INTERNET LOAN SCAM ALERT

Shari Harris is coming out of a bankruptcy and is looking for ways to rebuild her credit. "I wanted to pay off all of my bills and have one payment," says Harris.

She searched the internet for a debt consolidation loan and found Universal Alliance Corp. of Kentucky. Harris says, "I got back the loan documentation from them stating I had been approved for a $15,000 loan at 9% and a monthly payment of $311 and some change." Harris says she did her homework, talked to a banker, even checked the Better Business Bureau. "The Better Business Bureau had them listed, they were not members but there were no complaints. In my eyes it all looked legitimate," says Harris. The company asked Harris to wire $1,500 as an insurance deposit to Canada, which she did. When the loan was delayed, they asked for an additional $1,100 because of her bankruptcy, which she also sent. Harris is still waiting on her loan.

When she checked the Universal Alliance Corp. Kentucky address, it did not exist. "They're still trying to scam people and I've lived here all of my life and I don't want to see others get scammed like this," says Harris. Harris borrowed money to pay the fees and now she has to pay that money back.

She's filed a complaint with Western Union's Fraud Division and the Canadian Mounted Police, but she says the probability of her getting a refund is slim. This is what's called a cross-border scam.
Here's a consumer tip. If you have to pay a fee in advance for a loan, don't do it! It is a scam.