These four steps to report identity theft can start you on the path to recovery. Identity theft is a scary thought. If stolen, your personal information can be used to make charges on your accounts or open fraudulent accounts in your name. Fortunately, there are a number of thing…

Don’t be fooled by scams asking you to pay an upfront fee prior to your loan application. LendingTree cares about your privacy and would like to alert you to possible fraudulent activity known as an “upfront fee scam.” In an upfront fee scam, a “lender” requires some sort of payment, ofte…

A little vigilance can help you prevent identity theft before it occurs. Identity theft has affected tens of millions of Americans in recent years, according to the Federal Trade Commission, and more than half of victims say they don’t know how thieves got the information…

Understanding the factors that go into your credit report can help you improve a less-than-perfect score. Credit scoring models are complex and often vary among creditors and for different types of credit. If one factor changes, your score may change, but improvement generally depends on how that factor …

Q: Recently, a mortgage broker told me I do not have any credit scores. How do I build credit? A: Your credit score is based on your credit payment history. The best way to build good credit is to consistently pay any loan or credit card bills you may have on time. Of course, without a credit …

Q: How should I deal with debt collectors? A: Carefully. Debt collectors are tough-as-nails negotiators with lots of experience and boatloads of determination. They make their living from commissions they earn on your debt payments, so it pay…

When you’re trying to recover from a bad credit history, the key is to start small and rebuild your credit score slowly. So your credit isn’t great. It may even be suffering after a bankruptcy. Don’t give up – it’s possible to bounce back and rebuild your credit history. The most important thing to remember is that fro…