The fact that credit card companies extend multitudes of ridiculous offers to so many people is because there are actually people who fall for these deals. Remember that sub-prime companies count on this and they take advantage of desperate people by having vague and complicated terms, exorbitant fees, and low credit limits. If you have a high credit score you will be offered the better deals, but if you have a low score life can be harsh and unfair.
The question is, how can you protect yourself if you have less than desirable credit and want to establish good credit and make ends meet? To protect yourself you must read the fine print and forget about the fancy up front ads that are meant to lure you in. The real deal is in the fine print so read it all if you have to.
Forget about deals that sound too good to be true, because they probably are. With lower scores and a tainted credit history, you must seek out the fair and honest deals that help you re-establish your credit and pay off your debt responsibly. Most people don't realize that you can go to your bank and apply for a credit card. If you had a checking or savings account at some point then they might be open to extending credit to you at a fair rate.
Secured credit cards are also available for those who still have trouble getting approved. It involves securing your credit through a bank where you have a savings account available to secure your balance should the payments not be made. This is another option, but certainly there are some ridiculous deals out there that one should never consider because they are meant to simply take advantage of anyone who is desperate or gullible.
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