorney General Sues Chase, Re-Exposes Chase's Unlawful Credit Card Practices
  May 21, 2013
  Every once in a while, a state-level official picks up the slack left behind by federal regulators. This time, Kamala Harris, California's Attorney ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Why stable homeowners should pay attention to foreclosure processes
  May 15, 2013
  If you are a homeowner who has remained so-far unaffected by the economic downturn and the foreclosure crisis, we offer sincere congratulations. Not ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Why Mortgage Disclosures Don't Work
  May 15, 2013
  I began my career during the real estate boom of the early 2000s. Finding work as a real estate attorney simply required knowing one or two realtors. ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• "Chapter 20," Lien Stripping, and Underwater Homes
  May 14, 2013
  As of March 19, 2013, 33% of Chicago-area home mortgages were underwater. This means that 1 in 3 mortgaged homes have negative equity. Some of these ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• 96,000 Underpaid By Independent Foreclosure Review Settlement -- Checks Are In The Mail
  May 9, 2013
  The Federal Reserve has announced that 96,000 homeowners were underpaid when they received their initial settlement checks from the Independent ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• The Protecting Tenants in Foreclosed Rental Property Ordinance
  May 1, 2013
  A Chicago City Council committee has just passed an ordinance designed to protect tenants who live in foreclosed rental properties. Under the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Independent Foreclosure Review By The Numbers -- Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley
  Apr 30, 2013
  11 of the 14 banks involved in the Indpendent Foreclosure Review reached a settlement with the OCC and the Fed. Not too long ago, I wrote about the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Emotionally supporting a loved one who is struggling financially
  Apr 30, 2013
  When one's financial situation becomes overwhelming, maintaining a strong support system is critical. However, supporting a loved one who is wrestling ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Mailing Checks To Consumers -- National Mortgage Settlement Version
  Apr 23, 2013
  Any reader of this blog knows that the Independent Foreclosure Review has been utterly bungled all the way down to bouncing checks. Not to be ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• The Hits Keep On Coming -- Independent Foreclosure Review Checks Are Bouncing
  Apr 18, 2013
  Just when you thought that the Independent Foreclosure Review couldn't be any more of an utter failure . . . According to DealBook, the checks being ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Zombie Mortgages In The News
  Apr 17, 2013
  WGN-TV picked up on my posts about zombie title and zombie mortgage, etc. I had the privilege of being interviewed for a segment on zombie mortgages ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Independent Foreclosure Review Payouts -- A Pittance For Your Troubles
  Apr 12, 2013
  ProPublica has released some data that explains how the Independent Foreclosure Review payments are being distributed. As you may recall, the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• FHFA Extends HARP Refinance Program to 2015
  Apr 12, 2013
  According to Bloomberg , the FHFA has extended the HARP refinance program to the end of 2015. This means that homeowners whose mortgages are backed by ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Illinois Supreme Court Announces Effective Date of New Foreclosure Rules
  Apr 9, 2013
  As you may recall, the Illinois Supreme Court postponed the enforcement of its newly-announced foreclosure rules because it was unclear whether those ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Why Closing Credit Card Accounts Can Hurt Your Credit Score
  Apr 5, 2013
  Most people don't know that closing credit card accounts can hurt their credit score. However, according to this article by Adam Levin, this is one of ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Can A Bank Sue You For A Deficiency After The Foreclosure Lawsuit Is Over?
  Apr 3, 2013
  Since the implosion of the real estate market, we have seen a massive number of foreclosures in Illinois. In many of these cases, homes were sold at ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Freddie and Fannie Announce a New Loan Modification Program
  Apr 1, 2013
  Freddie and Fannie are (rightfully) the target of some serious criticism in the consumer defense sector -- FHFA Director Ed DeMarco's refusal to allow ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Chief Justice John Roberts a Victim of Credit Card Fraud
  Apr 1, 2013
  File this under -- "can happen to anyone." According to Al Kamen of the Washington Post , U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts was recently ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Assets vs. Liabilities
  Mar 14, 2013
  I recently read two blog posts that raise an excellent point about the true nature of assets and liabilities. Owning stuff does not always translate ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• The "Rambo-type Foreclosure Litigator" -- A Rebuttal
  Mar 8, 2013
  I never knew that I was an action hero. A recent opinion piece at Housing Wire indicates that I may very well be one. As a consumer defense attorney, ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Illinois Supreme Court Postpones Start Date of New Foreclosure Rules
  Mar 1, 2013
  On February 28, 2013, the Illinois Supreme Court issued an order postponing the effective date of new Rules 99.1, 113, and 114 until May 1, 2013. The ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Are Bad Check Debts Dischargeable In Bankruptcy?
