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	<title>BSCD Deals &#187; credit card company</title>
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		<title>Cashback Credit Cards For Business Owners FAQ</title>
		<link>http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/cashback-credit-cards-for-business-owners-faq/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/cashback-credit-cards-for-business-owners-faq/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:22:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ian  Smith</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[banking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bonus points credit cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business credit cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cash back credit cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cashback credit cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit Card]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rewards credit cards]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/cashback-credit-cards-for-business-owners-faq/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Business owners can choose from a variety of credit cards, including low interest credit cards, rewards credit cards, cash back credit cards, and more. Many cash back credit cards are featured with discounts at locations of Shell, Alamo, and other merchants. Carcholders redeem cash back for merchandise, business entertainment, travel expenses, and so on.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Business owners can choose from a variety of credit cards, including low interest credit cards, rewards credit cards, cash back credit cards, and more. Many cash back credit cards are featured with discounts at locations of Shell, Alamo, and other merchants. Carcholders redeem cash back for merchandise, business entertainment, travel expenses, and so on.</p>
<p>If you are looking for <a target='_blank' href="http://www.creditcardreview.ca/creditcard-2-1-2-2-2-2-2-2/">cashback rewards credit cards</a> will find many offers by second-tier and big banks. Holders of the American Express Business Card earn cash rebates in the amount of $1,250 a month, depending on their spending and how many months they have carried a balance. The interest rate is set at 19,99 percent, and the card goes with flexible terms of repayment. The interest rate depends on the cardholder&#8217;s payment record and can go up to 25,99 percent. There is no annual fee, and additional cards can be requested for one&#8217;s employees free-of-charge. This <a target='_blank' href="http://www.creditcardreview.ca/">credit card with cash back</a> also goes with disability plan for small business insurance. In addition, cardholders are entitled to emergency card replacement and travel accident insurance. Online reporting and expense management tools are another beneficial feature. Finally, cardholders enjoy front of the line entertainment. This credit card can be used to buy office supplies, entertainment, business travel, etc. Clients earn up to 2 percent cashback. Regarding payment options, you can do this in different ways. You can pay your balance through internet banking, at a local branch, or though and ATM. You can also pay it by telephone or by mail.</p>
<p>Note that various financial establishments in Canada offer this card, and fees may apply. In addition, clients must qualify annually in order to receive rebates. Rebates are calculated on purchases charged to the card only. Certain restrictions and conditions may apply as well.</p>
<p>Another credit card suitable for business owners is the BMO CashBack MasterCard for Business. The card goes with no annual fee and allows clients to earn cash back and get rebates to their accounts. Shopping at National Car Rental, Shell, and Alamo earns 1.5 percent cash back while other purchases earn 0.5 percent cash back. This credit card foes with 12.5 interest rate and annual fee of $50 or no annual fee and 19.5 interest rate. One beneficial feature of this card is BMO Premium BizAssist, going with online business suport 24/7. The cost of this service is $149 a year. With MasterCard Easy Savings, cardholders are entitled to rebates from participating merchants. Cardholders can request additional employee cards, delegating purchasing authority to their employees. The card is also offered with liability waiver program which prevents employee abuse.</p>
<p>If you prefer reward credit cards, you can check the American Express Business Gold Rewards Card, American Express Business Platinum Card, and a variety of other cards.</p>
<p>Hesitating which <a target='_blank' href="http://www.creditcardreview.ca/creditcard-1-2-2-2-2-2-2-2/">rewards credit cards</a> solution to choose? Visit this guide to make informed decision.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>How To Protect Your Credit Card Information Overview</title>
