Emblem Mastercard - Is it a scam?

Emblem Mastercard credit card program is a scam pure and simple.do not do it.

I was offer the same deal and then I got a letter from another collection agent trying to collect the same debt. I have already paid them a $120.00.

If it doesn't feel right to you...don't do it. The fact that you aren't getting ALL of the information you need says it all to me. Don't let your desperation to settle your debt speak louder than your sense...it's one of the hardest things to do in this type of situation but you'll be glad you didn't do it.

Hey i received the same thing in the mail and it is no scam. I did my invesigation on my emblem mastercard

I have a similar program to that of Emblem mastercard with another credit card. It went very well and is almost paid off, plus they have been giving me new credit and increasing this as I make my payments on time, etc. So I guess I wasn't as doubtful about this when I received it for another card debt from a different card, but is from the same bad time in my history. I had written several letters to the collection company on the card requesting any kind of plan similar to what Capitol1 had arranged. Then I finally got this offer. I am making the payments, but they have such odd hours, it is hard to get through to make the payments. I'm curious to see how trustworthy they are. I have a record of all of my payments and have no difficulty in fighting for my rights with the credit report companies and collection agencies. I've gotten many things removed that I have record. I will let you know in six months how I feel about this company.

Ok, I got this offer where I owed "x" company $310. Emblem offer me a chance to pay a fraction of the actual debt, they'd be courteous enough to "knock off" $110, and the remaining balance would be xfrd to an Emblem Mastercard issued by MB&T to help me re establish my credit. I made EVERY payment requested of me on time(no, i'm not exagerrating either). They turned around and told me i "didn't" qualify after all and they reported it to Equifax and now registers as a blemish dropping my credit score even further to a saddening 645. If your serious about clearing any debt, call the company you originally went in the red with and see if they can help you establish a payment plan. Again, just speaking from my experience.

Tony, thanks for your input on this. We're seeing this Emblem mastercard credit card program popping up a lot here lately, and they are apparently owned by Jefferson Capital, which is a debt collector.

Myself, I'd be highly suspicious of any debt collector that was offering me a credit card!

I understand you're upset that your score dropped - but look on the bright side - most of us here would love to have the score you have, so you're actually not in bad shape!

I used my emblem mastercard and haven't had a problem. My debt is paid and now I have a credit card that I pay off every month.

I have emblem mastercard to an haven't had a problem.

I have been with Emblem Mastercard for 3 yrs and I do not see where people are saying its a scam. They help restore my credit and now I have a credit card and they have been very FAIR with me. If you have a problem with them I really don't know why BUT I am very happy with THEM.
Thanks!

I agree with Gerrfl, I did my payments with Jefferson Capital - its a debt, I owe it, whether or not I get a credit card out of the deal is not the point, the debt is owed and needs to be paid. If someone offers a settlement, take it, just make sure ou have paperwork and keep it for years.. other will come back and try to collect again

I've been working with Emblem Mastercard for the last year and it has been great. They have increased my limit for paying on time which has increased my credit score (I've been good at not using the card) and my previous debt is almost completely paid off. I have had a great experience.

I paid the debt and I received the new card in the mail.....It looks ok so far.

I too have my emblem mastercard and have had no problems. As I make my payments they gradually increase my limit. Been with them for almost a year and no problems.

alot of people are getting set up for a fall.i can feel it.

Emblem is not a scam. It is a legitimate program to pay off old credit card debt, and at a certain payoff level, receive a new valid MasterCard credit card. It is a great program to help a consumer start over with new credit.

;) i just recieved an emblem card also...i guess ill just have to see what happens but so far so good!

Paul, there won't be any fall. I got an Emblem MasterCard too, but before I did, I had an attorney friend look over it before I agreed to it because it does sound "too good to be true." It isn't too good to be true. As long as you keep all the paperwork there is no way anyone can come back and say you haven't paid it. I also requested an "Account settled in full" statement from Jefferson Capital. I think this is such a good deal because maybe, just maybe, there is someone (corporate entity) out there who cares about the little people and want to lend a helping hand, so to speak.

hi, i have an emblem mastercard. i paid my back debt and now have their credit card. i make my payments and everything seems fine. only one thing. i moved 5 miles down the road and they said they do not offer my card in that area!!! what.. what credit card company does that.. just be careful if you have to change your address.. seems like that just wanted that money.. talked to them and had to change my address back to the inlaws so i could keep the card. best of luck to all that are rebuilding and trying to get there credit back on track..

