I didn't need the service.

 A few days ago, I thought I might have signed up with a fraudulent debt-resolution company.

After doing some checking, I learned something important: I had jumped to a conclusion.

The company had actually contacted some of my creditors and had been providing a service. So I don't think it is fair for me to call the company a fraud.

The real problem was much simpler.

I didn't need the service.

I got caught up in a very good sales pitch. At the time, debt resolution sounded like a good solution. But after stepping back and looking at my situation, I realized that I am capable of contacting my creditors myself and paying what I owe.

Now I am trying to cancel the program and find out how much of the money I have paid can be returned. Since the company did perform some work, I don't know how much I will get back. I'll have to see what happens.

There is a bigger lesson here.

I've written before about internet and telephone scams. Some of those are obvious frauds. Someone calls pretending to be Google, for example, and says there is an emergency with your account. They want you to act immediately and give them access to something you normally wouldn't.

But there is another lesson that applies even when you're dealing with a legitimate business:

Don't let a good salesperson make your decision for you.

A salesperson's job is to sell. Your job is to decide whether you actually need what is being sold.

Before signing anything or handing over money, slow down. Ask questions. Read the agreement. Check the company independently. Talk to someone you trust. Most importantly, ask yourself a very simple question:

Do I really need this?

I wish I had asked myself that question before I signed up for debt resolution.

But making a mistake isn't the end of the story. You can learn something, correct what you can, and make a better decision the next time.

That's what I'm doing now.

Later