Payday Loans Blog

There are new devices and methods with which crooks and scammers are obtaining your credit and debit card information, skimmers; on ATM and gas station credit card machines. Skimmers are becoming ever more sophisticated and harder to distinguish from the actual machines.  With national debt and individual debt rising every year, banks lose on average about 10 billion a year due to credit card fraudulent purchases. Learn how can you protect yourself and learn to spot these skimmers and understand how they work, so that you aren't taken by a scam artist.

Traditional Skimmers:

Credit and debit card skimming machines are traditionally placed above or below the spot on the machine that reads your card, so that you have to scan your card through both the skimmer and the credit card runner in order to make a purchase. For more on the traditional skimming device read this  previously published blog Credit Card Skimming: Protect Yourself. Theives are also placing hidden near by cameras or key loggers on the machine in order to access your accounts. 

How to Avoid Getting Scammed:

• Use an ATM at one of the bank's branches, and preferrably one that is bigger and open more often. The chances of a skimmer being able to place a device on the machine or a camera in the vicinity without being spotted is slim at best.
  
• Compare other ATMS with the one you traditionally use, or compare any two ATMs to see if there are any phisically noticible differences.
• Don't always trust "out of order" signs. Sometimes crooks will place "out of order" signs on ATMs and redirect the traffic to a nearby ATM so that they can get even more numbers, etc. Just find a different ATM all together or call your local bank to see if it is indeed broken and they are responsible for the sign, etc.
  
• Be wary of stand alone ATMs in far away or not well monitored locations. These are the easiest targets for skimmers.
• Skimmers usually portrude from the ATM and look like they match the Gray or other colors the ATM uses.  Be sure the rest of the ATMs of that particular company look the same, if not, report it to authorities.
  
• Always cover the pin pad when entering your pin number. This prevents any hidden cameras from capturing your pin as well as pick pockets, etc and is just a smart idea in general.
• Check your account balance on a weekly, or at least bi weekly basis, so you that you will immediately notice if something fishy or out of place is going on.
  
• Setting up account alerts and putting a lock on your credit will help you even more closely monitor your accounts.
  

Check City offers a netspend Prepid Debit card that has all the convenient features of a credit card without all the fees and monthly payments. It's easy to obtain and even easier to figure out. You just bring in cash or a check that you want deposited on the card, and when that money runs out you will have to deposit more in order to use the card again. You can't overdraft or get late payments fees because there are none. Visit us today to learn about our other helpful financial services.

Credit-card fraud is a growing problem in the United States. The executive of Wells Fargo & Co., Kevin Rhein, learned firsthand how disappointing credit-card fraud can be.

However, just after his card was used to purchase a lap top in Las Vegas, Rhein received an alert on his blackberry that helped him stop future uses of his card.

Credit-card fraud costs banks, merchants, and average U.S. citizens over $22.4 billion yearly. Hoping to cut down on these rates, Rhein’s company, Wells Fargo will be extending Rapid Alerts to all their current cardholders.

Kevin Rhein said about the release, “If I didn’t have that alert, they would have continued on their merry way charging until something got triggered in our fraud warnings…What we picked up here was the value of more immediate information to perhaps shut down fraud that much faster.”

Rapid Alerts will allow cardholders to sign up for e-mail or text alerts when their card is used to purchase more than a specific amount. Several other companies have offers similar to Wells Fargo’s Rapid Alerts program.

As a result of these efforts to cut down the credit-card fraud the average amount stolen per person has fallen to $329. The thieves and fraudsters are feeling the pressure.

Vice Chief Executive Officer, Joseph Saunders, said “Fraudsters and thieves are getting smarter…Now more than ever we need to stay one step ahead of the criminals.”

Despite the protection that Rapid Alerts and other credit-card fraud preventing programs offer, some people find the alerts simply too annoying.  There are other options that can help protect your money as well.

