Section 2183 - Prohibited activitiesA credit services organization and its salespersons, agents and representatives who sell or attempt to sell the services of a credit services organization shall not do any of the following:
(1) Charge or receive any money or other valuable consideration prior to full and complete performance of the services the credit services organization has agreed to perform for or on behalf of the buyer unless the credit services organization has, in conformity with section 7 , either obtained a surety bond issued by a surety company admitted to do business in this Commonwealth or established a trust account at a bank, bank and trust company, trust company, savings bank, Federal savings and loan association or savings bank located in this Commonwealth or savings association or any subsidiary or affiliate of such institution whose deposits are eligible for insurance by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Savings Association Insurance Fund of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the Pennsylvania Savings Association Insurance Corporation. If a credit services organization has obtained a surety bond or established a trust account, the salesperson, agents and representatives who sell the services of such organization shall not be required to obtain the surety bond or establish the trust account provided for by this act.(2) Charge or receive any money or other valuable consideration solely for referral of the buyer to a retail seller who will or may extend credit to the buyer if the credit which is or will be extended to the buyer is upon substantially the same terms as those available to the general public.(3) Make or counsel or advise any buyer to make any statement which is untrue or misleading and which is known, or which by the exercise of reasonable care should be known, to be untrue or misleading, to a consumer credit reporting agency or to any person who has extended credit to a buyer or to whom a buyer is applying for an extension of credit with respect to a buyer's creditworthiness, credit standing or credit capacity.(4) Make or use any untrue or misleading representations in the offer or sale of the services of a credit services organization or engage directly or indirectly in any act, practice or course of business which operates or would operate as a fraud or deception upon any person in connection with the offer or sale of the services of a credit services organization.(5) Make or use an advertisement which guarantees that the buyer will obtain credit.1992, Dec. 16, P.L. 1144, No. 150, § 3, effective in 6 months.