tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46530819627262169212024-03-08T13:54:20.225-08:00Free Credit Card ReportsThe most comprehensive blog about free credit card reports. Includes tips, advice and important information.Ron Leybahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15874135180039774776noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653081962726216921.post-27491941922895116772009-08-02T23:45:00.000-07:002009-08-07T18:11:24.013-07:00Before Applying For A Credit Card TipsIts been a long time since my last post here. It was really a busy week for me until now. Well, here is the <span style="font-weight: bold;">2nd part of my credit card tips for college students</span>.<br /><br />For students, you may ask your self this questions<span style="font-weight: bold;"> before applying for a plastic credit card</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Do I really need a credit card?</span><br />If you are able to pay for what you need with cash, check, or a debit card, you might not need a credit card. On the other hand, credit cards are great for emergencies and are useful for purchasing your essentials online.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Can I afford to have a credit card?</span><br />If you pay a hefty annual fee just to have a credit card, or regularly carry a balance on your card and pay a high interest rate, you may find yourself spending a lot just to borrow a little. On the other hand, you can make your credit card work for you by choosing a card with no annual fee and by always paying off any monthly balance when you get your bill.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What will I use the credit card for?</span><br />You should never finance your college education or your living expenses by using a credit card. Also, using your credit card for things you don’t need and can’t pay cash for is a bad idea. Sure, it’s tempting to whip out the plastic to buy that “something” you’ve always wanted, but if you’re not willing to pay cash for an item, then don’t buy it on credit.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How much credit should I get?</span><br />If you are new to credit, or you are a student without a steady income, don’t accept a card with a high credit limit, just because the credit card issuer is willing to give you one. Sure, it’s flattering to be offered a high credit limit but it might tempt you to charge more than you can realistically pay back.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How am I going to pay for this when the bill comes?</span><br />If you can pay off your balance every month, you’re making the credit card work for you.<br />If you think you’re okay because you can pay the minimum payment every month, get ready for a very expensive long haul. Though minimum payment amounts can vary among credit card issuers, one thing is for sure, paying only the minimum will mean you are paying for years after you leave college, even if you stop using the card.<br /><br />Hope I have given simple and basic tips for you to think of. Till next post.</span>Ron Leybahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15874135180039774776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653081962726216921.post-53445620255951079872009-06-29T17:27:00.000-07:002009-08-07T18:17:45.749-07:00Tips For College Students Regarding Credit Card UsageYou’ve probably heard from a <span style="font-weight: bold;">lot of credit card companies offering you what seems to be a great credit card deal</span>. While having and <span style="font-weight: bold;">using a credit card wisely</span> is a common tool to build a good credit history, falling into a credit card trap can ruin your credit for a long time.<br /><br />Why should this matter? Credit card companies have been <span style="font-weight: bold;">successful in aggressively marketing credit cards to college students</span>. According to a <span style="font-weight: bold;">2005 study published by Nellie Mae</span>, a student loan company:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">• An estimated 76 percent of undergraduates carry at least one credit card.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">• Fifty-six percent of all undergraduates surveyed for the study reported obtaining their first credit card at the age of 18.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">• The average outstanding balance on undergraduate credit cards was $2,169.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">• Seventy-nine percent of undergraduate credit card holders regularly carry a balance on their cards, paying interest on those balances which increases the amount that must be repaid to the card company.</span><br /><br />It’s no secret that <span style="font-weight: bold;">paying off credit card debt</span> can be difficult. The more you owe, the harder it is to get out of debt. And with credit card debt, paying your way out can be very expensive.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Good credit</span> can open doors for things like renting an apartment, getting a loan for a car, or even buying a house. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bad credit</span> can put even the most basic essentials out of reach and make borrowing money more expensive, or in the worst case, impossible. A mistake you make when you are 18 will stay on your credit report until you are 25.<br /><br />Whether you’re considering your first credit card, or you’ve been around the credit card block, <span style="font-weight: bold;">here are some tips you can use to build and maintain strong credit and make a credit card work for you</span>.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip # 1: Beware of the hard sell, freebies, and the “easy credit” traps.</span><br /><br />You’ve probably heard these come-ons:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">• Gotta have it!</span><br />Credit card companies love to make you think a credit card is indispensable. Think twice before signing up for a credit card you may not need.