European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 18, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday March 18 2007 stars and stripes Page 29 your Money lenders allowed to delete credit report info dear Liz i hired a Law firm to dispute a number of items on my credit report so far a number of harmful credit accounts have been deleted but when i checked my credit scores two of them had dropped significantly no new negative items had been added to my report and several negative accounts had been deleted i was told that the reason for this was that the bureaus would remove an entire credit account when Only an aspect of that account had been disputed in other words if you dispute a late payment on a mortgage the mortgage itself will be deleted from your report while the dispute is investigated and the removal of that loan from your file can Hurt your scores furthermore i was told that the same was not True for collection accounts the effect they have on your scores re Mains even while the account is under dispute is this truly the Way it works answer much of what you were told was incorrect the three major bureaus Equi fax esperian and Tran Union dont re move accounts or Loans known As Trade lines from your credit reports while there under dispute it Doest matter whether there Trade lines reported by Money talk Liz Pulliam Weston the original creditors or by collectors if you successfully dispute one aspect of an account or loan the bureaus would delete Only that aspect from your files in the example you gave the mortgage account would remain if Only the late payment was successfully disputed your creditors however do have the Power to delete a Trade line again using the example you gave the mortgage Lender might decide to Stop reporting your loan after you dispute the missed payment if the mortgage had an Overall positive effect on your scores despite the late your scores will drop when it disappears we know that irresponsible credit behaviour such As missing pay ments maxing out credit lines and apply ing for lots of accounts in a Short period of time has a negative effect on our credit scores we typically cant know in Advance though whether removing a troubled account will help or Hurt our scores that one of the reasons credit repair is such a Tricky business dear Liz in a recent column you an swered a question by stating that debit cards were a More secure option than checks i want to Tell you about a recent experience that has made me think otherwise i had trouble using an atm to Transfer funds and then had my debit card rejected by two merchants i eventually discovered that someone had attempted to use my debit card number to make a Pur Chase at a Walmart the Purchase did not go through and a hold was put on the account the Bank did not Call me to ask about the Purchase though and i finally got a letter about the attempted Purchase Many Days later one Bank employee told me that she lets her debit card out of her sight reluctantly Only when she pays a Check at a restaurant another told me that he uses his debit card Only As a charge card most store terminals offer the option their Point was that unlike a credit card a debit card can be used to clean out someones Bank accounts scary indeed answer there is no method of pay ment that entirely secure but you Actu ally have More consumer protections using your debit card than you do using a Check Federal Law spells out How quickly Banks must investigate reports of fraudulent use of debit cards but not checks and if your debit card has a visa or Mastercard logo youre offered the same Zero liability Protection you have with a visa or Mastercard credit card had any Money been taken from your or Bank typically would have restored it within a Day or two that still an inconvenience which is Why youre better off using a credit card in any questionable circumstances those include handing a card to a waiter who will process it out of your sight and using it at businesses such As Gas stations and convenience stores that May have High employee turnover but you can have your debit card information stolen even if the plastic never leaves your Wallet fraud experts say thieves have been Able to Access Bank account information at retailers and other third parties and used it to create bogus debit cards sever Al Banks including Bank of America Citibank Washington Mutual and Wells Fargo reissued debit cards last year after uncovering fraudulent activity you were understandably spooked by the fact that someone got your debit card number and your Bank should have in formed you More quickly of what was going on but in fact the Security sys tems worked to keep you from being a Vic Tim Liz Pulliam Weston is the author of the books your credit score and Deal with your debt both published by Prentice Hall questions for possible inclusion in her column May be sent to 3940 Laurel Canyon blvd no 238 studio City Ca 91604 or via the Contact Liz form at  distributed by no More red 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rates Are those available to customers at military Bank ing facilities in the country of issuance for Japan South Korea Germany the Netherlands and the United kingdom for no local currency Exchange rates in purchasing British pounds in Germa Check with your local military Bank ing facility commercial rates Are inter Bank rates provided for reference when buying currency All figures Are foreign currencies to one Dollar except for the British Pound which is represented in dollars Pound and the euro which is dollars euro precious metals new York merc close Gold Silver interest rates prime rate825 discount rate625 Federal funds Market rate 525 3month bill504 30year bond469 sources the associated press Bank of America ends and sensibility Money tip of the Day the salary sought dance Market watch new York whether youre looking for a Job As an accountant or a zoologist there is one question youre sure to be asked sometime during and even Early in the interview pro Cess what Are your salary expectations How you Deal with that query is crucial to ensuring that you dont get shortchanged if youre hired or even left out of the considerations altogether Don Sutaria president and founder of career quest a staff ing and training firm advises Job seekers to avoid offering a solid figure dont answer the question say til expect the fair Market value make me an offer and we can discuss it or maybe you can Tell me what your Range is Sutaria adds that the Best approach is to Arm yourself with in formation its very easy to find now based on the Job title and Industry what your Range is indeed there Are several web Sites you can consult to find salary ranges for various professions in regions All Over the country a few reliable ones include salary com vault com wage Webcam  and Job Star org professional associations also sometimes conduct salary surveys and publish their results employers will often ask the salary expectation question As a Way to screen out candidates on an application its fair to write something like negotiable or offer a very Broad Range if your resume and cover letter Are impressive potential employers Are unlikely to Rule you out based on a vague response remember that if you do name an amount Early in the process its going to be difficult to renegotiate later if and when youre asked the question in an inter View ask about the positions Sal Ary level for someone with your qualifications Roy Blitzer author of hire me inc package yourself to get your dream Job writes that if youre pressed for a figure you can offer a Range that youve determined based on research of the positions fair Market value discover Why so Many people Are saying Al Uncial i  arc