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Managing Money Topic: Credit
A listing of news items, events, books, and publications on credit.
News
- April 12, 2021 The racial gap in bank, payday lender marketing
- April 12, 2021In infrastructure package, child care help is delayed
- April 07, 2021FDIC tries to help unbanked Americans get stimulus payments
- April 07, 2021Predatory debt collectors might soon be barred from pandemic relief
- April 07, 2021Union drive at Amazon signals labor movement sea change
CA News & Special Reports
Consumer Action INSIDER - April 2021 The April 2021 issue of Consumer Action INSIDER describes our new Share Financial Data with Care FinTech educational campaign to help consumers stay security savvy while using financial technology apps and online platforms; outlines how our FinTech work has helped consumers save money, even during the pandemic; tells readers how to get out of an unwanted auto-renewal service; details our latest webinar on food insecurity during the pandemic (part of our COVID-19 Educational Project); presents the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's latest work to protect students, homeowners and retirees; details our recent coalition efforts; shares the latest happenings at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; and announces new settlements posted in our Class Action Database. (Wednesday, March 31, 2021)
Five Recent Publications

Financial health and FinTech COVID relief. The financial health and FinTech community has mobilized to offer online resources, coaching, financial support and other relief to consumers.

Freeze Your Credit File (Spanish) Leave ID thieves out in the cold.
El “congelamiento de seguridad” es una herramienta para ayudarle a prevenir el robo de identidad y evitar que impostores utilicen su información personal para establecer crédito. Esta publicación explica cómo “congelar” su crédito, lo cual previene que se establezca crédito nuevo a nombre suyo hasta que usted suspenda provisionalmente el congelamiento o le retire de forma permanente.

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.

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.)

Micro Business: Preparing for success (Chinese).
Starting a very small—or micro—business can be the key to long-term professional and financial success. But since many businesses do not make it past the first few years, becoming an entrepreneur is not a decision to make lightly. This guide explains the process of planning and launching a micro business, from estimating costs/earnings and finding funding to identifying legal and professional needs (insurance, bookkeeping, business advice, etc.) and doing business on the internet.
BookNotes
How YOU Can Profit from Credit Cards
Curtis Arnold, founder of Cardratings.com, passes along techniques he has used to escape credit card debt, "creatively finance" his wedding, car, and home purchases, and earn thousands in credit card "perks" every year. Along the way, he offers advice targeted to…
Liz Pulliam Weston is a personal finance columnist whose twice-weekly columns for MSN Money reach more than six million people each month. In her new book she provides a complete action plan for improving your credit score. Credit scores—numbers that sum up your credit…
Credit Scores & Credit Reports
The U.S. credit reporting system keeps detailed financial histories on more than 200 million Americans. Evan Hendricks' Credit Scores & Credit Reports is a well-informed, informative, and well-written guide to a subject of great and growing importance to consumers. Hendricks, a foremost privacy expert,…
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