  Mar 1, 2013
  In Illinois, intentionally writing a bad check is a felony offense. (720 ILCS 5/17-1) The statute section is titled, "Deceptive Practices." This ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Another good reason to consider filing for bankruptcy
  Feb 28, 2013
  Over four years ago, the American economy took a sharp nosedive, as did the economies of several other western, industrialized nations. Thankfully, ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Practice Alert: U.S. Supreme Court Expands Liability for Losing FDCPA Plaintiffs
  Feb 27, 2013
  The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) states that when a Plaintiff brings a case in bad faith and with the purpose of harassment, that ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Illinois Supreme Court Rule 113 -- New Mortgage Foreclosure Procudures
  Feb 23, 2013
  One of the reasons why Illinois has such a famously long foreclosure timeline is because our state's judicial foreclosure process puts procedural and ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Illinois Supreme Court Rule 99.1 -- Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation Programs
  Feb 22, 2013
  Newly implemented Rule 99.1 establishes standardized requirements for mortgage foreclosure mediation programs. Judicial circuits that currently have a ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Illinois Supreme Court Rule 114 -- The Loss Mitigation Affidavit
  Feb 22, 2013
  Illinois Supreme Court Rule 114 establishes a new procedural requirement in Illinois mortgage foreclosure cases -- the loss mitigation affidavit. ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• CFPB Bulletin 2013-01: What's Coming for Mortgage Servicing Transfers
  Feb 19, 2013
  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issues bulletins for many purposes, one of which is to notify the industries that it regulates about upcoming ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• New FTC Report: Over 1/4 of Credit Reports Contain Errors
  Feb 15, 2013
  According to a recent report by the FTC , 26% of credit reports contain an error, but 95% of those errors do not affect on the individual's credit ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Illinois Foreclosures are Down! Or Up!
  Feb 14, 2013
  "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." -- Mark Twain ( or possibly Benjamin Disraeli ) Today, I found two different ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Debt Buyer Lawsuits
  Feb 8, 2013
  In my experience, debt buyer lawsuits lack significant pieces of information that establish a prima facie case. Because debt buyers often receive very ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Things That You Should Never Do When Dealing With Creditors
  Feb 8, 2013
  When I go to the courthouse, I often see consumers appearing in court pro se who make truly poor choices when speaking to the judge. I also see people ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• FTC Releases Report on Debt Buyers
  Feb 4, 2013
  The Federal Trade Commission has released a report on the debt purchasing industry. This report is the first of its kind and takes a critical look at ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• The Independent Foreclosure Review -- Here Come the Whistleblowers
  Feb 1, 2013
  Naked Capitalism is running a series of posts describing the ugly truth behind the now-defunct Independent Foreclosure Review. Whistleblowers from ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Foreclosure and your FICO score
  Jan 25, 2013
  When you are facing financial challenges, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Do you think about the immediate stressors in your life, such as ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• CFPB Releases New Mortgage Lending Rules
  Jan 21, 2013
  On January 10, 2014, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released new rules that will regulate how banks issue mortgages. These rules are ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• CFPB Releases New Mortgage Servicing Rules
  Jan 18, 2013
  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has released new mortgage servicing rules that go into effect in 2014. These rules are meant to "put the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Foreclosure Settlement Claim Deadline is January 18, 2013
  Jan 15, 2013
  Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced yesterday that Illinois homeowners have until January 18, 2013 to to submit a claim for reimbursement ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• "Zombie Title" -- When Homeowners Remain On The Hook
  Jan 11, 2013
  The press loves to use the word, "zombie," as an adjective when referring to things that were thought to be final. (For example: zombie title , zombie ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• The Independent Foreclosure Review To Be Replaced With. . . Something
  Jan 8, 2013
  On December 24, 2012, I wrote about the impending demise of the Independent Foreclosure Review program. The program was pronounced dead on arrival ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Mortgage Crisis in a Nutshell Video
