Is your credit report everywhere you want to be?
Photo by: Philippe Ramakers (Stock Exchange)

These days, as more and more people have found themselves dealing with creditors on unfavorable terms and fighting to pay household bills with mounting credit card balances, consumers are inundated with calls to keep an eye on their credit report.

Receiving a credit report from each of the three reporting agencies once a year is free, and it’s also a key step in detecting fraud and preventing identity theft.

Today, UWSA discusses the credit report: how to obtain it, how to read it, and how it relates to the credit score. (more…)

Don't let your expired debts "rise from the grave!"
Photo by: dhollister (Flickr)

In a previous post, we focused on debt collectors and unfair collection practices.

Today, we’ll discuss “zombie debt”: debt that continues to linger “in collection” long after it is paid.

This is a recent phenomenon, owing to the huge proliferation of third-party debt collectors and debt buyers touched on earlier.

Because of low levels of communication between these middlemen, not to mention the possibility of unscrupulous practices, different companies may attempt to collect on the same debt multiple times as it passes from hand to hand.

Zombie debt can be the result of honest error, but requires even more vigilance and persistence to solve than other forms of debt collection abuse. (more…)

Bill collector acting like a pirate? The law's on your side
Photo by: Bill Davenpot (Stock Exchange)

Every day, thousands of Americans get calls from debt collectors.

If you’re in the middle of settlement, debt consolidation, or even in the early stages of seeking debt relief, you don’t deserve unwanted and harassing calls; and you don’t have to let them disrupt your life.

Today, we’ll discuss facts and resources to help you use existing consumer credit protection laws to your advantage and cut through the climate of fear that a small minority of abusive debt collectors create for hard-working people. (more…)