We all know that we pay more for purchases made with a credit card, right?  Sure, there is the outrageous interest that the credit card companies charge for the convenience of plastic over cash.  But what if a growing trend of discounts for cash catches on nationwide and credit card purchases become even more expensive [...]

Everybody has, or needs, one. But do you know what your social security number means? Not many people know that there is actually some logic behind those nine numbers.
These numbers have been issued to every taxpayer since 1936. Luckily, Federal law now strongly discourages the use of your social security [...]

While a Debit Card looks like a credit card, it uses the funds already on deposit with your bank.  So the first requirement to get a debit card is a bank account that can be used with it.  When you use that card to make a purchase, you are not incurring any debt rather, the [...]

Like Chex Systems which warns its members about potential losses when consumers open a banking account, Tele-Check attempts to protect merchants from bad checks from consumers. Tele-Check tries to predict when a consumer might present a bad check for payment. It does not have access to your banking account, nor does it maintain [...]

Previously this site has taken a look at Chex Systems and the records that it maintains on consumers and their use of checking accounts at banking institutions. But did you know that Chex Systems is a sponsor for an education program designed to get you back on track with your banking? [...]

Just like the Credit Bureaus that we all know, Experion. Trans Union and Equifax, Chex Systems is subject to the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACTA) amendments to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). This means you can order a free copy of your Chex Systems report once a year. You can [...]

Chex Systems maintains records of consumers who have overdrawn their bank accounts and reports that information to member banks, credit unions and other depository institutions. A bad Chex Systems report can keep you from opening a new savings or checking account.
We all know (or think we know) what a credit bureau is. [...]

After November 1, 2007, it will be possible to freeze your credit report restricting your information only to those you specifically authorize. In 2003, California started the trend of locking a credit report for victims of identity theft. Other states followed suit and now by voluntary agrement of the three major credit reporting [...]