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1500 questions
63
votes
4 answers

Counterfeit checks were created for my account. How does this type of fraud work?

Two days ago, first thing in the morning I updated my quicken accounts and saw that my primary checking account had two unidentified checks totaling several thousand dollars, wiping out the account and generating penalties, etc. I immediately went…
EdStevens
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62
votes
6 answers

Wife is cosigned on a credit card with her parents — real assets are also shared. How to protect my credit?

A few years ago I got a credit monitoring app and started watching my credit score (high 700s). It's been climbing slowly and sends me an alert when I apply for new credit — like when I bought a car or applied for a Lowe's card. Today I set my wife…
anonibon
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62
votes
4 answers

Closed account, haven't received payment. When has the bank "stolen" my money?

Background I closed a checking account over 40 days ago at a large national bank in the US. I was told I would receive a check for the remainder (>$1000) in one to two weeks. I still have not received the check. I have called their phone support and…
Jack
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62
votes
6 answers

Is it legal to photograph and test ATMs?

Some online company asked me do a job like this We have a special task for you! Our analyst department collects information regarding Bitcoin ATMs across different states and cities. In most cases, the BTC ATM map doesn’t demonstrate the…
mikeAD
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62
votes
5 answers

Should I worry about having my credit pulled multiple times while car shopping?

I went to a dealership today and they pulled my credit after a test drive. I've heard that as long as you get your credit pulled for an auto loan within a few days, multiple pulls will only count as one. Well the salesman really wanted to keep me…
Chris
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62
votes
6 answers

Why does Geico ask me not to reveal the limits of my liability coverage in case of a car accident?

I read on my "Evidence of Liability Insurance card" issued by Geico in California, US: What to do at the time of an accident: […] Do not reveal the limits of your liability coverage to anyone. Why does Geico ask me not to reveal the limits of my…
Franck Dernoncourt
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61
votes
9 answers

What are the alternatives to compound interest for a Muslim?

I have read the importance of saving early and the power of compound interest many many times. However I am a Muslim and cannot participate in anything involving interest. I also learned that keeping money in terms of just cash is the worst form…
user4884
61
votes
3 answers

How can I invest in country A to take advantage of their great interest rate while I live in country B?

If I live in the US, for example, where current interest rates are practically nil, how can I take advantage of the fact that interest rates in Australia are almost 5%?
Michael Pryor
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61
votes
2 answers

Found more old paper shares from broken up companies

I recently asked a question with regards to 36 physical shares of motorola inc from 1999 I found lying around. Thanks to the great answer I received (if you're wondering they're worth around $3000), I did some more digging and found my other old…
thelegend27
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61
votes
6 answers

Good allowance savings plan?

I am about to begin receiving a weekly allowance from my dad. As I am not great at controlling my "buy buy buy now" impulses, could you guys help me put together a savings plan for my allowance, given that I want to save a lot, but not all, of my…
SushiCraft 99
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60
votes
14 answers

Is it a lie that you can easily make money passively in the stock market?

People on this site often recommend that investing in an index fund is a good, passive way to make money long-term. But this is clearly not true. Even if we ignore the risk associated with investing money in stocks and only consider some sort of…
Margin
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60
votes
12 answers

What should I do with $4,000 cash and High Interest Debt?

I'm receiving a $4,000 gift. I'm going to put $1,000 in an account. Next - with this gift I can pay off a credit card with a 23% APR or I can make a 15% dent in a 26% APR credit card. Do I pay off the 23% or make the dent in the 26%? Considering…
Patti Reiss
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60
votes
9 answers

Why are 30-year mortgages seen as unwise, if you can pay off the loan in a shorter period of time anyway?

I'm slowly working towards buying my first home (yay!), and have been playing around with the numbers. As far as I can tell, there's literally zero advantage for getting a 10 or 15-year mortgage since I can just get the exact same mortgage in a…
60
votes
4 answers

If you cut dollar bills in half and then put them back together, are they still valid?

In Amazing Spider-Man #39, a disguised Norman Osborne (the Green Goblin) hires a bunch of hit-men to take on Spider-Man and does it by giving them half the money now. Literally: he splits the bills in half. Assuming that the hit-men got their…
Thunderforge
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60
votes
15 answers

Credit card details stolen every 1-2 years. What am I doing wrong?

Background I just had my credit card canceled because of fraud. This is actually a perfectly normal occurrence for me, which is the impetus behind this question. The card in question was only about 1.5 years old, because that is how long it has…
conman
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