  Jan 7, 2013
  Denver, CO attorney, John E. Campbell, has produced a video explaining the mortgage crisis. It is just under one hour long, but is well-worth watching ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Fiscal Cliff Deal Extends The Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Relief Act
  Jan 2, 2013
  It looks like short sales and principal reductions will continue to work as intended, at least for one more year. The fiscal cliff bill that Congress ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• The Independent Foreclosure Review Is Neither Independent Nor A Review
  Dec 24, 2012
  Over the course of this year, I have written about the Independent Foreclosure Review several times. In February, I wrote about the job postings for ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Deposition of A Former Countrywide Employee Reveals A Broken Loan Review Process
  Dec 21, 2012
  The deposition of Glenn Hubbard has been making the rounds this week. If you have ever watched the documentary, Inside Job, then you may be familiar ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• How Identity Theft Happens
  Dec 11, 2012
  Identity theft can be extremely harmful to your credit rating. It is very difficult to repair a credit report, and adding identity theft into the mix ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Short Sales Increase As Clock Ticks Down On Tax Exemption
  Dec 10, 2012
  As reported by David Dayden at Firedoglake, short sales have increased significantly in the third and fourth quarters of 2012. This is largely due to ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Correcting Your Credit Report Can Involve A Lot Of Work
  Nov 29, 2012
  Many consumers think that fixing errors on their credit reports is as simple as filing a dispute online. After all, Transunion, Equifax, and Experian ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Forgiven Mortgage Debt Tax Exemption Still Set To Expire
  Nov 28, 2012
  In 2007, President G.W. Bush signed the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act into law. The Act exempts forgiven mortgage debt as the result of a ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• The CFPB and the FTC Team Up to Target Deceptive Mortgage Ads
  Nov 20, 2012
  The FTC and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have announced that they are beginning a broad series of investigations into potentially ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Holiday Spending and Bankruptcy
  Nov 15, 2012
  As we head into the winter holiday season, many consumers increase their spending. For consumers waiting for the New Year to get a fresh start in ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Has There Been Significant HAMP Oversight?
  Nov 13, 2012
  It is pretty well-known that HAMP has not been the government's most successful program. Although it was expected to assist millions of homeowners, ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Non-Profit Seeking To Buy and Forgive Debts
  Nov 12, 2012
  An offshoot of Occupy Wall Street is organizing to purchase and forgive bundles of debts. The group, called Rolling Jubilee , will be raising funds in ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• 1 in 98 Chicago-area Homes in Foreclosure
  Nov 5, 2012
  According to RealtyTrac , 1 in 98 homes in the Chicago-Naperville-Joliet Metropolitican Statistical Area are in foreclosure. To make matters worse, ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• The Independent Foreclosure Review Benefits Auditors More Than Homeowners
  Nov 2, 2012
  Those of you who have been following the foreclosure crisis since the beginning may recall that the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency entered ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• One Man's Perfect Credit Score; Five Ways To Improve Yours; Ten Things You Didn't Know About It
  Oct 30, 2012
  I recently read this article about Tom Pavelka, an Ohio resident with a near-perfect credit score (848/850). Although Mr. Pavelka and his wife have a ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Five Considerations for Couples Considering Bankruptcy AND Divorce
  Oct 26, 2012
  It is an unfortunate truth that some couples facing financial hardship are also considering dissolving their marriage. Here are five things to ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• The CFPB Is Now Accepting Complaints About Credit Reporting
  Oct 25, 2012
  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is now accepting complaints about credit reporting via its online tool. These complaints are actually ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to Oversee Debt Collectors Beginning January 2, 2013
  Oct 24, 2012
  In the new year, the CFPB will be regulating the debt collection industry . This represents the first time that one federal agency will have the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Just When You Thought A Debt Collector Couldn't Sink Any Lower. . .
