Consumer Protection
Low-income families often lack access to resources that preserve income and protect them from financial exploitation, and create barriers to economic mobility.
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy is dedicated to ending the debilitating cycle of poverty and helping local families build wealth and prepare for the future. By protecting consumers from fraudulent practices that can take away a family home, income and transportation, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy promotes economic mobility for all in the community.
Our Consumer Protection Program seeks to build financial security among low-income families by addressing abusive lending practices, protecting home and automobile ownership, and assisting consumers who have been tricked or defrauded by a company.
Our services focus on:
- Targeting and preventing predatory and abusive lending practices aimed at the low-income population by teaching consumers how to avoid these pitfalls and increasing income and capital
- Preserving necessary transportation by stopping abusive and fraudulent used vehicle sales, financing and illegal repossessions
- Protecting consumers from abusive debt collection and debt buyer practices
- Preserving utility services
- Assisting consumers with problematic student loans, especially in the “for-profit” school sector
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or call us at 704-376-1600
Case work
- Predatory lending practices
- Automobile financing, warranties and fraud
- Unfair and deceptive trade practices
- Unfair debt collection practices
- Problematic student loan issues
- Utility cut-offs
- Illegal car repossessions
- Senior and service member scams
Advocacy
In addition to individual representation, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy enforces existing laws and advocates for improvements in consumer protection laws at local, state and national levels. Strategies include litigation, legislative advocacy in coordination with other agencies, and community education to both the client community and service providers. We respond to questions and support requests from consumer advocates throughout the county and surrounding areas.
Eligibility
The population to be served includes low-income families and individuals, seniors and people living with disabilities, who are residents of Mecklenburg County. Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy’s foreclosure defense work also includes eight surrounding counties: Gaston, Lincoln, Cabarrus, Iredell, Rowan, Stanly, Union and Catawba.
To must income qualify for Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy’s general consumer protection services.
In most cases, to qualify for the Center’s foreclosure prevention services, your household must earn less than 300% of the federal poverty standard, but we encourage you to contact us regardless of your household’s income.
Resources
Find a HUD Certified Housing Counselor Near You
During 2023, the Consumer Protection Program:
- Offered legal advice and extended representation to over 220 families with housing issues, debt collection issues, unfair trade practices, scam prevention, property tax delinquency and property tax exemption issues
- 47 additional families were assisted with community outreach and education in these areas