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    Consumerist
    • credit reports

      FTC Wants Your Input On How To Improve AnnualCreditReport.com

      The problem with annualcreditreport.com—other than its name—is that getting your reports from the site is a little like dealing with GoDaddy: you have to deal with upsells and side-sells at every step. You can indeed get your free credit reports from the site, but you'll also have to keep turning down other offers from the three participating bureaus. Hell, there are even ads (sorry, "sponsor" links) on the home page, the one place where you'd hope for the least consumer confusion. More »

      2:39 PM on Mon Oct 12 2009
      By Chris Walters
      5,074 views, 87 comments

      Most discussed xl22k: I propose they make the address something more official so it isn't confused with all the other "free" sites. Something like:[www.ftc.gov]or[www.annualcreditreport.gov] A more »

    • personal finance

      Michael Jackson Had Bad Credit

      It was apparently the least of his problems, but the late King of Pop had less than stellar credit, says TMZ. More »

      3:30 PM on Fri Aug 28 2009
      By Meg Marco
      11,984 views, 75 comments

    • 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 »

      4:15 PM on Mon Jun 29 2009
      By Carey Alexander
      11,969 views, 74 comments

      Most discussed JGKojak: The sooner we all boycott the ridiculous sham that is the FICO score the better. Wanna buy a house? Make the 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 »

      12:10 PM on Wed Jun 17 2009
      By Chris Walters
      5,607 views, 44 comments

      Most discussed kepler11: I'm going to hazard a guess here -- the people who benefit from this aren't going to be too scrupulous more »

    • layoffs

      Laid Off? You May Be Asked To Pay Off That Corporate Credit Card Anyway

      Rob lost his job, but kept the company credit card. Well, not so much the card, but the unpaid balance that went with it. As Rob's employer stopped cutting him paychecks, it also stopped making payments on the account as well, and the creditor started hounding Rob, who wrote in to syndicated columnist Todd Ossenfort. More »

      10:16 AM on Mon May 4 2009
      By Phil Villarreal
      12,158 views, 25 comments

      Most discussed ManiacDan: Even if the card was in his name and he was supposed to be reimbursed by his company, it's likely more »

    • options

      New York Times: Walking Away From Your Mortgage, Not So Bad After All

      Great news, distressed homeowners! If you aren't eligible for the President's homeowner assistance package and can't negotiate a better deal on your mortgage, the New York Times says that turning in the keys and leaving your home may not be the end of your financial world. The Times mapped out a guide for dealing with the various players controlling your mortgage... More »

      1:10 PM on Sun Mar 22 2009
      By Carey Alexander
      17,795 views, 46 comments

      Most discussed Blueskylaw: This is a tough situation to be in. My sister is getting divorced in Virginia and she left their home more »

    • credit score

      How Credit Bureaus Correct, Or Fail To Correct, Errors On Your Report

      SmartMoney's Anne Kadet looked into the process by which the three major credit bureaus—Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax—investigate and correct errors on credit reports. What she found was that the process is "almost entirely automated," and that "many lenders respond by simply rereporting the erroneous data." Here's how it works, and your meager options when something goes wrong. More »

      12:30 PM on Tue Feb 3 2009
      By Chris Walters
      9,094 views, 32 comments

      Most discussed Eyebrows McGee (now...: I'm counting down the days until I can check my credit report -- I want to give it time to more »

    • Looking for a quick estimate of your credit score? CreditCards.com has a simple questionnaire that will give you an idea where you probably stand. [CreditCards.com] MORE »

      7 comments

    • ask the consumerists

      Can Businesses Really Check My Credit Report Before Offering Me A Job?

      Reader Brandon wants to know if those freecreditreport.com commercials are being misleading when they tell you that your credit report can affect where you get a job. More »

      3:53 PM on Wed Jan 14 2009
      By Meg Marco
      23,086 views, 214 comments

    • ask the consumerists

      Is It OK To Use Credit Cards For Everything, If You Pay Them Off Every Month?

      Reader Rebekah has a question about credit cards. She and her husband pay off their cards every month, but like to charge most of their expenses because they enjoy the reward points. She's wondering if this is a good idea and how it affects her credit. More »

      4:16 PM on Wed Oct 29 2008
      By Meg Marco
      36,609 views, 122 comments

      Most discussed Flame: I put everything on my card, then pay it back twice per month. Really, really annoys them, which is part more »

    • credit crunch

      American Express Randomly Cut My Credit Limit From $25,000 to $1,800

      Reader Pierre is a small business owner who has an American Express Business Account that used to have a $25,000 limit, but has now been cut to $1,800. He says his company's bill is usually around $12,000 a month, and it is always paid in full — on time. While Pierre is clearly upset with American Express, the Wall Street Journal says that all banks are cutting access to credit. More »

      3:11 PM on Mon Sep 29 2008
      By Meg Marco
      27,414 views, 109 comments

      Most discussed DirtyBits: I'm not a credit card user so take it easy on me here. For those who are using credit more »

    • free credit scores

      CreditKarma.com Makes Free Credit Score More Like FICO's

      The CreditKarma.com site we told you about in our roundup of "5 No BS Ways To Get A Credit Score For Free" has changed its calibration system so the free, advertising-supported, credit score it gives you is now on the 300-850 range, just like your FICO score. It's still not your FICO score, but it does make the approximation, based on TransUnion data, more relevant. If you're do some major money moves, like getting a mortgage, you would still want to pay for the FICO score for total accuracy, but if you just want a general sense of how you're doing, CreditKarma.com is a great way to do it for free.