		<link>http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/how-to-protect-your-credit-card-information-overview/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/how-to-protect-your-credit-card-information-overview/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 03 Apr 2011 15:10:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Peter  Shaw</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit Card]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[loan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mastercard]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[visa]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/how-to-protect-your-credit-card-information-overview/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Internet thieves are a real concern when you are shopping online. Before giving your <a href="http://www.creditcardreview.ca/">credit card</a> to any online merchant, check whether the website is secure. If you shop mostly over the Internet, choose sites that display a secure padlock icon. This icon verifies that your <a href="http://www.creditcardreview.ca/credit-card-articles/">credit details</a> , making it safe to shop online.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Internet thieves are a real concern when you are shopping online. Before giving your <a target='_blank' href="http://www.creditcardreview.ca/">credit card</a> to any online merchant, check whether the website is secure. If you shop mostly over the Internet, choose sites that display a secure padlock icon. This icon verifies that your <a target='_blank' href="http://www.creditcardreview.ca/credit-card-articles/">credit details</a> , making it safe to shop online.</p>
<p>Another way to protect your credit card details is to use the Verified by Visa service. You have a password that is known to you only. If you opt for the service, you can shop at any online store participating in the program. You will be asked to provide your unique password at an authentication page before checkout. Verified by Visa can be activated at a participating merchant or at Visa International.</p>
<p>MasterCard offers a similar service by providing clients with a unique secret code. This code gives an additional protection against online fraud. Only you and your bank will know this code. When you are shopping online, look for stores that participate in the Verified by Visa program. You will be requested to provide the secure code as to confirm that you are the cardholder.</p>
<p>The Discover Card service differs from what MasterCard and Visa offer. When you shop online, your credit card number will appear encrypted so that you do not disclose your card information.</p>
<p>Apart from using these services, you should take other safety measures. When you shop over the Internet, look at the privacy policy of the merchant. Look at the information they store and how it can be used. Find out whether they share this information with partnering organizations and if they have a policy that is explicitly against selling information.</p>
<p>Look for an email and phone number of the company&#8217;s customer service. Take note of their working hours and if they work on holidays and weekends. You should be able to resolve disputes as they arise. Check if they are required to respond to customers&#8217; requests within a specified time frame.</p>
<p>It is not wise to make purchases over websites that use an http connection. Websites that start with https://, encrypt the information that is being exchanged.</p>
<p>If you use more two or more credit card, choose one for making online purchases. It will be easier to track transactions this way. While debit cards can be used for shopping online, credit cards come with additional protection. Check the credit limit on your card as well. It is better to use a card with a low limit if you have safety concerns.</p>
<p>Our credit card details guide, will assist you in finding more about <a target='_blank' href="http://www.creditcardreview.ca/blog/">credit card information</a>.</p>
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		<title>Guilt Stops Many From Dealing Effectively With Credit Card Debt</title>
		<link>http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/guilt-stops-many-from-dealing-effectively-with-credit-card-debt/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/guilt-stops-many-from-dealing-effectively-with-credit-card-debt/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:27:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matthew Highlander</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit Card]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card debt collection]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debt collection]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal finance]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/guilt-stops-many-from-dealing-effectively-with-credit-card-debt/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[These days, there are many consumers who simply cannot pay the high monthly minimum payments on their credit card debts. Their guilt about that will make their likely encounter with credit card debt collectors all the worse.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>These days, there are many consumers who simply cannot pay the high monthly minimum payments on their credit card debts. Their guilt about that will make their likely encounter with credit card debt collectors all the worse.</p>
<p>Some consumers in this situation realize they do not have to suffer this financial death by guilt.</p>
<p>The first step to overcoming that guilt, according to the Credit Card Debt Survival Guide, is disputing and denying the debt any credit card debt collector, other then the original creditor, calls about. Not admitting to an unsecured credit card debt and denying it is a legal strategy which can be compared to invoking the Fifth Amendment. It is not an indication of character. All this means is that the other side will have to prove that they have a case against you.</p>
<p>Credit card debt collectors must, according to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act:</p>
<p>1] Unless the consumer disputes the validity of the debt, the debt will be assumed to be valid by the debt collector and</p>
<p>2) Says that the consumer must dispute the debt, in writing, within thirty days of dispute.</p>
<p>The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act also allows the consumer to notify the credit card debt collector in writing that the consumer refuses to pay the debt and that the consumer wishes the debt collector to cease further communication with the consumer with respect to the debt.</p>
