Posts Tagged ‘Personal Credit’

How Credit Card Applications Can Effect Your Credit Score

Beth Pardue asked:




Thanks to the Internet, it has never been easier to receive and submit credit card applications. It can be very tempting to fill out all of the online forms available to you. But be careful, it could end up costing you–consider the following issues before hitting that “send application” again.

Be aware of card offers promising “pre-approved” credit. You may be a prospective customer, but you still have to apply for credit. Each time you apply, the card company obtains a copy of your credit report. All these credit card applications count as inquiries that, if concentrated over a short period of time, can negatively affect your credit score [http://www.credit-report-credit-score.com]

With online credit card applications, you should also consider the security of your personal credit information. Take Security and privacy concerns seriously. Limit your online application to card companies that use industry-standard practices for security and privacy. Look for 128-bit encrypting, which scrambles your application data and requires a de-scrambler to read it.

Additionally, the card company’s Web server should use Secured Sockets Layer (SSL) technology. Look for an online application on a secure screen of the Web site. This is usually identified with a padlock or similar icon, or has a URL that begins with the word “https.” The company should also clearly state its privacy policy for handling your financial data.

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Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the authors bio paragraph at the bottom of this article is included, the article is published “as is” (unedited) and all URL’s are made active hyperlinks with no syntax changes.

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Adrian
 

Credit Card Merchant Accounts?

DMG asked:


I recently submitted an application for a business credit card merchant account. It is an existing business with an existing merchant account with another company. This new provider wants me to give them my social security number even though the company has its own EIN/tax ID. Why would they want my social? Does this open me up to financial liabilities of the company? I know if they hard pull my credit information, this has a negative impact on my personal credit rating. The other option is to jump through hoops of sending several years tax returns and months of bank statements. What is the best course of action?
We have been in business for almost 7 years so it is not from lack of history.
This is not for a business credit card, it is for a merchant account to process credit cards.

BRAD