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">• Have a freebie!</span><br />What does that “free” mug or tee-shirt really cost? Once you’ve agreed to the terms set by the credit card company, you may end up paying a lot more for that “freebie” they gave you when you applied for their card.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">• Does the card require an annual fee? If so, you will end up owing the credit card company a fee even if you never use the card.</span> Miss a payment or pay late? That will cost you a fee, typically around $34.00.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">• Exceed your credit limit? Get ready for another charge. </span>You get the picture. They know how busy students can get, and how easy it is to miss a payment, pay late, or go over your limit. Don’t be enticed by a “freebie” that may cost you much more in the long run. Those freebies may simply not be worth it. You may also check your credit reports to see if you already exceed your limit. Check this post about <a href="http://freecreditcardreports.blogspot.com/2009/06/free-credit-report-without-credit-card.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">free credit report without using a credit card</span></a>. It can help you out.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">• If you don’t like it, you can cancel at any time!</span><br />Don’t believe it. Many consumers have reported difficulties canceling credit cards they no longer want. Either the customer service representatives were not helpful or they couldn’t cancel the card because they carry a balance they cannot afford to pay off. Many times, those balances were driven up by fees charged on their accounts for late payments, and interest rate hikes.<br /><br />What often begins as<span style="font-weight: bold;"> “easy credit”</span> can end up becoming a <span style="font-weight: bold;">credit card trap</span> that’s difficult to escape.<br /><br />More of this great tips and advices here at <a href="http://freecreditcardreports.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Free Credit Card Reports</span></a> blog soon. Feel free to come back or bookmark this blog for future reference.</span>Ron Leybahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15874135180039774776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653081962726216921.post-80597738429748863152009-06-24T18:26:00.000-07:002009-06-24T19:16:34.029-07:00Choosing The Best Credit Card Tips and AdviceThis is a very basic but important tips written by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Barbara Cooper, a Consumer and Family Economics Educator at Springfield Extension Center, University of Illinois</span>. I hope this can help or give you some important details in terms of choosing the best credit card that suits your needs.<br /><br />Here is the start of Barbara's great advice. The <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://freecreditcardreports.blogspot.com/">free credit card reports</a> blog find this one extremely useful.<br /><br />By law, <span style="font-weight: bold;">credit card companies must tell consumers the interest rate and other costs of using their credit cards</span>. This information is in a disclosure statement and is set up in a table format. You’ll find disclosure statements on credit card applications. If a card offer is made by phone and the card has an annual fee, the caller must verbally give you the disclosure information. If the card has no fee or the fee doesn’t go into effect until the card is used, the caller can mail you the information.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Understand Credit Card Terms</span><br />Annual percentage rate (APR) - The annual interest rate that the card issuer charges on the unpaid balance of the credit card. Some credit cards have set rates; for other cards with variable rates the interest rate changes. The disclosure statement gives the guidelines used to decide what variable interest rates will be. If a credit card offer has an unbelievably low rate, it probably is an introductory rate. After the introductory period is over, the rate will increase. A<br />low rate would be 5% while 21% would be high.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Grace period</span> - The length of time you have to pay your bill before interest is charged on the purchases. Most companies offer 20 - 25 day grace periods. Even though companies have grace<br />periods, most charge interest from the day you make a purchase if you already have a balance on the credit card.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Annual fee</span> - A charge you pay once a year for the right to use a credit card.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Minimum finance charge</span> - The least you’ll have to pay if you have a balance on a credit card.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Transaction fees</span> - Fees you have to pay for cash advances, late payments, or charging over your credit limit.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Periodic rate</span> - The APR divided by 12<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Compare credit card</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> terms</span>.<br />Call three banks, credit unions, or savings and loan institutions to find out about the terms offered on a Visa or MasterCard. Or compare the terms on three credit cards you have now or on credit card offers you’ve gotten in the mail. Read the disclosure statement to find this information.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analyze the offers</span>.<br />Issuers of credit cards use different methods to compute the monthly finance charge. Most companies use the average daily balance method to figure finance charges. They add the new purchases to any old debt after the end of the grace period and divide by the number of days in the billing cycle to compute the balance on which you pay interest. Beware of a “two-cycle” average daily balance method. It uses the total of the average daily balances for two billing cycles even if you paid the balance off the previous month.