  Oct 18, 2012
  One of the hazards of being an attorney is that, sooner or later, very little will shock you. I thought I'd heard the worst of the worst in debt ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Credit Reports and Household Debt -- An Infographic
  Oct 16, 2012
  I stumbled upon this infographic not too long ago. It has some interesting information regarding how credit scores are factored. It also includes some ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• The National Mortgage Settlement and Dual Tracking
  Oct 15, 2012
  On October 2, 2012, the National Mortgage Settlement's servicing regulations went into effect. One of the provisions that people often misunderstand ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Rich Dad, Poor Dad Author Files For Bankruptcy Protection -- For His Corporation
  Oct 12, 2012
  It's obvious that I don't pay enough attention to "wealth building" schemes. Prior to reading this article about Robert Kiyosaki, I had no idea that ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• October 2, 2012 -- The National Mortgage Settlement Servicing Standards Are In Effect
  Oct 10, 2012
  As of October 2, the servicing standards included in the National Mortgage Settlement went into effect. This means that the five largest banks in the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan Sending Foreclosure Fraud Settlement Letters
  Oct 9, 2012
  A client recently notified me that the Illinois Attorney General is sending out notices to Illinois homeowners regarding the National Mortgage ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• The CFPB Pulls A Hat Trick, Announces Third Credit Card Settlement
  Oct 2, 2012
  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a highly effective regulator. It has obviously been spending some significant time investigating credit ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Is A Short Sale A Good Idea? Look At Days On The Market
  Oct 1, 2012
  If you've been paying attention to local news lately, you may have heard that Chicago's real estate market has finally hit bottom and rebounded -- ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Appellate Court of Illinois (Second District): No Commemorative Assignments in Foreclosures
  Sep 28, 2012
  It finally happened. After several disappointing decisions, the Appellate Court of Illinois has finally released a foreclosure-related opinion that I ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• HAMP Study: Mortgage Servicers Could Have Done Better
  Sep 27, 2012
  A study recently conducted by economists from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Columbia Business School, the University of Chicago, the Office of ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• FHFA Proposal Seeks To Penalize Illinois Home Buyers
  Sep 27, 2012
  The FHFA, which is the agency that oversees Fannie and Freddie, has proposed a mortgage surcharge for five states -- one of which is Illinois. Under ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Discover Settles With The CFPB -- Must Refund $200 Million to Customers
  Sep 25, 2012
  It wasn't too long ago that the CFPB forced Capital One to refund $210 million to its customers for misleading them about the cost of various optional ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Chicago Tribune: Mortgage Cops Are Coming For You
  Sep 20, 2012
  Last week, the Chicago Tribune ran this article. In the article, it is implied that homeowners who choose to strategically default on their mortgages ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Debt Collectors Using Local Prosecutors' Letterhead to Collect Debts
  Sep 18, 2012
  According to the New York Times, debt collectors in certain jurisdictions have been using the letterhead of the local prosecutor's office in order to ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• What Is Force-Placed Insurance?
  Sep 13, 2012
  If you have a mortgage, then odds are that the mortgage provides for force-placed insurance. Force-placed insurance is a common feature in mortgages. ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Strategic Default Increasingly Common Among Baby Boomers
  Sep 10, 2012
  According to YouWalkAway.com, Baby Boomers are increasingly likely to strategically default on their mortgages. YouWalkAway surveyed its customers and ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Chicago Foreclosure Auctions See Dramatic Increase in First Half of 2012
  Aug 31, 2012
  Through the first half of the year, foreclosure auctions in Chicago more than doubled. In fact, according numbers released by the Woodstock Institute ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• New Data on Underwater Borrowers
  Aug 28, 2012
  Dr. Stan Humphries, the Chief Economist at Zillow.com, recently released some data from the Zillow Negative Equity Report. Some of the data may be a ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• New FHFA Guidelines to Streamline Short Sale Process
  Aug 24, 2012
  On August 21, the FHFA announced new short sale guidelines for loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The guidelines, which go into effect on ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Why a Strategic Foreclosure Does Not Mean "Just Walk Away"
  Aug 21, 2012
  I frequently receive calls from prospective clients who have friends in California that simply walked away from an underwater home. This may work in ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Woodstock Institute Reports A Spike in Completed Foreclosures
  Aug 14, 2012
  Although there are no accurate foreclosure numbers on a national scale, the Woodstock Institute does a good job of keeping track of foreclosure data ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Hope LoanPort(R) and Your Loan Modification
  Aug 8, 2012
  If you are seeking a loan modification from Bank of America, you will soon be required to submit your documents through an online portal called Hope ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• How Many Foreclosures Have Happened Since the Housing Market Crashed?
  Aug 6, 2012
  Frighteningly enough, nobody knows . I spend a lot of time absorbing data about the housing market. More often than not, when one news outlet reports, ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Sen. Jeff Merkley Has a Great Idea for Underwater Homeowners
  Aug 3, 2012
  Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley has drafted a modest proposal for creating a modern version of the Home Owner's Loan Corporation (HOLC) to bail out ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• FHFA Director DeMarco Ignores Facts, Refuses To Permit Principal Reductions
  Aug 2, 2012
  The Federal Housing Finance Agency, the entity that oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, recently released a study demonstrating that principal ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• The CFPB's First Enforcement Action -- Capital One To Pay $210 Million
  Jul 26, 2012
  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced its first public enforcement action last week. The settlement involves Capital One and ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Did You Know That There Is An Office of Mortgage Settlement Oversight?