There is no way I would fall for that program. All you have done is re-age debt that is most likely out of SOL..............Of course all of this is JMO.

Paul is right about the fall!!!!!

hey!!!!!i'm right about something,but seriously.the scenario above kfstaff's posts is just what i'm talking about.they look for a reason to drop you.then all those payments meant nothing as they will report negative x10 on your report.i would never accept a credit card from a CA,or anybody like that.

i owed verizon and got a letter from emblem/jefferson , the pain in the ass is i still have the jefferson collection part on my credit report .. my emblem credit card only started out at about $200 but they have given me credit limit increases three times since , so im thinking alot of these people that call it a scam simply dont like the charges that come with the program , if you dont have good credit you're gonna have stupid charges to get any credit card .. the emblem interest rate isnt even that bad ( that i got) .. its worked out good for me

Check the details and take decision.

But as most of the community members used it so i personally feel it would not be a scam.

I have been with Emblem for 3 yrs and I do not see where people are saying its a scam. They help restore my credit and now I have a credit card and they have been very FAIR with me. If you have a problem with them I really don't know why BUT I am very happy with THEM.
Thanks!

I have two offers from jefferson capitol and they both offer me a credit card, I was wondering how a company can offer two credit card's...HUmmmm. don't know what to do.
Need to pay the debt but cant afford to be scammed.

Anyone who knows anything about credit reporting understands that most of this old debt is out of SOL and there is no way you can be sued hence the credit card offer. What you are doing here is acknowleding the debt is yours, re-aging the account on your credit report and they are getting their money from you whether you owed them the debt or not and most likely a debt they could not validate. The debt will stay on your credit report an additional 7 years because you woke it up!!!!!!

As I stated above there is no way anyone should fall for this program not that its a "SCAM" that you wont get the card or they are not a real company it benefits the CA and it will be years before you acutually benefit from it. This offer is made to debts that are out of SOL and it is their last ditch effort to suck you in.

I have an Emblem Mastercard, I have had for about 2 years, they helped me pay off a debt that I had, and gave me the credit card, have not had a problem with it, it has actually boosted my credit score a great deal.

I have done this and now have my emblem master card and use it wisely. Thay are very helpful in rebuilding your credit. However, the best way to protect yourself is to get a letter saying you payed the debt in full after it is payed off. Just keep hounding the collection agency until they send you the letter.

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your right,i'll call it indetured servitude as they have you on the debt,and can revoke the card at anytime.now the kicker,any debt incurred on the card is totally owed.no wiggle room,nothing.there are a few stories of people getting shafted on these pages.emblem is not offered by anybody else.doesn't that send up a major red flag?

I accepted the settlement offer which reduced my debt to $300 which i have payed off. since then (5 months) my credit line has grown to over $1000 and my credit score has grown due to the Emblem card.

Yes, it has worked for me.

I have been dealing with Emblem also since Feb 2009 and they were true to their word. My debt is settled and I have a credit card and have had 2 credit limit increases since then. I started out with a limit of $131 and now its $431. I havent had not one problem.

paulmergel,

being a moderator on a simple site like this doesnt make you god - "people are getting set-up for a fall"???? you can "feel" it??? - how does that help anyone? the point of this type of forum is TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE FROM OTHERS THAT HAVE THE EXPERIENCE BEFORE ONE JUMPS INTO SOMETHING THEMSELVES...
i hope you enjoy making people feel uneasy about trying to do the right thing by paying their debts. you obviously have no experience with the Emblem company or JCS so please, keep your ignorance to yourself.
Emblem has worked great for me, they gave everything that they promised. i just dont understand commenting on something which you have found no real data/experience yourself.
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"ignorance is never more evident than in times of tragedy"

in pauls defense i must say that he has been around for quite some time and if he spoke up about a particular company he must have gained enough info to be confident to speak out on it. When you are around for sometime you can tell what kind a company one is by from what the majority has spoken. Is this attack on paulmergel day? i have only read 2 posts and both of them were nasty towards him

I have the Emblem card and its worked out great! Raised my score, paid off my debt, have a card for emergencies if I need it!! So, not sure how people got scammed!!??

