equifax

Equifax: Long & Short Rundowns on the Biggest Breach in History

/in /by

Everything You Need to Know About the Equifax Breach

Even in our fast-moving news cycle, some stories leave an impact simply because of how many people were affected.

The Equifax security hack became one of the hottest news stories of 2017 after the company announced the breach in early September. There’s good reason for that: the personal data of more than 145 million Americans—nearly half the country’s entire population—was compromised in the attack. Read more →

Credit Repair Service

Can a Credit Repair Service Help Improve My Credit Score?

/in /by

Everything You Need to Know About Credit Repair & How to Choose the Right Service

Your credit score can impact your life in some very profound ways. A poor credit score may prevent you from opening a credit card, buying a car, renting a home, and may even limit your educational or career plans.

Roughly 68 million adults in the US—a third of the entire scorable population—have a bad credit score (anything below 601). This massive reserve of consumers gave rise to a new industry in recent years: the credit repair business. But, can credit repair companies really deliver what they promise? Read more →

What is Phishing?

What is Phishing? How Do I Protect Myself Against It?

/in /by

8 Simple Tips to Protect Against Phishing Scams

Luring consumers into giving up sensitive information—a practice commonly known as phishing—is one of the most common consumer-facing fraud tactics.

These attacks cost US consumers roughly $500 million each year. So, what can you do to avoid becoming a victim? Learn to identify the risks and how to best protect yourself. Read more →

Impulse Shopping

Impulse Shopping: Why Everyone is Doing It These Days

/in /by

What Do You Do When Buyer’s Remorse Sets In?

Ever walked into a store and simply bought something on a whim? Don’t worry—you’re not alone. In fact, almost everyone will admit to making the occasional impulse purchase. Read more →

New Kid on the Blockchain

The New Kid on the Blockchain

/in /by

New Uses for Blockchain Technology & How it Will Influence Banking

Bitcoins are trading above $2,500 as of June 2017. Which helps explain why more and more people are taking note of cryptocurrency and its revolutionary framework: the blockchain. Though bitcoin is the best-known utility, many industries are exploring new uses for blockchain. Read more →

FCC Data

Regulating Your Data & Who Gets It

/in , /by

Changes to FCC Policy Impact Who Can Gain Access to Consumer Information

Governments may impose regulations for many different reasons, from protecting consumers to defining how companies track communications. However, deciding which governing body wields authority can sometimes lead to redundancies, or cause gaps in oversight. This is what is playing out right now between consumers, internet providers, and the Federal Government, with each side arguing over a very valuable resource—your data.

So what is changing about access to your personal information, and who will this affect? Read more →

Wearable Payments: Shaping the Future of Commerce

/in /by

How New and Emerging Wearable Payments Will Change the Way We Spend

For decades, credit and debit cards were the consumer go-to when it came to making payments–but research shows that’s all about to change.

The latest data from Juniper Research estimates that mobile payments will rise from $35 billion in 2015 to $95 billion in 2018. Mastercard expects all European stores to accept contactless payments by 2020.

What initiated this dramatic shift in payment styles? Read more →

The Top 8 Challenges of Shopping with International Online Retailers

/in /by

From Counterfeits to Blacklists, these are the Greatest Barriers to Online Shopping

Online retail is a global phenomenon.

Annual online retail spending is expected to reach nearly $2 trillion by the end of 2017, with double-digit growth for the online market projected at least through 2020. It’s easy to see why this would be the case; online shopping offers many advantages, including convenience, more competitive prices, and access to products that are not available in local markets. Read more →

Auto Fraud: The Top Threats to Both Buyers and Sellers

/in /by

Six of the Worst Threats, Plus Tips for Avoiding Auto Fraud

Thanks to the internet, shopping for a new or used car is easier than ever. Unfortunately, the internet also presents new opportunities for scam artists to locate unwitting victims, and the auto market is one of the fields in which that threat is most pronounced.

According to the Consumer Federation of America, complaints about auto-related scams were the most frequent of all cases received by consumer protection agencies in 2015. There are countless different scams intended to target both buyers and sellers, with new techniques popping up constantly. A few long-running scams and practices, however, consistently top the list of threats for which consumers need to watch out. Read more →

How to Return Holiday Purchases and Get a Refund

/in /by

A Comprehensive Guide to the Online Return Process

After weeks of preparation, decorating, and shopping, the holidays have finally come and gone. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that everything is squared away—as evidence shows, there’s a one-in-four chance you plan to return a gift at some point in the next few weeks. Read more →