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You're pre-approved! or are you?

Nothing makes me swell with excitement and pride more than those "You're Pre-Approved!" credit-card offers that fill my mailbox. Wow, these people don't even know me, and they're virtually begging me to take their 0% interest, quintuple-titanium plastic money machine. What could be better? Well, my pumped-up ego was pretty thoroughly deflated by this article from Bankrate.com. Apparantly, "pre-approved" means something different to banker types than it does to regular folk. Oftentimes, these enticing offers lead only to old-fashioned bait-and-switches, in which customers like me end up receiving a far wimpier card--or no card at all. This article offers thorough advice for getting what you want from pre-approved card offers, and avoiding those that are simply cruel scams. My self-image may be shattered, but my finances are undoubtedly better off for the read.

Thu, 20 Jan 2000 05:25:09 -0800