February 2016


Credit Card Tips service


FROM PAGE 1 counseling


guidance on finding one, go to the Federal Trade Commission's website.


can help.


www.hamptonroadsmessenger.com


The Hampton Roads Messenger 3 For


for accuracy. A credit report is a compilation of how you have been paying your credit card bills, loans and selected other debts. By law, you are entitled to at least one free copy of your report from each of the nationwide credit bureaus every 12 months. To order your free credit report from the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion), visit www.AnnualCre- ditReport.com or call toll-free 1-877- 322-8228.


reports carefully to identify errors, such as loan or credit card accounts in your name that you did not authorize (and are likely to be fraudulent) or incorrect payment histories or account balances. Some mistakes can significantly lower your credit scores, which lenders often use in deciding on loan applications and interest rates.


"It's best to order copies of your credit report from each of the three main credit bureaus because an error that appears on one report might not appear on another," said Heather St. Germain, a Senior Consumer Affairs Specialist at the FDIC. "That way, if the bank you eventually apply to only uses one of your three reports, and it's one with an error, you'll have an opportunity to get that corrected before you apply."


If you do find an error on your free annual credit report from a credit bureau, contact the company to dispute the information. Once a credit bureau receives your complaint, it has 45 days to finish its investigation. Generally, consumers can file disputes with the credit bureau online, by phone or through the mail. A credit counseling service can help here, too. You may also contact the creditor directly because it can provide updated or corrected information to the credit bureau at your request.


difficulty ensuring that erroneous information is corrected or removed from their credit reports. If you've tried to resolve the issue on your own


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science,” she said. Willis traveled to Washington,


Being considered a leader in computer science is something that Willis takes very seriously.


being a role model for future student innovators,” she said.


Willis has maintained academic excellence with a perfect 4.0 grade point average at North Carolina A&T. She


school because she is determined to be the best that she possibly can. “I am very driven and passionate getting


about


education,and ultimately my life. I am an achiever because I settle for nothing less,” she said.


the most out of my


Outside of the classroom, Willis has applied her leadership skills as a University Innovation Fellow at Stanford, Bank of America intern, and an Apple HBCU Scholar. She led


maintains her passion about As a computer science major, “Leadership to me means,


D.C. on Tuesday, Jan. 28 to be honored by the White house for her leadership in expanding computer science education.


a project in which her group placed second in the Ford HBCU Community Challenge. She has also interned with NASA, where she worked on ecological forecasting research with space satellites to support reforestation in Rwanda.


car technology, relies heavily on software


science. I want to become the type of computer scientist who contributes to ambitious, exploratory and ground- breaking projects that positively and dramatically affect the technological advancement of mankind,” she said. Willis will continue to pave her way to success this summer as an Apple


Scholar at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, CA. “I look forward to contributing and learning as much as possible,” Willis said.


engineering and data space travel and driverless twitter.com/H_R_Messenger


“Computer science is crucial to innovation in all disciplines of STEM. Everything from the mapping of the human genome and 3D modeling, to


You are cordially invited to attend...


City Council meetings... Norfolk - regular meetings are held on the first and fourth Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. and the second and third Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.


Chesapeake - regular meetings are held on the second, third and fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m.


Newport News - regular business meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 7:00 p.m.


Suffolk - regular meetings are held on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Hampton - typically take place on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. Virginia Beach - meets on the first four Tuesdays of each month. In July the meetings are scheduled


Sometimes consumers have It's important to go through your Check your credit reports


without success, you can turn to the appropriate federal regulator for help.


If the problem is with a bank and you're not sure which federal regulator to contact (remember that the FDIC is not the primary regulator for all of the institutions it insures), you can call the FDIC toll-free at 1-877-ASK-FDIC (1-877-275-3342) or use an online directory of insured banks at www.research.fdic.gov/ bankfind. (For general information about resolving a complaint involving a bank, see our article in the Spring 2012 FDIC Consumer News. For help with a problem involving a credit bureau or a nonbank creditor (such as a finance company or a retail store), you can submit a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.


Shop around. Before submitting an application, it's important to get the best deal you can by researching the terms and conditions of different loans and credit cards offered by your bank and a few competitors. Think about the type of loan you need (for example, a fixed– or an adjustable– rate loan) and be realistic about what you can afford. Know the fees that may be assessed and what would trigger them.


Keep in mind that a loan or credit card may seem like a good deal on the surface, but a closer look at the fine print may reveal that it is not the best option for you. One of the most important things to remember: Be clear on whether an attractive interest rate being advertised is locked in or if it's an introductory offer that may increase in the future.


Also be aware that when you apply for a loan or a credit card a record of that "inquiry" will show up on your credit report. "Because too many inquires may hurt your credit score, it's best to only submit applications for credit products that you think will meet your needs," said St. Germain.


For additional guidance on how to shop for a loan of any kind or a credit card, search back issues of FDIC Consumer News.


FDIC.Gov


Donations Pour in from Celebrities for Victims of Flint Water Crises


BY JASMINE BLACKWELL


The Obama administration and Governor Rick Snyder have declared a state of


emergency in


Flint, Michigan, a city that is in serious trouble due to toxins rendering the water undrinkable.


Issues with Flint’s water


date back to April 2014, when the city began sourcing water from the Flint River instead of the Detroit municipal system in a money saving maneuver. Residents complained about the look, smell and taste of the water. Officials brushed off the resident’s concerns, claiming the water was safe.


Snyder and other government


officials have come under fire for downplaying the issue while it worsened.


Filmmaker Michael Moore posted a petition for Snyder's arrest on his website that has generated over 100,000 signatures.


“This is a racial killing. Flint MI is 60% black. When u knowingly poison a black city, u r committing a version of genocide #ArrestGovS- nyder,” Filmmaker Michael Moore wrote on Twitter in December.


For the last year and a half, there have been a number of children who have tested positive for lead poising in the city, but Snyder claims it wasn’t until the end of September 2015 that he learned about the unsafe water.


“The children of Flint have been drinking lead-poisoned water for more than a year. That’s


absolutely unacceptable,” Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton tweeted.


Celebrities, politicians and


political figures have not only taken to social media, but have also reacted in real life to the Flint water crisis.


native,


Rapper Big Sean, a Michigan has


launched the


fundraiser #HealFlintKids to raise money for the Community Foundation of greater Flint Michigan.


Cher and Icelandic Glacial have joined forces to send 181,440 bottles of water to Flint, Michigan residents. Ezekiel Ansah, Detroit Lions player traveled to Flint, Michigan and led donations of 94,000 bottles of water to Flint residents.


Addressing Flint’s water crisis


will not be a simple fix, which is why groups like the Flint Child Health & Development Fund have joined the fight to address the short and long-term impacts of this crisis.


Visit flintkids.org to lend your support to the residents of Flint, Michigan during this difficult time.


Angela Jones contributed to this article. viral


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