Ohio consumers may feel like they’re at a disadvantage when dealing with debt collectors, but they may have more leverage than they realize. The Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA) is a federal statute that regulates debt collection agencies. So it’s important for Ohio residents who have debt in collections [...]
Ohio consumers dealing with abusive debt collectors are not alone in their frustration. Throughout the country, consumers are routinely threatened, lied to, and hounded by law-breaking debt collectors. Luckily, though, attorneys general and other leaders are cracking down on debt collectors that violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). [...]
Most Ohio consumers probably don’t give too much thought to their Social Security Cards – until they lose them. Then, knowing what everyone knows about the threat of identity theft, panic sets in. It’s absolutely true that your Social Security number is the key to your identity. Unfortunately, in the [...]
According to a recent report, bankruptcies in Ohio are on the rise. This is notable because, in the past seven years, the number of bankruptcy cases filed in Ohio has declined. Experts blame long term, high-interest rate auto loans and medical debt for the higher bankruptcy rates. Whatever the case [...]
Several years ago, there was no such thing as a free credit score. In order to view their credit scores, Ohio consumers had to pay a fee – each and every time. Now, there are dozens of websites offering free credit scores. Does this mean that Ohioans never have to [...]
Information contained in your credit reports is reflected in your credit score. Ohio consumers with lower credit scores typically pay higher interest rates and more for insurance coverage. For this reason, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends that Ohioans check their credit reports every 12 months. It’s important to make [...]
Deferred interest credit cards have recently attracted the attention of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The consumer watchdog organization wants to put card users on high alert about how the terms of these credit cards are misleading. Ohio consumers who finance a large purchase with a deferred interest credit [...]
Are you a student at Ohio State University, the University of Cincinnati, Sinclair Community College, or one of the other excellent schools in the Buckeye State? If so, there’s a good chance that you’ve over-drafted your checking account or been late with a credit card bill at least once. That [...]
Overall, Ohio credit scores are better than they’ve been in a long time. Nationwide, the average credit score is about 700. This is ten points higher than it was in 2006 (before the Recession). In the Buckeye state, jobs are opening up, and more consumers are paying their bills on [...]
New credit reporting rules have started to take effect. Because of these changes, about one in five Ohio consumers should see their credit scores jump by fall of 2017. This means that if you’ve never checked your credit score or credit reports, now is a good time to start. To [...]