Financial scams are an increasing problem for consumers. Learn how to protect your money and financial information, both in real life and online.
Active-duty military members, their families, and military veterans deserve our gratitude for their service to the country. Unfortunately, scammers feel differently. While there is no shortage of financial scams targeting many demographics, scams aimed at service members and their families are especially egregious. According to the most recent info...
People are living longer than ever before, which means more of us have aging parents. Thirty years ago, the average life expectancy in the U.S. was 74.5 years. Today, that number is inching toward 80 years due to advances in medical care,awareness about the importance of healthy living, and a variety of other factors. ...
Work-from-home scams have become more common than ever during the coronavirus pandemic. With promises of high salaries and easy work, these scams are designed to drain your bank account or steal your identity. That's not to say there aren't legitimate opportunities to work at home. But you have to do your research and know how to spot the scams mas...
There is no shortage of products and services devoted to helping consumers improve their credit. Among them is credit repair, a for-profit service that promises consumers an opportunity to dramatically improve their credit as a way to attain additional lending, such as a home mortgage, personal loan, or vehicle loan. What credit repair companies do...
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? ...
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