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Credit card choice depends on how you use your creditcard.</span><br />For example, if you always pay your monthly bill in full, the best type of card is one that has no annual fee and gives you a grace period so you don’t pay interest if you pay your balance each month. If you carry a balance on your credit cards, look for a lower annual percentage rate and the average daily balance method of computing the finance charge If you carry a balance on your credit card, use the information below to estimate how much you pay each year to use your credit card. You’ll find your average monthly balance on your credit card statements.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Calculate Finance Charges</span><br />Average monthly balance you carry on card ______ x the periodic rate of ______ = interest paid ______ x<br />12 months = ______ + annual fee of ______ = Total yearly cost of ______.<br />(If you get cash advances, pay late, or go over your credit limit, add the transaction fees to your total.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Example</span>:<br />Average monthly balance of $1250 x periodic rate of 1.5% (1250 x .015) = interest paid $18.75<br />x 12 months = $225 + annual fee of $20 = Total yearly cost of $245<br /><br />Hope the above article/piece of advice enlightens you up. More of the great tips regarding credit cards will be posted soon here at the <a href="http://freecreditcardreports.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Free Credit Card Reports</span></a> blog.Ron Leybahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15874135180039774776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653081962726216921.post-14031151577298396772009-06-09T22:47:00.001-07:002009-06-09T22:59:07.688-07:00Paying Credit Card TipsOften than not, we use to pay only the <span style="font-weight: bold;">minimum amount due</span> stated on our <span style="font-weight: bold;">credit card bills</span>. And yes, for us it was very convenient, which happens to be all wrong. I suggest that we start to pay above the minimum payment of our bills.<br /><br />Here are some good reasons why <span style="font-weight: bold;">we must pay more than the minimum of our credit card</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Can Save Lots Of Dollars</span><br />This is often overlooked by the credit card holders. When we pay only the minimum, it means we will paying more of the finance charges soon. Payment above minimum can save hundreds, possibly even thousands, in finance charges by paying above minimum on our monthly credit card bills.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />2. Pay It ASAP</span><br />Not only do you pay more in interest, you also end up paying over a longer period of time. Do the math of your existing balance over the interest rates per year. You will be surprised.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Will Improve Our Credit Score</span><br />If your credit card balance is high relative to your credit limit, it costs precious credit score points. Minimum payments only decrease your balance a little at a time. You'll typically see a credit score increase when you bring your balance down sooner with higher payments.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Clean Record For Mortgage</span>s.<br />This can help you in making out your dream home. This will assure of clean record and enough room for a housing loan.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Enough Balance For More Important Purchase</span><br />If you pay above the minimum amount due, you will be clearing more room for other important purchase and of course; for emergency reasons.<br /><br />If you know more tips or disagree with above <span style="font-weight: bold;">tips about credit card payments</span>, feel free to leave it at the comment section.Ron Leybahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15874135180039774776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653081962726216921.post-2392263248155156722009-06-07T23:33:00.000-07:002009-06-07T23:42:25.684-07:00Credit Card As A Part Of Daily ExpendituresIf you are using your plastic cards or simply your <span style="font-weight: bold;">credit cards</span> to purchase something or buy something everyday, then you are making your self in a big trouble in the near future. I know that it was really cool and really convenient to shop all day and drink or party all night using your credit card. That is the the only time you can feel that it was cool.<br /><br />How about when your bill comes up and you see your<span style="font-weight: bold;"> credit card report</span> or your credit bill goes up about 200%? Not cool isn't it?<br /><br />In my opinion and based on my personal experience, it is much wiser to use your credit cards during emergency cases only. That is the time you will found it useful and helpful.<br /><br />Also, try to look after for promo periods or those time where in you can purchase something using your credit card with zero interest rate for a period of time.<br /><br />This simple tips alone can save you a lot. It can help you out to be debt free and worry free in the near future.<br /><br />Oh, before you go out and do your shopping spree, why not take a look at this <a href="http://freecreditcardreports.blogspot.com/2009/06/free-credit-report-without-credit-card.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">free credit report without credit card</span></a> post of mine. I think knowing your credit report or history certainly can help you out in proper usage of your credit cards.Ron Leybahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15874135180039774776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653081962726216921.post-38683046609803216482009-06-05T22:14:00.000-07:002009-06-05T22:22:05.515-07:00Credit Card Debt Statistics And Few More TipsDo you know that one out of three high school seniors uses <span style="font-weight: bold;">credit cards</span>?