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Debt Settlement Companies: Helping You Dig a Deeper Hole
With the down economy, many may be tempted by ads from companies that promise to settle your debts for 50 cents or less on the dollar. But beware, this claim is too good to be true: most debt settlement companies will siphon off your hard-earned cash, and leave
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A Truly Free Credit Report
Everyone who has watched TV has seen them: those annoying commercials that promise a free credit report. There are the hip young people singing about the problems they've suffered because they failed to get their free credit report from "freecreditreport.com." Of course, they haven't managed to work the
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New Credit Card Rules: Better, But Still Complex
Just last month, new rules that protect consumers who use credit cards went into effect. While the rules in Credit Card Accountability and Disclosure Act mean that credit card users are generally better than they were before, credit card users won't get any relief from long, complex disclosure statements: the
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SNL “Presidents” Advise “Obama:” Pass Financial Regs
Check out this video, produced by Ron Howard, in which actors who have played the presidents on Saturday Night Live advise another playing President Obama to clean up the financial mess they caused, and pass financial regulatory reform. SNL 'Presidents' Push for Wall Street Reform
AzCC Letter to the Editor: Just Say No to Pay Day Lenders
The Arizona Consumers Council sent this letter to the Prescott Daily Courier, in response a letter from the Center for Consumer Freedom (an astroturf organization) that suggested that imposing fee caps on pay day loans will cut off a necessary resource.
Dear Editor:
In 2008, pay day lenders funded a pricey initiative
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Stay Away from Quickie Tax Refund Loans
Consumers looking to get their tax refund more quickly should reject quickie tax refund loans offered by many tax preparation services. While it might be tempting to take such a loan as part of a package that includes free tax preparation services, in reality, such loans cost a lot but
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Arizona Opponents of Payday See HB2161 Postponed
On Monday the House Banking and Insurance Committee decided not to discuss and vote on HB2161. The bill apparently will undo regulation on payday loans set to go into effect this year. Consumer advocates from Center for Economic Integrity, Center for Responsible Lending, No More Loan
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Arizonans United Against Abuses of Payday Lending
In a No More Loan Sharks press release for January 14, 2010, Arizonans for Responsible Lending and consumer advocates spoke out at the Arizona State Capitol against the abuses of payday lending, and the continued attempts by industry lobbyists to overturn Arizona voters' desire for protection. Viewed
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Consumer Alert: Car Dealerships Win CFPA Exemption
Consumer advocates and a Marine Corps legal assistance professional are speaking out against a recent exemption for car dealerships from regulation by the new Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA). Car debt is an $850 billion loan market largely fueled by dealers' referrals, often targeting the inexperienced, and where
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CFA Debt Settlement Tips
Consumer Federation of America (CFA) offers consumers important debt settlement tips. This information is available from CFA in English as well as in Spanish. Also see America Saves on managing debt.
Consumer Alert on Payday Lending and Other Debt Traps
Consumer Federation of America (CFA) offers consumers important information on the risks of repeat short-term loan borrowing, triple-digit interest rates and unfair banking tactics. For more information visit paydayloaninfo.org.