I have an Emblem credit card. They sent it to me as part of paying off my debt. They have been great. Credit line increases almost every three months with good payment history. I have been with them a while one plus year. No problems.

I just recieved the offer, and I'm going for it because despite that you have to pay your debt off you still get a good deal by getting a credit card, which will in turn help boost your credit rating, and also help you to raise your credit score to qualify for other things, and this helps to eradicate current debt that you may have. So, all in all its still a good deal you get a credit card in return for paying off your debt which helps boost your credit score, etc, etc, etc; I don't see where anyone can fall with that much success unless they don't pay their credit card bills, or they don't make the right choices when it comes to spending, and excessive overspending, and going over your limit. So make the right choice, and eradicate your debts!

i had a debt and i took their offer 2 years ago and its true they let you meke payment then when your done they give you a small credit line mine is 138. which works for me.

No it is not a scam, I am a current client and it has been wonderful, it is a legal debit consolidation, I did research on them before moving forward, they are with the BBB and it is a company based out of california.

I thought it was a scam too. But went ahead and did it anyway.. It was a good experience i paid off 120 dollars and they sent the card now I'm paying off the other half of debt owed... I actually like it.. They are very helpful

I accepted the terms of use and it's now been over a year I've had the card, after I paid off the balance as agreed my credit limit was increased to $283 after about 6 months of on-time payments my credit limit increased to $400 after 6 more months my credit increased to $600 and the best benefit of all they do report to the credit bureau so the original balance shows paid as agreed and the new account has helped my credit score dramatically. I'm glad I agreed to these terms it's definitely NOT a scam

I received my emblem mastercard after paying off the agreed amount I owed. I don't see why some are saying it's a scam if they haven't had a "scam-like" experience to share. My credit limit is now over $1200 with my card and I'm so thankful to be back on track to having better credit. It's a regular Mastercard with the Mastercard logo on it. I'd say if you're seeking some guidance on whether to go with them or not just read the testimonials of those who's had experience with them. From what I've read, including my own experience it seems to be a good deal. The best feeling is to have the relief of paying off a debt. On top of that, being able to get a credit card to help build your credit score back up.

i have a card with them recently... and i do not have a problem with them as well. it seems legit.

I paid of my debt last year and I received my card. I have also received 3 creditline increases within the last nine months for paying my payments on time. This is not a scam.

It is not a scam.

I paid off my debt to ATT and received an Emblem mastercard in the mail. So, I'm pretty sure it's not a scam. The balance on the card is pretty low but that's based on my low credit rating and I will be able to get a credit limit increase as the years progress. I look at it as an opportunity to better ny credit score and correct the numerous mistake that I made in my 20's.

i think that the fresh start program is a good way to pay off a debt and helping you rebuild your credit! i paid off my debt thru jefferson capital and now have my emblem mastercard.. they did what they said they would!

I also signed up for this program and am about to pay off my debt with them. I'm glad to hear that others have had a good experience with this. I can't qualify for a credit card right now, so my debt-to-credit ratio is terrible. All my other cards were shut down due to inability to pay (my husband was unemployed for awhile). Now that we are back working, I want to clear my debt and be debt-free. To increase my credit score, I have to have credit. But with a low score, I can't qualify for credit...what a catch-22! This card will allow me to restart a credit line and hopefully improve my score. I'm happy to see how many people have had a good experience! I'll be monitoring my credit report over the coming months to see if it improves.

I received the same offer, ulike some of the people I didnt even make all the required payments to qualify on time. I finally did make all the required one over the phone and the lady told me Id be getting my emblem info after that. Afew weeks later I noticed a new alert on my credit report where the card had been opened, recieved the card been making payments every month on time and using it and my score has increased by 50 points. So, I dont think its a scam