bad credit

Legislation Would Prohibit Employers From Looking At Credit Reports During The Hiring Process

Legislation Would Prohibit Employers From Looking At Credit Reports During The Hiring Process

A poor credit report can have a devastating impact on a consumers’ life – preventing them from receiving needed lines of credit, losing out on renting or buying a home, or even being passed over for a job. But one of those issues could be a thing of the past with the reintroduction of legislation that would prohibit potential employers from using credit history during the job screening process. [More]

(James Callan)

Poor Credit Reports Start Vicious Economic Cycle; Can It Be Stopped?

For some people, bad credit is a result of being irresponsible. For others, it’s a matter of bad luck and overwhelming circumstance. Alas, the credit reporting agencies don’t make such distinctions, meaning someone whose house went into foreclosure because he lost his job and also had to be hospitalized is treated the same as the person who stopped making mortgage payments because they didn’t feel like it. [More]

Private Equity Bets Big Bucks On "Buy Here Pay Here" Dealerships

Private Equity Bets Big Bucks On "Buy Here Pay Here" Dealerships

In the second of a three-part series on “Buy Here Pay Here” dealerships, used car lots that target subprime borrowers with easy credit and triple the national average interest rates, the Los Angeles Times looks at how private equity firms have flocked towards the growing industry, lured by 38% margins. [More]

"Buy Here Pay Here" Dealerships Investigated

"Buy Here Pay Here" Dealerships Investigated

The Los Angeles Times has an excellent investigation into the national “Buy Here Pay Here” auto dealership phenomenon. These used car sellers purposefully target bad credit borrowers and offer them what no one else will: the chance to buy a car on credit. All they have to do is agree to 20-30% interest rates, a price well above the car’s Blue Book Value, and aggressive repo practices if they fail to pay up. But it’s not a big deal if they don’t. Borrower failure is baked into the business plan. [More]

Credit Checks For Job Applicants May Be Illegal

Credit Checks For Job Applicants May Be Illegal

According to a survey of human resource folks, 60% of them say they are now running credit checks on potential hires. But there’s a new movement in several states — and one bill stuck in Congress — to make it illegal for a company to run such checks, because detractors claim they are hurting people from getting jobs during the recession. [More]

"An 'Illegal ETF' Destroyed My Credit. Can I Go To Small Claims Court?"

"An 'Illegal ETF' Destroyed My Credit. Can I Go To Small Claims Court?"

“Jurgis” writes,

Capital One Will Ruin This Guy's Credit One Way Or Another

Capital One Will Ruin This Guy's Credit One Way Or Another

Joseph is having problems paying his Capital One card, mainly because Capital One keeps making it hard for him to pay it, and then reports his payments past due after they’ve cleared the bank. Now he wants to know what he can do to remedy the situation.