Pre-paid debit cards allow you to put a certain amount of money on the card at a time. This effectively helps you to manage your money wisely and to prevent thieves from tapping into your bank account.

They are easy to load and can be used anywhere a normal Visa card can be used. On top of many other benefits, pre-paid debit cards also provide you alerts that let you know if a large purchase has been made on your account.

Pre-paid debit cards will help you avoid fraud and protect your family’s financial assets. Visit Check City’s website today to find out how convenient pre-paid debit cards can be for your family.

To read more about Wells Fargo visit:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=axl1rxE_ac78&pos=10

Did you know that each and every consumer, by law, is entitled to receive their credit reports for free one time every twelve months from all three credit reporting bureaus? This comes from the Fair Credit Reporting Act ammended most recently in October 2001. The act, know more commonly known as the FCRA was originally put into place in 1970 and is monitored by the Federal Trade Comission (FTC).  The Fair and Acurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) is an ammendement to the FCRA enacted in 2003 allowing consumers to receive one free credit report a year. Consumers can request the report by phone (877-322-8228), mail (Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281), or through the website provided by the government annualcreditreport.com

This credit act also states that if a consumer desputes any negative part of their credit report and it is sucessfully removed from their report, a credit reporting agency cannot place it back on without notifying the customer within five days, in writing. It also protects consumers from negative reports lasting over 7 years.  Credit reporting bureaus are now required to discard old deliquencies and other negative issues after 7 years. There are certain exceptions as there are to every rule, such as mortgages (they may keep for 10), and tax liens (may be kept 7 years from the time they are paid off). 

So, who are these Credit Reporting Agencies or Bureaus and what exactly do they do?  The three credit agencies are Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.  Lenders are also required to inform consumers if they are reporting a bad credit mark to any of these agencies, and agencies will inform them that their credit scores have been updated. 

Receiving these credit reports annually will also help you to combat negative items on the report and help prevent identity theft, if you are keeping an eye on your own reports.  You can also have your credit frozen, so that no one can run your credit, or do anything with your credit score or report without your acknowledgement and approval. You will also be notified everytime something relating to your credit changes. 

If you request your credit report online, you will be able to view it immediately as soon as you verify your identity, so if you are looking to see your credit report fast, that might be the way to go.  

Is your credit bad, and you don't know what to do? Check City offers netspend Prepaid Debit Cards.  In order to use them, you must preload them with all the money you plan to use. When that money runs out, you must reload the card before you can make another purchase. This will help you not over spend, and avoid overdraft fees, etc. When you go with a netspend Prepaid Debit Card,  it is reported as good credit on your credit reports and we don't need to run your credit to get a card. Did you know that everytime someone runs your credit report it decreases? Avoid all the hassle and raise your credit score at the same time. Visit Check City today to get your Prepaid Debit Card. 

The features, convenience and security offered by prepaid debit cards make them a great place to invest your cash and an easy way to keep your credit in check. They also help you to manage your finances by removing credit card bills. When you use a Prepaid Debit Card you cannot overspend because when the money you placed on your card runs out your card will no longer work until money is reloaded onto the card.  You don't have to go through a bank or have a bank account, you can go into any Check City location to add money onto your card.

Many people have shifted to Prepaid Debit Cards over traditional Debit and Credit Cards because of the recession. Using a prepaid debit card helps to keep your financial situation under control and eliminates credit card bills. It also eliminates the chance of overdrafts and bounced check fees, while allowing you all of the conveniences of a credit card.  These cards can be used anywhere Visa or Mastercard are accepted worldwide. 

Check City offers netspend Prepaid Debit Cards to help you with all of your financial needs. All you need to do to get a prepaid debit card is come to your nearest Check City location or visit CheckCity.com to get started with your Prepaid Debit Card today. When you come into one of our locations you need to bring the cash or check you will use to put onto the card. Its an easy way to have the convenience of a credit card without the hassle of bills. 