<p>Then what happens, when the consumer disputes and denies a credit card debt and instructs collection communications to cease when a collection attempt is made by a credit card debt collector? Their job has been made harder. They must validate the debt with copies of original documents. That means going back to the credit card company for documents, then forwarding them to the consumer.</p>
<p>For an unsecured, unsigned credit card debt, the first thing a credit card debt collector must do is to get the consumer to admit to the debt; to take ownership of it, to admit &#8220;guilt.&#8221; That one exchange between the consumer and the credit card debt collector sets the tenor for the rest of the debt collection communications between the two. But, if the consumer denies and disputes the alleged debt and forbids further communications, the collector will likely move on to an easy target.</p>
<p>If you are seeking credit card debt relief, whether you can afford to pay or not, read Matt Highlander&#8217;s <a href='http://credit-card-debt-survival.com/'>Credit Card Debt Survival Guide</a>.</p>
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		<title>Suggestions To Consolidate Credit Card Debt</title>
		<link>http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/suggestions-to-consolidate-credit-card-debt/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/suggestions-to-consolidate-credit-card-debt/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:27:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Maria Parker</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[card company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[card debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[consolidate credit card]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit Card]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card debt]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/suggestions-to-consolidate-credit-card-debt/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Credit card debt is usually a very serious and a challenging problem. Credit card debt is a type of unsecured customer debt which occurs through credit card. This problem generally arises when a consumer buys an item through a credit card issued on this name by a credit card company. If that person is not able to pay the pre-determined amount together with the accumulated interest on time then his debts goes on increasing and he is also penalized.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Credit card debt is usually a very serious and a challenging problem. Credit card debt is a type of unsecured customer debt which occurs through credit card. This problem generally arises when a consumer buys an item through a credit card issued on this name by a credit card company. If that person is not able to pay the pre-determined amount together with the accumulated interest on time then his debts goes on increasing and he is also penalized.</p>
<p>It is often advisable that you should always avoid making payment through credit cards, because the increasing debts can really make your life a living hell.</p>
<p>In this article, I would like to tell you about some ways through which you can consolidate credit card debts.</p>
<p><b>1. Consider your debts before consolidating</b></p>
<p>Debt consolidation is effective method to keep a check on your bills, but before doing so you should always consider the debts you want to consolidate. Debt consolidation method is usually adopted to secure a fixed interest rate or a low interest rate. Through this process you can simply bring together all your unsecured bills and change them into one loan.</p>
<p><b>2. Take the help of certified debt repayment representatives</b></p>
<p>If you think that you are on the verge of becoming an insolvent in the future then it is best for you to sell your loan to a debt consolidator firm at a discount rate. For this process you can also take the help of experienced and certified debt repayment representatives.</p>
<p><b>3. Using assets to consolidate debts</b></p>
<p>If you have a house of your own then it could become easier for you to borrow against your assets because home equity loan is most often tax deductible. But before taking this step it is very important for you to consult the experts.</p>
<p><b>4. Take the help of banks</b></p>
<p>Consolidating credit card debts it not a very easy task that is why you should always consult professional people who belong to this field. There are various banks and credit card companies that would surely help you in this procedure. Try to take a decision that is profitable for you in the long run. Be very sure that there are no hidden fees attached to the consolidating plan you have opted for.</p>
<p>Above stated are some very good tips that would surely help in consolidating your credit card debt.</p>
<p>Get more information about <a href="http://howto-howto.info">How To Get Out Of Debt</a>? To find out <a href="http://howto-howto.info">How To Consolidate Credit Card Debt</a>?I have done a bit of research for you.</p>
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		<title>Disputing a Court Summons for Credit Card Debt</title>
