As the Information Age collides with the New Millennium it might be a good idea to get your financial house in order. A good starting point is to retrieve a copy of your personal credit history stored on the computer disk farms of the three major credit bureaus. You never know what evil information may lurk in these vast consumer databases. You could find simple errors or you could uncover sophisticated fraud. Whatever you discover, you have the right to complete accuracy in your personal credit file.

While you're pulling your credit files you might as well request copies of all your personal information stored on computers. For example: a copy of your driving record, FBI reports on you, medical information, and your social security earnings record. Check all of these reports for accuracy and have them corrected. (You might want to store copies of all these reports in case your identity is wiped out January 1, 2000.)

How do you get all this information ?

Not a big deal and not expensive. Here's how:
For credit reports there are three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax and Trans Union.

Experian ---- Call: 1-888-397-3742; or write: P.O. Box 2104, Allen Texas 75013-2104; or visit www.experian.com.

Equifax ---- Call: 1-800-997-2493; or write: P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, Georgia 30374-0241; or visit www.equifax.com.

Trans Union ---- Call: 1-800-888-4213; or write: P.O. 390, Springfield, PA 19064-0390; or visit www.transunion.com

The cost is $8 in most states. Residents of Connecticut pay $5 and residents of Maine pay $2-$3. If you live in Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey or Vermont, you are entitled, under state law, to a free copy of your credit report each year. If you have recently been turned down for credit you are also entitled to a free copy of the credit report used in the process, regardless of where you live.

For your personal medical information ---- Write MIB, P.O. Box 105, Essex Station, Boston, MA 02112; or call 617-426-3660; or visit www.mib.com. There is no fee.

For FBI reports ---- Write: FBI Headquarters, 935 Pennsylvania Ave, N.W., Washington, DC 20535-0001; or visit www.fbi.gov. There is no fee unless you request a copy of a "rap sheet".

For driving records ---- Contact the state agency in your state of residence. Fees vary by state.

For social security earnings report ---- Call: 1-800-772-1213; or visit www.ssa.gov.

There are tons of firms on the Internet offering to sell the above reports for fees of $70 or more. However, you can get the whole package yourself for somewhere between the price of a few postage stamps to about $30, depending on where you live. Save your money for the next millennium. Besides, why give others the chance to see your stuff when it is not necessary.

Get yours before the Y2K meltdown !!!

DISCOVER GOES PLATINUM

The Discover card went Platinum with the start of the new year. The main feature of the new Platinum Discover is the "Double Cashback Bonus" award program. The basic program allows cardholders to receive up to 1% back yearly based on their annual level of purchases. Discover Platinum cardholders can double their annual "Cashback Bonus" awards through certificates redeemed with select Platinum Partners. The new card also offers credit lines up to $100,000; $500,000 in travel accidental death insurance and $25,000 in rental car collision damage waiver insurance coverage. For more information visit: www.discovercard.com.

USED DRIVER'S EDGE

Starting January 1 the Citibank "Driver’s Edge Rebate Program" will be expanded to allow cardholders to redeem rebates toward the purchase or lease of any used car. The Citibank "Driver’s Edge Rebate Program" previously covered only new cars, but now cardholders may purchase or lease a used car, van, light truck or sport utility vehicle through a dealership, over the Internet, or through a private sale. This latest feature allows cardholders to redeem their current and future rebates toward the purchase of absolutely any car on the U.S. market. Citibank "Driver’s Edge Charter Member" cardholders earn two percent rebates on all eligible purchases, up to $500 in rebates per year with a maximum of $1,500 on any one vehicle. The rebates expire three years from the end of the calendar year in which they were earned. "Driver’s Edge Options" rebates accumulate at one percent on eligible purchases up to $500 in rebates per year, with a maximum of $2,500 on any one vehicle. The rebates expire five years from the end of the year in which they were earned. For more information: visit www.citibank.com. Citibank also announced this month the launch of its "Driver’s Edge VISA Card" in Canada. For more information on the Canadian program: call 1-800-417-9629.

ANOTHER BIO CARD

Canada’s first biodegradable credit card has just been introduced by Canada Trust and Friends of the Environment Foundation. The regular and Gold MasterCard cards are made of a plant-based substance called Biopol. Unlike PVC plastic cards, the Biopol credit card breaks down in the presence of soil, moisture or salt water in a matter of a few months. The regular and Gold MasterCards have no annual fee, and an annual interest rate of 17.9% and 15.9% respectively. Additional information about the Canada Trust Friends of the Environment Foundation MasterCards is available at any Canada Trust branch, by calling 800-409-4424, or by visiting www.canadatrust.com.

SCAM OF THE MONTH

The Federal Trade Commission has shut-down some foreign scam operators and has obtained more than $1.3 million in redress for American consumers. The settlements resulted from the first credit card laundering case brought by the FTC under the Telemarketing Sales Rule, against Canadian firms targeting U.S. residents in foreign lottery schemes. The deceptive claims made to consumers by the Canadian telemarketers included that they had been “specially selected” to play for a large prize pool, that their odds of winning were “one in six”, and that winnings were tax free in the U.S.. The FTC says that Woofter Investment Corp., Pacific Rim Pools and ENA Enterprises assisted and facilitated the Canadian lottery telemarketers and laundered their credit card sales drafts. Woofter made its VISA and MasterCard merchant accounts available to the telemarketers for a 15% fee. Use of the merchant accounts to process credit card transactions for telemarketers violates the TSR. The FTC reminds consumers that not only are foreign lotteries illegal, the odds of winning are also slim to none.

THE HITS KEEP COMING

CardWeb's monthly Internet activity is now averaging about three million impressions per month among 200,000 visitors. Last year CardWeb served about 2.5 million visitors.