“Credit Cards” Archive
On this page you will find the search results for the search term that you queried.
Let’s face it, there are bad people in the world. No, I’m not talking about the producers of the Real Housewives series, I’m talking about thieves. With the holidays rolling around, there are more opportunities to lose your wallet, or worse, have it stolen.
I had my wallet stolen 10 years ago when I stupidly left it in my car. Fortunately the thief didn’t use any of the debit cards but what would happen if he/she did? What would I be responsible to pay? All this time, I thought I wouldn’t be responsible for anything. But did you know that your responsibility changes with each passing day?
Reporting your loss before the debit/ATM* card is used is best. You are not liable for ANY charge. If reported within 2 business days after the theft and after the card has been used, you can keep your share of the loss to $50. Don’t realize it for more than 2 days? You may be having to pony up $500 big ones! Wait 60 days? You may be on the line for EVERYTHING.
Read HERE for more info.
In short, check your account balance often. It could save you $500!
*Rules for credit cards are different, but we all know you shouldn’t be carrying those anyway!!
My husband had to temporarily charge his school tuition on our credit card until his financial aid was credited to his account. I was unhappy about pulling out the credit card but we didn’t have any other option.
Each year, the school demands full tuition payment then later sends a reimbursement check. Usually this check covers his tuition and part of his books so I wasn’t worried.
This year? The check was half the normal amount. The shortage? Just over $900.
BUT, we were able to combine our financial aid check and a debt payment AND…
Whew. The nasty credit card is gone, gone, gone.
Well, I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t come up with the other $1,000 we were short for my husband’s tuition. I made a joke to my husband about selling his tools – he didn’t think that was funny and quickly hid the most expensive ones just in case.
I also joked that my husband should perhaps skip this semester…
Considering this is his last semester before graduation, he thought that was even less funny.
We tried to negotiate with the school in person again. Turns out, the staff is just as unfriendly face to face as they are over the phone.
So…I was forced to make the call I was dreading. I had to *gulp* call Bank of America and ask for money. Even though the card was thoroughly shredded, I had not yet permanently closed the account.
I did stumble when they asked, ‘Has the card been lost or stolen?’
‘Um. Scissored?’ I answered.
They were more than happy to Fed-Ex me a new set of cards…
with a higher credit line and a zero percent interest rate.
Apparently we’re both a little desperate.
My co-worker lost her sister suddenly to an unknown health condition. Understandably shaken from the unexpected loss, she took a few days off work. During that time, she tried her best to notify her sister’s creditors of her death.
She came back to work this week and I stopped at her desk to see how she was doing and ask if she needed anything. She talked to me for a little bit and when she finished, I started to walk away. She caught my arm and said, ‘I have another reason for you to hate credit cards.’
Hmm. I may be a little too vocal about my hatred for credit cards. I’m starting to get a reputation.
She told me she had called one of the credit card companies to inform them about her sister’s death and the jerk on the phone said, ‘Are you planning to pay your sister’s remaining balance?’
‘N-n-n-o’ she stuttered, shocked.
‘Someone needs to pay this debt. Can you or your parents make payments? Does she have any other siblings who can pay this debt? Are you willing to sign on this account?’ he demanded.
She couldn’t even answer. She was crying so she hung up and has not called back.
What kind of SLEEZE demands payment from the sibling of a person who recently passed away?!?!?
Leave it to credit card companies to take advantage of the emotional roller coaster of death to force payment.
What is your worst credit card company story?
Until we built up our full 3 – 6 month emergency fund, my husband and I made the silly decision to keep our credit card open. We don’t carry it with us, and we keep it hidden at home to prevent us from using it.
We haven’t used it…
But that didn’t stop the continuing Bank of America mess.
I received a letter in the mail today and according to ‘Bank of America Global Fraud Prevention’, my account information was leaked – by Bank of America.
Rather than say, “Oops, we goofed…again. Sorry”, they said my account “may have been compromised at an undisclosed third-party location”.
