October 20, 2025 • 27 mins
Otober Wallet Warning from the Shelby County Trustee Regina Morrison Newman is "Credit Repair Scams" on The Bev Johnson Show on WDIA Radio.
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Let's just show Belle, this is talking.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
And home away. Howver you go, you go, don't getting ready.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
In time?
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Ben show.
Speaker 4 (00:21):
Joe, let's go bet just.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Then, will you make your day bright?
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Here?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Rond, listen to what to say?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
You know it's Tampa the bell Just show Tampa.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
The belt of show like let's go. Good afternoon, and
(01:05):
welcome back to the second half of the Bev Johnson Show.
Here on WDIA, the Heart and Soul of Memphis.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
It is a Monday, October twentieth, twenty twenty five, a
beautiful fall day in the neighborhood, and once again we're
going to find out our October wallet warning and not.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Back in the saddle. But she's here on the telephone
line is our Shelby County Trustee, Regina Morrison Newman. Good afternoon, Regina.
How are you.
Speaker 5 (01:45):
I'm lovely, Ben, I'm.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Doing well today. I'm hanging in here, Regina.
Speaker 5 (01:51):
What is a beautiful day? So we're just gonna take
the break in the weather and call it ours?
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Got that right, sister, You got that right? Well? This
month's while it warning, Regina?
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Is what.
Speaker 5 (02:08):
Credit repair scams? WHOA, this is one we haven't done before.
But there's a new one every month.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Yeah, we don't have to go looking long to find
a scam to tell.
Speaker 5 (02:21):
You all about.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Unfortunately, so we're talking about credit repair scans and why
they're hitting.
Speaker 5 (02:29):
Us right now.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
It's not new, but it's it's heating up and it's
got to twist. So here we go.
Speaker 5 (02:37):
Said, when it comes to repairing your credit, any.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
Offer that requires an upfront payment before they deliver services
to you is not only a red flag, it is illegal.
So let me throw that back out there. Federal law
says nobody in this business, the credit repair business, can
ask you for a payment upfront, and you must have
(03:03):
a contract. They must give you a contract showing how
long it's going to take in general terms, and how
much it's going to cost you at the end, and
all that kind of stuff so that you know exactly.
Speaker 5 (03:16):
What's going on.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Right now, scammers know that everybody is desperate to improve
their credit.
Speaker 5 (03:24):
If you got an eight hundred.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
And fifty and the highest one eight hundred and fifty
point credit score.
Speaker 5 (03:30):
More power to you, yes, but most people don't.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
And right now, student long deferments our ending that COVID deferment.
Speaker 5 (03:42):
For five years.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
It's ending and people are trying to find the way
to pay their student loans.
Speaker 5 (03:47):
Interest rates are going up, making it.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
Harder to qualify from carloans and mortgage loans and credit cards,
and so skimmers are very quick to take care of
take advantage of any of these findess situations.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
And that is just said, but it is true.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
They're very creative and they're coming after you. So right
now in this calendar year are Better Business Bureau of
Partners on their Scam Tracker report that Shelby countyons have
lost more than fifty thousand dollars on credit repair scams.
Speaker 5 (04:20):
This is not going to help your credit. Losing money
is not going to help your credit. So we don't
want people scammed. We don't want you losing fifty thousand dollars.
They've also had a ton of calls.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
From consumers because consumers are going a wait a minute,
this sounds too good to be true.
Speaker 5 (04:38):
Let me call a Better Business Bureau guess what.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
It's too good to be true, So watch out for
people soliciting who can promise you know, to good to
be true offers on repairing your credit and also social
media ads. So a couple of the newer twists that
have shown up on this particular stand So some commans
(05:02):
now claim they can use AI tools to wipe their
credit report or file automatic excuse.
Speaker 5 (05:09):
These claims are focus. These are longus claims. Don't listen
to them.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
Social media platforms, all the ones we know, Facebookia, Instagram
flooded with credit hats that promise overnight results but often
leads straight to scans.
Speaker 5 (05:26):
So the law that.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Regulates credit repair services, this is the Federal Credit Repair
Organizations Act.
Speaker 5 (05:34):
There a new letters I haven't heard of before, but
there it is.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
They prohibit collecting fees before services are performed, So anybody
who asks you for fees up front is doing something illegal.
Companies must provide a written contract with the total cost
and a legitimate credit repair company maybe to help you
rebuild your credit. But they can't remove accurate negative information.
(06:05):
So if it's accurate negative information, you missed a payment,
you know, last year on a car.
Speaker 5 (06:13):
If you missed it, you missed it.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
They can't remove that. They can challenge it. It's all
off during the dispute, but it.
Speaker 5 (06:21):
Comes right back when it's verified. So no matter what
people promise you, they can't remove accurate information. So what
are the tempts for rebuilding your credit so that you
know them.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
Number One, avoid companies that charge up front freeze fees.
