Financial scams are an increasing problem for consumers. Learn how to protect your money and financial information, both in real life and online.
If you pay your credit card bills every month without fully reviewing your statements, you could be missing signs of credit card fraud. Sometimes it’s a standalone crime, but many times it can be one of the early signs of identity theft. Either way, it’s important to spot it quickly and take action to remedy the situation. Here’s what to do i...
As we approach the New Year, it’s time to start thinking about ways to streamline and make life easier. Reducing the financial clutter in your life will go a long way toward doing both. Just what is financial clutter? In addition to obvious things like paper statements, it’s also things you might not think of, such as multiple 401(k) accounts f...
Credit repair is one of many financial services designed to help consumers improve their credit. The process involves hiring a company to dispute negative or incorrect entries on your credit report. It sounds simple, but it’s not always a straightforward process. Before choosing credit repair, there are some important details you should understan...
If it seems it’s getting harder to protect your personal and financial information, you’re not wrong. As more of our financial activities migrate online, hackers and thieves are working overtime to find ways to compromise it. Fortunately, there are also more options for keeping your information safe and out of the wrong hands. Two of these i...
It’s challenging enough to stay vigilant about protecting your own identity. But if you have children, you need to actively protect their identity, too. In fact, a Carnegie Mellon University study says children are actually 51 times more likely than adults to have their identity stolen. And when it happens, it can take years to become aware of ch...
If you’ve ever considered becoming a secret shopper to make extra money, you probably have a lot of questions. How much do mystery shoppers make? Are secret shopping jobs legitimate? Are there scams related to mystery shopping? Keep reading, because we’re about to answer those questions and more. What is Mystery Shopping, Exactly? ...
Most people will end up renting a place to live at some point in their lives. Whether it’s as a young person just starting out or after the kids have grown and it’s time to downsize the empty nest (or at some time in between). And there are many people who simply prefer the relative freedom of renting instead of owning a home. While renting ...
When it comes to strategies for improving your credit, you’ll hear many terms used interchangeably and often, incorrectly. One of these misunderstood terms is ‘credit repair.’ Let’s take a look at what credit repair really is, and whether it’s something you can do yourself, or if it requires professional assistance. What is credi...
We talk a lot about keeping your financial information safe and secure online. But what about when you’re doing business in the real world? Do you just assume your transactions are secure? Unfortunately, they’re not. Any time money changes hands — whether in person or online —there are thieves and scammers ready to insert themselves in the ...
The popularity of direct selling websites and apps such as Craigslist, Letgo and OfferUp shows no signs of slowing down. And with good reason. They are a great way to make money by selling your unwanted items, or to find a bargain on something you need. But as with anything that involves money changing hands, avoiding scams is key to having a good ...
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