      Credit Karma [Official Site]

      1:10 PM on Tue Sep 2 2008
      By Ben Popken
      8,185 views, 20 comments

      Most discussed ceejeemcbeegee is not...: Again I ask, if my FICO is so darned important, why should I have to pay for it? more »

    • equifax

      5 No BS Ways To Get A Credit Score For Free

      Here are 5 ways to get your credit score for free. Note, all of them are the credit scores developed by the credit bureaus themselves, Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax, and are not your actual FICO scores. Only the FICO score is used by lenders to determine your credit worthiness. However, you can at least use these credit bureau scores to get a general sense of how good your credit is. More »

      5:54 PM on Fri Jun 20 2008
      By Ben Popken
      55,151 views, 66 comments

      Most discussed 한국어/조선말: The E-LOANS one is a scam. You're enrolled in their 9.95 /month program after their free 30 day trial if more »

    • subprime meltdown

      Who Has A Subprime Mortgage? People With Good Credit

      The Wall Street Journal analyzed more than $2.5 trillion in subprime loans made since 2000 and found that as the number of subprime loans grew, the loans were being issued to borrowers with better and better credit scores—borrowers who could have qualified for traditional loans with more reasonable terms. More »

      8:59 PM on Mon Dec 3 2007
      By Meg Marco
      3,808 views, 42 comments

      Latest by ceejeemcbeegee is not...: @Beerad: Oh, but I hear it all the time... You've got to own a home.. it's the American dream! more »

    • identity theft

      Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion To Offer Credit Freezes

      All three credit reporting agencies recently announced plans to let consumers freeze their credit files. Credit freezes provide security at the cost of convenience: access to credit reports and scores is prevented without the consumer's express authorization, making it difficult to open new accounts or lines of credit. Freezes are considered one of the best, albeit drastic, ways to guard against identity theft. More »

      3:15 PM on Sun Oct 7 2007
      By Carey Alexander
      3,342 views, 17 comments

      Latest by magus_melchior: @ry81984: It's a win-win for everyone but ID thieves. Of course, why anyone would want to make things easy for more »

    • subprime meltdown

      Credit Card Companies Slashing Credit Limits

      The continuing subprime meltdown is leading jittery creditors to reduce cardholder credit limits at the first sign of trouble. According to a recent survey, up to 75% of banks are cutting credit limits to minimize their exposure to risk. The move can adversely affect credit scores, which are determined by considering the percentage of available credit used. From the Chicago Tribune:
      A change can stem from late payments of any kind, a drop in your credit score or the addition of new lines of credit. Bryan found out limits on three cards were actually cut after he took out a home equity loan to pay off some debt.
      More »

      10:00 AM on Sat Sep 22 2007
      By Carey Alexander
      4,431 views, 15 comments

      Latest by AimeeBullfinch: We just got a letter from Citibank saying they were lowering our limit to be more in line with our more »

    • sorry about the rate increases

      Capitol One Stops Harming Customers' Credit Scores, Starts Reporting Credit Limits

      Capital One will start reporting cardholder credit limits to the three credit bureaus, a common practice from which most cardholders had no idea their creditor abstained. Credit limits help TransUnion, Experian and Equifax determine credit utilization, which accounts for 30% of a credit score. Capital One's decision, which will take effect by the end of the year, will likely boost its cardholders' credit scores. From the Washington Post: More »

      1:57 PM on Sun Aug 5 2007
      By Carey Alexander
      4,079 views, 18 comments

      Latest by Helvetian: American Express is notorious for pulling two, when I first applied they hard pulled Equifax and Experience. CapOne only pulled more »

    • fico

      Your Credit Score Demystified!

      Bankrate has an interview with Craig Watts, public affairs manager at Fair Isaac Corp., the creator of the popular FICO credit score. Craig talks about credit myths and strategies for people who are looking to raise their credit scores. Nothing terribly ground-breaking, but we know our readers tend to obsess over their credit scores, so it's good to get some info straight from the horse's mouth. More »

      2:53 PM on Wed Jun 27 2007
      By Meg Marco
      4,915 views, 8 comments

      Latest by Noah_Bodie: You can also talk to some of us credit freaks over at Fair Isaac in their discussion forums. www.myfico.com I'm one of more »

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    New York, 4:07 AM
    Mon Nov 9
    6 posts in the last 24 hours

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