It's illegal under federal law. Don't let anyone tell you
to dispute accurate information. It's a waste of your time.
It's temporary. And don't let anyone tell you not to
contact credit reporting agencies directly. You can most definitely do that.
(06:58):
They get all their information from your creditors. But sometimes
things are wrong and you need to fix them, or
if things are too old, they can be removed. So
this is the main thing you want to do is
make sure that you get things removed when it's time
for them to fall off. And a lot of them
do automatically, but sometimes they don't know you're right. Any
(07:21):
company offering credit reparements give you a written contracts describing
your protections. Also, and I'm pushing this one and this
is what we are pushing this month is contact the
Greater Memphis Financial Empowerment Center. We sponsor our office, the
Trustees Office, sponsors this empowerment center.
Speaker 5 (07:43):
It is free.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
It's a free service to residents of Shelby County. You
can contact them, you can make an appointment. They have confidential,
certified financial counselors who talk to you one on one
about what your goals are with you want to generate savings,
when you want to pay off debt, whether you want
(08:05):
to repair your credit.
Speaker 5 (08:07):
And did I say it was free?
Speaker 4 (08:09):
Anybody in Shelby County can get their credits, help get
their credit repaired through our accouncers and Financial Accouncenter for free.
You don't need to pay anybody in the front end,
you don't need to pay anybody in the back end.
We've had over two thousand clients and hundreds of them
(08:30):
have improved their credit credits for by over thirty five points.
So by all means, check this out. It's not an
uncosted thing and they can help you walk through the process.
It's like I said's Fretey County Service.
Speaker 5 (08:48):
It's a United Way agency.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
By all means, give them a call and that number
is three nine oh forty two hundred and you can
get it a point and talk to a counselor that.
Speaker 5 (09:01):
Your very own.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
Rebuilding your credit takes time and patience and there are
no quick fixes.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
I mean a lot of this.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
If it's accurate, negative information is going to stay on
your report for at least in your usually two bankruptcy
even longer. So it's just going to take time. But
if you want to get yourself straight and get moving forward,
by all means, work with somebody who can help you
for free. And so that is the Financial Empowerment Center,
(09:34):
the Greater Memphis Financial Empowerment Center, free to anybody and
shall we can.
Speaker 5 (09:38):
So we want to help you and not have you
lose more money.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
And taking a moment to verify a credit repair offer can.
Speaker 5 (09:51):
Save you a lot in the long run.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
So by all means, if they ask for an upfront payment,
say no.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
It's a legal say no, no, no, I'm not giving
you any money.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
It's not giving you any money upfront for sure. And
you give me a contract and say, I've got how
long is this going to take?
Speaker 5 (10:12):
What can you do for me? What it's going to
cost in a long run?
Speaker 4 (10:15):
So do that, But I don't mean check out the
Financial Empowerment Center first, it's g m FEC dot or.
And if you can get free help, why would you
pay for it? Right?
Speaker 5 (10:28):
Right, I'm a cheap person.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
I believe it. I know, right, if you get free,
I'll take free And then you said Regina Report of
the Month, and and and then they're they're they're trained.
Financial counselors will give you that they.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
Are certified, they've been through training, their confidential and they
worked for you one on one. It's not a workshop,
it's not a seminar a bunch of other people sitting there.
Speaker 5 (10:57):
What are your goals?
Speaker 4 (10:59):
You want to prove your credit until you can buy
a house, Okay, we'll work towards that. Or you want
to pay off your DABT and generate the saving, work
towards that.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
Or you want to generate some.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
Help so you can go back to school, So reduce
your your bills so you can go back to school,
so you can do that. Whatever your girls are, that's
what the counselors will do. And they can meet with
you on the phone or virtually or uh. They're in
different areas of the city, different days of the week,
So if you happen to be in Frasier or Bartlett
or Whitehaven or wherever you are, they can set up
(11:35):
an appointment for that day when they're meeting with other
people in that area.
Speaker 5 (11:40):
So by all means, if I'm an call, why not.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
I like that? So October's while it warning credit repair scams,
be careful of that because you don't have to pay
you say, don't don't give anybody any money.
Speaker 4 (11:57):
It's definitely not up.
Speaker 5 (12:00):
There are lots of good ones out there.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
Have fees. Yes, check out the Financial Environment Center. It's free,
it's for it's from the government.
Speaker 5 (12:10):
To you to help. And but I mean we've we've
helped over six hundred clients improve their credit score by
thirty five points or more. But by all means, check
it out.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Sounds good, sounds good. You always have you got I know,
I'm gonna say, you always have good news for us, Regina.
What's the good news today?
Speaker 4 (12:32):
Well, we have good news and I hope that some
people have already heard about this, and it's from Amazon.
