Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Holding Lenders Accountable for Loan Flipping
The term “predatory lending” covers a wide range of unfair and deceptive practices, but one of the most common schemes is known as loan flipping. Loan flipping occurs when a lender encourages a borrower to refinance a loan, which generates fees for the lender, but doesn’t actually help the borrower. Although a number of… Read More »
Has the COVID-19 Emergency Affected Your Ability to Pay Your Mortgage?
The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the lives of millions of people across the globe, many of whom may soon find themselves unable to stay on top of mortgage payments and other bills. Fortunately, if you find yourself in this situation, there are steps that can be taken to help you avoid the… Read More »
Common Car Repair Scams
Some of the most commonly filed consumer complaints involve allegations of auto repair fraud. Unfortunately, pursuing these types of claims is often extremely difficult for consumers, as most of us are not experts in car repair and may not initially realize that we have been taken advantage of, so if you recently fell victim… Read More »
Who is Protected by the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act?
In Pennsylvania, consumers are protected from being made the victim of a home contractor’s deceptive or fraudulent practices by the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (HICPA). This law imposes a series of requirements on contractors, including what contractors must include in an agreement with homeowners. Unfortunately, many contractors fail to abide by these rules,… Read More »
Used Car Buying Tips
Buying a used car can be a difficult endeavor, as many dealerships attempt to take advantage of consumers by misrepresenting a vehicle’s features, charging hidden fees, and failing to honor earlier promises. While there are a few steps that potential car buyers can take to lower their chances of being defrauded by a used… Read More »
Stopping Mortgage Foreclosure and Keeping Your Home
There are a number of ways that homeowners can not only stop the mortgage foreclosure process, but that also allow them to keep their home. Unfortunately, many borrowers are not aware of these options and so lose their homes or find themselves struggling with a mountain of debt. To ensure that this doesn’t happen… Read More »
Debt Collection Law in Pennsylvania
While many have heard of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, a federal law that places restrictions on debt collectors, many remain unaware of the law’s Pennsylvania counterpart. Referred to as the Fair Credit Extension Uniformity Act (FCEUA), the FCEUA imposes limits not only on creditors that collect debts for others, but also on… Read More »
Pennsylvania’s Unfair Insurance Practices Act
All states have laws in place that prohibit insurers from using unfair, discriminatory, or deceptive practices in their dealings with consumers. In Pennsylvania, these protections are primarily contained in a law known as the Unfair Insurance Practices Act. This law gives wronged consumers the right to file complaints against an insurer who is engaged… Read More »
Your Legal Rights Following a Violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
Federal law protects consumers from being taken advantage of by unscrupulous debt collectors who use unfair or deceptive practices. Those whose rights have been violated have a couple of different options when it comes to seeking a legal remedy, so if you are being harassed by a debt collector, it is important to speak… Read More »
How the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Protects Consumers
Although federal law protects consumers from the predatory practices of debt collection agencies and debt collectors, many are unaware of their rights. To learn more about gaining control of your own dealings with debt collectors by exercising the rights granted to you by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, please contact an experienced Philadelphia… Read More »
