Author Archives: Inter_admin

T-Mobile Data Breach May Hit Almost 37 Million Customer Accounts

It wasn’t yet Groundhog Day, but news at the end of January felt all too familiar. T-Mobile announced that it has been investigating yet another major data breach. Initial reports are that this hack has potentially compromised the information relating to 37 million accounts, roughly a third of T-Mobile’s customers. This is the second time […]

Credit Bureaus Under Increasing Scrutiny from Feds and Consumers Alike

A little-known governmental entity—the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)—plays a significant, if unnoticed, role in American consumers’ lives. And it could get even bigger. That’s because one of the CFPB’s chief responsibilities is tracking, analyzing, and investigating consumers’ complaints against the national credit reporting agencies. It’s becoming increasingly clear there’s a concern with credit reporting, […]

How Americans Lost $603 Billion by Sticking With Big Banks

We tend to assume that big banks like Citi, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, and Chase treat us fairly when we deposit our money with them. Relentless advertisements, featuring smiling families and beloved celebrities, are designed to make us, dare I say, trust these big banks. That trust is totally unwarranted. The Wall Street Journal recently explained how consumers […]

Is There Help Coming for Consumers Impacted by Hurricane Fiona and Ian?

It was clear from the stunning news footage and other coverage that Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Fiona caused enormous physical damage to their communities. Houses were leveled, businesses were left in rubble, and streets became rivers. But, as people lose their homes and jobs or have to wait until insurance checks arrive, the bills somehow […]

What Do I Do? My Credit Report Says I’m Dead

Last year, a 91-year-old Marylander had the shock of her life. She discovered that, according to the Social Security Administration, she was already dead. This wasn’t just comical. It immediately impacted her life because, since she was “dead,” she was no longer eligible for the retirement benefits that she lived on. And she isn’t the […]

What Do I Do? My Credit Report Says I’m Dead

Last year, a 91-year-old Marylander had the shock of her life. She discovered that, according to the Social Security Administration, she was already dead. This wasn’t just comical. It immediately impacted her life because, since she was “dead,” she was no longer eligible for the retirement benefits that she lived on. And she isn’t the […]

Hyundai Must Pay More than $19 Million for Furnishing Incorrect Information to Credit Bureaus

Last year, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ordered Hyundai Capital America (HCA) to pay more than $19 million in penalties for giving inaccurate information to the financial credit bureaus—making this the CFPB’s largest case against an automotive servicer for violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Of the penalties, $13 million will impact Hyundai […]

When Married Couples Have the Same Name

Recently, the Wall Street Journal had an article about married couples who wound up having the same name. And this issue may become more common as names previously considered male or female become gender-neutral. For example, in November of 2022, movie star Taylor Lautner married Taylor Dome, who became Mrs. Taylor Lautner. While the article […]

African American Last Names And Credit Errors

A person’s surname can reveal a lot of information about them, particularly their ethnicity or ancestry—but it’s not always safe to assume that you know who someone is because of their last name. Plenty of folks get their name from marriage; others take the name of their adoptive family. Some people make up their name […]

No Need To Buy A Vowel: Most Popular Italian Surnames

You’re probably aware that many Italian surnames have a vowel as the final letter, but the number of them that end with an A, E, I, or O might surprise you. Of the top 100 Italian surnames, 96 fit that convention! Piras, de Angelis, de Santis, and Dal are the only four that do not […]