They spent the next two pages telling me about the steps that were taken to ‘protect my security’. Meanwhile, all I could think was, “If you people didn’t lose my information in the first place… I’d feel A LOT more secure.”
So, I’m slicing the parachute. Goodbye emergency B of A credit card. I’m sure I’ll figure out a way to survive without you.
OK, OK, I really need to stop beating this dead horse, but in case you needed another reason to not use credit monitoring agencies, here’s another:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/08/your-money/credit-scores/08credit.html
Not only has freecreditreport.com had to pay two hefty legal settlements over the last five years, they are now dancing around new FTC regulations.
The FTC wrote new rules for companies that offered ‘free credit reports’. Websites are required to include a prominent notice across the top of the screen that directs consumers to annualcreditreport.com for truly free credit reports.
Not surprisingly, FreeCreditReport.com decided to start charging $1 for the report to avoid the requirement to put the disclaimer across the top and explained the new charge by saying, ‘due to federally imposed restrictions, it is no longer feasible for us to provide you with a free Experian credit report.’
Really?
Dear FreeCreditReport.com,
How stupid do you think we are?
I was excited to hear about the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009. I thought it would finally give people trying to reduce debt, a real chance at making headway.
Silly optimistic me.
NBC reports new ways credit card companies can sneakily get around the rules and find ways to make paying off debt more difficult.
It’s up to us to keep up with the game.
Read the article here: http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/business/ConsumerMan__Have_a_credit_card__Read_this-85107382.html
About This Site
My Debt
- Original Debt: $38,495.86
- Added Debt: $1,781.50
- Total Debt: $40,277.36
- Paid: $36,084.36
- Remaining: $4,193.00
- Broken Down
- Auto Loan 1: $0.00
- Credit Card: $0.00
- Student Loan: $4,193.00
- Auto Loan 2: $0.00
- Vet Loan: $0.00
Categories
- :)
- About Me
- Blogging Buddies
- Book Reviews
- Bump Update
- Carnivals/Festivals
- Childcare
- Confessions
- Coupons
- Credit Cards
- Credit Reports/FICO
- Debt Updates
- Educational Spending
- emergency fund
- Financial Peace University
- food
- Food Review
- Free Stuff
- General Debt
- General Personal Finance
- Giveaways
- Giving
- Good Info
- health
- Holiday
- Home Ownership
- identity theft
- Insurance
- job loss
- Keeping Motivated
- Kids & Money
- Legal Battle
- Life After Credit Card Debt
- Life Experiences
- Living Frugal
- Loans
- Making Home Affordable Program
- Making Money
- Misc
- Money & Relationships
- Monthly Spending
- Morals and Money
- Net Worth
- Parties
- Picks and Pans
- Prosper Borrowing
- Quicken Tips
- Reducing Debt
- Saving Money
- Spending Money
- taxes
- unemployment
- Ways I Save Money
- work
Finance Blogging Buddies
- Beachgirl’s Budget Blog
- Becoming and Staying Debt Free
- Boston Gals Open Wallet
- Debt Free Hispanic
- Debt Kid
- Debt Reduction 101
- Dual Income No Kids
- Everybody Loves Your Money
- Financial Hack
- Free Money Finance
- From the Brink of Bankruptcy
- Generation X Finance
- GRACEful Retirement
- Grad Money Matters
- It’s Your Money
- Josephsangl.com
- Kick Debt’s Butt
- Lazy Man and Money
- Low Income Life
- Make Love Not Debt
- Mapgirl’s Fiscal Challenge
- Mighty Bargain Hunter
- Million Dollar Savings Club
- Money for Military
- Money is My BFF
- Money, Matter and More Musings
- My 1st Million at 33
- My Money Blog
- My Plasectomy
- My Two Dollars
- No Credit Needed
- One Million and Beyond
- Personal Finance Advice
- pfblogs.org