<br /><br />A bit of information about the current statistics.<br /><br />1. <span style="font-weight: bold;">82% of college students</span> carry a <span style="font-weight: bold;">monthly debt of under $1,000</span>, and over <span style="font-weight: bold;">59 percent</span> of those students were able to pay their balance off each month.<br /><br />2. <span style="font-weight: bold;">10% of college students</span> carry a <span style="font-weight: bold;">balance of over $7,800</span> and the <span style="font-weight: bold;">average student has a debt of $3,200.</span><br /><br />Yet as parents know,<span style="font-weight: bold;"> credit card debt statistics</span> of teenagers can be deceiving. It may seem nice that those students are able to pay off their debt each month, but only 40 percent of those students actually do so.<br /><br />That leaves 60 percent of those students that have unpaid credit card debt accumulating interest.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What parents can do about this?</span><br />Parents do have a lot of responsibility in terms of financial advices that they can give to their children; specially those who are already holding a credit card.<br /><br />The most important thing that parents can their child is credit is okay, as long as it is used responsibly. Explain to them that 40 percent of students paying off their cards each month are being responsible and building up great credit. Show them how good credit means that they will be able to pay less for cars, houses, and will even help them get a job one day.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Credit Card Usage is Addictive!</span><br /><br />Usage of credit card is quite addictive. Imagine if your child gets hook up with it, they will end up in the hole of debt world.<br /><br />No statistic will teach your child as much about credit card debt than real world experience. But you may immediately start with their allowance.<br /><br />Teach them how to budget and save for things that they want. Start off by allowing your child to pick out one item, and then teach them how to save a little every week out of their allowance to buy the items.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Credit Card Company Offers</span><br />Many companies now do offer credit cards on teens on high school seniors. Credit card companies do a very good job of making credit seem like no big deal to most teens. They lure teens in with big promises, but forget to tell them about the fine print.<br /><br />If ever you want to check your kids credit card history, check my post about <a href="http://freecreditcardreports.blogspot.com/2009/06/free-credit-report-without-credit-card.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">free credit reports without using a credit card</span></a> for useful information and advice about it. Make sure to visit more often here at <a href="http://freecreditcardreports.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Free Credit Card Reports</span></a> blog for other important details that I will be posting soon.Ron Leybahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15874135180039774776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653081962726216921.post-85601011406793751102009-06-03T20:25:00.000-07:002009-06-03T20:39:06.196-07:00Credit Card History EvolutionIn this post, I will discuss about the <span style="font-weight: bold;">evolution, history and the very first credit card usage</span> and facts. This is not about the <span style="font-weight: bold;">credit card expenditure history</span> but in case you want to have your credit history, visit this post of mine about <a href="http://freecreditcardreports.blogspot.com/2009/06/free-credit-report-without-credit-card.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">free credit report without a credit card</span></a>.<br /><br />So let us start now with the credit card history and useful information.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The 18th Century Credit Card History</span><br /><br />Have you ever stopped to think about the evolution of your credit card? This introduced the idea that people who couldn’t afford to buy “big-ticket” items could make regular payments until the full cost of the items were paid.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">First Credit Card Users/Creators</span><br /><br />Western Union, with their goal of providing good customer service, give away some of their more prominent clients a kind of metal card to be used in deferring payments – interest free – on services used. The year was 1914; the system or the card itself is called “Metal Money”.<br />Ford Motor Company also take part in creating the consumer credit business. In the late 1930’s, American Telephone and Telegraph or AT&T created the “Bell System Credit Card.” Other industries followed – railroads and airlines introduced same type of cards. From there, the system grows fast rapidly.<br /><br />Here is an excerpt of the history from <a href="http://www.thehistoryof.net/history-of-credit-cards.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">historyof.net</span></a> website.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Credit Card Evolution</span><br /><br />After seeing these trends of increased travel and spending among those who held charge cards, banks became interested in credit cards and online banking.<br />Since they were in the business of lending money, they saw the potential of gaining income by charging interest on credit cards.<br /><br />1950 marked the real beginning of the credit card most of us are familiar with today. Diner’s Club, Inc. introduced the first credit card that could be used at a variety of stores and businesses. Merchants were eager to accept the card because they found that credit card customers usually spent more if they were able to “charge it”.