If you're a homeowner, don't be bamboozled into paying big bucks for a copy of your property deed. Scammers have been sending solicitations from companies using official-sounding names, such as "Record Retrieval Department" and "National Deed Service," asking in some cases for more than $100 to provide homeowners with copies of their deed, attorneys general in several states have warned.

If you ever failed to pay a bill that was subsequently sent to a collection agency, it can still hurt you even if you pay it off. That's because any blemish can stay on your credit report for up to seven years.

With three people confirmed dead and more than 170 wounded in Monday's Boston Marathon bombings, there likely will be a big need for donations to help victims. Sadly, such tragedies often bring out con artists who use bogus websites, telemarketing, e-mail, and other types of soliciting to trick people into giving. The BBB Wise Giving Alliance has already reported seeing what it terms one "poorly-conceived charity scam" related to the Boston bombings.

The recently expanded Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Consumer Complaint Database lets you submit and view gripes about bank accounts, credit cards, loans, and more, but its use is limited.

Q: I need information or reviews about trustworthy debt consolidators. Can you point me in the right direction? —J.L., via e-mail

Q: A storage-company rep told a friend that he had to purchase storage insurance to cover what he keeps there. But his agent says he's covered by his homeowners policy. Does he need the extra coverage? —J.F., Dumont, N.J.

A New York appellate court's decision today to uphold most of the 2009 conviction counts against Anthony D. Marshall, charged with defrauding his mother, the late philanthropist Brooke Astor, calls attention to a crime that's growing nationwide: financial elder abuse.

Some retail stores now have cameras in their dressing rooms so you can more easily check the fit of your jeans from the rear. These "booty cams" ostensibly aim to reduce returns—better fits equal happier customers—but in the age of viral videos that can make instant stars out of the unsuspecting, you may want to ask if that camera feed is secure before turning your back on this latest retailing innovation.

A mid-March decision by the Council of Better Business Bureaus to expel its Los Angeles-area affiliate for noncompliance with BBB standards provides lessons about the reliability of BBB reports and how to use them.

Recently, consumers nationwide have received a phone call from federal employees, informing them that they're among the first Americans selected to receive health-insurance cards as part of the Affordable Care Act.

Skeptical consumers, take heed: If you receive a notice that your personal data has been breached, pay attention and take free self-help steps to protect yourself from identity fraud. Data-breach notifications have become an increasingly reliable predictor of identity fraud headed your way, according to the latest annual survey by Javelin Strategy and Research, the California consulting firm that has studied this crime for 10 years.

Gun safety in the home hasn't been discussed much in the recent national conversation on gun violence, but the head of the nation's largest homeowners and auto insurance company acknowledges that it could be.

Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a new "ability to pay" rule aimed at protecting you from risky home loans by requiring lenders to ensure you have the ability to repay your mortgage.

An episode of "Dr. Phil" this week that focused on elder abuse—both financial and physical—struck a chord with a number of people, if the show's comments section is any indication. Numerous commenters reported abuse of their own parents by professionals in nursing-home settings and by relatives in the elderly people's own homes.

Today is Bank Transfer Day, which encourages you to switch your money to a credit union or smaller bank if you are unhappy with your current bank.