		<link>http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/disputing-a-court-summons-for-credit-card-debt/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/disputing-a-court-summons-for-credit-card-debt/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:50:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matthew Highlander</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit Card]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card debt lawsuit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card debt summons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debt collection]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal finance]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[The first important step is to actually respond to the court summons. Out of guilt, too many people mistakenly defeat themselves by ignoring a summons for credit card debt. They then lose by default and the collection attorney has his way with them.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style='font-style:italic;' class='byline'>by Matthew Highlander</div>
<p>The first important step is to actually respond to the court summons. Out of guilt, too many people mistakenly defeat themselves by ignoring a summons for credit card debt. They then lose by default and the collection attorney has his way with them.</p>
<p>Answering a court summons for credit card debt is actually not that intimidating. It only takes a two or three page document. To defeat the collection attorney, the consumer&#8217;s answer needs to demand he properly document the debt, according to the <a target='_blank' href='http://credit-card-debt-survival.com/'>Credit Card Debt Survival Guide</a>.</p>
<p>Collection attorneys know the consumer has a right to proper documentation, but frequently they cannot produce it. Most credit card agreements do not have signed contracts. Producing a complete accounting of the alleged amount owed can be a challenge as well. Debt buyers buy large batches of discharged credit card accounts from banks. Collection attorneys for debt buyers have trouble documenting the ownership of the individual accounts in the batch.</p>
<p>The answer to the summons must comply with the rules of civil procedure for the consumer&#8217;s local court where the summons was filed. These rules dictate the proper service of the summons to the consumer and of the answer to the plaintiff. They govern how much time the consumer has to respond to the summons once it is received (frequently 20 days).</p>
<p>Most importantly, the rules dictate the wording of the affirmative defenses the consumer uses in the answer. As a start, the consumer can find a generically worded answer in a resource like the Credit Card Debt Survival Guide. Then, the consumer needs to get the advice of a local attorney on the answer&#8217;s exact wording per the local rules of civil procedure.</p>
<p>Most consumers do not answer credit card debt summonses. Knowing this, collection attorneys will send out large batches of summonses waiting for the defaults. If they get a few responses, they drop those claims to focus on the easy money.</p>
<p>To beat them, civil summonses for credit card debt need to be answered!</p>
<p>This content is not intended as a substitute for legal advice. If you need an attorney in your local area, please contact a licensed attorney in your state.</p>
<div class='resource'>
<div style='font-style:italic;' class='about'>About the Author:</div>
<div class='links'>Matt Highlander writes for the <a href='http://credit-card-debt-survival.com/'>Credit Card Debt Survival Guide</a>. Learn about debt settlement and legal nonpayment strategies for eliminating credit card debt.</div>
</div>
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		<title>Junk Debt Buyers Hope You Do Not Know How to Stop Their Credit Card Debt Collection Efforts</title>
		<link>http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/junk-debt-buyers-hope-you-do-not-know-how-to-stop-their-credit-card-debt-collection-efforts/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/junk-debt-buyers-hope-you-do-not-know-how-to-stop-their-credit-card-debt-collection-efforts/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 2009 16:56:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matthew Highlander</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit Card]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debt collection]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal finance]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Every consumer should know that invoking current consumer protection laws will stop the collection activities of a junk debt buyer.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style='font-style:italic;' class='byline'>by Matthew Highlander</div>
<p>Every consumer should know that invoking current consumer protection laws will stop the collection activities of a junk debt buyer.</p>
<p>Junk debt buyers invest in discharged credit card debt for pennies on the dollar. They also sell and resell the debt they have purchased to other junk debt buyers for smaller and smaller sums of money. Business Week, as an example, reported Portfolio Recovery Associates, a large national junk debt buyer, paid $791.6 million over an 11 year period for $35.3 billion of debt in 16.7 million customer accounts. For each dollar of credit card debt that averages less than three cents.</p>
<p>According to the <a target='_blank' href='http://credit-card-debt-survival.com/'>Credit Card Debt Survival Guide</a>, those numbers indicate a junk debt buyer does not have to collect on even half of the debt purchased. They would be quite profitable, if they collected on a third of the debt.</p>
<p>The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) can protect a knowledgeable consumer from junk-debt-buyer collection efforts, but junk debt buyers rely on the fact most consumers are not that knowledgeable about the FDCPA. Collection agencies for junk debt buyers send out first notices and most consumers do not respond in writing asking for documentation of the debt, as they should. When they purchase this debt in huge computer tape batches, junk debt buyers receive little original documentation of each debt; documentation that the FDCPA requires the junk debt buyer to provide to the consumer if asked.</p>