Amazon agreed to a Federal Trade Commission settlement to resolve
alligate allegations that they misled Prime subscription enrollments. And it
(12:55):
was a difficult cancelation process. So if you ever had
Amazon Prime, you may be entitled to part of this.
I got about thirty eight dollars last month.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Low, I'm a part of Amazon Prime. Let me check
this out.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
Okay, So the settlement they agreed to with the Federal
Trade Commission was two point five billion dollars.
Speaker 5 (13:18):
Okay, so we've got an email.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
So if you were part of it, you've probably gotten
an email. But by all means, check out Amazon Amazon Prime,
check your account, see what's going on, giving a call
if you have to. So the settlement included one billion
dollars in penalties and one and a half billion consumer refunds.
(13:46):
So payments are expected to be distributed by December of
this year, and I know several people who've already gotten theirs.
So eligible consumers will receive automatic refunds of up to
fifty one box if they were enrolled between check these
days June twenty third, twenty nineteen and June twenty third,
(14:07):
twenty twenty five. It's a long period of time, and
in particularly if they tried to cancel their Prime memberships
during that time, because they had a difficult cancelation process.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
This is one of the problems that we have a
lot of these. You sign up for it, then you
can't get out of it. But customers who are eligible
do not need to do anything. It says says they've
got your info and they will contact you. So hopefully
they do. And if you are still a member, you should.
They have your info and they will definitely contact you.
Speaker 6 (14:40):
They will also be creating a button to simplement a
simplify Prime membership cancelation, and they promised to make the
terms more transparent during the enrollment process.
Speaker 5 (14:52):
So Amazon has been hit by two and a half billion.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
Dollars and a whole bunch of improvements on Prime ship subscriptions.
So by all me, that's a good thing. We need
everybody to make life easy for us, right exactly if
I sign up, give me a way to get out
by clicking a button, right, not have.
Speaker 5 (15:13):
To look for it, not have to call you and
wait on the forever. So there you go.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
So that's the good news of the month, and I
hope everybody's heard about it.
Speaker 5 (15:21):
He's already eligible.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
And then the email came a couple of months ago,
and then we finally got some payments in the last
month or so.
Speaker 5 (15:31):
That's what I'm hearing.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Sounds there you go, It sounds good. I love the
good news. I'm gonna check them out because I do
have that Amazon Prime regina. Yeah, I'll check out.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
So this runs at all the way up to June
of this year. So if you've got it now you've
probably had it then. Okay, So so they're they're working
their way through the process. But uh yeah, you know
about thirty two dollars, thirty eight dollars something.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Like that, right, But that's okay. Any little thing helps reach.
Speaker 5 (16:01):
If they're going to give it to us, we will
take it.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
We will take it. System I will take it. I
will take it. I will take it. Hey, Regina, I
think I got something in the mail from your office.
Speaker 5 (16:14):
You did, you did this?
Speaker 4 (16:16):
I did. In the past two weeks, your county tax
bills have gone out, so you're getting your county property
tax bill. There's a nice little brochure in there. It
tells you what all the benefit programs are, especially for
senior citizens and disabled citizens and low income citizens. So
(16:36):
by all means, check out the programs, don't miss any
that you're entitled to.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
If we're going to give it to you take it.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
So the tax relief program is still in effect, the
tax freeze program and tax relief matching. The county is
matching the amount of tax relief that the state gives
you this year. So by all means, it's about two
hundred dollars or so for seniors and disabled with the
county match and be about four hundred and something. For
(17:06):
a disabled veteran it's over one thousand, and with the
county match it's.
Speaker 5 (17:09):
Over two thousand. So if you if you can apply,
please do so.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
These applications are on the website. But if you were
in the program last year, you'll get one. You'll get
all that update automatically unless you move, so make sure.
Speaker 5 (17:25):
We have your right address. But if you're getting your bill, you'll.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
Get your tax relief update in your freeze. But also
pass the word for people who don't even have property
tax and don't get that brochure. We also handle the
wheel tax rebate, so if you pay your wheel tax,
go get your tags. And I know a lot of
people have been getting tags yet.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Yeah, I've been seeing them long because it's in Long Lives.
Speaker 5 (17:52):
Is one in my.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
Neighborhood until all these guys showed.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Up, that's right. And you're right, Regina, You're right, until
eyes showed up. And now folks trying to get the
tags now, right.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
So they're gone to get their tags. And when you
get your tag, if you are over sixty five and
meet the income limit and the brochure. It's on our
website too. It's about thirty eight thousand dollars. By all means,
apply and get your seventy five dollars back from the county.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
But Regina, but that does that, and also with that,
you have to have a certain income level.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
Yeah, it's about thirty eight thousand dollars, okay, But it's
on the website.
