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Posts Tagged ‘debt collection agency’

Super Bowl Scams Arrive As The Landmark Game Approaches

January 28th, 2010 No comments

Keep an eye out if you are trying to purchase tickets to Colts-Saints game. Criminals love to take advantage of the fans. Travel ploys in all types of shapes and sizes come out of the woodwork whenever there is a landmark sporting event.

Just last year there was an email sent out in Pennsylvania attempting to scam Steelers fans. Claiming to be from the Visa Super Bowl Winning Contest, with an NFL logo on top, spam mail promised $100,000 to fans and two Super Bowl Tickets. Sounds too good to be true? That’s because it is. The catch was that in order to retrieve their prize the fan had to wire the email senders $3,000 to cover taxes.

Already, there are emails that are being circulated through the world wide web about the upcoming World Cup. One offers three free tickets and two million dollars. Despite the fact that there are spelling errors throughout and a shoddy cut and paste job with the World Cup Logo, there are bound to be a number of victims.

Another plot to be on the lookout for is the postcard trick. Postcards offering packages that are similar to the ones just mentioned, on “travel certificates.” One thing to keep in mind is that unethical scam companies are able to cut and paste logos or art that they want to use, lending a false sense of authenticity to whatever is being sent out.

One last scheme. There are travel “certificates” that allege that you’ve won a trip to the Super Bowl and an wonderful Super Bowl package, complete with hotel room. Yet the hotel you get sent to is a dump, and you have to book your airline tickets through the “contest office,” and these tickets are way more expensive than you could get on your own. And the kicker is, once you have arrived at the dump of a hotel, you find out that the package never included tickets to the game.

Mallory Megan is employed by a debt collection agency. Also, she writes pieceson business and debt collection. This and other unique content ‘bad debt collecting’ articles are available with free reprint rights.

Protecting your Business from Credit Card Fraud.

January 26th, 2010 No comments

A business sometimes comes across the use of Credit cards for purchases of products and services but what they don’t know is the use of stolen credit cards by criminals is still increasing. On many occasions this can be reduced in your business by training your staff to be alert to some of the common signs that this activity is taking place.

Here are some signs to watch out for:

- Purchases that are made without any regard to size, colour, style, price or quantity.

- Refuses clothing alterations particularly where this is included in the price of the goods.

- Makes some purchases then returns later and makes further purchases.

- No other Identification with them.

- Takes the credit card from their pocket rather than a wallet or purse.

- Standard of dress is poor but purchases expensive items.

- Talkative and changes their mind.

-Cannot make up their mind to upset the sales person who may hurry the deal to get rid of the customer.

- Arrives into the store just on closing time.

-Makes large item purchases and insists on taking it with them rather than having it delivered. As the business owner you are the one at risk from loss of income and the bank may or may not have any sympathy to your situation. Its up to you to take the proactive step to look after the information when it comes your way. If in doubt, phone your bank for authority and quickly. Many banks will reward you for recovering a stolen card. Paul de Vizard has been writing articles online for nearly 4 years now. Not only does this author specialize in diet, fitness and weight loss, you can also check out his latest websites by clicking on the links below.

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Changes For The Collection Industry Send Collectors Scrambling

January 23rd, 2010 No comments

On February 22nd, a number of provisions of the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act come into effect. The CARD Act’s purpose is to rein in credit card practices and limit fees. It limits the amount of credit available to consumers in rough economic times in an effort to protect them.

As a result, many card issuers and banks have adapted their business models by actively reducing risk. New tactics include tightening up credit lines, dropping or banning some borrowers and marketing less. Credit-limit reductions are expected to have two impacts.

One is the diminishment of the average balance size of accounts that are placed for collection. It will also reduce liquidity from the market that will make it problematic to collect. This, combined with the consumer behavior of the past years, when people usually spent their savings and maxed out personal loans and home equity raises concern, because for many people who owe money, credit cards are the only short term credit that they can access.

But the CARD Act includes one giant measure that consumers must take; they are not allowed to pay off a credit card debt using another card. Bearing this in mind, this has drastic ramifications for the collection industry. Experts feel that the best way to deal with the changes is to be flexible and creative. Instead of telephone calls and collections letters, the internet could be explored as one option to work with.

There are a few ideas that the collection industry has to keep in mind. Excess payments are going to have to go to pay off the highest interest balances first. The CARD Act enables customers to set their own credit limits that may be lower than those set by the card companies, and it limits marketing to college students and severely restricts access to credit to people under 21.

Mallory Megan is employed by collections agency Rapid Recovery Solution and writes stories on collections and finance.