<p>Even worse, when contacted by telephone and threatened with a bogus lawsuit, many consumers out of honesty admit to the undocumented debt, making the debt collector&#8217;s job easy.</p>
<p>Junk debt buyers&#8217; and their collection agents&#8217; debt collection efforts, unlike the original credit-card-bank creditors, are covered by the FDCPA. With a properly crafted written response, like the ones that can be found in the Credit Card Debt Survival Guide, these debt owners and collectors must stop their collection activities including no negative marks on a consumer&#8217;s credit report.</p>
<div class='resource'>
<div style='font-style:italic;' class='about'>About the Author:</div>
<div class='links'>Matt Highlander writes for the <a href='http://credit-card-debt-survival.com/'>Credit Card Debt Survival Guide</a>. If you are searching for credit card debt relief, read about proven strategies for settling debts and handling debt collectors as well as collection attorneys.</div>
</div>
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		<title>Beating Credit Card Debt Collectors at Their Own Game</title>
		<link>http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/beating-credit-card-debt-collectors-at-their-own-game/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/beating-credit-card-debt-collectors-at-their-own-game/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:47:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matthew Highlander</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit Card]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card debt lawsuit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debt collection]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal finance]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Most of those people who cannot afford to pay their monthly minimum credit card payment become potential victims of the consumer debt collection industry. However, a growing number of consumers have found a law to protect themselves against credit card debt collectors.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style='font-style:italic;' class='byline'>by Matthew Highlander</div>
<p>Most of those people who cannot afford to pay their monthly minimum credit card payment become potential victims of the consumer debt collection industry. However, a growing number of consumers have found a law to protect themselves against credit card debt collectors.</p>
<p>Depending on how he or she spends it, time is the debt collector&#8217;s friend or enemy. Ideally debt collectors would like to spend their time with consumers who are easy to collect from. Everyone knows an overdue credit card debt will bring a call or letter for a debt collector. What they do not know is with a proper consumer response to that communication, the debt collector will move onto a more likely target.</p>
<p>Over the last 30 years the credit card industry has grown exponentially and the consumer debt collection business has as well.</p>
<p>According to the Federal Reserve and Business Week, the consumer credit industry increased from $133.7 billion of consumer debt obligations in 1970 to $2.5 trillion of consumer debt obligations in November 2007.</p>
<p>Each year debt collectors put more than $40 billion back into the U.S. economy, according to ACA International, a trade group for the debt collection industry.</p>
<p>According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 173 million credit cardholders in the United States in 2006.</p>
<p>According to the American Banking Associate, in the first quarter of 2009, 4.75 percent of bank cards were delinquent.</p>
<p>The point is, there are millions of delinquent credit card accounts to go around to ambitious debt collectors.</p>
<p>The Federal Reserve requires credit card companies to hold reserves for bad debts. The credit card companies profit from these debts after they are written off by selling them to junk debt buyers for no more than one penny on a dime, or 10 percent of their value. With that discount, junk debt buyers and their collection agencies and collection attorneys can be quite profitable by only collecting on 30 or 40 percent of the purchased accounts.</p>
<p>Debt collectors make the same empty threats to both resistant and non-resistant consumers holding credit card debt. Usually, however, they only follow-up with more threats and intimidation with the non-resistant majority of delinquent credit card account holders. The secret is learning the correct response to those initial threats and how to use the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).</p>
<p>According to the FDCPA the debt collector must notify the consumer in writing of their right to dispute the debt and have it validated. Validation means the collector must send copies of original documentation verifying the debt. The FDCPA also says the consumer can instruct the debt collector to cease collection attempts until they properly validate the debt. As original creditors credit card companies are not covered by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. However, the behavior of collection agencies, collection attorneys, and junk debt buyers is covered by this federal law.</p>
<p>Should the debt collector invest their time with those who put up no resistance or with those who properly dispute a debt and request validation for it?</p>
<div class='resource'>
<div style='font-style:italic;' class='about'>About the Author:</div>
<div class='links'>If you are seeking credit card debt relief, whether you can afford to settle or not, read <a href='http://credit-card-debt-survival.com/'>Credit Card Debt Survival Guide</a>.</div>
</div>
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		<title>You Can Stop a Junk Debt Buyer&#8217;s Collection of Your Older Credit Card Debt</title>