Speaker 5 (18:34):
So either either you have a.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
Disabled tag and that income limit, or you're sixty five
and up and that income limit, and then you can
get your seventy five dollars back. So by all means,
if we're going to give it to you, get come
take it, right, But you have to do something.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
You gotta you gotta apply. So that's why that's why
I brought up because when I got because when I
got it, I said, I see this green elm op.
It's from Regina. I said, let me look in it
and see what's going on.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
And y'all the county Texas have to be paid by
the end of February next year.
Speaker 5 (19:14):
You get a really long time to pay them.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
And uh, but we can do a payment plan, right, Regina.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
You can do a payment plan or you can set
up if you go to our mobile app, or it's.
Speaker 5 (19:26):
On the computer or on your phone.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
Pay at nine oh one. You can just tell pay
you want to pay this much a month and they'll
take it right out of your account automatically. So there
is that, and so you make it easy on yourself
instead of wait until February twenty seven then going.
Speaker 5 (19:43):
Oh oh yes, right, oh oh, I have paid to this.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
So the more you pay before March first, the less
interest you're gonna have to pay about means you can
get those payments in my March first. If your mortgage
company shure tactices, make sure they.
Speaker 5 (20:01):
Get a pack of the bill and so that they know.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
I said, we didn't have a reappraisal this year, so
down a little. But the County Commission did not raise
the tax rate. They have not raised tax rate in
nineteen years.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
So yeah, that's good. That's good.
Speaker 5 (20:22):
That's a long time.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Yeah, so you don't know what's coming up.
Speaker 5 (20:26):
Check it out, check it out.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Yeah good, that's good information. Regina. You always give us
good information and keep us up abreast on our taxes
and what we need to do. And I always tell
the people, Regina, you know you're sixty five and up
take advantage of the tax freeze and all to see
what you can do, because I know a lot of people.
(20:49):
I mean, these are trying times now and people don't
have the money like they used to.
Speaker 4 (20:55):
No, and it's it's it is better pay a little
bit per month and then not have to pay the
whole amount at the end.
Speaker 5 (21:02):
And the tax freeze limit. We managed to get that
up to.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
Sixty thousand dollars okay.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
Last year, and so it is up above that now
it's sixty one something. So that is a lot of
seniors who meet that income limit. But by all means,
the Trustees website. If you don't get your little brochure
and your tax bill or you signed up for e bailing,
check out the Trustees website at Shelby County Trustee dot com.
(21:32):
We are were dot com and uh all the infos
on the seniors tab. But it's not just for seniors.
It's also for disabled, it's for veterans, and so there's
all kinds of programs. By all means, check it out
and if you want us to come talk to you
about it, give us a call nine oh one two
(21:52):
two two oh two hundred and say we want some
folks to come tell us, tell my senior group or
my lunch group from my church about this info. Okay,
we go everywhere and we talk to everybody. Oh good,
we'll be getting these brochures out and all the senior
centers and the community centers and the.
Speaker 5 (22:12):
Libraries, so they'll be out there. If you missed yours.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
Senior books, they're not going out in the mail this year,
but we ran out, so we printed more.
Speaker 5 (22:25):
So there's a twenty twenty five senior book.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
But now with all the programs in Shelby twenty for
senior citizens.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
All right, sounds good, Regina. I love the information you've
given us today. And we were gonna those credit reprepair
scams are out, so don't pay any money.
Speaker 5 (22:45):
It said that I have a new scam for you
every month.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
It really is. Yeah, you do you know what? And
and Regina, and let me tell you, my listeners appreciate
you telling us about the scams because they will call
and tell me I had so and so on on
my email of that. But they appreciate you, Regina, for
giving us the scams of the month. So thank you,
thank you, thank you.
Speaker 5 (23:09):
We will be back and hopefully it won't be as bad.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
Right in for November.
Speaker 5 (23:15):
November.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
All right, thank you, thank you, Regina. We appreciate your sister.
Speaker 5 (23:22):
I appreciate y'all for letting us talk to you and
have a great day.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
And you two Regina, bye bye bye, bye bye. That
is Regina Marson Newman, our Shelby County trustee that gives
us all the good news on those scams this month, y'all.
It's the credit repair scams. Regina says, you don't you're
going to get your credit repaired. You don't have to
(23:47):
pay any money up front, so keep that in mind.
You're listening to the heart and soul of Memphis. W
d I ad something to say.
Speaker 5 (24:01):
Say it next with Tennessee Radio Hall of Famer BEV
Johnson on.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
W d I A The Bev Johnson Show. We want
(25:27):
to thank you callers, We want to thank you listeners
for joining us this day on the BEB Johnson Show.
