I recently gave the world of online dating a whirl. I’ll restrain myself from giving you the details but I will say that the experience was mostly positive and fun. One of the most entertaining aspects was not the shirtless juice heads; it was in fact how the site’s ads used your profile information.
To set up an account you have to punch in some details about how tall you are, age, body type, ethnicity etc. After about twenty minutes of clicking on tiny pictures of men, an ad popped up with the headline:
“Are you of average body type, female and 32? Click here. Our Firemen want to meet you.”
This was the first time I’d seen something like this so I was pretty excited. Firemen? Yes please! And what luck; I’m of average body type, female and 32! So I clicked on the ad and discovered it was a link to another site asking for personal information. No Firemen for me, just an inbox full of spam.
Another ad popped up offering a limited time offer on a Government debt relief program for single females. As an employee of Credit Canada Debt Solutions I know all about the recent surge in debt settlement companies. These are companies who claim that they can eliminate 40-60% of your debt.
I’ve dealt with clients whose finances are in tatters because of these companies. It’s no surprise debt settlement companies are trawling internet dating sites for clients, dating and debt go together like peas and carrots. Sure, the Bank of Canada will do us a solid every now and then and issue a warning that we’re all in debt to our eyeballs but there is no Government debt relief program and there never will be.
Whether it’s a promise of Firemen with low standards in women or a company that can arm wrestle Visa into wiping out 60% of your balance, sometimes we’ll allow ourselves to take the bait. The Firemen won’t call and Visa will sue you for choosing to pay a debt settlement company rather than them. Who knows why we do it but deep down we always know these things are too good to be true.
Whilst the Government isn’t paying off our credit cards it is working on educating people on the dangers of debt settlement. If you’re looking at options for repayment and you’ve been thinking of debt settlement take a look at this link. Then call us at 1-800-267-2272 to book an appointment with one of our Credit Counsellors. You’ll be glad you did.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question? We are here to help.
What is a Debt Consolidation Program?
A Debt Consolidation Program (DCP) is an arrangement made between your creditors and a non-profit credit counselling agency. Working with a reputable, non-profit credit counselling agency means a certified Credit Counsellor will negotiate with your creditors on your behalf to drop the interest on your unsecured debts, while also rounding up all your unsecured debts into a single, lower monthly payment. In Canada’s provinces, such as Ontario, these debt payment programs lead to faster debt relief!
Can I enter a Debt Consolidation Program with bad credit?
Yes, you can sign up for a DCP even if you have bad credit. Your credit score will not impact your ability to get debt help through a DCP. Bad credit can, however, impact your ability to get a debt consolidation loan.
Do I have to give up my credit cards in a Debt Consolidation Program?
Will Debt Consolidation hurt my credit score?
Most people entering a DCP already have a low credit score. While a DCP could lower your credit score at first, in the long run, if you keep up with the program and make your monthly payments on time as agreed, your credit score will eventually improve.
Can you get out of a Debt Consolidation Program?
Anyone who signs up for a DCP must sign an agreement; however, it's completely voluntary and any time a client wants to leave the Program they can. Once a client has left the Program, they will have to deal with their creditors and collectors directly, and if their Counsellor negotiated interest relief and lower monthly payments, in most cases, these would no longer be an option for the client.
