Consumer Law Blog
This blawg keeps consumers in touch with the latest consumer news and trends. It also provides tips on avoiding scams, protecting your identity and being a savvy consumer.
Author: Sonya Smith-Valentine is a solo practitioner with offices in Rockville and Greenbelt, Md.
Blawg Related Categories: Consumer Law • Solo / Small Firm • Legal Information
Recent Posts from Consumer Law Blog
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Dispute over Medical Bills?
I recently found out about a unit at Maryland’s Attorney General’s Office. They have a unit called the Health Education and Advocacy Unit. They offer help to consumers who are having a billing dispute with their…
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Possible Reforms for Credit Card Industry
The Federal Reserve and Congress are both working on tightening the rules on credit card companies. Stricter regulation will probably be approved by the end of the year. Some of the rules being considered by…
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Where to Complain About Credit Card Issues - Post #2
In Post #1, I talked about steps to take in trying to resolve problems with your credit card company. One step is complaining to the federal agency that oversees your credit card issuer. In this…
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Credit Report Inquiries
Clients often ask me about the “inquiry” section on their credit reports. A significant number of consumers don’t know what the inquiry section is or about the different type of inquiries. The inquiry section is…
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Where to Complain About Credit Card Issues - Post #1
If you are having a dispute with your credit card company, try and resolve it with the credit card company first. If that doesn’t work, you probably want to file a complaint with the federal…
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Citibank ATM Breach
Hackers broke into Citibank’s ATMs inside 7-Eleven stores earlier this year and stole customers’ PIN codes. The hackers netted millions of dollars. The thieves were able to access the PIN numbers by attacking the back-end computers responsible for…
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Innovis Credit Report
In addition to the big 3 credit reporting agencies (Experian, Equifax & Trans Union), there exist some small credit bureaus. You should check your credit reports with the smaller credit bureaus as well as with…
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New FICO Credit Score Changes
Fair Isaac, the developer of the FICO credit score, has made some changes to the way your FICO credit score is calculated. Here are some of the changes: If you are an authorized user on…
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Stopping Unsolicited Credit Card Offers
Many companies that solicit new credit card accounts use prescreening to identify potential customers. Prescreened offers are based upon information in your credit report that indicates you meet the criteria set by the credit card…
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Pre-qualified never means pre-pay
The scam: You’ve been told that you’ve been “pre-qualified” to get a low interest loan or credit card but the company needs you to pay a processing fee of several hundred dollars. The truth: Legitimate…