We do, we really do appreciate you. So until tomorrow,
please be safe, keep a cool head, y'all, and don't
let anyone still your joy until tomorrow. I'm BEB Johnson
(25:49):
and y'all keep the faith.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
Smack Star st
Let's just show Belle, this is talking.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
And home away. Howver you go, you go, don't getting ready.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
In time?
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Ben show.
Speaker 4 (00:21):
Joe, let's go bet just.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Then, will you make your day bright?
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Here?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Rond, listen to what to say?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
You know it's Tampa the bell Just show Tampa.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
The belt of show like let's go. Good afternoon, and
(01:05):
welcome back to the second half of the Bev Johnson Show.
Here on WDIA, the Heart and Soul of Memphis.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
It is a Monday, October twentieth, twenty twenty five, a
beautiful fall day in the neighborhood, and once again we're
going to find out our October wallet warning and not.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Back in the saddle. But she's here on the telephone
line is our Shelby County Trustee, Regina Morrison Newman. Good afternoon, Regina.
How are you.
Speaker 5 (01:45):
I'm lovely, Ben, I'm.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Doing well today. I'm hanging in here, Regina.
Speaker 5 (01:51):
What is a beautiful day? So we're just gonna take
the break in the weather and call it ours?
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Got that right, sister, You got that right? Well? This
month's while it warning, Regina?
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Is what.
Speaker 5 (02:08):
Credit repair scams? WHOA, this is one we haven't done before.
But there's a new one every month.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Yeah, we don't have to go looking long to find
a scam to tell.
Speaker 5 (02:21):
You all about.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Unfortunately, so we're talking about credit repair scans and why
they're hitting.
Speaker 5 (02:29):
Us right now.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
It's not new, but it's it's heating up and it's
got to twist. So here we go.
Speaker 5 (02:37):
Said, when it comes to repairing your credit, any.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
Offer that requires an upfront payment before they deliver services
to you is not only a red flag, it is illegal.
So let me throw that back out there. Federal law
says nobody in this business, the credit repair business, can
ask you for a payment upfront, and you must have
(03:03):
a contract. They must give you a contract showing how
long it's going to take in general terms, and how
much it's going to cost you at the end, and
all that kind of stuff so that you know exactly.
Speaker 5 (03:16):
What's going on.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Right now, scammers know that everybody is desperate to improve
their credit.
Speaker 5 (03:24):
If you got an eight hundred.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
And fifty and the highest one eight hundred and fifty
point credit score.
Speaker 5 (03:30):
More power to you, yes, but most people don't.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
And right now, student long deferments our ending that COVID deferment.
Speaker 5 (03:42):
For five years.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
It's ending and people are trying to find the way
to pay their student loans.
Speaker 5 (03:47):
Interest rates are going up, making it.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
Harder to qualify from carloans and mortgage loans and credit cards,
and so skimmers are very quick to take care of
take advantage of any of these findess situations.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
And that is just said, but it is true.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
They're very creative and they're coming after you. So right
now in this calendar year are Better Business Bureau of
Partners on their Scam Tracker report that Shelby countyons have
lost more than fifty thousand dollars on credit repair scams.
Speaker 5 (04:20):
This is not going to help your credit. Losing money
is not going to help your credit. So we don't
want people scammed. We don't want you losing fifty thousand dollars.
They've also had a ton of calls.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
From consumers because consumers are going a wait a minute,
this sounds too good to be true.
Speaker 5 (04:38):
Let me call a Better Business Bureau guess what.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
It's too good to be true, So watch out for
people soliciting who can promise you know, to good to
be true offers on repairing your credit and also social
media ads. So a couple of the newer twists that
have shown up on this particular stand So some commans
(05:02):
now claim they can use AI tools to wipe their
credit report or file automatic excuse.
Speaker 5 (05:09):
These claims are focus. These are longus claims. Don't listen
to them.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
Social media platforms, all the ones we know, Facebookia, Instagram
flooded with credit hats that promise overnight results but often
leads straight to scans.
Speaker 5 (05:26):
So the law that.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Regulates credit repair services, this is the Federal Credit Repair
Organizations Act.
Speaker 5 (05:34):
There a new letters I haven't heard of before, but
there it is.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
They prohibit collecting fees before services are performed, So anybody
who asks you for fees up front is doing something illegal.
Companies must provide a written contract with the total cost
and a legitimate credit repair company maybe to help you
rebuild your credit. But they can't remove accurate negative information.
(06:05):
So if it's accurate negative information, you missed a payment,
you know, last year on a car.
Speaker 5 (06:13):
If you missed it, you missed it.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
They can't remove that. They can challenge it. It's all
off during the dispute, but it.
Speaker 5 (06:21):
Comes right back when it's verified. So no matter what
people promise you, they can't remove accurate information. So what
are the tempts for rebuilding your credit so that you
know them.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
Number One, avoid companies that charge up front freeze fees.
