Consumer >  View All Subtopics   Self-help information through various links, documents, publications, etc. Check the Community Directory Channel for more resources. There are 330 resources     Page 1 of 17 Auto Title Loans    Abusive Lending Website of the Federal Trade Commission (Separate Website) This web site contains documents relating to: (1) home equity loans, home equity credit lines and common home equity scams, (2) high rate, high fee mortgages, (3) reverse mortgages, (4) payday loans, and (5) mortgage discrimination. You may view the documents on-line and print them out or print them in PDF format. By: Federal Trade Commission           Advance-fee Loan Scams (Separate Website) Advance-fee loan sharks are preying on unwary consumers, taking their money for the promise of a loan or credit, and leaving them in hot water. The scam artists often impersonate legitimate lenders to entice consumers into falling for their bogus offer. By: Federal Trade Commission           Auto Title Loans (Separate Website) PDF document (may load slowly). By: South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center           Avoid Dangerous Loans - Bank on Your Future (Separate Website) Questions to Ask About Loans: Does the interest rate change over time? Are there fees for this service? What is the cost of the interest that I will have paid by the end of the loan period? Are the loan documents available in my primary language? By: Appleseed Foundation           Borrower Beware: The High Cost of Small Loans, Pawn Brokers and Rent-to-Own Stores (Separate Website) When you need cash, you should beware of some of the companies and people who make loans. This web page tells you what to watch for when you do business with small loan companies, pawn brokers and rent-to-own stores. By: National Consumer Law Center           Car Loans (Separate Website) Before you say ?yes,? there are many things you should know to avoid making a bad deal when taking out a loan to buy a car. By: Appleseed Foundation           Car Loans: Understanding Vehicle Financing (Separate Website) Understanding Vehicle Financing With prices averaging more than $20,000 for a new vehicle and $9,500 for a four-year-old vehicle, most consumers need financing or leasing to acquire a vehicle. In some cases, buyers use ?direct lending:? they obtain a loan directly from a finance company, bank or credit union. In direct lending, a buyer agrees to pay the amount financed, plus an agreed-upon finance charge, over a period of time. Once a buyer and a vehicle dealership enter into a contract and the buyer agrees to a vehicle price, the buyer uses the loan proceeds from the direct lender to pay the dealership for the vehicle. Use this web site to find out more about car loans. By: Federal Trade Commission           Cashing Checks and Opening Bank Accounts (Separate Website) Cashing Checks and Opening Bank Accounts: How to Save Money and Avoid Theft By: National Consumer Law Center           Consumer Bill of Rights (Separate Website) By: SC Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation           Consumer Debts and the Law (Separate Website) Do you owe someone money? Having trouble paying off your debt? This brochure can help you understand your rights as a consumer debtor. PDF document (may load slowly). By: South Carolina Bar Association           Personal Financial Education (Separate Website) This web site contains information and educational materials about: (1) Consumer Banking, (2) Consumer Protection, (3) Economics, (4) Home and Mortgages, (5) Interest Rates, (6) Loans and Credit, and much much more! By: Federal Reserve System        back to top         Banking Services   Checking and ATMs      Automatic Teller Machines and the Law (Separate Website) Downtown, at the mall, at the superstore?everywhere?an automatic teller machine (ATM) is there, ready to give you cash in exchange for a swipe of your plastic and a few magic numbers. That convenience, however, comes with a certain amount of expense and some exposure to risk as well. By: American Bar Association           Cashing Checks and Opening Bank Accounts (Separate Website) Cashing Checks and Opening Bank Accounts: How to Save Money and Avoid Theft By: National Consumer Law Center           Check Clearing in the 21st Century Act - Check 21 (Separate Website) Check 21 is sweeping new federal law that takes away your ability to get back your original paper checks. Under this law, consumers will be more likely to bounce checks and may find themselves paying higher bank fees. The complicated new law gives you some rights, but those rights depend on a variety of factors, including how the merchant and the bank decide to process your check. This web page contains some tips from Consumers Union about how to protect your rights. By: Consumers Union, Nonprofit Publisher of Consumer Reports           Credit, Debit, and ATM Cards (Separate Website) These plastic cards may look alike ? but different rules apply to each. Know the rules?and these cards can make financial transactions safer and more convenient. Fail to understand the rules?and the fees and late payment charges can cost you a lot of money! By: Appleseed Foundation           How Do I Open an Account? (Separate Website) There is help!There are many people ready to talk with you about how to open a checking or savings account. Ask someone who has opened an account for advice. By: Appleseed Foundation           Identification Needed for an Account (Separate Website) When you open a checking or savings account, you will be asked to provide your name, date of birth, current address, and an acceptable ID number which can come from one of the following: ? Social Security card; ? Matricula Consular or other consular ID card; ? Passport (U.S. or foreign); OR ? Temporary resident permit or Alien Identification Card. By: Appleseed Foundation           Protecting Yourself from Overdraft and Bounced-Check Fees (Separate Website) This website explains the best ways to avoid overdraft and bounced-check fees By: The Federal Reserve Board           Sending Money Back Home (Separate Website) The cost of sending money includes both the fee AND the exchange rate offered on the day money is wired. A favorable exchange rate can mean that more of your money reaches your family back home. To find the lowest price, call or visit three or four local banks, credit unions or wire services on the same day you plan to send the money. Compare exchange rates and fees. Not everyone will give exchange rate information over the phone, but many will. By: Appleseed Foundation           South Carolina Bad Check Law (Separate Website) Lawline FAQ: If a person pays for goods or services with a check and that check is then dishonored by the bank on which it is written, you may be able to collect on the check by proceeding under the so-called South Carolina Bad Check law.