<br /><br />The first bank to implement this system was the Franklin National Bank in New York. In 1951, after screening applicants, they issued the Charge-It card to those approved for credit. This card could be used by consumers at local retail establishments. It worked much like the credit card systems of today – the consumer made a purchase using the card; the retailer obtained authorization from Biggins Bank, and closed the sale.<br /><br />Other banks saw the same potential. The credit card industry was booming! Charge card issuing and processing became too large of a task for the banking industry to handle. In 1966, fourteen US banks had formed Interlink, an association with the ability to exchange information on credit card transactions. In 1967, four California banks had formed the Western States Bancard Association and introduced the MasterCharge program to compete with the BankAmericard Program. By 1969, most independent bank charge cards had been converted over to either BankAmericard or Master Charge cards.<br /><br />As the bankcard industry grew, banks interested in issuing cards became members of either BankAmericard or MasterCharge. Their members shared card program costs, making the bankcard program available to even small financial institutions.<br /><br />By the mid 1970s, the credit card industry started exploring international waters. In 1979, with the improvement of electronic processing, electronic dial-up terminals and magnetic stripes on the back of credit cards allowed retailers to swipe the customer’s credit card through the dial-up terminal, which accessed issuing bank cardholder information. It also decreased credit card fraud.<br /><br />There we have it. The <a href="http://freecreditcardreports.blogspot.com/2009/06/credit-card-history-evolution.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">credit card history and evolution</span></a>. Hope I have given you some insights about those plastic cards that used to be a metal one. If you want to correct something or contribute in this post, please leave it on the comment section.Ron Leybahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15874135180039774776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653081962726216921.post-35739818607520416512009-06-02T18:27:00.000-07:002009-06-02T18:46:18.256-07:00Credit Card Usage and Safety TipsIt is really nice to have <span style="font-weight: bold;">credit cards</span>. In case you have something that you really want to buy or sometimes when emergency cases occur, credit cards can really give us some relief.<br /><br />Although, credit cards are often misused and financial planners end up in trouble paying the balance and the charges putting them in the deep well of debt.<br /><br />That is why I posted the following tips, to help you out in your credit card usage.<br /><br />Keep in mind that <span style="font-weight: bold;">credit cards are only a short term solution</span>, and should never be used to <span style="font-weight: bold;">provide finance in the long term</span>. Just keeping that tip alone can save you in financial debt in the future.<br /><br />Here are the tips I want you to take note of.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Never use your credit card as a way of financing purchases that you are not certain you will be able to afford in the near future.</span> If you have a job for example that is ending in 2 months, then ensure that your credit card balance will be zero for that time. This will eliminate the risk of you not being able to keep up repayments, should your contract not be renewed or you not being able to get a new job.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Always check your statements in detail, and try and do this as often as possible.</span> The longer you wait, the less likely you will be to remember transactions, and the less time you will have to do something about it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Calculate the total amount of expenses you are likely to incur over the course of a year,</span> by applying formula within a providers proposal, to your likely repayment and borrowing requirements. Now work out what is the cheapest.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Protect your account details at all cost,</span> and ensure that you are careful about the companies that you contract with. If in doubt, pay with cash or go elsewhere.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Only carry the credit cards with you that you intend to use.</span> If you carry too many then you are just asking for trouble, because it will take you longer to notice when they go missing.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">6. Hold onto any receipts and keep a note of all credit card transactions that you have been party to.</span> If you are ever in doubt about a transaction contact your credit card provider immediately.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">7. Remember that you can always churn.</span> Always keep abreast with pricing in the market, and don't be scared to move provider to attain better prices, this can often be the best way to ensure that you save the most money.<br /><br />Do you have anything to add or to say? Just leave it on the comments section. Also, feel free to read my post regarding <a href="http://freecreditcardreports.blogspot.com/2009/06/free-credit-report-without-credit-card.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Free Credit Report Without Using Credit Card</span></a>.Ron Leybahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15874135180039774776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653081962726216921.post-39120369792316133352009-06-01T16:54:00.000-07:002009-06-01T17:20:33.827-07:00Free Credit Report Without A Credit CardYou are paranoid or let say just being more cautious about inputting your credit card number and other details upon checking your credit card reports? You want to request or view a <a href="http://freecreditcardreports.blogspot.com/2009/06/free-credit-report-without-credit-card.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">free credit report without a credit card</span></a>? Well, I think, there is only one online portal that can give you that or can handle that kind of request.