It's illegal under federal law. Don't let anyone tell you
to dispute accurate information. It's a waste of your time.
It's temporary. And don't let anyone tell you not to
contact credit reporting agencies directly. You can most definitely do that.
(06:58):
They get all their information from your creditors. But sometimes
things are wrong and you need to fix them, or
if things are too old, they can be removed. So
this is the main thing you want to do is
make sure that you get things removed when it's time
for them to fall off. And a lot of them
do automatically, but sometimes they don't know you're right. Any
(07:21):
company offering credit reparements give you a written contracts describing
your protections. Also, and I'm pushing this one and this
is what we are pushing this month is contact the
Greater Memphis Financial Empowerment Center. We sponsor our office, the
Trustees Office, sponsors this empowerment center.
Speaker 5 (07:43):
It is free.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
It's a free service to residents of Shelby County. You
can contact them, you can make an appointment. They have confidential,
certified financial counselors who talk to you one on one
about what your goals are with you want to generate savings,
when you want to pay off debt, whether you want
(08:05):
to repair your credit.
Speaker 5 (08:07):
And did I say it was free?
Speaker 4 (08:09):
Anybody in Shelby County can get their credits, help get
their credit repaired through our accouncers and Financial Accouncenter for free.
You don't need to pay anybody in the front end,
you don't need to pay anybody in the back end.
We've had over two thousand clients and hundreds of them
(08:30):
have improved their credit credits for by over thirty five points.
So by all means, check this out. It's not an
uncosted thing and they can help you walk through the process.
It's like I said's Fretey County Service.
Speaker 5 (08:48):
It's a United Way agency.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
By all means, give them a call and that number
is three nine oh forty two hundred and you can
get it a point and talk to a counselor that.
Speaker 5 (09:01):
Your very own.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
Rebuilding your credit takes time and patience and there are
no quick fixes.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
I mean a lot of this.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
If it's accurate, negative information is going to stay on
your report for at least in your usually two bankruptcy
even longer. So it's just going to take time. But
if you want to get yourself straight and get moving forward,
by all means, work with somebody who can help you
for free. And so that is the Financial Empowerment Center,
(09:34):
the Greater Memphis Financial Empowerment Center, free to anybody and
shall we can.
Speaker 5 (09:38):
So we want to help you and not have you
lose more money.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
And taking a moment to verify a credit repair offer can.
Speaker 5 (09:51):
Save you a lot in the long run.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
So by all means, if they ask for an upfront payment,
say no.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
It's a legal say no, no, no, I'm not giving
you any money.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
It's not giving you any money upfront for sure. And
you give me a contract and say, I've got how
long is this going to take?
Speaker 5 (10:12):
What can you do for me? What it's going to
cost in a long run?
Speaker 4 (10:15):
So do that, But I don't mean check out the
Financial Empowerment Center first, it's g m FEC dot or.
And if you can get free help, why would you
pay for it? Right?
Speaker 5 (10:28):
Right, I'm a cheap person.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
I believe it. I know, right, if you get free,
I'll take free And then you said Regina Report of
the Month, and and and then they're they're they're trained.
Financial counselors will give you that they.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
Are certified, they've been through training, their confidential and they
worked for you one on one. It's not a workshop,
it's not a seminar a bunch of other people sitting there.
Speaker 5 (10:57):
What are your goals?
Speaker 4 (10:59):
You want to prove your credit until you can buy
a house, Okay, we'll work towards that. Or you want
to pay off your DABT and generate the saving, work
towards that.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
Or you want to generate some.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
Help so you can go back to school, So reduce
your your bills so you can go back to school,
so you can do that. Whatever your girls are, that's
what the counselors will do. And they can meet with
you on the phone or virtually or uh. They're in
different areas of the city, different days of the week,
So if you happen to be in Frasier or Bartlett
or Whitehaven or wherever you are, they can set up
(11:35):
an appointment for that day when they're meeting with other
people in that area.
Speaker 5 (11:40):
So by all means, if I'm an call, why not.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
I like that? So October's while it warning credit repair scams,
be careful of that because you don't have to pay
you say, don't don't give anybody any money.
Speaker 4 (11:57):
It's definitely not up.
Speaker 5 (12:00):
There are lots of good ones out there.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
Have fees. Yes, check out the Financial Environment Center. It's free,
it's for it's from the government.
Speaker 5 (12:10):
To you to help. And but I mean we've we've
helped over six hundred clients improve their credit score by
thirty five points or more. But by all means, check
it out.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Sounds good, sounds good. You always have you got I know,
I'm gonna say, you always have good news for us, Regina.
What's the good news today?
Speaker 4 (12:32):
Well, we have good news and I hope that some
people have already heard about this, and it's from Amazon.