Saint Valentine; who exactly was he and why do we celebrate a day in honor of his name each year? Valentine's Day is a ritual that has been around for centuries. Knowing the mystery of the holiday may even make it even a little more intriguing and exciting as we plan this special day each year, to show those we care about how much we love them. You may be surprised to learn that Valentine's Day comes from both Christian and Roman backgrounds and that the Catholic church presently has three different saints with names similar to St. Valentine. Legend holds that they were all martyred.

One legend says that Saint Valentine was a priest from the early third century in Rome. The Roman emperor of the time decided that men made better soldiers when they were not tied down by marriage. Thus, the Emperor outlawed marriage for young men in the country. Saint Valentine was rumored to have helped marry young lovers in secret, since they could not marry legally.  When the emperor found out, as they always seemed to do, Valentine was sentenced to death.

Other rumors and legends exist as well about the famed Saint Valentine. Some say that he was a radical who helped Christians escape Roman prisons, where they were beaten and physically harmed, he was put to death. Still others believe that Saint Valentine was a man who fell in love with the jailor's daughter, sent her a love note before his death, and signed it Love, Your Valentine. This tradition still continues today as lovers celebrate this traditional day of love.

Some say the holiday is celebrated in February because that is the month of Valentine's death. Others claim that it was done in order to christianize an otherwise pagan holiday, Lupercalia. Lupercalia was a holiday to celebrate the coming of spring and rebirth. It was also a fertility festival in which they cleaned out their homes and dedicated the day to many of the Gods they believed were responsible for fertility. It was held on the 15th of February which is why many people believe it is linked to St. Valentine's Day.        

As for Valentine greetings and cards, there is documented evidence that they were used as far back as the 13th century (the middle ages) and that statistics suggest that 85% of Valentine's Day cards are currently purchased by women.

Cupid, the God of Love is believed to shoot his famed arrows at couples to make them fall in love. Cupid has always played a significant role when it comes to Valentine's Day and love. There are many different traditions about his parents and Roman mythology believes that he had a human lover and wife.Throughout all of the traditions, myths, legends and stories, one fact remains; Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate love and all of the wonderful aspects of it. 

Are you still looking for that special something for your special someone? Check City has Prepaid Phone Cards that can be modeled to fit you, or your loved ones. We can fit them to when you like to call, when you call most often, who you call, and where you call. This makes saving easy, and you can give them as a gift to your loved ones. We also have Prepaid Debit Cards that you can preload as a gift to someone.  When they have used up all of the money on the card, they just have to reload more money, and they can use it again!

There are so many things you can do to improve your health. One of which, is eating a well balanced diet and avoiding foods that could hurt not only your immune system but your heart, liver, and kidneys.  Many of the middle generation are getting cancer in addition to dying from heart attacks and other health related diseases.  Could this be because of our horrible diets and eating habits we have developed throughout the years? In all honesty, yes, it most likely is a big part of why people are dying younger from health related illnesses.

Eat enough calories but don't overeat. If you are either looking to maintain your weight or just simply become healthier, keep your calorie count at the average daily recommended amount of 2,000.  In other words don't eat more food than your body can use in a day.  The average daily allowance may vary with weight, age, height and your level of physical activity and you may want to research to see what your body needs specifically.  Also, if you have a disease, make sure your diet fits with your disease and that you aren't doing anything to harm yourself any further. 

Eat a variety of foods. Even if your favorite food is a cashew chicken salad, eating it everyday for every meal certainly won't make you any healthier. You need a variety of foods because your body is a complex organism and it needs all different types of nuts, grains, herbs, veggies and fruits to survive and be healthy.  Don't be afraid to try new things, you may be surprised at what you like. 

Eat moderate portions. Ok maybe this doesn't apply to Thanksgiving Dinner, but you should try to be moderate in your portion size, especially when eating foods high in calories. Many people in other countries would be mortified at our serving sizes.  They have doubled or tripled in past years, which along with a sedintary lifestyle has led to the obesity epidemic.  Next time you make a meal, try making your portions a little smaller and eat a little slower. You may be surprised at how quickly you get full and can avoid that tummy ache afterwards.

