Busting the Credit Card Myth
You can find lots of misinformation about money and credit and especially credit cards. Misinformation is misfortune, so arm yourself with The truth before you tackle the credit card demons!
Myth #1: “It’s all my fault I got into this credit card mess!”
The truth: It may not be your fault at all. Credit card companies really are out to get us. You probably just got caught in the trap.
Myth #2: “Credit Cards are what got me into debt.”
The truth: Spending is what got you into debt. The credit cards just made it easier.
Myth #3: “My credit rating is destroyed forever and there is nothing I can do about it.”
The truth: If you have a job and are willing to work at it, you can get your credit under control and your credit rating restored. Rebuilding your credit requires that you do three things; pay your bills on time, look for better options and learn about money and credit.
Myth #4: “It’s fine to give my credit card number for identification as long as I don’t authorize a charge.”
The truth: NEVER give your credit card number for identification purposes. For that matter, you need to guard all of your personal information like a ferocious tiger.
Unless you initiate the phone call, do not give your name, address, phone number, social security number, credit card number or driver’s license number to anybody. All of this information can cause your identity to be stolen or worse.
Myth #5: “If I pay off a debt or cut up a credit card, this information is removed from my credit report.”
The truth: When you pay off a past due debt it actually restarts the time period that it can be reported in your credit history. Cutting up a credit card does not close the account. You must call the credit card bank to close an account under all circumstances.
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.