Amazon agreed to a Federal Trade Commission settlement to resolve
alligate allegations that they misled Prime subscription enrollments. And it
(12:55):
was a difficult cancelation process. So if you ever had
Amazon Prime, you may be entitled to part of this.
I got about thirty eight dollars last month.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Low, I'm a part of Amazon Prime. Let me check
this out.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
Okay, So the settlement they agreed to with the Federal
Trade Commission was two point five billion dollars.
Speaker 5 (13:18):
Okay, so we've got an email.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
So if you were part of it, you've probably gotten
an email. But by all means, check out Amazon Amazon Prime,
check your account, see what's going on, giving a call
if you have to. So the settlement included one billion
dollars in penalties and one and a half billion consumer refunds.
(13:46):
So payments are expected to be distributed by December of
this year, and I know several people who've already gotten theirs.
So eligible consumers will receive automatic refunds of up to
fifty one box if they were enrolled between check these
days June twenty third, twenty nineteen and June twenty third,
(14:07):
twenty twenty five. It's a long period of time, and
in particularly if they tried to cancel their Prime memberships
during that time, because they had a difficult cancelation process.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
This is one of the problems that we have a
lot of these. You sign up for it, then you
can't get out of it. But customers who are eligible
do not need to do anything. It says says they've
got your info and they will contact you. So hopefully
they do. And if you are still a member, you should.
They have your info and they will definitely contact you.
Speaker 6 (14:40):
They will also be creating a button to simplement a
simplify Prime membership cancelation, and they promised to make the
terms more transparent during the enrollment process.
Speaker 5 (14:52):
So Amazon has been hit by two and a half billion.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
Dollars and a whole bunch of improvements on Prime ship subscriptions.
So by all me, that's a good thing. We need
everybody to make life easy for us, right exactly if
I sign up, give me a way to get out
by clicking a button, right, not have.
Speaker 5 (15:13):
To look for it, not have to call you and
wait on the forever. So there you go.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
So that's the good news of the month, and I
hope everybody's heard about it.
Speaker 5 (15:21):
He's already eligible.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
And then the email came a couple of months ago,
and then we finally got some payments in the last
month or so.
Speaker 5 (15:31):
That's what I'm hearing.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Sounds there you go, It sounds good. I love the
good news. I'm gonna check them out because I do
have that Amazon Prime regina. Yeah, I'll check out.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
So this runs at all the way up to June
of this year. So if you've got it now you've
probably had it then. Okay, So so they're they're working
their way through the process. But uh yeah, you know
about thirty two dollars, thirty eight dollars something.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Like that, right, But that's okay. Any little thing helps reach.
Speaker 5 (16:01):
If they're going to give it to us, we will
take it.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
We will take it. System I will take it. I
will take it. I will take it. Hey, Regina, I
think I got something in the mail from your office.
Speaker 5 (16:14):
You did, you did this?
Speaker 4 (16:16):
I did. In the past two weeks, your county tax
bills have gone out, so you're getting your county property
tax bill. There's a nice little brochure in there. It
tells you what all the benefit programs are, especially for
senior citizens and disabled citizens and low income citizens. So
(16:36):
by all means, check out the programs, don't miss any
that you're entitled to.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
If we're going to give it to you take it.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
So the tax relief program is still in effect, the
tax freeze program and tax relief matching. The county is
matching the amount of tax relief that the state gives
you this year. So by all means, it's about two
hundred dollars or so for seniors and disabled with the
county match and be about four hundred and something. For
(17:06):
a disabled veteran it's over one thousand, and with the
county match it's.
Speaker 5 (17:09):
Over two thousand. So if you if you can apply,
please do so.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
These applications are on the website. But if you were
in the program last year, you'll get one. You'll get
all that update automatically unless you move, so make sure.
Speaker 5 (17:25):
We have your right address. But if you're getting your bill, you'll.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
Get your tax relief update in your freeze. But also
pass the word for people who don't even have property
tax and don't get that brochure. We also handle the
wheel tax rebate, so if you pay your wheel tax,
go get your tags. And I know a lot of
people have been getting tags yet.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Yeah, I've been seeing them long because it's in Long Lives.
Speaker 5 (17:52):
Is one in my.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
Neighborhood until all these guys showed.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Up, that's right. And you're right, Regina, You're right, until
eyes showed up. And now folks trying to get the
tags now, right.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
So they're gone to get their tags. And when you
get your tag, if you are over sixty five and
meet the income limit and the brochure. It's on our
website too. It's about thirty eight thousand dollars. By all means,
apply and get your seventy five dollars back from the county.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
But Regina, but that does that, and also with that,
you have to have a certain income level.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
Yeah, it's about thirty eight thousand dollars, okay, But it's
on the website.
