Bad Paper: chasing debt from Wall Street to the underworld by
The Federal Trade Commission receives more complaints about rogue debt collecting than about any activity besides identity theft. Dramatically and entertainingly, Bad Paper reveals why. It tells the story of Aaron Siegel, a former banking executive, and Brandon Wilson, a former armed robber, who become partners and go in quest of "paper"--the uncollected debts that are sold off by banks for pennies on the dollar. As Aaron and Brandon learn, the world of consumer debt collection is an unregulated shadowland where operators often make unwarranted threats and even collect debts that are not theirs.
Introducing an unforgettable cast of strivers and rogues, Jake Halpern chronicles their lives as they manage high-pressure call centers, hunt for paper in Las Vegas casinos, and meet in parked cars to sell the social security numbers and account information of unsuspecting consumers. He also tracks a "package" of debt that is stolen by unscrupulous collectors, leading to a dramatic showdown with guns in a Buffalo corner store. Along the way, he reveals the human cost of a system that compounds the troubles of hardworking Americans and permits banks to ignore their former customers. The result is a vital expos#65533; that is also a bravura feat of storytelling.
The Credit Cleanup Book by
By unlocking the mortgage industry's trade secrets, this indispensable book will help readers understand credit scoring and learn how to obtain-and improve-their credit reports.
* Includes the latest information on banking and lending requirements in the post-credit-crisis environment
* Explains how new regulations and guidelines, such the Dodd-Frank Act, are impacting banks, credit, and lending
* Shows readers what will improve a consumer's credit score and what will damage it
* Spells out debt management strategies and debt solutions and shares tips on technologies that help with credit and money management
* Exposes common credit reporting and lending myths and secrets
Credit Repair by
A guide to repairing a credit score that provides information on negotiating with creditors to reduce debt, establishing good credit, avoiding scams, prioritizing debt, reducing mortgage debt through government programs, and other related topics.
Debt by
What are some attitudes toward debt? Going into debt can be a good financial choice / Tom Allen ; Going into debt is a bad financial choice / USA Today (magazine) ; It is possible to live debt free / Leslie E. Royale ; Living debt-free is not always possible / USA Today (magazine) ; Debtors should be more conscientious toward creditors / Michelle Singletary ; Creditors should be more conscientious toward debtors / Brian Alderson -- Do some people struggle to manage debt responsibly? Young people should have credit cards / Jonathan Burton ; Young people should not have credit cards / Carolyn M. Brown ; Class, as well as race, contributes to frivolous spending / Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania ; Racism is responsible for the minority debt crisis, not excessive spending / David Crockett ; Women are more likely to struggle with finances than men / Sandra Guy ; Men are more likely to struggle with finances than women / Bob Ellis -- Does the U.S. government manage debt responsibly? The U.S. economy is failing because it is debt-based / Steven Lachance ; The U.S. economy is failing because it is credit-based / Andrew Leonard ; The U.S. government should encourage people to take on new debt / Nathalie Martin ; The U.S. government should discourage excessive consumption / Shepherd Bliss ; The United States exploits borrowing by developing countries / Saul Kanowitz ; The United States has become overly indebted by lending money to developing countries / J. R. Dieckmann -- How can debt problems be solved? Declaring bankruptcy can help families start over / Laura Cohn ; Declaring bankruptcy can destroy families / Alison Smith-Squire ; Joining the military is an effective way to pay off student loans / Janet Kidd Stewart ; Military recruiters use loan forgiveness to target students / Ron Jacobs ; Micro-loans can be the solution to developing countries' economies / Mark Skousen ; Micro-loans will hinder developing countries' economies / Josh Kearns.
Debt-Proof Living: how to get out of debt and stay that way by 
The Foreclosure Survival Guide: keep your house or walk away with money in your pocket by
Facing foreclosure? YKnow your options.
If you're one of the millions of Americans in danger of losing your house, you need information you can trust. The Foreclosure Survival Guide will show you how to decide whether it's best to stay or go.
Packed with information, this book details all of your options so that you can make the best decisions, and get the best results, when facing foreclosure. You'll
learn about:
• federal programs to help you avoid foreclosure
• free help from nonprofit housing counselors
• short sales and deeds in lieu of foreclosure
• delaying or avoiding foreclosure with bankruptcy
• foreclosure scams and how to avoid them
The new 4th edition provides up-to-date information on the Making Home Affordable programs, foreclosure timelines and court decisions affecting homeowners' rights.
The Mortgage Wars: Inside Fannie Mae, Big-Money Politics, and the Collapse of the American Dream by
THE REAL STORY OF THE MELTDOWN THAT LED TO THE FINANCIAL CRISIS "Required reading"
-- SeekingAlpha.com
Many books have been written about the financial crisis and its causes, but none of them has been written by one of the key figures intimately involved in the drama. At last, one of those top insiders tells the complete story of the mortgage wars that almost destroyed the global economy.
In this no-holds-barred account, Timothy Howard exposes the perfect storm of money, power, ideology, and politics that led to the crisis. Howard was the CFO of Fannie Mae until 2004. At its peak, Fannie Mae was responsible for more than one out of every four home loans in the United States. But by the mid-2000s, what seemed to be the most successful mortgage finance system in the world completelybroke down. What happened?
