HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR READERS: Do you have credit card debt? If you fall behind in your payments and are contacted by a debt collector, do you know your rights? How and when is a debt collector allowed to contact you?

Here are some hints, under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, courtesy of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (ftc.gov):

■ A collector is allowed to call you only between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m., your time.

■ A debt collector may not contact you at your job if your employer forbids it.

■ Have you lawyered up? If so, the debt collector must speak only with your attorney.

Debt collectors are forbidden from threatening you, making false statements or using foul language.

DEAR READERS: With news and information available to us 24/7, how do we know which news items have been verified and which haven’t? On social media, anybody can post a “news story.” Here are some hints:

■ Who wrote/published the source material?

■ Check the date.

■ Look for doctored pictures. Pause before you print or share, and make sure what you’re sharing is true and accurate. There’s a time for a parody or a joke, but ensure you’re not representing it as fact, and also make sure it’s not hurtful.

DEAR HELOISE: I applied for a credit card, and the credit company initiated what’s called a “hard inquiry” on my credit. What’s that?

— Becky L. in Arizona DEAR READER: A company may want to know your record for paying your bills on time, so they pull your credit report or do what is called a “hard inquiry.” A hard inquiry stays on your credit report for about two years; lots of hard inquiries may look like you’re trying to go deep in debt.

If you’re looking to get a mortgage or a loan, stop applying for credit cards.

DEAR READERS: Have you ever gotten a letter stating you’re “prequalified” for a credit card? This means the company performed a “soft inquiry” on your credit. This doesn’t guarantee that you will be approved for the card. Soft inquiries don’t affect your credit. Other soft inquiries:

■ Checking your own credit.

■ A potential employer may check your credit.

■ Your auto insurance company to establish premiums. Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email

HELOISE