Credit Card Traps: How To Spot Them On The Spot!
They arrive in your mail - a conspicuous looking mail piece from some "official looking" bank claiming that you have been Pre-Approved for a Mastercard or VISA credit card.
Of course, you don't have to have any credit. You can even have bad credit or have just filed bankruptcy or even be rated as a "slow payer."
It doesn't matter because these companies want to give you a second chance! These companies want to make it easy for you to obtain a credit card because they only want your money!
How the thing works is that you must send $35 to receive an application that provides you with a name and address listing of banks willing to give you a VISA and/or Mastercard without any credit approval.
That's a stiff price to pay for a sheet of paper, don't you think?
The instructions that come with the application will let you know how the scheme works.
You must open up a bank account with the bank once that bank approves you.
Big deal!
They make it appear that you have won some contest or something and people will feel "good inside" that someone has approved them.
But that's not all....
The minimum amount you must deposit is $200 but you can deposit as much as you want.
In return, you get a Mastercard or VISA credit card with a credit limit up to the amount you deposit.
Wow!
What a great honor!
This is no break! Think about it. If a stranger gave you $200 to hold for him until Friday wouldn't you feel safe in granting them a $200 loan? I mean it's their own money you've got. If they default, you've got the full amount to pay off the loan. It takes a twisted mind to take $200 from you, grant you $200 credit with your own money plus charge you astronomical interest rates just to take the money from your hand and give it back to you.
That's insane!
Of course, to combat this insanity, the great and wonderful banks claim to help fix your credit report. They say that if you maintain payments in a correct fashion, this information will be reported to the credit bureau.
Yea, right!
When Shell calls the credit bureau to check your credit for a gas credit card, your report shows 47 defaulted loans and a bankruptcy.
However, there is one company that you make payments to on-time. Big deal. Don't you think the rest of your bad credit will still be the deciding factor in Shell's final decision. You bet you bottom dollar!
Look at this: the bank makes money from the interest of your deposit.
The bank also makes money by charging you 18% to 22% interest for the right to use their Mastercard or VISA. Plus the bank is guaranteed their money because if you don't pay on time, they take the money out of the bank account you opened with them along with any interest you have accumulated.
Why would anyone with $200 to deposit want a credit card with a $200 limit?
If you have $200 and want to buy an item for $200, go out and purchase it. That way, you'll own it lock, stock and barrel. No interest, no payments, no hassle! Plus, you won't owe your soul to the company store sort-of speak.
Credit is ofcourse a wonderful thing if you use it intelligently.
I know people who charge $100 at the beginning of the month and use that $100 to make $300. It's free money for 30 days. Then, when the bill comes, they immediately pay the entire balance and come out smelling like a rose with $200 to the good.
Or how about the legendary direct marketing millionaire "Harv T. Eker", who used his credit card to buy a "near-bankrupt" business for $2000. Within a year, he turned that business around into a multi-million dollar company.
Now that's intelligence!
On the other hand, credit is also needed in certain circumstances for establishing clout. You can't call in a telephone order unless you can charge the purchase to your credit card. This delays you getting items you want now. I guess that's a bumer for some people out there with no credit cards.
Copyright © Andre Vas, Direct-Credit-Card.com, All Rights Reserved.
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need to know about credit/debt management, credit cards,
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==> http://www.Direct-Credit-Card.com
MORE RESOURCES:
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Credit Crunch Videos Sky News, UK - Equity, bond, and money markets were reluctant to accept that this was going to be a global banking problem, leading to a massive credit crisis. ... Credit crunch and banks: from the Rock to a hard place Many happy returns, credit crunch Credit crunch: Around the world |
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The End of Credit Card Consumerism U.S. News & World Report, DC - For more than four decades, our shopaholic nation has shown an insatiable desire to spend until our credit cards melt. And throughout this era, ... |
 Reuters | Credit Suisse auction-rate debt suit may start frenzy Reuters - ST Micro alleges in the August 6 complaint filed in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, that by late 2006 Credit Suisse knew that collateralized debt ... Fannie Mae expects smaller credit losses in 2009 Credit crunch cripples European insurers' profits UPDATE 1-CS reinitiates IT hardware sector with "market weight" |
Credit Suisse Sued Over Auction-Rate Securities (Update3) Bloomberg - 7 (Bloomberg) -- Credit Suisse Group, Switzerland's second-biggest bank, was sued by Swiss semiconductor company STMicroelectronics NV for allegedly placing ... STMicro sues Credit Suisse over auction-rate debt Credit Suisse sued by semiconductor firm Credit Suisse sued over 'auction' debt |
 Aljazeera.net | Credit expenses lead to $2.3 billion loss for Fannie MarketWatch - The company reported credit-related expenses of $5.3 billion in the quarter, which more than offset revenue of $4 billion. Fannie Mae also took a charge of ... Fannie Mae posts $2.3 billion loss as credit costs rise Fannie: Sun will come out tomorrow Fannie Mae Posts Fourth Straight Loss, Cuts Dividend (Update2) |
 CNET News | Credit cards: US authorities charge 11 in global identity theft racket guardian.co.uk, UK - American authorities have uncovered a global computer hacking and credit card fraud ring spanning the US, eastern Europe and Asia, officials said. ... Gang charged for theft of 41 million credit card numbers 11 charged in connection with credit card fraud Retail Hacking Ring Charged for Stealing and Distributing Credit ... |
Settling the credit score CNNMoney.com - Having a good credit rating is more important now than ever, but determining exactly what yours is gets complicated. By Jessica Dickler, CNNMoney.com staff ... The FICO Score- Unregulated Discrimination? Back-to-school shopping tips |
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