Doing The Right Thing The First Time

Mr. & Mrs. Jankowski had four children. Mr. Jankowski’s work is outdoors, so after a particularly harsh winter, they fell behind several months in their rent. Their landlord was about to evict them, and they didn’t think they could afford a bankruptcy, so Mrs. Jankowski went online to look for help. She found a company that specialized in “eviction help” and paid a $500 fee for assistance with filing a bankruptcy.

The Jankowskis’ problems were only beginning. Scam artists and incompetent “financial advisors” are all over the internet looking to exploit those facing eviction or foreclosure. The Jankowskis hired a company that failed to assess their financial situation properly. As a result, they filed the wrong bankruptcy, and the petition that was filed was both incomplete and inaccurate. The bankruptcy they thought was a cheaper option did not stop the eviction procedure, and they retained their home only by borrowing from friends and finally obtaining help from an experienced Chicago bankruptcy lawyer.

In another case, Mr. Graham fell behind on his mortgage. The bank declined to offer a loan modification agreement. He found a company online that promised to help with foreclosures. He paid $2500 and was referred to a lawyer in California. The lawyer called and asked the bank to stop the foreclosure, and the bank declined. Thus, the lawyer told Mr. Graham that his only option for stopping the foreclosure was bankruptcy. Being in California, the lawyer Mr. Graham paid $2500 to speak with couldn’t help. Mr. Graham called the lawyer who had represented his son on a DUI charge five years earlier, and that lawyer sent him to a good Chicago bankruptcy lawyer.

In both examples, people in trouble ended up eventually doing what they should have done in the first place. Plenty of shady characters will take advantage of those with financial problems. Don’t be a victim. In the Chicago area, if you are facing eviction or foreclosure, call an experienced Chicago bankruptcy lawyer first, and do it before it’s too late.