What's On Your Mind? Southern California Edison, Payday Loan Scam, Cross Country Bank

Utility bills flucuate during the year. They're high during the summer but are usually lower in the spring and fall, when you are between the heating and cooling seasons. Many utilities offer a flat payment plan, where you pay the same rate each month, and it all evens out in the end. That can be a good idea, but just make sure you understand how it works. Victor, of Simi Valley, Calif., says he got a nasty surprise from Southern California Edison.

“I signed up for a Level Pay Plan upon moving here a year ago,” Victor told ConsumerAffairs.com. “They quoted me $58 per month and I said fine. They adjusted it to $106 in November and then on New Years Eve Edison auto-deducted $644, without telling me, for an adjustment."

Keep in mind that even though you are paying a the same rate each month, your bill may actually be much greater. That sounds like what happened in Victor's case. As the year came to a close, the utility made up for it in one payment – which kind of defeats the whole purpose of a level payment plan.

Don't fall for it

The fake payday loan collector scam is still going strong in the new year.

“Someone contacted my sister and my ex-mothetr-in-law and said that I had charges pending on me for a loan I took out in 2010, so I called the number and they were rude and yelling at me telling me to shut up I was going to go to court and to jail,” said Mary, of Pasadena, Tex. “He called me back six times and was still yelling at me so I told him to come on and serve me with the papers and that I was filing harassment charges on him!”

Filing charges won't work because the caller isn't a real debt collector and he probably isn't even in the United States. He is hoping to scare his victims so that they will agree to “settle” the charges for a one-time credit card payment over the phone. Keep in mind, a debt collector who did the things Mary described would be violating the law.

Bump in the road?

Connie, of Ft. Thomas, Ky., said she was trying to refinance a loan with Cross Country Bank and finally grew frustrated.

“I was given promise after promise until after I did everything asked, which included paying off three-four credit cards, which wasn't an easy task just before Christmas, to be told they hit a bump in the road,” Connie said. “Something they didn't notice on the credit report before? “Now, after I asked for a copy of the credit report, I was told they couldn't give it to me. It's my report!”

Not only that, the law requires the mortgage company to provide you with a copy of your credit score. You can pull a copy of your credit reports yourself by going to www.annualcreditreport.com.