And with the recent Check 21 legislation, checks
can clear the same day they are written.
Fact: It is now common for creditors to raise interest rates based on
a consumer's creditworthiness because of the Universal Default clause.

"It is important to consider the information source, particularly
when it relates to your finances," said Cate Williams, vice president
of financial literacy for MMI.

About Financial Relations Board

For more than 40 years, the Financial Relations Board has been one of the
nation's leaders for investor relations and financial communications. Headquartered in Chicago, the firm has
full-service offices in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco and
Washington, D.financialrelationsboard.

tales arts

CA. As "the source" for career
development, education and networking opportunities for Silicon Valley
marketing professionals, SVAMA seeks to advance marketing excellence in the
local business community.C.C.S.

folklore literature

, The Silicon Valley chapter of
the American Marketing Association today announced the topic Lead Generation:
Myths and Legends for their upcoming monthly program.svama.

Myth #2: If you send a creditor any payment, such as only $5.
Fact: Creditors are not required to accept "good faith" payments if
the payment is not sufficient to bring the account current. The addition of Vicki will add
significant expertise and experience in the REIT market both in the
metropolitan Washington, D. Baker also
served as an officer of the Pension Real Estate Association and a member of
the association's core start-up team. Financial Relations Board is part of the Interpublic
Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG).com.

u fabulous

00, the
creditor won't consider you delinquent.
Fact: Never give any personal or account information out to someone
over the phone unless you initiated the call.

Myth #6: As a cosigner, you are just a "back up.
Fact: A collector is permitted to contact others to find out where
you live, what your phone number is and where you work.
Financial Relations Board (FRB), one of the
nation's leaders in investor relations for more than 40 years, today
announced the addition of Victoria Baker as vice president in the firm's
newly opened Washington, D.

"Vicki is an excellent addition to our team and will help us build a strong
presence for FRB in Washington, D.

Prior to FRB, Baker was founder and principal of Victoria Baker
Enterprises, where she designed and implemented strategic corporate
communications and media relations programs for clients nationwide. Prior
to that, Baker served for 19 years as the senior communications officer of
the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT), where
she directed the association's communications, public relations, media and
marketing programs.

urban myths

Confusion abounds about lead generation programs within most organizations . For more information about
the event, the speakers, early bird registration discounts please visit:
http://www.
Fact: Many times these "too good to be true" offers truly are just
that.
Fact: Studies show that 75 percent of the time, the creditor
approaches the cosigner for payment, because they seek payment from
the person who offers the best chance of repaying the debt.
Fact: Whoever is signed on the original contract with the creditor,
whether it is you or your spouse, will still be obligated to repay the
debt after a divorce.

legends myths

It has nearly 700
professional and 60 collegiate members, and about 7,000 friends.

The following are
MMI's top ten urban legends related to personal finance:

Myth #1: If a check is written in red ink, it takes longer to be
scanned by the bank's equipment and the check will be delayed in
clearing, giving you access to your money for a longer period of time.

PRESS RELEASE Financial Relations Board Names Victoria Baker Vice President; Builds Washington D.C. Presence

Financial Relations Board works alongside companies of all sizes,
from established Fortune 100 brands to mid-size and micro-cap companies,
pre-IPOs and the newly public.

society folktales

Demystifying Lead Generation

com/locat.html .

MMI Debunks Finance-Related Urban Legends; MMI Gives the Whole Truth about Credit-Related Rumors

As the
nation's largest full service non-profit credit counseling agency,
Money Management International (MMI) has come across some myths about
credit that are humorous, odd and downright bizarre.
Fact: You must make the minimum monthly payment required by the
creditor in order to avoid penalties.

Myth #5: A creditor cannot raise the interest rate on your fixed rate
loan. Thus, you are still liable on these debts and
the creditors can report the status of these accounts on your credit
bureau file. To learn more, call
800-762-2271 or visit www. Vicki will
also serve as an important addition to FRB's national media relations and
financial communications team," added Kempner.

u society

For more
information, visit http: //www.org /, or call 866-206-9067, ext.

Myth #7: If a payment to a creditor is just one day late , you are not
considered delinquent.

