How Helping Can Hurt

Buying a new home is a big step for anyone. Part of the American Dream tends to be described as owning your own home in the suburbs. But with housing prices high and a required 5 percent down to purchase a home with a conventional loan, many individuals look to their families for money to […]

Three Tips For Guarding Against Check Fraud

In a previous blog post, we briefly discussed the many faces of bank fraud, which occurs when a person or group obtains money or other assets from a bank or other financial institution using illegal means. Among the more common types of bank fraud is check fraud, which includes the modification, theft, and forgery of […]

Guard Against Mortgage Fraud While Refinancing Your Home

Homeowners choose to refinance their homes for many reasons. Restructuring your mortgage can result in lower monthly payments, a lower interest rate, or a longer loan term, making it more manageable to repay the loan. Homeowners might also opt to refinance due to a divorce, in order to get a fixed-rate mortgage, or for a […]

6 Tips For Protecting Your Credit/Debit Card Information

There are many ways in which a criminal can get hold of your credit or debit card information. “Skimming” is a crime where the information contained on the card’s magnetic strip is reproduced via a device that scans and stores the card data. Lost or stolen cards might also end up in the wrong hands, and dishonest […]

The Many Faces of Bank Fraud

Most of us hear words like “theft” and “fraud” in our everyday lives, but we’re unfamiliar with what those things really mean when it comes to criminal charges. Bank fraud, for example, can take a number of forms and can be perpetrated by persons in a variety of positions. There are two parts to the […]