Consumerist
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travel
15 Ways To Protect Your Money While Traveling
Bankrate shares 15 tips to protect your stash of cash while traveling abroad. Before leaving, strip down your wallet to the bare essentials, including a backup credit card, and make copies of all financial documents. While abroad, stash the copies and the backup card in your hotel safe, and take common-sense precautions like sticking to legitimate bank ATMs, and avoiding crowds. Hit the link for the rundown of all 15 tips.
15 ways to protect your money on vacation [Bankrate]
(Photo: isfullofcrap) -
credit card reform
Have Your Say About Credit Card Reform
We've been keeping you posted about the progress of credit card reform, and sharing stories of readers who have already been affected by credit card companies' policy changes. Now the nice folks at Consumers Union want to hear about what kinds of stunts credit card companies are trying to pull on their customers. Won't you share your stories with them? More » -
simpsons did it
Credit Card Companies Return To Soliciting Children, Household Pets For Cards
I'm pleased to announce that the credit crunch is officially over. I'm basing this on a credit card solicitation sent to a Mr. Lazarus H. of Iowa. Lazarus, pictured at left, is seven years old. More » -
consumer protection
Here Comes The Consumer Financial Protection Agency!
Shhh, everyone, gather near and listen to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner deliver the most beautiful, wonderful mandate we could give to a new federal agency: "The agency will have only one mission—to protect consumers." And with that, the Treasury Department sent to Congress legislation that will create the brand new Consumer Financial Protection Agency. More » -
surprises
Psht, Bank Of America Doesn't Need Your Consent To Give You A Credit Card
Hector didn't know whether or not he was going to accept Bank of America's offer of a new credit card with a $3,500 limit, so the bank made his decision easy by issuing the card without his permission. When Hector discovered the surprise credit line, he called Bank of America with two requests: explain how they could open a new account without his consent, and keep the account open until he could figure out the new line's impact on his credit score. Of course, without a peep, Bank of America immediately canceled the new credit card, leaving Hector wondering what might happen to his credit score... More » -
credit cards
Warning From My Dad: Beware The Minimum Payment Hike
My dad (not pictured) is one of those guys stuck on an endless credit card treadmill, pretty much maxed out to the hilt and able to cover monthly minimum payments but not much else. More » -
advice
Be Your Own Financial Regulator
Any sort of federal agency to protect consumers from abuse from the financial industry is months, or possibly years, away, notes Linda Stern of Reuters. That's why you shouldn't depend on such an agency to protect you in the meantime. In fact, you can take her advice and use it no matter what happens at the federal level. More » -
minimum payments
"Chase Hiked My Minimum Payment To 5 Percent!"
Chase just notified Greg that they're more than doubling his minimum payment requirement. Because he and his wife are carrying such a large balance due to a promotional balance transfer offer a few years ago, this pushes their monthly payment to nearly $1,000. More » -
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credit cards
Study Of Credit Unions Indicates CARD Act Will Benefit Consumers
Two Harvard doctoral students in economics compared how credit unions and banks operated their credit card divisions, and concluded that the recent CARD act "is likely to bring about moderate, and even positive, changes," as banks begin to emulate parts of the fairer business model of credit unions. Specifically, they say, all the doom and gloom from the banking industry about how consumers will get shafted by the new rules is mostly fearmongering. More » -
success stories
EECB Finally Gets Someone At Bank Of America To Listen, Admit Responsibility
Bank of America messed up Andy's credit score by failing to send him credit card statements or giving him online access to an old account he only recently started using again. They also refused to work with him over the phone, telling him each time he called that they had no record of his previous conversations with customer service and therefore no reason to believe him. More » -
health insurance
Man Gets $10,000 Back From Insurance Company Thanks To Metafilter
We readily admit that there are places on the Internet other than Consumerist where one can harness the Internet hive mind to solve consumer issues. Ask Metafilter user Jason sought help when his former insurance company wouldn't stop auto-billing him, and emerged victorious, collecting the $10,000 he was wrongly charged...plus interest! More » -
debt
Credit Card Companies Are Warming Up To Reduced Payoff Deals
If you've fallen into a debt pit and can't make your credit card payments, and now you're watching them steadily mount with penalties, fees, and steep interest rates, consider negotiating a lower payment. The New York Times reports that while most card companies won't admit it officially, they know when they've got a customer who can't pay, and they're much more willing to settle for a lower amount than they were a year ago. More » -
marketing
Chase Marketing Credit Cards To The "Twilight" Demographic... And Creeping Them Out
Reader Chloe is a teenager, a college freshman, and she is creeped out by the ads for Chase credit cards that keep popping up on Facebook. Why? Because they want to give her "points" toward Twilight books in exchange for applying for, and using a student credit card. More » -
hit it and quit it
What To Do When You Love Your Credit Card But Aren't 'In Love' With It Anymore
Reader Suzanne may be on to something that may save credit card users anguish: Try to view your relationship with plastic as a romantic comedy. More » -
credit cards
Man Gets Chase To Bend To His Iron Will
Brian suffered a couple of credit card maladies: Washington Mutual shut down his credit card due to inactivity and was stuck with a high interest report and credit report hit due to two missed payments in 2006. After Chase absorbed WaMu, Brian got on the horn and worked the customer service labyrinth until he fixed both problems. More » -
oversight
Obama To Call For Financial Watchdog Agency
Tomorrow, President Obama is expected to call for the creation of a new watchdog agency that would help protect consumers from abusive credit card, mortgage, banking practices. The banking industry is not happy about the idea, reports CNN. But hey, they're just looking out for us: "It's bad for consumers," a banking industry lobbyist told the network. Oh, well, never mind then, and pass me some more delicious subprime! More » -
robocallers
Robocallers Cannot Magically Lower Your Credit Card Interest Rate
The Better Business Bureau and Senator Charles Schumer are warning the public to be skeptical of any calls promising to lower your credit card interest rate. While nowhere near at the public annoyance level of the recent car warranty robocaller scourge, they're still out there, automatically dialing people and promising to lower your rate for a hefty up-front fee. The only problem is, they can't do anything you can't do on your own, and unless you're crazy you're probably not going to charge yourself a thousand bucks for the service. More » -
usury
The Variable APR On This Macy's Credit Card Is Either 23% Or 716%
Rick writes: Check out the first bill I received for a Macy's card I just opened last week (because they offered me 20% off if I did). 716% APR has to be some kind of record. Even loan sharks couldn't charge that with a straight face.
More »
credit cards
New York, 2:49 PM
Sun Jul 5
6 posts in the last 24 hours
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