It’s hard to forget, especially when you try to get it out of your head: that FreeCreditReport.com jingle just keeps going around and around. But government regulators say the song is better than the service. The Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection warns FreeCreditReport.com isn’t really free at all.
To better prove its point, the […]

[Read more →]

TrueCredit.com estimates nearly one in six potential employers are using pre-employment credit reports as part of the applicant screening process. So in addition to polishing resumes and portfolios, job seekers should also review their credit.

[Read more →]

An estimated 440 banks concede  their customers are possible victims of a massive data breach. according to new data from BankInfoSecurity.com. But not all of those institutions have taken action to protect their consumers, frustrating watchdogs like the New York State Consumer Protection Board.
Heartland Payment Systems, the nation’s sixth-largest processor for Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover Card transactions, […]

[Read more →]

The credit card with the lowest interest rate can cost you more than you expect. Although the interest rate is important, it’s just as important to understand how the card issuer computes the monthly finance charges.
You need to know whether finance charges are based on a daily or monthly basis, whether there is a […]

[Read more →]

Many consumers erroneously believe that paying off or settling past due accounts will restore their damaged credit. It won’t–and the mistaken belief that it will creates a lot of confusion. “If I settle an account with a creditor for less than the full balance, can the creditor continue to report the account as past […]

[Read more →]

Questionable income tax refund anticipation loans give taxpayers the option to pay a ridiculously high interest rate to borrow their own money.

[Read more →]

The best way to get into the holiday spirit is to focus on what really matters–and protect your long-term finances in the proces.

Reduce spending. Cut back on extravagant gifts to ensure the holiday season is more economical for everyone.
Set limits. It’s smart to shop with cash, but safer to access your cash with a debit […]

[Read more →]

Ask yourself whether the items you plan to buy will really make people happy, improve their lives, serve a need or fill a wish. Unless they do, put them back on the shelves.

[Read more →]

Manhattan, the nation’s most costly place to live, became even more expensive in the past three months. The cost of living in the heart of New York City edged up slightly in the third quarter, according to the ACCRA Cost of Living Index, published quarterly by C2ER - The Council for Community and Economic Research. […]

[Read more →]

RealtyTrac, an online provider of foreclosure data, says foreclosure filings were reported on 765,558 US properties during the third quarter, up more than 3 percent from the second quarter and up 71 percent from the same period a year ago.

[Read more →]