Chicago Bankruptcy Lawyer Blog

What better way to cheer yourself up while slogging away at work this week than by clicking on a cute holiday e-card from a dear friend? Just make sure you recognize the e-mail address, say Chicago bankruptcy attorneys.

Identity thieves have caught on to the popular e-card phenomenon. But instead of spreading holiday happiness, they're sending cards containing viruses and malware. So when you click on a card to download a snow scene, you might actually be installing malicious material on your computer - and risking the state of your finances and credit.

Continue reading "New Holiday Card Scam Targets Chicago Computer Users" »

Once upon a time, ghouls, goblins and guys in hockey masks with chainsaws were the scariest part of Halloween. Unfortunately, the frightening characters haunting us this year are a lot more real.

If you've got a lot of debt, you know what I'm talking about - bill collectors. With the economy in the dumps, debt collection agencies are getting even more aggressive than usual. The FTC receives tens of thousands of complaints each year about bill collectors that overstep their bounds, harassing folks over the phone at work, name calling and threatening to seize property and wages or even throw us in jail. These kinds of strong-arm tactics are illegal, and there's a way to put a stop to them, according to Chicago bankruptcy attorneys.

Continue reading "Aggressive Bill Collectors Use Illegal Scare Tactics to Intimidate Chicago Debtors" »

By now, most of us know that applying for credit cards left and right will have a negative effect our credit score. But not all credit inquiries are created equal.

Lots of folks today are paranoid that any kind of credit inquiry will hurt their credit - including a potential employer's request to see a credit report, or even a request to view our own credit history. It makes sense that we're skittish, considering how many Americans are overwhelmed by debt and barely able to make ends meet, say Chicago bankruptcy attorneys. But by avoiding our credit report completely, we could be doing more harm than good.

Continue reading "How Credit Inquiries Really Affect Your Credit Report" »

With everybody and their Grandma using social networking, posting personal information to sites like Facebook seems harmless. But that's just what criminals want us to think.

It's easy to be lulled into believing Facebook is just a place where we hang out with our friends - virtually, anyway. But in reality, we're hanging out with the 500 million other people who use the social networking tool, say Chicago bankruptcy attorneys. And thanks to laxer settings, a new program and a recent bug, those people have more access than ever to our personal information - jeopardizing our finances and even our safety.

Continue reading "Being Cautious on Social Networking Sites Can Help Chicago Residents Protect Finances" »

There are some places where debit cards are a better choice than credit. Those places aren't gas stations.

Thieves are increasingly stealing personal data with skimmer devices that they attach to gas pumps, according to Chicago bankruptcy lawyers. Since debit cards are linked to your bank account, criminals can record your PIN and then deduct money directly from your checking and savings accounts - adding insult to injury if you're one of millions of consumers already struggling to pay the bills and manage debt. And gas stations aren't the only places at risk - some scammers are starting to siphon personal information straight from ATMs.

So is there any safe way to use a debit card these days?

Continue reading "How Chicago Debit Card Users Can Avoid Scams at the Pump" »

You know you need to keep an eye on how much money you're spending, but it's also important to check up on what you've spent. Why? Because those numbers might not add up.

Recently the Federal Trade Commission disrupted a massive credit card scam that allowed a ring of criminals to steal millions of dollars from right under the noses of millions of unsuspecting consumers for four years. The thievery might have ended sooner, except for the fact that most victims didn't even realize they were losing money. That's because the scammers were stealing it pennies at a time.

25 cents here and 50 cents there might not seem like much, but when too much debt has you struggling to make ends meet and living paycheck to paycheck, you shouldn't have to give up a cent of your hard-earned dollars.

Continue reading "Why Chicago Credit Card Users Should Keep Close Tabs on Credit Statements" »

The IRS might not be the only group taking your money this tax season.

A growing number of scam artists are preying on the desperation of stressed-out taxpayers to make a quick buck, according to Chicago bankruptcy lawyers. Sometimes it's by promising you an easy way to lower your tax bill. Other times it's by impersonating IRS websites. Either way, scammers are on a mission to get your personal information - and your money.

With credit card debt, a mortgage or rent payment and a maybe even an impending tax bill, you've got enough to worry about. Fortunately, it's a cinch to avoid tax scams - you just have to know what to look out for.

Continue reading "Common Sense Can Help Chicago Taxpayers Fend Off Scams This Tax Season" »

There's a reason you might want to fill out your 2010 Census carefully and soon. And it's not just because doing so can help your community get more federal funding, according to Chicago bankruptcy lawyers.

Dragging your feet increases the chances that a census worker will call to check up on you. That in itself isn't the problem - scam artists are. See, in the past people have posed as census workers to gather sensitive personal information, like social security, bank account and credit card numbers. By putting off the census - or by being careless about who you interact with - you could be increasing your identity theft risk.

Fortunately, it's easy to tell official census workers and materials from the frauds.

Continue reading "Chicago Residents Find Ways to Avoid Identity Theft during the 2010 Census" »

Most folks would never leave the house without locking their front door. But many of us are essentially doing the same thing with our computer, say Chicago bankruptcy attorneys.

A recent study found that the most common password is still - surprise - 123456. Other passwords are often too short and use common terms like "qwerty." Even worse, the most common security questions (What is your mother's maiden name? Where did you graduate high school? ) are easily available on social networking sites like Facebook.

Considering hackers today can break into hundreds of accounts in just a few minutes, most of us aren't doing enough to protect our banking and credit card information online. Changing your password is a hassle, but it's an even bigger hassle to try to recover thousands of dollars - and rebuild your life - after identity theft. Here are some tips to make protecting your finances easier.

Continue reading "Good Passwords Can Protect Chicago Computer Users From Identity Theft" »