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The 640 MEG Shareware Studio 2
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The 640 Meg Shareware Studio CD-ROM Volume II (Data Express)(1993).ISO
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7.CCS
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1992-12-20
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"GUARANTEED" OR "PRE-APPROVED" CARDS: There is a difference
The terms "guaranteed" and "pre-approved" are often
misunderstood, and frequently, although incorrect, are used
interchangeably. The term guaranteed, refers to a type of
credit "account" while the term pre-approved refers to a
credit card "offer."
A "guaranteed" or "collateral" credit card account is one
where the cardholder has put up a sum of money as collateral
in return for credit card privileges. As one would guess,
these accounts are used primarily by consumers who have had
trouble qualifying for credit due to lack of credit history,
or, a poor credit history. While these types of "secured"
accounts only number about 450,000, it is believed their
number will eventually reach 30 million.
Acceptance for a "guaranteed card" is not always --
guaranteed. Because secured accounts are not totally without
risk, some credit card issuers will turn down certain
applicants. One credit card issuer, for instance, will
reject an application if the applicant has ever declared
bankruptcy. Also, many guaranteed cards have residency
requirements.
In general, a guaranteed credit account is the same as a
conventional credit card account, except for the following
items: application and processing fees, security deposit,
deposit interest, line of credit and conversion options.
Besides an annual fee, applicants are usually required to
pay an application, as well as a processing fee to obtain a
guaranteed credit card. In some rare instances, these fees
will be refunded if the applicant does not qualify for the
card.
As we already mentioned, once an applicant is approved, he
or she will be required to post a security deposit in order
to obtain a guaranteed card. This deposit can range from
$200 to $20,000. The bank holding the security will pay
deposit interest on the applicant's security deposit. The
interest paid is usually below current market standards and
may only be paid on a portion of the security deposit.
Applicants who are approved for a guaranteed card are issued
a line of credit, which is based on the amount of their
security deposit. This line of credit or "credit limit"
ranges from 50 to 100 percent of the security deposit.
An applicant for a secured card must first be sure that they
qualify for a particular card before applying; they
shouldn't waste their time and money if they know they won't
qualify. When in doubt, an applicant should call the card
issuer to discuss their particular situation.
A consumer should never apply for more than two cards in a
six-month period as each application will appear on their
credit profile. When creditors, secured or not, see multiple
inquiries on a credit profile, they get suspicious and
nervous. Making multiple applications will increase the
chances of being denied credit.
Also, an applicant should be certain they can afford to pay
for application, processing and annual fees, as well as the
security deposit. And if the holder of a guaranteed credit
card closes their account, the bank may hold their security
deposit for up to 45 days to ensure that all charges have
cleared. A consumer should be certain that they can afford
to tie up their money for that amount of time.
A guaranteed account should not be opened with the intention
of having it forever. The true purpose of a guaranteed
account is to establish or rebuild credit. Once the account
has been paid satisfactorily for 18 months or so, it should
be converted to a conventional account, which means that the
security deposit is refunded and the account is treated like
a standard credit card account.
While secured or guaranteed credit cards are a good way to
build or rebuild a credit history, they can be expensive. If
a consumer needs to establish credit, they may have no
choice but to pay the price. One should always inquire as to
which credit reporting agency the credit card issuer
reports. If they don't report to at least one of the big
three, Equifax, TransUnion or TRW, one should keep shopping
or they'll be wasting money.
Companies such as American Express do not subscribe to
reporting agencies. So, obtaining such a card will do little
for a consumer's credit rating. Instead of using an American
Express card, a consumer should apply for easier to qualify
for store cards such as Sears or J.C. Pennys. The consumer
should use these cards for routine purchases and pay their
balance in full each month. Since these companies subscribe
to the credit reporting services, and, their cards are easy
to qualify for, they are an inexpensive way to build good
credit.
A pre-approved card is one where a credit card company sends
an offer for a credit card through the mail stating, " . . .
your application has been pre approved." According to
federal law, a consumer does not have to go through a credit
screening to qualify for this offer; the card is their's for
the asking. A credit card issuer may be sued for denying an
application after extending a pre-approved offer.
* * * End of "GUARANTEED" OR "PRE-APPROVED" CARDS * * *