<br /><br />For the high endorsement and authority the government gives to <span style="font-weight: bold;">www.AnnualCreditReport.com</span>, there is no doubt that the said website is the one and only trusted (as of now) portal for your <a href="http://freecreditcardreports.blogspot.com/2009/06/free-credit-report-without-credit-card.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">free credit report without using credit card</span></a>.<br /><br />You can view now your credit report from all 3 of this well known credit reporting companies - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Equifax, TransUnion and Experian</span>.<br /><br />While checking your report, you are not required to enter your credit card information to view it, and no trial membership is involved (just like what other site is offering, then charge you after trial period expires). The site is designed to give you free and easy access to their credit report from all 3 agencies, only once per year, from a highly trusted and confidential central source. Just fill up your personal information to confirm your identity and they will lead you through the whole process of viewing all of your credit reports.<br /><br />Advices and other tips for your<span style="font-weight: bold;"> <a href="http://freecreditcardreports.blogspot.com/2009/06/free-credit-report-without-credit-card.html">free credit report without a credit card</a></span> will be posted in here, so be sure to visit here more often.Ron Leybahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15874135180039774776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653081962726216921.post-81845780298549870432009-05-31T19:46:00.000-07:002009-05-31T20:03:28.137-07:00Free Annual Credit Card Reports Authorized WebsiteIn regards with my first post entitled <a href="http://freecreditcardreports.blogspot.com/2009/05/free-credit-card-report-important-facts.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Free Credit Card Reports Important Facts</span></a>, Only one website is authorized to fill orders for the free annual credit report you are entitled to under law — <span style="font-weight: bold;">annualcreditreport.com</span>. Other websites that claim to offer “<span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://freecreditcardreports.blogspot.com/">free credit reports</a>,</span>” “<span style="font-weight: bold;">free credit scores,</span>” or “<span style="font-weight: bold;">free credit monitoring</span>” are not part of the legally mandated free annual credit report program. In some cases, the “free” product comes with strings attached.<br /><br />For example, some sites sign you up for a supposedly “free” service that converts to one you have to pay for after a trial period. If you don’t cancel during the trial period, you may be unwittingly agreeing to let the company start charging fees to your credit card.<br /><br />We must be very careful in terms of logging in or in dealing with such Free Credit Card Reports because there are many phishing websites or those impostor websites that tries to steal that precious piece of your personal information.<br /><br />According to <span style="font-weight: bold;">AnnualCreditReport.com</span>, their central site allows you to request a <span style="font-weight: bold;">free credit file disclosure</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">commonly called a credit report</span>, once every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. </span><br /><br />The above statement literally means that you can only check your reports once a year (once every 12 months) tru their site. So make sure that you will only check or request that report if necessary and really needed.<br /><br />Also, <span style="font-weight: bold;">AnnualCreditReport.com </span>warns and advices their users and/or visitors to check and be aware on how they arrived from the site. This thing can make you ensure that you are visiting the legitimate and only trusted site by the <span style="font-weight: bold;">FTC</span>. To ensure that you are visiting the legitimate site, type https://www.annualcreditreport.com directly into the address bar on your browser. You will never receive an email directly from the Annual Credit Report Request Service.<br /><br />With the above information given, I hope that you have now some insights, information and a piece of data that you can rely on upon checking your <a href="http://freecreditcardreports.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">free credit card reports</span></a>. Just always be safe, attentive and most of all; be very vigilant on making online query about your credit cards.<br /><br />If you have anything to say or to add about this post of mine, please feel free to leave it on the comment section.Ron Leybahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15874135180039774776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653081962726216921.post-38362529556322793562009-05-31T18:38:00.000-07:002009-05-31T20:03:53.498-07:00Free Credit Card Report Important FactsThis blog will serve as a hub, a connection link to all other website or webpages, article and blogs that offers information, details and data regarding <a href="http://freecreditcardreports.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">free credit card reports</span></a> or <a href="http://freecreditcardreports.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">free credit report without a credit card</span></a> issues. All information that will be posted here will be based on the personal research, studies and opinions of the owner/writer.<br /><br />To begin with, below is an excerpt of data/information being posted at the <a href="http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre34.shtm"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Federal Trade Commission</span></a> website.