Hi All,

So by now you probably know the importance of getting your free credit report once a year.  If not, click on this link which will explain why getting a credit report is important - and its even better when its free! This link is from USA Today and also explains why a credit report is important.

How do you get a free credit report you ask? Great question and here's the answer - click on this link from Annual CreditReport.com.


AnnualCreditReport.com is the official site to get your free annual credit reports.  AnnualCreditReport.com is sponsored by Equifax, Experian and TransUnion - which means that you have a single site where you can ask for all three of your free credit reports.

Enjoy the links and next time I'll blog about why credit scores are important and what the actual numbers (scores) mean.

Regards,
Stu

Scams, Fraud and Scheme's: A How-To Avoid Them

Hi All,

I just found a very helpful site on the web from the Federal Trade Commission.  The previous link is for the Consumer Information section of the site - which is tremendously valuable to consumers - trust me...you'll see why in a minute.

There are other links on the site with information on Money & Credit, Homes & Mortgages, Health & Fitness, Jobs & Making Money, Privacy & Identity, Blog, and Video & Media.

The FTC homepage has a rotating set of highly relevant consumer videos and links when you visit the site: topics include: Hijacked Computer? What To Do, IRS Imposter Scams, Checking Your Credit Report and Cobradores De Dueda (Scams Targeting the Latino Community information).
 
The section of the site that I want to discuss in detail is the Privacy and Identity section.  When you click on the Privacy and Identity section you have a bunch of options: Limiting Unwanted Calls and Emails, Computer Security, Kids' Online Safety, Protecting Your Identity and Repairing Identity Theft.  Click on any of the prior links to go to that particular subject.

The section on Protecting You Identity discusses Active Duty Alerts, Credit Freezes, Financial Readiness,  Keeping Your Personal Information Secure, Identity Theft Protection Services and a link to Signs of Identity Theft.

As is usual for many federal government websites, there is a search box at the top right side of the page on all pages on the website.  The site is available in Spanish as well.

There are also links on the page for Related Items, the FTC Privacy Policy, About the FTC and links to Contact the FTC. Users can stay connected with the FTC by getting email updates, viewing the FTC blog feed, using Facebook, YouTube and/or Twitter.

Hopefully you won't need to use the resources on the site - but if you do...I hope they are helpful and easy to use.

Regards,
Stu

Consumer Action Handbook

Hi All,

The new, 2014 Consumer Action Handbook (CAH hereafter in this blog entry) is now available for download now.  Readers can download the CAH by clicking on this link.

A good summary of the CAH is that, 'Users can use the Consumer Action Handbook (CAH) to get help with consumer purchases, problems and complaints. Find consumer contacts at hundreds of companies and trade associations, local, state, and federal government agencies, national consumer organizations, and more'

The 2014 CAH is 148 pages long and is divided into 4 parts:
Part I - Be a Savvy Consumer
Part II - Filing a Complaint
Part III - Key Information Sources
Part IV - Consumer Assistance Directory

In the 'Be a Savvy Consumer' section alone the reader will learn about 'Service Contracts and Extended Warranties', 'Identifying and Stopping Fraud', 'Shopping From Home', using 'ATM/Debit Cards', using 'Prepaid Cards', 'Buying a New Car', 'Buying a Used Car', 'Financing', 'Leasing', 'Lemon Laws', 'Car Repairs' and much, much more. 

this part on 'Being a Savvy Consumer' has further sections on 'Credit Reports and Credit Scores', 'Dealing with Debt', 'Paying For College 101' and more. 

The book is 148 pages for a reason! It is extensive, comprehensive and chock full of useful information for consumers of all needs and interests. And it is free!  What a helpful resource!!!!

Other sections that are notable in the 'Be a Savvy Consumer' section include: 'Insurance' - which covers Auto Insurance, Health Insurance, Homeowners/Renters Insurance, Life Insurance and more, 'Privacy and Identity Theft', 'Telemarketing and Unwanted Mail' (National Do Not Call Registry', 'Travel' (Resolving Air Travel Problems, Cruises, Travel Safety) and 'Utilities' (Billing questions and starting Utility Service).

There is one section in particular that users should be aware of: Part III - Key Information Resources contains a list of  various federal agencies that deal with various products.

For example,
 - Animal Products safety hazards are dealt with the Food and Drug Administration
 - Automobile safety hazards are dealt with the national Highway Traffic Safety Administration
 - Consumer Household Product hazards are dealt with by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Finally, 'Key Information Resources' has information regarding Drugs, Cosmetics, Medical Devices, Toys, Baby Products and Play Equipment in this section. 

So there you have it.  A blog entry that might be short on additional links, is very, very long on useful, helpful, time-saving and money-saving information!

Enjoy the free download - and remember that you can access the CAH by clicking on this link!

Regards,
Stu