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Showing posts from November, 2020

7 Ways To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft This Black Friday

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MoneyTips Practice Safe Shopping What does Black Friday protection mean to you? Maybe it's helmets and elbow pads as you battle your fellow consumers for doorbuster deals. Maybe it's protecting your space in line. Maybe it should be taking precautions to prevent identity theft. The holidays represent peak season for identity thieves – probably because there are more transactions and more opportunities for theft. According to 2018 data compiled by ACI Worldwide, the number of "buy online, pick up in-store" (BOPIS) transactions between Thanksgiving Day and December 31 increased by 20% over 2017, while attempted fraud over the same period increased by 13%. Reduce your chances of identity theft over the Thanksgiving weekend by following these common-sense methods for practicing "safe shopping." Seven Ways to Thwart Black Friday Fraudsters 1. Protect Your Purse/Wallet – from MoneyTips https://ift.tt/2TACOJQ

4 Top Myths Surrounding VA Loans

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MoneyTips Home sellers and their agents may be limiting their potential base of buyers by ignoring a growing pool of them. Mortgage industry software company Ellie Mae reports that loans acquired through the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department account for 10% of all primary insured home loans. It is easy to see why VA backing is preferable from a buyer's point of view. If you qualify, you can purchase a house with no money down (up to a particular loan limit that varies by market) and no Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) requirement. Yet, sellers shy away from buyers with VA loans, and seller's agents may serve as a screen to exclude VA-backed offers from ever reaching the seller. Why is this so? It makes little sense, since the risk of default is borne by the lending institution and not the buyer. In addition, foreclosures ... from MoneyTips https://ift.tt/2yFXMQq