  Jul 16, 2012
  If you answered, "No," to that question, you're among the vast majority. The Office was created to monitor the banks that are subject to the 49 state ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• DOJ Announces Subprime Mortgage Settlement with Wells Fargo
  Jul 13, 2012
  A multi-million dollar fair-lending settlement was recent announced by the Justice Department. Specifically, the settlement concludes a particular ...
  Posted By Atlas Consumer Law
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• Independent Foreclosure Review Deadline Extended, Compensation Schedule Released
  Jul 5, 2012
  In the past, I have written about the Independent Foreclosure Review. I have not always been very enthusiastic about the chances of significant relief ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• POSSIBLE SCAM ALERT: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Does NOT Offer Debt Consolidation Services
  Jun 29, 2012
  According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's blog, there is a new potential scam out in the wild -- people contacting consumers who pose as ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Following Mortgage Modification, Majority of Borrowers Fall Behind Again
  Jun 29, 2012
  A recently released study discovered that many borrowers that are behind on their mortgages and work with lenders to get mortgage modifications simply ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Releases Credit Card Complaint Database
  Jun 21, 2012
  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recently made its credit card complaint database available to the public. The data is being refreshed ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Alabama Appellate Court Rejects a Ta-Da Allonge
  Jun 12, 2012
  One common practice that I've seen in foreclosure cases is the magically appearing or Ta-Da! allonge. These documents are supposed to be permanently ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• Fair Housing Administration to Sell Distressed Mortgages
  Jun 11, 2012
  The Fair Housing Administration (FHA) has announced that it will begin selling bundles of distressed mortgages as early as September 2012. The FHA has ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• Illinois Has Third Highest Foreclosure Rate in the Country
  May 31, 2012
  According to data recently released by the Mortgage Bankers Association, nearly 7.5 percent of Illinois residential properties secured by mortgages ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Pending Bill Would Require Personal Service When Attempting To Collect Judgments
  May 31, 2012
  According to the Illinois Bar Journal , there is legislation pending in Springfield that would change how judgment creditors give notice to judgment ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Have You Received A Letter from Bank of America? I Finally Saw One.
  May 16, 2012
  I recently had the opportunity to see one of the Bank of America offer letters. These are the offer letters being sent out as part of the foreclosure ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• Wells Fargo Class Action Suit Survives Dismissal
  May 16, 2012
  In addition to Wigod v. Wells Fargo, it seems that more Plaintiffs are surviving motions to dismiss in their lawsuits against the mortgage lender and ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Bank of America To Begin First Round of Loan Modification Offers
  May 8, 2012
  According to Forbes , Bank of America is about to begin sending out its first round of loan modification offers. This first round of offers begins ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• More Mortgage Rescue Scams in the News
  May 7, 2012
  According to this report from the Quad Cities, Illinois home owners are being targeted by mortgage rescue scams that appear as offers for loan ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• Practice Note: The Business Records Rule and Affidavits
  May 7, 2012
  Bob Lawless over at Credit Slips recently wrote about a recent ruling from the Tennessee Court of Appeals. The case hinges on two rules of evidence: ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• A Bright Side to the Foreclosure Fraud Settlement?
  May 1, 2012
  If nothing else, at least one family has been offered a principal reduction as a result of the foreclosure fraud settlement. Normally, this story ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• How Does Foreclosure Affect Children?
  Apr 26, 2012
  The national foreclosure crisis is often discussed in terms of property values, abandoned properties, and document fraud. However, there are other ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• Can I Be Arrested For Failing To Pay My Debts?
