We’ve seen the We Buy Houses signs. You know, those ubiquitous signs on yard stakes and nailed to light poles that claim cash is waiting for your home. The way the business plan works is that investors can find desperate people, called “Don’t Wanters” who they can buy their house for less than it is worth and either flip the ... Read More »

Now here is a study that will probably surprise some people. A recent survey by the Aite Group and ACI Worldwide of consumers who experience credit card fraud found some countries are much more at risk of consumers having their credit cards used fraudulently. As someone who has lived and travelled to many countries outside of the United States, a ... Read More »

Recent reports out of Canada and Australia paint a similar picture for consumers in both countries. Consumers are loading up on consumer debt and it is becoming a concern for regulators. Right now levels are about the same, consumer debt is approximately 150 percent of income. Both Canada and Australia have experienced less unemployment that the United States or even ... Read More »

A pair of card detail thieves have been caught in McDonald’s in Australia. Apparently the pair was getting card details from several Perth, Australia McDonald’s and managed to steal $4 million from Western Australia banks. Thousands of Western Australians have had their card details stolen at several McDonald’s restaurants across Perth since October. Police allege the 31-year-old Canadian man and ... Read More »

In an excellent article from Australia I learned that the consumer debt crisis is causing people everyday in Queensland to petition for bankruptcy. The consumer debt crisis is certainly not limited to just one country and with the embrace of easy credit in roo land, consumers are feeling the debt pain also. The article, Cast Off the Debt Load had ... Read More »