Margaret Reiter

Attorney · UCLA School of Law

Attorney Margaret Reiter was a consumer investigator with the Los Angeles County Consumer Affairs Department for four years and worked for 20 years as a consumer prosecutor with the California Attorney General's Consumer Law Section. She has investigated or prosecuted businesses engaged in consumer fraud, including foreclosure "consultants," mortgage lenders, debt settlement companies, vocational schools, living trust mill/annuity sellers, prepaid phone card companies, and tax refund anticipation loan providers.

Ms. Reiter has drafted consumer protection legislation, advocated for stronger consumer protection before regulatory agencies, trained other prosecutors and investigators, prepared consumer alerts, and spoken to the public on Truth in Lending, telephone slamming and cramming, truth in phone billing, bankruptcy, and vocational schools, among other consumer topics.

Articles By Margaret Reiter

Repossession: When Can a Creditor Take Your Property?
A secured debt is one for which a specific item of property—called a security interest or collateral—guarantees payment of the debt.
Deficiency Balances After Repossession
If your vehicle is repossessed, you might still owe the lender money on the contract, called a "deficiency" or "deficiency balance." Learn how to deal with a deficiency after a car repossession.
I Had Personal Belongings in My Car When It Was Repossessed. Can I Get My Things Back?
If a repossessor takes your car, you’re entitled to get back all your personal belongings inside of, but not attached to, the vehicle when it was repossessed.
How Motor Vehicles Are Repossessed
Learn what the repo agent can and can't do when repossessing your car.
Who Is My Student Loan Holder or Servicer?
Here's how to find the holder or servicer for your loans.
If the Credit Reporting Agency Does Not Correct Your Report: What to Do
If you dispute an item in your credit report, but the credit reporting agency refuses to correct it, you can take additional steps to remedy the problem.
How Creditors Enforce Judgments
Once a judgment is entered against you, the creditor is then called a "judgment creditor," and you are called a "judgment debtor."
How Judgment Creditors Get Information About Your Income and Property
When a creditor gets a money judgment against you, if often wants to find out what income and assets you have so that it can start collecting on the judgment (called enforcing the judgment).
What Is a Money Judgment?
A judgment is a piece of paper issued by the court stating that the creditor (or other plaintiff) has won the lawsuit and is entitled to a certain amount of money.
Getting Credit Reports From Specialty Consumer Reporting Agencies
Here's how to get your credit report from the "other" credit bureaus.