  Apr 23, 2012
  The United States abolished debtor's prisons in the 1830s. Less-than-scrupulous debt collectors are using a loophole in Illinois state law to bring ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Illinois Attorney General Madigan Announces $20 Million In Legal Assistance Funding
  Apr 19, 2012
  Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has announced that $20 million of the funds Illinois will receive from the foreclosure fraud settlement will be ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Beware of Mortgage Foreclosure Scams
  Apr 18, 2012
  This is probably one of my most frequent topics on the blog. Every time there is media attention devoted to a new development in the mortgage ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• The City of Chicago's Abandoned Property Pivot
  Apr 17, 2012
  When the City of Chicago first began addressing the challenge of abandoned properties, it was focusing the majority of its efforts on buying, ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• ProPublica: The Great American Foreclosure Story
  Apr 11, 2012
  ProPublica has released an eBook entitled, " The Great American Foreclosure Story. " It is available as a web page, and runs about 16 pages of text. ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau To Propose New Mortgage Servicing Rules
  Apr 10, 2012
  This summer, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will formally propose new rules for mortgage servicers. The rules will be finalized by January ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• Data Shows Major Spike in Chicago Foreclosures
  Apr 9, 2012
  If you haven't had a brush with foreclosure yourself in recent years, you probably know someone who has. Although talk of economic recovery seems to ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Federal Regulators Considering Fines For Eight More Mortgage Servicers
  Apr 3, 2012
  Even though the much ballyhooed foreclosure fraud settlement has been a bit of a letdown, it has not stopped federal regulators from suggesting that ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Freddie and Fannie: Principal Reductions Make Sense
  Mar 23, 2012
  As first reported by Pro Publica and NPR News , Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have released statements in favor of granting principal reductions on loans ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Does The Foreclosure Fraud Settlement Actually Punish The Banks?
  Mar 14, 2012
  If you ask the blogosphere the above question, it appears that the answer is a resounding "No." Abigail Caplovitz Field has described the settlement ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• Landmark Mortgage Settlement May Inadvertently Increase Mortgage Scams
  Mar 14, 2012
  The U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), in addition to 49 attorneys general, filed a $25 billion ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• Are Lawsuits Based On HAMP Guidelines Viable?
  Mar 12, 2012
  The Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) has been the subject of many of my blog posts. This is because, love it or hate it, HAMP is the ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• Why Should I Ask To See The Original Note?
  Mar 5, 2012
  The "show me the note" movement pops up in the news from time to time. This article inspired me to write yet another post about the importance of ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• How Many Chicago Homes Are Part of Fannie Mae's New Foreclosure to Rental Program?
  Feb 28, 2012
  The short answer to the above question: 99 properties. How many units are in those 99 properties? 120. How many of those units are vacant? 34. On ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• Is The OCC's Independent Foreclosure Review A Farce?
  Feb 27, 2012
  Late last year, the Office of the Comptroller of Currency announced that several banks had agreed to conduct an independent foreclosure review to ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
  Read More
• What Is The Big Deal About "Neither Admit Nor Deny" Settlements?
  Feb 27, 2012
  Last year, Judge Jed S. Rakoff blocked a settlement between the SEC and Citigroup. His reason? Citigroup was paying a fine but not admitting to any ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• Can I Use Making Home Affordable, The Foreclosure Settlement, and The OCC Settlement Together?
  Feb 20, 2012
  In the past six months, we have seen the expansion of Making Home Affordable, in particular in the refinance (HARP) and the loan modification (HAMP) ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• How Does The Foreclosure Fraud Settlement Affect Banks?
  Feb 16, 2012
  The foreclosure fraud settlement absolves the 5 major banks from liability for robosigning and other practices. The breadth of this waiver of ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• How Does The Foreclosure Fraud Settlement Affect Illinois Homeowners?
  Feb 15, 2012
  On February 9, 2012, the Attorneys General of 49 states and the United States announced a settlement with Bank of America, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
  Read More
• Can I Force My Lender To Respond To My Short Sale Offer?
  Feb 6, 2012
  Prior to January 13, 2012, the answer to that question would have been, "No." However, a new provision of the Illinois Mortgage Foreclosure Law ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
  Read More
• Foreclosure Sales and Filings Drop in Chicago Area, but Problems Persist
  Feb 3, 2012
  According to a recently released report from RealtyTrac, there were 6,348 distressed homes - properties in foreclosure or already bank-owned - sold in ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
  Read More
• Did Your Refinance Truly Extinguish Your Previous Mortgage?
  Feb 3, 2012
  According to Reuters , your previous mortgage may not have been extinguished by your refinance loan. In a normal world, when you refinance a mortgage ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
  Read More
• What Are The New Changes To HAMP?
  Feb 2, 2012
  On January 27, 2012, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced that it is rolling out new enhancements to HAMP. HAMP loan modifications were set ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
  Read More
• Why Is It So Hard To Get A Loan Modification?
