There is never a shortage of people trying to figure out ways to take your valuables and lawyers are your ally. The financial crisis from a few years ago created a large group of people who needed mortgage relief. These people fell far behind in the mortgage payments and became vulnerable targets.
While the mortgage crisis has largely abated, that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of people who remain in financial trouble. These people go to lawyers in an attempt to restructure their loans and obtain financial relief. The problem is that lawyers give good advice. This means there are no miracle fixes. Scammers, on the other hand, are not in the same way restricted. They offer fixes that are too good to be true.
Sadly, desperate people are vulnerable.
In full disclosure, I come from a family of lawyers. My father, uncle, brother, sister, cousins, and others make their money in the legal profession. I have always held lawyers in high esteem. I’ve seen my father and other family members help people out of terrible situations. There is, unfortunately, a large segment of society that does not feel the same way about lawyers as do I.
People love a good lawyer joke, and there is a general perception that lawyers are out to scam people from their money. I’m not denying there are unethical lawyers in this world, but one of the first things scammers will ask you to do is fire your current lawyer. People are often willing to do this because their legal bills are piling up and the resolution offered by the scammer has the appearance of easily solving the debtor’s issues.
Once you are without proper legal representation you are in trouble. The same goes for many situations in life. If you find a reputable lawyer you will have to pay for legal services, and that isn’t cheap. It might seem like a better idea to try and work your way out of issues without a lawyer but that way leads to danger.
The average person doesn’t have the ability to read a legal document and understand what they are signing. When you are presented with a complex document that promises to fix all of whatever financial troubles you are facing, it’s far better to pay a lawyer than to risk total disaster.
I’m well aware that a charge of potential thousands of dollars for someone already in financial distress is a painful price to pay. That it’s pretty easy to tell yourself you don’t need a lawyer. That’s one of the things scammers count on. They know their victim is vulnerable and can be convinced to forego sound legal advice. That’s when they have you.
There are many great lawyers out there who help people in financial distress. They’ll setup a payment plan that will be painful. They’ll help find a way for you to move forward although it won’t be pleasant. The old adage that if it sounds too good to be true, it is too good to be true is as accurate today as it was in the past. Perhaps even more so.
If you find yourself in a difficult financial situation my advice is simple. Find a good lawyer.
Tom Liberman