		<link>http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/you-can-stop-a-junk-debt-buyers-collection-of-your-older-credit-card-debt/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/you-can-stop-a-junk-debt-buyers-collection-of-your-older-credit-card-debt/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:50:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matthew Highlander</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit Card]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debt collection]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal finance]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Every consumer should know that invoking current consumer protection laws will stop the collection activities of a junk debt buyer.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style='font-style:italic;' class='byline'>by Matthew Highlander</div>
<p>Every consumer should know that invoking current consumer protection laws will stop the collection activities of a junk debt buyer.</p>
<p>Junk debt buyers are investors who purchase large blocks of written off credit card debt. These purchases are typically for about 10 cents per dollar of debt with each purchase totaling in the millions of dollars. Junk debt buyers repackage and resell this debt to each other for smaller and smaller sums, sometimes less than once cent per dollar of debt. In an illustration of this reported by Business Week, Portfolio Recovery Associates, a large national junk debt buyer, over an 11 year period paid $791.6 million for $35.3 billion of debt in 16.7 million customer accounts. That was less than an average of three cents per dollar of credit card debt.</p>
<p>Based on those fractions, according to the <a target='_blank' href='http://credit-card-debt-survival.com/'>Credit Card Debt Survival Guide</a>, junk debt buyers do not have to collect on a majority of those debts. If they collected on just less than half, they would be hugely profitable.</p>
<p>The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) can protect a knowledgeable consumer from junk-debt-buyer collection efforts, but junk debt buyers rely on the fact most consumers are not that knowledgeable about the FDCPA. Collection agencies for junk debt buyers send out first notices and most consumers do not respond in writing asking for documentation of the debt, as they should. When they purchase this debt in huge computer tape batches, junk debt buyers receive little original documentation of each debt; documentation that the FDCPA requires the junk debt buyer to provide to the consumer if asked.</p>
<p>The junk debt buyer&#8217;s collection agents frequently call consumers before the first notice arrives and violate the FDCPA by threatening a phony lawsuit if payment arrangements are not made promptly. Unfortunately for them, some consumers honestly admit to the alleged, undocumented debt to these strangers and make the collection agency&#8217;s job easier. </p>
<p>While the debt collection attempts of the original-creditor credit card companies are not covered by the FDCPA, those of junk debt buyers and their collection agents are. With a carefully worded letter, like those found in the Credit Card Debt Survival Guide, the consumer can compel these debt buyers to cease collecting the alleged debt. Legally, that includes not placing negative marks on the consumer&#8217;s credit report.</p>
<div class='resource'>
<div style='font-style:italic;' class='about'>About the Author:</div>
<div class='links'>Matt Highlander writes for the<a href='http://credit-card-debt-survival.com/'>Credit Card Debt Survival Guide</a>, a guide for consumers looking for credit card debt relief.</div>
</div>
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		<title>Commonly Asked Questions about Credit Card Debt Settlement</title>
		<link>http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/commonly-asked-questions-about-credit-card-debt-settlement/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/commonly-asked-questions-about-credit-card-debt-settlement/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 29 Aug 2009 16:39:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matthew Highlander</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit Card]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card debt negotiation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card debt relief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[settling credit card debt]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/commonly-asked-questions-about-credit-card-debt-settlement/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Do I have a legal right to settle my credit card debt?]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style='font-style:italic;' class='byline'>by Matthew Highlander</div>
<p>Do I have a legal right to settle my credit card debt?</p>
<p>Contrary to debt settlement firms advertising the SECRET credit card companies do not want you to know, there is no secret to legally settling credit card debt. </p>
<p>Unsigned, credit card agreements are contracts between the credit card bank and the applying consumer. Like any contract, these contracts can be lawfully edited with the agreement of both sides. The most important legal aspect of negotiating credit card debt for the consumer, according to the <a target='_blank' href='http://credit-card-debt-survival.com/'>Credit Card Debt Survival Guide</a>, is getting the settlement and its terms in writing. </p>
<p>Can I settle my credit card debt while still making payments?</p>
<p>No you cannot do that. Just like mortgage banks, credit card banks will not negotiate with consumers who are current with their monthly payments. Otherwise, they would be losing money to everyone seeking to negotiate their credit card debt.</p>