  Jan 18, 2012
  Anyone who has attempted to get a loan modification from their mortgage servicer has probably asked, "Why is it so hard to get a loan modification?" ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
  Read More
• Guard Against Foreclosure Rescue, Loan Modification Scams in Chicago
  Jan 17, 2012
  Legitimate programs and professionals exist to help homeowners who face foreclosure. Unfortunately, some companies and individuals who appear to be ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
  Read More
• How Does Foreclosure Impact Your Credit Score?
  Jan 11, 2012
  CNNMoney is reporting that Fair Isaac, the company that created the FICO credit-scoring system, has finally released some numbers to indicate how ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
  Read More
• FHFA Files Lawsuit Against Chicago Over Vacant Property Ordinance
  Dec 29, 2011
  The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) - the regulator that oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac - has filed a lawsuit against the city of Chicago ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
  Read More
• Reuters: Loan Modification Hassles Slowing Housing Recovery
  Dec 19, 2011
  Anyone who has attempted to get a mortgage loan modification probably has a story to tell. Most of those stories will involve the maze of paperwork ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
  Read More
• Treasury Department and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau To Target Mortgage Modification Scams
  Dec 2, 2011
  The Treasury Department, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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• Foreclosure Proceedings Stretching on for Nearly a Year in Chicago
  Nov 23, 2011
  A recent analysis of Chicago foreclosure statistics found that foreclosure proceedings are taking an unusually long time to complete - almost a year ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
  Read More
• Foreclosure Crisis Only Half Over
  Nov 18, 2011
  According to a study by Center for Responsible Lending, we are likely only halfway through the foreclosure crisis. Based on the Center's numbers, 6.4% ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
  Read More
• Late Mortgage Payments On The Rise
  Nov 9, 2011
  Although market observers had initially predicted that the third quarter of 2011 would end with a decrease in mortgage delinquencies, the number of ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
  Read More
• Illinois' Right to Redemption During Foreclosure
  Nov 3, 2011
  Illinois is still suffering from the worst housing market crisis in history; in fact, areas of Chicago are still experiencing a record number of ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
  Read More
• Walking Away Without Liability
  Oct 31, 2011
  Don't be fooled by people who say that you can just walk away from a mortgage. While that may be a great plan in non-recourse states like California, ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
  Read More
• ProPublica: Who's Who of The Financial Crisis
  Oct 27, 2011
  ProPublica has published a handy cheat sheet that outlines the people responsible for the financial crisis and what, if anything, has happened to ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• Chicago's Abandoned Building Ordinance -- Should We Just Amend The IMFL?
  Oct 21, 2011
  Chicago's City Council recently toned down the language of its abandoned building ordinance. As originally drafted, the ordinance would have ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• Zombie Mortgages Are "Back"
  Oct 17, 2011
  The housing crash and foreclosure crisis news cycle doesn't move as quickly as the typical 24-hour news cycle, but it does have the same effect of ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
  Read More
• NYT: Foreclosures Are Killing Us
  Oct 3, 2011
  According to a study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, foreclosures and health problems appear to be related. Does this mean that ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
  Read More
• Surrendering a Home During Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
  Sep 29, 2011
  Many people going through bankruptcy want to know: what will happen to my home? Unfortunately, the answer to that question is not black-and-white. ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
  Read More
• Another Federal Appeals Court Approves Bankruptcy Lien Stripping
  Sep 22, 2011
  The United States Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the Eighth Circuit is the latest federal appellate court to approve a debtor's plan involving lien ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• Aid to Neighborhoods Hit Hardest by Chicago Foreclosures
  Aug 24, 2011
  Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel recently announced a program that will help neighborhoods that have been significantly impacted by Chicago foreclosures . ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
  Read More
• Robo-Signing Investigation in Illinois
  Aug 1, 2011
  We recently wrote about banks continuing banned foreclosure practices known as "robo signing." These practices - which include signing foreclosure ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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• Delays in the Process Frustrate Short Sales
  Jun 17, 2011
  The real estate market continues to frustrate sellers, buyers and real estate brokers alike. Aside from the record number of foreclosures and ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
  Read More
• The Tax Implications of Forgiven Debt
  Jun 17, 2011
  Losing a home to a foreclosure or short sale most often comes at a time of great financial hardship. Often, when a home is sold because the bills ...
  Posted By Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
  Read More