JOHN ILYANKOFF

Canonsburg

A: I can't think of a single thing good to say about this deal. Your best bet is to close your checking account and open a new one.

The company in question, American Debt Arbitration out of Clearwater, Fla., has an unsatisfactory record with the Better Business Bureau. Even if this company did not have an unsatisfactory report, what it promises isn't good even if it delivers.

Think about it. These kinds of companies usually get permission to take your money out of your checking account. The company supposedly saves your money for you while your credit card companies get nothing. The promise is that after your credit is trashed, these companies go in and negotiate a deal with your credit card companies for less than you used to owe. That's something you can do yourself if you are in financial trouble.

If you are looking for advice or help, you would be better off going to the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Western Pennsylvania in the South Side. It's a reputable company.

This call came to you unsolicited. That alone is a red flag. Get yourself on the state's Do Not Call list. That's one little step toward keeping yourself out of financial trouble. That number is 1-888-777-3406.

Q: I have been trying to get a $360 charge off my Gap credit card for five months. It seems that I can't get anyone to take the time to listen to me. The charge was made in a Gap Store in Maine; I wasn't in Maine at the time. The charge was for women's clothes; I'm a bachelor. I have not lost my Gap credit card; it's in my wallet. At one point, I thought I will pay the $360 just to get them off my back. The charge won't go away. Can you help?

FRANK NADERHOFF

McKees Rocks

A: The good news here, Frank, is that your $360 is credited to your account, along with a $25 credit for all your trouble.

Within 48 hours of hearing of your problem, consumer relations specialist Adam Ross of Gap Inc., corrected the error.

The bad news is that you never talked to Gap Inc. Mr. Ross explained that for the past five months you have been talking to a finance company that bills for Gap.

It's an easy mistake, Frank. On your bill, you are instructed to call a number for customer service. Call that number and it answers, "Hi! This is Gap Card Services. You can now use your Gap Card at Banana Republic and Old Navy, too."

Even so, you probably should have been able to resolve your problem through the finance company, but it is difficult for a consumer to know who she or he is talking to, let alone where.

We all know how easy it is to end up talking to a service rep in India or the Philippines.

Most companies outsource parts of their business these days. So how can you be sure you've reached the company you think you've dialed?

Ask. Who am I speaking to? Are you with the company or a third-party vendor hired by the company? Are you in a position to help me solve my particular problem? Is there a better number for me to call?

Mr. Ross said he is working with the third-party vendor in question to make sure that this kind of confusion won't happen in the future.

By the way, the first thing I asked Frank to do? Check his credit report. He did and said that everything was accurate. When you get one suspicious charge, be sure to check your credit report to make sure people aren't using your personal information to get new credit cards or to go on a shopping spree at your expense.