U.S. Government News

FDIC: Protecting Your Finances If a Disaster Strikes: Are You Prepared?

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 10:33:07 PST

Are your most important possessions insured and your financial documents protected from ruin? And if you had only a few moments to evacuate your home and could not return for several days or even weeks, would you have access to cash, banking services and the personal identification you need to conduct your day-to-day financial life?

Money Smart for Young Adults:FDIC Looking for Financial Educato

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:58:19 PST

The FDIC is in the early phases of a research study to evaluate the Money Smart for Young Adults curriculum. This study will assess how the curriculum impacts participants' financial knowledge and behavior. We are looking for financial educators who plan to teach part or all of the curriculum sometime in the coming months and are willing to distribute a short assessment quiz to students before the start of the first class that uses Money Smart for Young Adults.

Prepaid Cards: No Match for a Well-Managed Checking Account

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:22:25 PST

Prepaid cards are generally reloadable and can be used for purchases at any merchant that accepts credit cards, and often for ATM withdrawals. But while prepaid cards (also known as stored value cards) have potential benefits, they also come with potential costs and concerns.

Credit Reports: Consumer's Guide to Credit Reports and Credit Scores

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 10:34:02 PST

Your credit history is important to a lot of people: mortgage lenders, banks, utility companies, prospective employers, and more. So it's especially important that you understand your credit report, credit score, and the companies that compile that information, credit bureaus.

Loan Modification Scam: California Files Lawsuit

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 02:50:37 PST

Brown filed the $60 million lawsuit against US Loan Auditors, My US Legal Services, and five individuals, including two attorneys, who operate a fraudulent mortgage audit scheme that preys on desperate homeowners anxious to save their homes.

What If Your Bank Fails? First, Stay Calm

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 02:30:01 PST

"While news that your bank has failed can be scary, federal law makes it clear that deposits within the federal insurance limits are completely safe," said Janet Kincaid, an FDIC Regional Ombudsman. "In addition, the FDIC works diligently - even before the bank is closed - to ensure that the event goes smoothly."

Credit Card Interest Rate Scams: FTC Warns Consumers

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 12:44:07 PST

In a new consumer alert, Credit Card Interest Rate Reduction Scams, the FTC says consumers have just as much clout with their credit card issuers as these companies do. It urges consumers to avoid paying middlemen, and negotiate directly with the credit card companies.

Credit Repair and Mortgage Relief Service: Marketers Banned from Sellings

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 18:00:39 PST

The court order prohibits the credit repair companies and their owners from selling credit repair services, and it bans the loan modification companies and their individual owners from selling mortgage loan modification and foreclosure relief services.

Credit Repair Scammers Settle FTC Charges

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:12:36 PST

A credit repair company that falsely claimed it would help boost consumers' credit ratings will settle Federal Trade Commission charges filed last year.

Credit and Gift Cards in 2010: Changes Take Effect Feb 22

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:11:18 PST

The Credit CARD Act is intended to help protect consumers from abusive fees, penalties, interest rate increases and other unwarranted changes in account terms. Companies will be required to make more disclosures and they face new limits on certain credit card practices.

Credit Cards: New Law Protects Consumers

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:27:56 PST

Starting on February 22, 2010, card issuers generally can't increase the Annual Percentage Rate or APR (the cost of credit expressed as a yearly rate.

IRS Warns Taxpayers to Beware of First-Time Homebuyer Credit Fraud

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:29:51 PST

The Internal Revenue Service today announced its first successful prosecution related to fraud involving the first-time homebuyer credit and warned taxpayers to beware of this type of scheme.

Effective August 22, 2010, Section 148 of the Credit CARD Act1 requires that if a creditor increases the APR based on such factors

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:16:05 PST

Effective August 22, 2010, Section 148 of the Credit CARD Act¹ requires that if a creditor increases the APR based on such factors

FBI Warning - Guard Your Financial Info

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 20:41:22 PST

Customers of a telecommunications firm received an e-mail recently explaining a problem with their latest order. They were asked to go to the company website, via a link in the e-mail, to provide personal information-like their birthdates and Social Security numbers. But both the e-mail and the website were bogus.

New Video: AnnualCreditReport.com is the Only Authorized Source for Free Annual Credit Reports

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:08:21 PST

Despite the musical claims of some TV commercials, the only authorized source to get your free annual credit report under federal law is AnnualCreditReport.com. To reinforce this message, the Federal Trade Commission is featuring two new videos with their own catchy tunes

U.S. Financial Crisis: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:43:02 PST

The United States is in the midst of a serious financial crisis. You can read full text of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 on the Thomas web sitefrom the Library of Congress.

The Cousins Are Back and They're Filing Online for Social Security Benefits

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 11:58:36 PST

Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, and Patty Duke, Academy Award, Golden Globe and Emmy winning actress, today unveiled Social Security’s new online retirement application and launched the agency’s Retire Online campaign.

2008 Direct Loan School Guide

Thu, 22 May 2008 21:45:46 PST

The Direct Loan School Guide is being reorganized and updated to reflect the regulatory requirements and electronic processes for the 2008-2009 award year.

Credit Repair: FTC Charges Credit Repair Business with Violations

Thu, 22 May 2008 08:33:51 PST

A home-buying consulting business that offers credit repair and home-buying consulting services has agreed to settle with the Federal Trade Commission for alleged federal law violations, including illegally charging an advance fee for credit repair and falsely claiming that they can remove negative information from consumers’ credit reports, even if the information is accurate and timely. At the Commission’s request, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed the FTC’s complaint and proposed settlement in federal court

Reducing Credit Card Offers

Mon, 19 May 2008 06:54:38 PST

Preapproved credit offers are based on information in your credit report that indicates you meet criteria set by the credit offeror.