This episode on Debt Therapy, we welcome Mike Cardoza with The Cardoza Law Corporation in San Francisco. He is an amazing credit report and rights attorney that has worked both sides of the coin. He specializes in those that have suffered from identity theft, incorrect credit reporting and debt collecting harassments. 

Listen to this episode to learn about disputing your credit accounts and what your rights are when debt collectors reach out! You won't want to miss this education--after all, we all have debt, but just never talk about it!

We welcome special guest Leslie Tayne, attorney and debt settlement expert to the Debt Therapy podcast for this episode. In this episode, we cover so many details involved with debt settlement so make sure you listen to it all—there are important pieces of information all the way to the end of this episode. 

First, how do you know a reputable company from a scam?

To answer that, you must first understand the difference between debt consolidation and debt settlement. If you are looking for a debt consolidation, that may include a loan with a lower interest rate, but the amount you are paying off remains the same. Debt settlement is different in the fact that they renegotiate the terms of your repayment with the creditors and agree to a structured repayment process with less debt.

Now that we understand the difference, let’s talk about protecting yourself. First, don’t be lured in or intimidated if someone has your information such as your total debt,...