How do you find out about consumer credit counseling service complaints? Is the credit counselor you chose safe? How do you know if you can trust them? These are just a few of the questions you may have if you are struggling with debt and looking for credit counseling help.

Below are some tips for evaluating the agency you have selected.

1. Is the Agency licensed in your state? It’s important to make sure that the agency you select is fully licensed and compliant with all state laws where you live. Each state monitors and enforces the laws for debt relief providers individually, so it’s important that you know if the agency meets the requirements of the state you live in. They should be able to provide this information for you.

2. Are the counselors certified? Your credit counseling agency should provide services using certified counselors. A certified credit counselor has received specialized training in providing services and should participate in ongoing continuing education to maintain their certification. Again, your agency should provide you with this information.

3. Does the agency maintain a positive rating with the Better Business Bureau? It’s an excellent idea to evaluate your agency and their rating with the BBB. You can check out the information listed for the agency you have chosen by going to the BBB website.  It will tell you their rating and you can evaluate any complaints by consumers for that agency as well as how it was resolved.

4. Does the agency provide the services you need? If you are in need of both credit counseling and housing counseling it makes sense to look for an agency that can provide both. Do a little bit of research about the services that your agency offers and make sure that they meet your needs.

5. Do they have a positive online reputation? Google can be your best friend when evaluating any potential service provider. Good and bad, it’s probably available for you to review. Take a little bit of time before you use a service provider and see what others have said about them.

The truth is that there are a lot of credit counselors that will help you and provide outstanding services without any need for concern on your part. There are, however, some scammers and bad guys out there. It’s better to be safe and make sure there are no surprises along the way! Check out whether there are consumer credit counseling service complaints before you move forward with your provider.

Image Source: laws.com