Myth #8: A creditor cannot call anyone else, such as friends or
relatives, to ask about your debt.," said Michael W. Kempner, CEO of
Financial Relations Board. The
firm offers a full array of services including deep expertise in corporate
positioning and communication, investment community targeting (market
intelligence), financial media relations , shareholder management services,
valuation analysis and the company's industry-leading Strategy Consulting
Group. For more information on Financial
Relations Board, visit www.

society tales

These speakers will debunk the myths about lead generation and help you
understand how to develop lead programs that actually generate leads and avoid
the most common mistakes, the formulas for success, how to measure the ROI of
your programs and keys to success in a changing marketing climate. 3004.

Business Editors

HOUSTON----Unfortunately for
consumers, there is no limit to the number of scams, fraud and
misconceptions related to credit. It is best to
reach out to a creditor or a reputable credit counseling agency to
explain your individual circumstances before creditors contact you or
your family members. "Ask your creditors important questions
or contact a reputable credit counseling agency, such as MMI, when you
encounter information of which you are unsure."

About Money Management International

Money Management International (MMI) is a non-profit, full-service
credit counseling agency, providing confidential financial guidance,
financial education, counseling and debt management assistance to
consumers for over 47 years. region and throughout the nation.
She holds a bachelor of arts degree in English Language and Literature
from the University of Delaware , and is a graduate of the U.

legends urban

Myth #3: Luxurious vacation packages are available at bargain-
basement prices, simply by calling a travel club and supplying your
credit card number to the voice on the other end of the phone. Charges you didn't make could suddenly be added to your bill
and the trip might not be a reality.

Myth #4: It is safe to give your credit card information to people
who call to verify your account number. Baker brings more than 25 years of
dedicated financial communications experience across multiple industries
and expertise within the REIT industry. Chamber of
Commerce Institute for Organization Management.

folklore urban

org/events/20050309pr.svama.
Fact: While most creditors do not file a negative report with a credit
rating agency until you have exceeded your due date by 30-days, it is
important for you to find out how your creditors report late payments .C. "In addition to her tremendous background in
financial communications, her vast REIT experience further solidifies FRB's
industry-leading REIT practice. Additionally, Baker organized a public relations
campaign to advance interest in REITs both nationally and internationally
with professional and individual investors and the media.

Baker is a member of the National Investor Relations Institute , the
National Association of Real Estate Editors, the Public Relations Society
of America and the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts.

legends unicorns

Who owns them -- sales or marketing? What (and who) defines a successful
program and is responsible for measurement and tracking? How is lead
generation different than marketing? It's no wonder that successful lead
generation programs fall into the category of "urban myths" for many marketers." Creditors exhaust
every means of collecting from the primary borrower before they come
after a cosigner.

Myth #10: If you try to make a partial payment to a creditor and they
refuse to accept the payment, then you no longer owe the creditor. Counseling is available by
appointment in branch offices and 24/7 by telephone and Internet .
Services are available in English or Spanish."

"Under the direction of FRB's REIT Practice Leader, EVP Claire Koeneman,
FRB is the nation's leading investor relations and financial communications
firm for the country's top REITs.

myths folklore

The event organized by SVAMA starts at 6 pm at Network Meeting Center at
Techmart, 5201 Great America Pkwy, Santa Clara.asp and for directions log on to:
http: //www.networkmeetingcenter. Founded in 1980, SVAMA received the AMA's Chapter
Excellence Award in both 1998-1999 and 2001-2002.
Fact: The color of ink you use to write checks has nothing to do with
the processing time.

Myth #9: If you show your creditors a divorce decree that indicates
your ex-spouse is responsible for paying the debt, you no longer are
liable for the debt owed on your accounts. It is better to be over
informed than misinformed.org

office.C.

top creatures

Lead Generation Lessons from Google, Visa and INBOX Marketing

SAN JOSE, Calif.
On March 9, 2005 join SVAMA for an enlightening evening with speakers John
Topping, Head of B2B Technology, Google, Laura Kelly, Marketing Consultant,
Visa and Barry Stamos, VP Business Development , INBOX Marketing, lead
generation experts from companies that are legends in their own rights.

About SVAMA
The Silicon Valley American Marketing Association (SVAMA) is the local
chapter of the American Marketing Association. However, you cannot believe
everything you see and hear these days when it comes to credit. MMI helps consumers trim their expenses,
develop a spending plan and repay debts.moneymanagement.