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Your Access to Free Credit Reports</span> <p>The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. The FCRA promotes the accuracy and privacy of information in the files of the nation’s consumer reporting companies. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, enforces the FCRA with respect to consumer reporting companies. </p> <p> A credit report includes information on where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you’ve been sued or arrested, or have filed for bankruptcy. Nationwide consumer reporting companies sell the information in your report to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses that use it to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or renting a home. <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">A Warning About “Imposter” Websites </span></p> <p> Only one website is authorized to fill orders for the free annual credit report you are entitled to under law — annualcreditreport.com. Other websites that claim to offer “free credit reports,” “free credit scores,” or “free credit monitoring” are not part of the legally mandated free annual credit report program. In some cases, the “free” product comes with strings attached. For example, some sites sign you up for a supposedly “free” service that converts to one you have to pay for after a trial period. If you don’t cancel during the trial period, you may be unwittingly agreeing to let the company start charging fees to your credit card.</p> <p> Some “imposter” sites use terms like “free report” in their names; others have URLs that purposely misspell annualcreditreport.com in the hope that you will mistype the name of the official site. Some of these “imposter” sites direct you to other sites that try to sell you something or collect your personal information.</p> <p> Annualcreditreport.com and the nationwide consumer reporting companies will not send you an email asking for your personal information. If you get an email, see a pop-up ad, or get a phone call from someone claiming to be from annualcreditreport.com or any of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies, do not reply or click on any link in the message. It’s probably a scam. Forward any such email to the FTC at <a href="mailto:spam@uce.gov" rel="nofollow">spam@uce.gov</a>. </p></blockquote><p></p><p>Read more of this very informative and useful detail entitled <a href="http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre34.shtm" rel="nofollow">Facts for Consumers: Your Access to Free Credit Reports</a> at the <span style="font-weight: bold;">FTC official website</span>. <a href="http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre34.shtm"></a></p><p>Stay tuned at this blog post for more information regarding <span style="font-weight: bold;">free credit card reports</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">free credit report without a credit card</span>.<br /><!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="pubHeader" --> </p>Ron Leybahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15874135180039774776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653081962726216921.post-18348762531864786722009-05-30T21:59:00.000-07:002009-06-03T22:01:31.559-07:00Privacy PolicyI respect your privacy and I am committed to safeguarding your privacy while online at my site; <span style="font-weight: bold;">http://freecreditcardreports.blogspot.com</span>. The following discloses the information gathering and dissemination practices for this website.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Log Files</span><br />Like most standard Web site servers, I use log files. This includes internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, Internet Sevice Provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, platform type, date/time stamp, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement in the aggregate, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use. IP addresses, etc. are not linked to personally identifiable information.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">E-mail Subscription</span><br />If a user wishes to subscribe to my posts via e-mail or feed reader, I ask for contact information such as name and email address. Out of respect for my users’ privacy, a way to opt-out of these communications is provided.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cookies</span><br />A cookie is a piece of data stored on the user’s computer tied to information about the user. My site use cookies for tracking visitors’ activity. Some of my business partners use cookies on our site (for example, advertisers). However, I have no access to or control over these cookies, once I have given permission for them to set cookies for advertising. You can choose not to accept cookies by modifying your browser settings. At any time, you may remove any cookie stored on your hard drive by deleting them in your browser’s settings section.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Links</span><br />This Web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that I am not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. I encourage my users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every Web site that collects personally identifiable information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this Web site.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Advertisers</span><br />I use outside ad companies to display ads on my site. These ads may contain cookies and are collected by the ad companies, and I do not have access to this information. This contain information about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. I work with the ad company Google Adsense. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, <a href="http://www.google.com/privacypolicy.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Contact Information</span><br />If users have any questions or suggestions regarding my privacy policy, please leave it at the comment section with your name and contact information.Ron Leybahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15874135180039774776noreply@blogger.com0