<p>To settle a credit card debt for less than full value with the bank, a consumer will have to risk not making monthly credit card payments, then save those payments for a lump sum settlement. The risk comes from being in arrears and having the bank not agree to the lump sum amount. </p>
<p>How much of a balance reduction do credit card companies usually settle for?</p>
<p>On Web discussion boards, consumers report negotiating credit card balance reductions of 20 to 70 percent. Debt settlement teacher Charles Phelan reports credit card companies would rather negotiate with the account holder and not a debt settlement firm, and that consumers get the best deal of they do the negotiating themselves.</p>
<p>For a debt reduction agreement initiated by a consumer to work, credit card debt banks want consumers with real hardship issues like low income, job loss, family death, medical catastrophe, etc. The best time to settle, according to the Credit Card Debt Survival Guide, is right before the bank charges off the account. This usually happens six months after payments stopped. During this period, banks sometimes contact the consumer and offer to reduce the balance.</p>
<div class='resource'>
<div style='font-style:italic;' class='about'>About the Author:</div>
<div class='links'>Matt Highlander researched and wrote the <a href='http://credit-card-debt-survival.com/'>Credit Card Debt Survival Guide</a>. Learn about debt settlement and legal nonpayment strategies for eliminating credit card debt.</div>
</div>
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		<title>Don&#8217;t Take Phone Calls from Credit Card Debt Collectors</title>
		<link>http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/dont-take-phone-calls-from-credit-card-debt-collectors/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/dont-take-phone-calls-from-credit-card-debt-collectors/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 16 Aug 2009 09:44:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matthew Highlander</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit Card]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card debt collection]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debt collection]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal finance]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bestsecuredcreditcarddeal.com/dont-take-phone-calls-from-credit-card-debt-collectors/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There is little or no legal weight to a phone call from a credit card debt collector. Anyone can say anything and get away with it. Debt collectors use that to their full advantage. The telephone is their weapon of choice. Once things get reduced to writing, they become toothless.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style='font-style:italic;' class='byline'>by Matthew Highlander</div>
<p>There is little or no legal weight to a phone call from a credit card debt collector. Anyone can say anything and get away with it. Debt collectors use that to their full advantage. The telephone is their weapon of choice. Once things get reduced to writing, they become toothless.</p>
<p>The record of written contact with a credit card debt collector is what holds weight in court. That record is a lot stronger when a consumer sends all letters certified return receipt requested. </p>
<p>Over the telephone credit card debt collectors lie a great deal. These are some of those lies:</p>
<p>1. They claim over the telephone that a lawsuit has been filed against you in your local court, and that the summons is on its way to you. This is an awful, scary lie.</p>
<p>2. They advise you to make an affordable token payment because they know that if you do this then you are documenting admission to the debt.</p>
<p>3. They tell you you may be arrested, knowing no one can be arrested for a civil matter.</p>
<p>4. They will tell you may have your wages reduced to pay your debt, and you will get a negative listing on your credit report. </p>
<p>5. They tell you they can seize your bank account.</p>
<p>Each of these lies is punishable with a $1000 fine with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.</p>
<p>Credit card debt collectors use the phone attempting to get personal details such as your bank account number, Social Security number, and work number, as well as getting you to confirm your credit card number and admit to the debt in question. The Credit Card Debt Survival Guide advises that you should never share any personal information with people on the telephone, as they could be anyone, and that you should always dispute and deny the debt to which they are referring and hang up the phone.</p>
<p>If you get stuck on the telephone with a debt collector, get them to tell you which debt they are calling about, tell them that you need written notice of it from them, and hang up.</p>
<p>Fortunately, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act allows you to write to the debt collector instructing them to stop all collection calls. Once this has happened, any calls are subject to a $1000 penalty because they then violate the law. You can keep a log of every call and then contact a consumer rights attorney about suing the debt collector, fee paid on the contingency of winning.</p>
<div class='resource'>
<div style='font-style:italic;' class='about'>About the Author:</div>
<div class='links'>Matt Highlander is a consumer who learned how to beat credit card debt collectors and collection attorneys at their own game.If you cannot afford to pay, read his <a href='http://credit-card-debt-survival.com/'>Credit Card Debt Survival Guide</a></div>
</div>
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