Howard takes you behind the scenes to show the dramatic struggles between the corporations and the politicians that led to the meltdown. In The Mortgage Wars , you''ll learn:
How Fannie Mae was born and evolved into the largest mortgage lender in the world How Fannie Mae survived the fi nancial turmoil that killed the thrift industry How the subprime market grew, with very little oversight, and eventually exploded How political and fi nancial jockeying sparkedthe mortgage wars What we must do to prevent a similar financialcrisis from ever happening again
At long last, this inside account tells the unvarnishedtruth about some of the most controversial subjects of our time, including the disturbing new norm of unsafe and unsound business practices in the finance world and the huge problems that arise when politicians try to pick winners in the global markets.
The Mortgage Wars tells the real story for the first time, showing how an $11 trillion dollar industryreally fights its battles, for better or worse. Timothy Howard also shares his insights on how to keep the mortgage fi nance system safe, offering invaluable, prescriptive advice for all of us as we move forward into an uncertain future.
PRAISE FOR THE MORTGAGE WARS:
"An essential contribution to understanding the roots of our most recent financial crisis, enriched by a deeper review of the history of American home financing." -- Kirkus Reviews
"With great attention to detail, Howard charts business decisions over a five-decade span and leading up to the company''s downfall." -- Publishers Weekly
"Howard, with 20 years as a senior risk management executive, is in a unique position to examine the beginning of the mortgage wars and how they escalated and spun out of control, with disastrous results for the American homeowner. . . . For anyone wanting the ''other side of the story'' and anyone who does not believe everything the media and politicians tell us." -- Library Journal
"A fascinating tale, well written by an insider, that shows forcefully how dangerous it can be to combine big politics with big money and big ambitions in a big hurry!" -- CHARLES D. ELLIS, author of the bestselling Winning the Loser''s Game
"In this fascinating and revealing book, one of the inside players in the struggle over the American home financing market tells the full story for the first time. Full of dramatic stories of partisan government and big business fighting to the finish, The Mortgage Wars is riveting--an essential read for anyone who wants to know how we can avoid another meltdown like the devastatingfinancial crisis of 2008." -- JUNHENG LI, Founder and Head of Research, JL Warren Capital; author of Tiger Woman on Wall Street
"Timothy Howard gives you the inside scoop on the battle for control of the U.S. mortgage market, a ''war'' that was at the center of the global financial crisis. Understanding the fundamental cause of the crisis we are still recovering from is essential to avoid repeating past mistakes. I learned a lot from The Mortgage Wars and I highly recommend it." -- JENS NORDVIG, Head of Fixed Income Research Americas, Nomura Securities; author of The Fall of the Euro
"Timothy Howard is the new rock star of fi nancial expos#65533;s. The Mortgage Wars reveals how Washingtonplaced an $11 trillion dollar bet on the American dream and pushed our nation to the brink of economic collapse. Required reading for anyone with an interest in the capital markets." -- NORB VONNEGUT, author of The Trust.
Paying with Plastic by
The payment card business has evolved from its inception in the 1950s as a way to handle payment for expense-account lunches (the Diners Club card) into today's complex, sprawling industry that drives trillions of dollars in transaction volume each year. Paying with Plastic is the definitive source on an industry that has revolutionized the way we borrow and spend. More than a history book, Paying with Plastic delivers an entertaining discussion of the impact of an industry that epitomizes the notion of two-sided markets: those in which two or more customer groups receive value only if all sides are actively engaged. New to this second edition, the two-sided market discussion provides useful insight into the implications of these market dynamics for cardholder rewards, merchant interchange fees, and card acceptance. The authors, both of whom have researched the industry for more than 25 years, also examine the implications of the recent antitrust cases on the industry as well as other business and technological changes -- including the massive consolidation brought about by bank mergers, the rise of the debit card, and the emergence of e-commerce -- that could alter the payment card industry dramatically in the years to come.
Slaying the Debt Dragon: how one family conquered their money monster and found an inspired happily ever after by
Lowe was shocked when she realized how the small, everyday expenses of living just added up until her family was being threatened by one dragon of a debt. Through hard work and God's help, the family paid off their creditors in just under four years. Lowe shares how her war on debt strengthened her marriage and brought her whole family closer to God and to one another.
Teens and Credit by
Greenhaven Presss At Issue series provides a wide range of opinions on individual social issues. Each volume focuses on a specific issue and offers a variety of perspectives-eyewitness accounts, governmental views, scientific analysis, newspaper and magazine accounts, and many more-to illuminate the issue. Extensive bibliographies and annotated lists of relevant organizations point to sources for further research. Enhancing critical thinking skills, each At Issue volume is an excellent research tool to help readers understand current social issues and prepare reports. Book jacket.
The Card Game by
Correspondent Lowell Bergman examines the future of the massive consumer loan industry and its impact on a fragile national economy. Bergman and the New York Times talk to industry insiders, lobbyists, politicians, and consumer advocates as they square-off over new regulation and the possible creation of a consumer finance protection agency. The stakes couldn't be higher as many fear the consumer loan industry could be at the center of the next crisis.