Eat more nuts, beans, fruits and vegetables and buy them fresh. If you have a local farmer's market, buy your fruits and vegetables there; they will not have been shipped to ten different places, spending weeks on trucks and planes.  Buying and eating more fresh fruits and vegetables should boost your complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals intake.

Water, Water, Water, Water. Drink More Water. As someone once told me, water, water, water, water, water.  It is important to keep your body hydrated with WATER. Water makes up 75% of our bodies and is vital in a healthy diet.  Try substituting one of your coffee or soda refills with water for a week and see if you feel any better.  I bet you will. When your body is getting more water, it is cleaning your system and you may feel many stiff joints loosen and back pain alleviate itself on its own. 

Limit sugary and refined foods.  Sugar is added to almost everything now days. According to one source, if you drink soda once daily for a year, you can gain up to 16 lbs just from the sugar in the soda.  Salt is a big one as well, limiting your salt intake may help your overall health. 

Don't depress yourself with your diet. Yes, you can still eat your favorite foods that aren't good for you, just remember to do so in moderation.  It is good for you to be happy, don't make yourself miserable by eating only foods you hate or you feel would be optimal for your diet. 

Exercise! A healthy diet should get you in the mood to exercise and once you start a regime of exercise it is hard to stop. You can feel the invigorating effects it has on your body and how much it helps in your daily routine and boosts energy, making those sweet "energizing" foods and drinks unnecessary.

As Bob would say, baby step it. Take things slow.  It won't happen overnight. Go through each one of the suggestions I gave you and integrate them into your life monthly or even weekly if you are a little more bold.  Don't be afraid to take risks, but also, don't feel like you have to jump into it overnight. 

Are you looking for other ways to improve your life? Has the economic situation got you a little down financially? Visit CheckCity.com to check out all of our great Financial Services available to you. You can also watch some uplifting Testimonial Videos as well as Written Testimonials from our satisfied customers.  Our services range from Payday Loans to Prepaid Debit Cards and they are simple and convenient for you. 

No one wants to talk about it, but everyone knows its true, with the amount of debt the average American family is in, many families are paying upwards of $1,000 a year just on interest alone. It's not a pretty site and it won't be getting any prettier, with people constantly losing jobs and still spending money.  Most families don't have emergency funds either.  Where will the economy and your family be in a year from now? It depends on the choices you make today to better your future.  I said in the beginning that interest alone on the average family's credit card debt is $1,000, that is based on a 14% interest rate and a debt of $8,000.  That's right, the average debt, meaning there are many above and below this number is $8,000. That is remarkable, are you ready to stop the cycle?

Yes, your family may not be average, and maybe you haven't hit $8,000 in debt yet, but why start now? You may also be "above average" in a bad way, and have debt towering high above $8,000.  Either way, it is never a bad time to start paying off debt or at least consolidating it so that you can start fresh.  You may want to even consider the all cash "diet" as many are calling it.  They say if you can't pay for it in cash, you can't afford it. Many times this is true.  Sometimes many of us forget that when you swipe that gold piece of plastic, you still have to pay for what you are purchasing later, and it isn't just a magic money card.

Now would not be a bad time, with interests on the rise to take advantage of some of those offers you see in the mail for 0% interest for a year. You need to give yourself some time to pay off that debt, but make sure you read the fine print on those credit card contracts, they can be dangerous if not completely understood. Fees and interest rates may be sky high after that first year, so make sure you are aware of what you are getting yourself into.  If the case is such that those fees and interest rates do jump up, make sure you know when your year is up, and that you cancel those cards so that you don't incur those fees and interest.

