Crédito score, dívidas e falência

Credit rating

For immigrants, a credit card is the first step towards building what we call a credit rating. Some people use the term credit history, but in reality, a credit rating is not a history, but a score that a person receives from TransUnion or Equifax, which is the Brazilian equivalent of Serasa and SPC.

credit card

In many commercial transactions, credit cards are the most commonly used form of payment, not only for the payment itself, but also for registering the customer in the company's system. What this means is that you will often have difficulty purchasing or paying for something simply because you don't have a credit card.

The most popular credit card companies are American Express, Discover, Mastercard and Visa, with the latter two brands being accepted almost everywhere (many convenience stores called “depanneur”, bars and small restaurants do not accept credit cards, and many of these places do not accept debit cards either). Even when a customer requests a credit card from their bank, there are a few different options, with lower interest rates or credit for using the card, or even insurance for car rentals. It is important to ask your account manager about the most important details of each card so that you can make the right choice.

Stay tuned! There is a possibility of card cloning when making an in-person purchase. It is also extremely important to protect tax information (such as your NAS/SIN) to prevent identity theft. To learn more about this subject, visit Scam page.

Debt Consolidation and Bankruptcy

There is a debt consolidation service on the market, and this activity is governed by the Consumer Protection Office . Consolidation service providers must hold a license from the Office de la protection du consommateur des débouts to offer any of the following services:

• Negotiate the settlement of consumer debts with creditors
• Receive amounts to distribute to the consumer's creditors
• Improve credit reports about a consumer
• Provide education about finance or debt settlement