Apparently the legislation was written in a way to make exceptions for what were termed “ professional cards ” – business credit cards that have historically been targeted at small business owners. Aside from the unethical practice of allowing the banks to still prey on small business owners in the same fashion that regular consumers were just protected from, it appears that there is nothing that prevents the banks from issuing these cards to non-business owners. Enter the Ink Card From Chase and a massive marketing campaign behind it targeting anyone that wants to apply

{In the first quarter of 2010, 47 million “professional card” offers were mailed out, a 256% increase from the same period last year, according to research firm Synovate}. Since the Ink Card From Chase is classified by Chase Bank as a “professional card”, none of the new rules apply so they can still financially rape consumers with 29.99% interest rates, raise rates on a whim, apply new APR’s to prior balances, etc.

In the last 3 years, “would be” models have researched agencies and more than 2,000 complaints from people who feel they were misled by an agency into paying large upfront fees – often for headshots and portfolios – and received little or no modeling or acting work in return.

Common complaints about talent and modeling agencies often come from “would be” models or parents who think their kids have star potential. Typically, they are told they need to pay upfront fees – such as for headshots – after which the agency will start finding them work. Fraud complainants report that despite paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars in various upfront fees, the agency found them few, if any, jobs.

Before investing any money and signing up with a modeling or talent agency:

Modeling scam tip #1. Do your research – Always check the company out with your Better Business Bureau. Some states may require a talent agency or modeling school to be licensed and bonded; confirm the company meets those requirements if applicable.

Modeling scam tip #2. Beware of big promises and high pressure sales pitches – In the modeling world, income is never guaranteed and jobs can be sporadic. Consider it a red flag if the sales pitch promises a lot of jobs and big earnings or uses high pressure tactics to get you to sign up without thinking it through first.

Modeling scam tip #3. Read the fine print and get everything in writing – Take your time and read the agreement or contract carefully, paying close attention to details regarding refunds and your recourse if you are dissatisfied. Make sure that all verbal promises are in the agreement.

Modeling scam tip #4. Get references – Ask for references from other satisfied clients who have a similar background and qualifications.

Modeling scam tip #5. Complain if you’ve been ripped off – If you feel you’ve been misled by a talent or modeling agency, file a complaint with your Better Business Bureau, State Attorney General and the FTC.

Today, I received an invitation to an “Free! iPad! Event!” allegedly from someone in my Facebook friends list.

That Facebook invite links to an external site operated by “Better-Gifts.net”, which in turn is owned by a group called “Worldwide Commerce Associates.” (Google them, and you’ll find scores of similar sites.) These guys make money by rounding up offers from different affiliate marketing programs and selling your information to telemarketers.

More >>>> http://www.pcworld.com/article/203946/friends_dont_invite_friends_to_bogus_free_apple_ipad_events.html

A good percentage of reverse mortgage products fall flat. But every once in a while, one will take hold in a way that even the experts didn’t see coming. It’s time to look under the hood, kick the tires and really get a sense of whether that particular mortgage product is for you before you buy into all the hype.

Designed for people 62 and over, these reverse mortgages enable you to have a bank buy back your home while you’re still living in it. It provides an income that you can opt to receive in a lump sum, a monthly payment or a line of credit that you draw upon when necessary.

Sounds kind of like winning the lottery, right? Not quite. You have to pay the money back (plus interest) when you vacate or sell the home, and there are fees involved. Still, these mortgages do have a place, and they’re rapidly finding it: According to a recent report by the AARP, while only about 1 percent of older homeowners have a reverse mortgage, there were 107,000 loans made in 2007 compared to only 6,600 in 2000.

Do your due diligence before you (or your parents) join the reverse-mortgage frenzy and perhaps get caught in a scam.

Hackers can make fraudulent purchases on iTunes accounts to which they have obtained the passwords. But these passwords were not obtained by breaking into Apple’s servers; Apple sources tell CNET that “iTunes has not been compromised and the company is not aware of any sudden increase in fraudulent transactions.”

Read More >>>> http://www.pcworld.com/article/2039/itunes_scam_how_to_protect_yourself.html?tk=hp_new

The BBB urges consumers to check their credit card and bank accounts frequently for any unauthorized charges. The unexpected and unexplained charges from iEarn, LLC, now operating as Success Funding Now, are not just an inconvenience to the consumers whose accounts have been charged.

MORE >>>> http://tucson.bbb.org/article/bbb-warns-consumers-to-watch-for-mystery-charges-from-iearn-llc-21792

4 large mortgage companies — WR Starkey Mortgage, Beazer Mortgage, Vanderbilt Mortgage and Countrywide Homes — are accused of utilizing inaccurate information to obtain loans for consumers or working with home dealers to inflate the prices of homes.

The Commissioner of Banks and the Attorney General’s office collaborated to collect
- $4.7 million from WR Starkey
- $2.5 million from Beazer
- $2.8 million from Vanderbilt
- $11 million from Countrywide Homes

North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper called mortgage fraud investigations very labor intensive, due to the number of parties involved and the paperwork. He also noted that these types of problems are not easily detected.

MORE >>>> http://www.northcarolinacriminallawattorneys.com/2010/08/-source-wralcom.shtml

Data prepared for The Wall Street Journal by research firm CoreLogic, examining about seven million home loans made by hundreds of lenders, show that losses from mortgage fraud, ranging from falsified credit reports to identity theft—rose 17% last year after declining 57% in the 2 years after the peak in 2006.

In 2009, $14 billion in loans, or about 0.7% of all mortgage loans made in the U.S., were originated with fraudulent application data.

CoreLogic, which tracks fraud only by mortgage value, examines about 7 million loans each year using a proprietary computer software program that detects discrepancies in loan documents and predicts the likelihood of fraud. The real losses to banks won’t be known for several years when banks are forced to write off the value of the loans’ value.

MORE >>>> http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703824304575435383161436658.html?mod=WSJ_RealEstate_LEADTopNews

For those keeping track, that’s anywhere between $63 and $125 per hour in an eight hour workday. It’s not uncommon for work-at-home companies like Data Direx Jobs to claim these kinds of earnings, often without any kind of proof to back it up – and by “proof,” I don’t mean testimonials. Testimonials are most typically used to look like proof, when it’s easy to simply make them up as a way to get instant credibility.

Read More >>>> http://cincinnati.bbb.org/post/data-direx-jobs-offers-data-entry-for-loads-of-money-looks-like-every-other-work-at-home-scheme-5891

According to a slew of recent complaints, Assurance Financial Services has been offering these small personal loans on their website. But these loan offers are nothing more than a fraud scam. Consumers are asked to reveal their personal financial information and fork over close to $1,000 to cover supposed administrative costs for the loan by wiring fees to various individuals in Canada. Assurance Financial promises the loan will be deposited in the consumer’s bank account the following day, but it never comes.

MORE >>>> http://www.bbb.org/us/article/assurance-financial-services–assuredly-a-scam-21492?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+US-BBB-Alerts-and-Scams+(US+BBB+Alerts+and+Scams)