If you are planning on consolidating especially, those 0% interest cards may be exactly what you are looking for, you can drop your cards with the highest interest rates and consolidate that debt into the interest free card saving yourself literally thousands of dollars.  Also, if you consolidate into less cards, you don't have as many small payments with interest on them, therefore each time a payment is made you are shrinking your debt faster than with 5 or 6, or more separate cards.

Even debit cards can be a solution instead of credit cards.  This way, you will be forced to watch your bank account more closely so that you can understand your debt and what you need to do to get out of it.  It will also help you to better monitor all of the recent credit card fraud taking place lately. 

Check City has Pre-Paid Debit Cards from NetSpend available for your convenience.  They can be used anywhere Visa and Mastercard are accepted worldwide. You have to put all of the money on the card before you can use it, so when the money is gone, you will have to reload it in order to use it again.  It is easy and helps you become debt free, it gives you a way to still have the convenience of plastic and keep yourself out of debt at the same time.  Visit us at CheckCity.com to learn all about our Pre-Paid Debit Cards and how they can help you stay out of debt. 

Check City offers its customers a Prepaid Visa card called the Cash-In Card. With this card, you are guaranteed all the convenience of a credit card without the possibility of entering into debt. The Cash-In Card also allows you to enjoy the advantages of a credit card without requiring credit approval or the opening of a banking account.

Keeping track of the amount of money on your Prepaid Visa card is simple. You can add money by transferring funds for free directly from a banking account or by physically bringing cash into any Check City location. On the other hand, you can tailor your account to send email or text message alerts directly to you whenever funds are charged to your card.

Cash-In Cards can be obtained at any Check City location and are not limited to local use. They work just like a real Visa card, meaning your card is accepted anywhere a Visa card would be. Cash-In Cards can be used anywhere in the world at any time you like. You can also pay your bills with your Cash-In Card, either online or over the phone.

 Check City is bringing solutions to those who prefer the convenience of a credit card, but do not want the burden of being credit approved or the liability of going into debt. Applying for the Prepaid Visa card is easy. Just make your way to a Check City location and our staff will walk you through the process of receiving this convenient service.

Our current credit crunch and financial crisis has brought upon us a new way of thinking about money in the form of prepaid debit cards. Credit card debt has been getting people into problems for years. People have had enough and are turning to prepaid Visa cards to help.

A prepaid Visa debit card functions much like your ordinary credit card. The card can be used at merchant locations across the world where Visa is accepted. Cards can also be used to make purchases online or over the phone.

But the biggest advantage is that you cannot go into debt with these cards. Since they are prepaid, you can only spend as much money as you load onto the card. There are thousands of retail locations where prepaid cards can be loaded. They can even be loaded online via your already existing bank account!

Check City is proud to offer prepaid Visa debit cards as one of our many versatile financial products. The Cash-In Card is a great alternative to credit cards. If you have found yourself trapped in the debt cycle of credit cards, then ditch them and switch to prepaid. Check City can help!

Just come into any of our store locations and you can receive your card in less than five minutes. All you need is a valid ID and a social security number or Driver's License and you are good to go! Come in today and start enjoying the benefits of a prepaid debit card!

If you have been looking for a cash-in prepaid Visa card, you don't need to look any further than Check City.  A prepaid Visa card from Check City allows you to have all the benefits of a Visa card without having to go through the pains of having one.

When you apply for a normal Visa card, you don't know if you're going to be accepted or not.  With a cash-in prepaid Visa card, there are no credit checks and no opening of bank accounts.  Everyone can be approved!

You can use your prepaid Visa card anywhere Visa is accepted - which is almost anywhere nowadays.  You can also easily reload your cash-in prepaid Visa card by either transferring money from your bank account or simply bringing cash into any Check City location.

You will be able to pay bills online or on the phone, manage your money with powerful account management tools, spend like a credit card without the overspending problems of a credit card, and stay informed through alerts from every transaction.

Go into Check City and get your very own cash-in prepaid Visa card.