| Steer clear of companies offering to fix your credit - Money Matters
Q: I'm 53. After years of taking care of my ill father, I've got about $17,000 in credit card debt. My interest rates have been jacked up because my credit rating is so bad. (I made some late payments during times my dad was in the hospital and life was crazy.) I've heard about places that can fix your credit. I'd like to get caught up on my bills but it's impossible with interest rates of more than 30 percent. Can these places really fix your credit rating? R.I., Lakewood A: Steer clear of these outfits. There are only three types of supposed credit-repair companies: Those that charge hundreds of dollars to write letters to the credit bureaus to dispute negative information on your report. If the information is accurate, it won't be deleted. If it's inaccurate, you can write the letters yourself at no charge.
Dollar slumps to fresh euro low
A dollar printing plate at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington. The dollar plunged to another historic low point against the euro Tuesday, as the greenback was plagued by concerns over the US economy amid a global credit squeeze, dealers said. .
The CNN Wire: Monday, Nov. 19
Election date set as Musharraf heads for Saudi Arabia; Opposition ponders vote boycott, Khan launches hunger strike ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- As Pakistan President Gen. Pervez Musharraf left Pakistan for a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, his country's chief election commissioner announced that voting for Pakistan's national assembly and its four provincial assemblies will take place on Jan. 8. Opposition parties, including those of former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, have not said if they will participate in the January elections. They've indicated they would boycott elections as long as the emergency declaration and suspension of the constitution ordered by Musharraf last month remained in place. Former cricket star and now opposition party leader Imran Khan launched a jail hunger strike which he said would continue until the Supreme Court justices fired by Musharraf last month are restored.
Migrant total now 1.5 million
CONFUSION over the number of foreign workers in Britain deepened last night after it emerged the government's chief statistician estimated there are 1.5 million - 400,000 more than ministers had claimed. No fewer than three different estimates of foreign workers were issued by the government within a matter of hours. .
Tories 'would break up UK' by stopping Scots votes on English issues
THE Tories were accused of prompting the break up of the UK last night as it emerged David Cameron is set to commit his party to stripping Scottish MPs of the right to vote on English matters at Westminster. He will back proposals by Sir Malcolm Rifkind, the former Scottish secretary, to create an English Grand Committee of the House of Commons to deal with issues which only affect people living south of the Border. .
Turnwald: What your credit score really means
You hear a lot about credit scores and their effects on your financial health. But what is this score and how does a bankruptcy filing affect it - and you? A credit score is a number based on a statistic analysis of a person's credit history that determines the likelihood that person will pay his or her bills. .
(AFX UK Focus) 2007-11-19 03:41 GMT: Asian shares mixed as credit concerns persist; Shanghai hit by tightening fears
SINGAPORE (Thomson Financial) - Stock markets across Asia were mixed Monday on continued worry about the credit crisis with Australia finding support in fresh gains among resource stocks while Shanghai faltered on expectations of further tightening measures to cool the Chinese economy. Benchmarks in South Korea and Taiwan were flat, while Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines managed modest gains. The Hang Seng was slightly higher after falling in early trade. Valuations have become more attractive after the declines of the past week, but concerns about the global credit crunch are preventing investors from making aggressive moves. "It's a 3 trillion dollar problem worldwide and it should play a major role on the markets for some time to come," said Jose Vistan Jr, research director at AB Capital Securities in Manila.
Follow steps to stop identity theft in its tracks
Identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the nation. In fact, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), 9.3 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2004. Despite these numbers, most people don't think it can happen to them. .
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