Free Financial Today

Question: I recently used UPS to ship a package valued at $375. The employee at the UPS customer center filled out the shipping label for me, but never asked about the value of the package’s contents. The shipment was lost in transit, and UPS is telling me that they will only reimburse $100 (plus the shipping cost of $18.95) because I did not declare a value on the parcel. I MORE

Question: Because I haven’t used my oldest credit card for a year, HSBC says it’s closing the account. I’m afraid this will hurt my credit score. Help! — Nevena Georgieva, Chicago

Answer: Credit-card companies lose money on dormant accounts, and as they feel the economic pinch, they’re more apt to close them. Unfortunately, as you suspected, closing your oldest card can lower your credit score. The length of time your accounts MORE

Question: My 20-year-old son applied for a Macy’s charge card but was rejected. When he ordered his credit report, we discovered that my ex-husband, who has the same name as my son, opened a Comcast cable account using our son’s Social Security number, then neglected to pay $453 in charges. How can we fix this?  – Name Withheld, Fla.

Answer: Identity theft is frustrating enough to deal with, but even worse MORE

Question: I invested $1,000 with a company called MTE in 2006. At a church meeting, MTE claimed to invest in securities and promised a monthly return of 25%. Before I got any payment, the state froze MTE’s funds, saying it was a fraud. Will I get my money back?  – Steven Collins, South Holland, Ill.

Answer: Oh, dear! You let yourself get snared in a classic pyramid scheme, where scam artists MORE

Question: I bought a cell phone from Alltel with a $100 mail-in rebate. I sent in all the paperwork but never got the money. When I called Alltel months later, the company told me it never got my form – and I could no longer submit it because the rebate had expired. Help! – Geert Audiens, Cary, N.C.

Answer: Businesses lure consumers with billions of dollars in rebate offers every MORE