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Kansas City, MO (Nov 1, 2004) -
More than 750 Pioneer Services Representatives recently
completed an educational study program on the new Fair and
Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA). After an
examination, they were certified as Credit Report
Reviewers by the award winning, nonprofit Institute of
Consumer Financial Education (ICFE) based in San Diego,
California.
FACTA was enacted to provide many new protections and
rights for consumers, including free credit reports
annually for all consumers and protections against
identity theft. Many financial services professionals,
including debt and credit counselors, are enrolling in the
program to get up to speed with the new law.
"We want to make sure that each and every service member
knows how this new law affects them," says Tom Holcom,
President of Pioneer Financial Services, Inc. "By having
certified Credit Report Reviewers in each of our offices,
we are able to provide the men and women who serve our
country with another valuable, free service that further
improves their quality of life."
The growth of consumer credit has been explosive over the
past ten years and relatively few Americans bother to look
at their credit profiles. But identity theft is now the
nation's fastest growing crime. Most consumers aren't even
aware they are victims until they look at their credit
report and see a new credit account they did not
originate.
"We have been offering free credit analysis for a number
of years," says Holcom, "but this new law gives consumers
new protections against identity theft and inaccurate
information on their credit report. We wanted to make sure
that every military service member who walks through our
doors could take advantage of the law. It has always been
our goal to help our clients become more financially
stable and this is yet another tool that will help us
reach that goal."
To learn more about this service, visit your local Pioneer
Services Representatives, logon to
www.askpioneer.com,
or call 800-367-5626.
About Pioneer
Since 1932, Pioneer Financial Services Representatives
have offered clients unique solutions for financial
freedom. Because Representatives only serve active-duty
and career-retired men and women of our armed forces, as
well as Department of Defense employees, they understand
the unique financial situation these clients face. They
offer products that help people achieve their financial
goals. Representatives can help clients apply for loans,
purchase discount cards and roadside assistance programs,
learn more about insurance plans and military benefits,
and improve their fiscal knowledge with free financial
education courses.
Pioneer Services Representatives are committed to
providing quality-of-life initiatives for the military
community. Representatives have lobbied against military
pay garnishments, fought for pay increases, instituted an
e-mail campaign to encourage the public to support defense
spending, initiated education tools for kids, and created
other quality programs.
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About the ICFE:
About the
ICFE:
The Institute of Consumer Financial Education (ICFE), founded in 1982 by the
late Loren Dunton (creator of the “certified financial planner” (CFP)
designation) and it is dedicated to helping consumers of all ages to improve
their spending, increase savings and use credit more wisely. The ICFE trains and
certifies Personal Finance Instructors for its own curriculum. It also trains
and certifies Credit Report Reviewers and Identity Theft Prevention Specialists.
The ICFE is an award winning, nonprofit, consumer education organization that
has helped millions of people through its education programs and resources. It
publishes the Do-It-Yourself Credit File correction Guide, now in its 16th
printing and has distributed over one million “Credit/Debit Card Warning Labels”
and “Credit/Debit Card Sleeves” world wide.
The ICFE became an official partner with the Department of Defense/Financial
Readiness Campaign in June of 2004.
The ICFE is also a partner in the national Jump$tart Coalition for Financial
Literacy and the California Jump$tart chapter. The ICFE staff is also active
with San Diego Saves, an offshoot of America Saves, and the California Student
Debt Resource Awareness Project (CASDRAP) (studentdebthelp.org).
The ICFE’s on-line help for consumers who spend too much was featured in PARADE
Magazine in the Intelligence Report section. The money helps and tips are from
“The Money Instruction Book,” a course in personal finance, positioned to become
among the premier programs in the new bankruptcy and debtor education
initiatives.
The ICFE Web site at:
http://www.icfe.info helps consumers with mending spending, learning about
the proper use of credit, budget and expense guidelines, how to set up and
implement a spending-plan and also how to access financial education courses and
videos and how to teach children about money. Other ICFE services include a free
eNewsletter, and an online resource center of financial education learning
tools, including videos, books, software and personal finance courses.
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