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InCharge® Education Foundation (ICEF) has been approved by the Executive Office for United States Trustees (EOUST)* to offer online “Pre-Filing Bankruptcy Counseling,” making it one of a select group of providers offering both pre-filing counseling and pre-discharge debtor education courses online.

The new course is being offered online, joining ICEF’s “Pre-Discharge Debtor Education Course” that has served bankruptcy attorneys and their clients since 2005. In that year, Congress passed “The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005″ which required those seeking bankruptcy protection to take a credit counseling course from a government-approved organization within 180 days before filing for bankruptcy. In addition, a pre-discharge debtor education course must be completed prior to debts being discharged.

InCharge® Education Foundation is a respected source of reliable and relevant education, data and research on the behaviors and issues facing individuals and families on consumer credit, money management and financial well-being. InCharge Education Foundation also has established relationships with the Department of Defense, publishing Military Money® magazine and offers financial tools for consumers nationwide.

For more information, visit inchargefoundation.org.

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With the latest advancements in today’s technology, it’s no surprise that fraud and identity theft continue to thrive. Identity theft is the most common concern among consumers contacting the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) with 32 percent of all complaints, nearly 260,000 in 2007.

In 2007, consumers reported fraud losses totaling more than $1.2 billion to the FTC, and according to USA Today, personal ID theft tripled in the U.S. last year as well. The FTC reports that the average amount paid by fraud victims was $2,507 in ‘07.

Here are some tips from American Consumer Credit Counseling to keep you from becoming a victim of Fraud or Identity Theft:

1. Keep your confidential and financial information private. It is unusual for a bank or credit company to request your account information, seeing as they already have it.

2. Keep an inventory of everything in your wallet. Don’t keep your Social Security card or any card with your Social Security number, such as an insurance card, in your wallet.

3. Monitor your bank and credit card transactions closely for unauthorized use. Thieves usually start off with something small to test the waters. If you don’t catch the small things, you can be sure to have some nasty charges appearing on your bill in the near future.

4. When you use an ATM look for suspicious devices and don’t let anyone stand nearby. Always take your card and receipt, and memorize your PIN instead of keeping it in your wallet.

5. Keeping your computer up to date with the latest anti-spyware and anti-virus scan software and firewall protection is crucial in order to protect your computer from hackers. Never open an email or attachment unless you are sure of who sent it and what it contains. Never click on pop-ups and configure your web browser to automatically block them.

6. Never provide credit card information online, unless you are making purchases from a trusted site. Trustworthy sites will direct you to a secure URL starting with https:// anytime you are asked to provide confidential information. Never send your usernames and passwords by email, or save them on your hard drive.

7. Turn your computer off, or place it on standby when you are not using it. This will prevent someone from accessing your personal information.

For more information, visit consumercredit.com.

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Debt management has been a steadily growing industry for the last decade as the number of consumers with debt problems rise. This growth, however, has recently exploded and is set to rise even further when the credit crunch fully sets in.

Debt management companies act as an intermediary between the debtor and the creditor. Typically these specialist companies will contact creditors to negotiate more manageable payment terms with a view to allowing the debt to be paid off as soon as possible within the means of the creditor. Debt management can offer relief and a lifeline to those struggling with debt. It is seen by many as a way out of debt and an alternative to bankruptcy.

Causes of consumer debt are a combination of mismanaged credit and lifestyle choices. Saving and investment is at an all time low as consumers spend more and more, therefore putting the consumer in a cycle of spending and borrowing.

Experts put the blame on the banking industry and their reckless provision of credit facilities to those unable to manage them properly. This situation has now come to an end as consumers now face the reality of paying back years of living on credit. We can all expect credit, even for those who are more solvent, to be increasingly difficult to obtain.
Of course, this news isn’t all bad if you are in the debt management industry. With new companies opening on a daily basis, the only growth industry in the UK seems to be debt management.

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According to recent statistics, Americans with at least one credit card, or other type of unsecured debt, owe more than $9,000, a staggering fact that prompted the development of a website that was created to assist people who are having difficulty, or simply unable to make their monthly payments and are struggling with debt.

Statistics also show that the average college graduate student currently has at least six credit cards, with one out of every seven of those students more than $15,000 in debt. As the credit card industry collects more than $45 billion dollars a year in annual fees, over a million U.S. households are filing for bankruptcy each and every year. In light of this information, Jim Schneider, one of the site’s creators and experts on debt says it’s definitely time for something to be done about the American people’s growing financial problems.

With in depth articles, proven strategies, free reports, and interviews with debt specialists, the website provides a plethora of information about credit card and unsecured debt and how people can finally regain control of their finances. Also, numerous programs are available, including those that are specifically designed by a debt specialist and tailored to client’s individual needs.

For more information, visit debtorelief.com.

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