Speaker 5 (18:34):
So either either you have a.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
Disabled tag and that income limit, or you're sixty five
and up and that income limit, and then you can
get your seventy five dollars back. So by all means,
if we're going to give it to you, get come
take it, right, But you have to do something.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
You gotta you gotta apply. So that's why that's why
I brought up because when I got because when I
got it, I said, I see this green elm op.
It's from Regina. I said, let me look in it
and see what's going on.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
And y'all the county Texas have to be paid by
the end of February next year.
Speaker 5 (19:14):
You get a really long time to pay them.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
And uh, but we can do a payment plan, right, Regina.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
You can do a payment plan or you can set
up if you go to our mobile app, or it's.
Speaker 5 (19:26):
On the computer or on your phone.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
Pay at nine oh one. You can just tell pay
you want to pay this much a month and they'll
take it right out of your account automatically. So there
is that, and so you make it easy on yourself
instead of wait until February twenty seven then going.
Speaker 5 (19:43):
Oh oh yes, right, oh oh, I have paid to this.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
So the more you pay before March first, the less
interest you're gonna have to pay about means you can
get those payments in my March first. If your mortgage
company shure tactices, make sure they.
Speaker 5 (20:01):
Get a pack of the bill and so that they know.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
I said, we didn't have a reappraisal this year, so
down a little. But the County Commission did not raise
the tax rate. They have not raised tax rate in
nineteen years.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
So yeah, that's good. That's good.
Speaker 5 (20:22):
That's a long time.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Yeah, so you don't know what's coming up.
Speaker 5 (20:26):
Check it out, check it out.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Yeah good, that's good information. Regina. You always give us
good information and keep us up abreast on our taxes
and what we need to do. And I always tell
the people, Regina, you know you're sixty five and up
take advantage of the tax freeze and all to see
what you can do, because I know a lot of people.
(20:49):
I mean, these are trying times now and people don't
have the money like they used to.
Speaker 4 (20:55):
No, and it's it's it is better pay a little
bit per month and then not have to pay the
whole amount at the end.
Speaker 5 (21:02):
And the tax freeze limit. We managed to get that
up to.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
Sixty thousand dollars okay.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
Last year, and so it is up above that now
it's sixty one something. So that is a lot of
seniors who meet that income limit. But by all means,
the Trustees website. If you don't get your little brochure
and your tax bill or you signed up for e bailing,
check out the Trustees website at Shelby County Trustee dot com.
(21:32):
We are were dot com and uh all the infos
on the seniors tab. But it's not just for seniors.
It's also for disabled, it's for veterans, and so there's
all kinds of programs. By all means, check it out
and if you want us to come talk to you
about it, give us a call nine oh one two
(21:52):
two two oh two hundred and say we want some
folks to come tell us, tell my senior group or
my lunch group from my church about this info. Okay,
we go everywhere and we talk to everybody. Oh good,
we'll be getting these brochures out and all the senior
centers and the community centers and the.
Speaker 5 (22:12):
Libraries, so they'll be out there. If you missed yours.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
Senior books, they're not going out in the mail this year,
but we ran out, so we printed more.
Speaker 5 (22:25):
So there's a twenty twenty five senior book.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
But now with all the programs in Shelby twenty for
senior citizens.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
All right, sounds good, Regina. I love the information you've
given us today. And we were gonna those credit reprepair
scams are out, so don't pay any money.
Speaker 5 (22:45):
It said that I have a new scam for you
every month.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
It really is. Yeah, you do you know what? And
and Regina, and let me tell you, my listeners appreciate
you telling us about the scams because they will call
and tell me I had so and so on on
my email of that. But they appreciate you, Regina, for
giving us the scams of the month. So thank you,
thank you, thank you.
Speaker 5 (23:09):
We will be back and hopefully it won't be as bad.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
Right in for November.
Speaker 5 (23:15):
November.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
All right, thank you, thank you, Regina. We appreciate your sister.
Speaker 5 (23:22):
I appreciate y'all for letting us talk to you and
have a great day.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
And you two Regina, bye bye bye, bye bye. That
is Regina Marson Newman, our Shelby County trustee that gives
us all the good news on those scams this month, y'all.
It's the credit repair scams. Regina says, you don't you're
going to get your credit repaired. You don't have to
(23:47):
pay any money up front, so keep that in mind.
You're listening to the heart and soul of Memphis. W
d I ad something to say.
Speaker 5 (24:01):
Say it next with Tennessee Radio Hall of Famer BEV
Johnson on.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
W d I A The Bev Johnson Show. We want
(25:27):
to thank you callers, We want to thank you listeners
for joining us this day on the BEB Johnson Show.
We do, we really do appreciate you. So until tomorrow,
please be safe, keep a cool head, y'all, and don't
let anyone still your joy until tomorrow. I'm BEB Johnson
(25:49):
and y'all keep the faith.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
Smack Star st
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