News

• December 11, 2018 Are you ready for the financial crisis of 2019?
• December 11, 2018 Wells Fargo tops government report on fees paid by students
• December 11, 2018 What to do if your school closes
• December 11, 2018 Ed Department to erase teachers' debts
• December 10, 2018 Investigation of generic ‘cartel’ expands to 300 drugs

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CA News & Special Reports

Consumer Action INSIDER - December 2018 The December issue features a Hotline Chronicles article about a driver who was the victim of predatory towing (and what you can do if this happens to you); Consumer Action's annual National Consumer Empowerment Conference; your rights when dealing with debt collectors (under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act); and more. (Sunday, December 02, 2018)

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Five Recent Publications

Get Credit for Your Hard Work (2018 Tax Year) Low-income working taxpayers may qualify for the federal EITC. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) helps low-income working taxpayers and families get more money back when they file their federal income tax return. This publication contains EITC guidelines for the 2018 tax year.

Freeze Your Credit File Leave ID thieves out in the cold. A credit file "security freeze" is a preventive tool to help you avoid identity theft and to block impostors from using your personal information to establish credit. This publication explains how to "freeze" your credit file, which prevents new credit from being established in your name until you temporarily or permanently lift the freeze.

Security Freeze Backgrounder Questions and Answers About Placing, Lifting and Removing a Credit Report Security Freeze. This publication answers common questions about how a credit report security freeze can protect you from ID theft, the pros and cons of a security freeze, and how to place, lift and remove a freeze. (It has been updated to reflect changes implemented on Sept. 21, 2018, under new federal law.)

Low-income Broadband Plans. The flyers in this package describe programs that offer low-income households more affordable access to the internet. A companion brochure, Getting up to speed: Broadband internet for low-income households, explains the benefits of internet access.

Improving your financial health with FinTech A beginner’s guide to personal finance apps. Financial technology (FinTech) is the use of modern technology, such as the internet and apps (downloadable mobile software), to develop powerful financial services tools for consumers and businesses. For those who are motivated to improve their finances and dedicated to working toward their goals, FinTech can make the process more convenient, efficient and even rewarding. This guide will introduce you to the types of FinTech tools available and how they can help you. It will also tell you what to consider when choosing an app and how to stay safe when using FinTech.

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Recommended Publications

Friday, January 05, 2018

Mortgage loan relief for disaster victims. The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) has produced a guide to assist those helping homeowners struggling after a hurricane, flood, fire or other natural disaster.

Friday, September 23, 2016

Spanish-English glossary of real estate terms. A new Spanish-English glossary of commonly used real estate terms has been released to help real estate agents and brokers make the home buying process more manageable for consumers who seek to better understand the complexities of a mortgage transaction in Spanish. The glossary offers both formal and colloquial translations of key mortgage terms.

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

2016 Car Insurance & Credit Scores Report by WalletHub. The WalletHub study gives us information on the connection between credit scores and car insurance.

Friday, September 04, 2015

CFPB Monthly Complaint Report: Credit Reporting Issues. Complaint reports from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) focus on a different issue each month providing a snapshot of complaint trends by type, state and company, and highlight actual complaints reported by consumers.

Friday, January 23, 2015

California Lifeline carrier search tool. The California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) has a multilingual tool that enables consumers to search for California LifeLine service providers.

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