During this uncertain economic climate, despicable hackers are taking advantage of financially strained people. There are hackers sending malicious, fake emails posing as debt relief companies. Be vigilant when receiving unsolicited emails marketing services to relieve you of debt. Most often than not, these services are scams. There are few legitimate companies that can truly absolve you of debt outside of the bankruptcy process. Typically these scam debt relief programs make false promises and require upfront fees be paid. Innocent victims can be left in even worse financial status after getting involved with one of these fake debt relief programs.

Never initiate financial counseling or a debt repayment plan from a random marketing email or cold call. Always protect your financial information. Do not share your Social Security number, financial account statements, payroll statements or credit card account information with strangers. Bad guys can use this information to extract money from you or commit identity theft crimes.

Should you find yourself in need of financial guidance, use these vetted resources below.

MyMoney.gov

The U.S. government’s primary resource for financial literacy is MyMoney.gov. This website consolidates information from over 20 federal agencies. Some of the agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), also provide extensive financial education materials. 

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

The CFPB offers information about Debt Relief programs in this article (https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-debt-relief-program-and-how-do-i-know-if-i-should-use-one-en-1457/). The agency provides facts on how real debt relief programs work and the potential risks or consequences of using one.