# Harry Jacobs — RSS Amplifier Everything Harry Jacobs publishes, via the RSS Amplifier directory. Page: Feed: --- ## Fraud Alert vs. Credit Freeze: Know the Difference Before You Need It _2026-07-28 · The Credit Show_ Most people who think their credit is protected aren't as protected as they believe. Harry Jacobs explains the critical difference between a fraud alert and a credit freeze — why one is a suggestion lenders can ignore and the other is a full lockdown that stops identity theft cold. Including a real case where a fraud alert failed and a fraudulent credit card was opened anyway — and how a credit… [Listen](https://rss.art19.com/episodes/59e18482-a781-435a-b252-01a4fb6a1850.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIhRSU1NBbXBsaWZpZXJCb3QGOgZFVA%3D%3D--6345a2e4a0991d4cbe92da92e0fa95ff9d12de2e) ## Zombie Debt: The Old Debt That Can Rise From the Dead _2026-07-25 · The Credit Show_ A collector is calling about a debt from 2011. What they're hoping you don't know could cost you thousands. Harry Jacobs explains zombie debt — old debt past the statute of limitations that collectors can no longer use to sue you, but will still aggressively pursue — and the single most important thing you must never do when they call. Including a real case where a $50 "good faith" payment reset… [Listen](https://rss.art19.com/episodes/db7f1028-9e2e-47ee-baa9-7b1087924330.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIhRSU1NBbXBsaWZpZXJCb3QGOgZFVA%3D%3D--6345a2e4a0991d4cbe92da92e0fa95ff9d12de2e) ## Charged Off Doesn't Mean Gone: The Debt That Keeps Coming Back _2026-07-23 · The Credit Show_ "Charged off" sounds like the debt is gone. It isn't. Harry Jacobs breaks down one of the most dangerous misconceptions in consumer credit — what a charge-off actually means, why it often results in two separate derogatory marks on your report for one original account, and what the "re-aging" trick is that some collectors use illegally to extend the damage. Learn the charge-off takedown plan: how… [Listen](https://rss.art19.com/episodes/4dea227a-c377-47af-aa3c-cb15ae2bdfa5.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIhRSU1NBbXBsaWZpZXJCb3QGOgZFVA%3D%3D--6345a2e4a0991d4cbe92da92e0fa95ff9d12de2e) ## Common Credit Mistakes That Cost Good People Great Credit _2026-07-21 · The Credit Show_ Good intentions, bad outcomes. Harry Jacobs runs through the five most common credit mistakes he sees from people who are genuinely trying to do the right thing — and explains exactly why each one backfires. Closing old cards to simplify. Cosigning to help a family member. Paying off a credit card without thinking about timing. Applying for too much credit at once. Settling a debt without a… [Listen](https://rss.art19.com/episodes/5f117765-bdf9-4d35-8eb6-f59183116b84.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIhRSU1NBbXBsaWZpZXJCb3QGOgZFVA%3D%3D--6345a2e4a0991d4cbe92da92e0fa95ff9d12de2e) ## The Myth That You Need Debt to Have Good Credit _2026-07-18 · The Credit Show_ You've heard it from a friend, a forum, maybe even a financial advisor: you need to carry a balance to build credit. You don't. Harry Jacobs dismantles this expensive myth completely — explaining why the credit bureaus don't see your interest payments, only your behavior, and how you can build and maintain an excellent credit score without owing a dollar to anyone. Including a woman in her 60s… [Listen](https://rss.art19.com/episodes/966b7cf1-d6d1-4aca-b7ab-f0612791c104.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIhRSU1NBbXBsaWZpZXJCb3QGOgZFVA%3D%3D--6345a2e4a0991d4cbe92da92e0fa95ff9d12de2e) ## Cosigning a Loan: The Most Expensive Act of Kindness in Personal Finance _2026-07-16 · The Credit Show_ Cosigning a loan feels like a simple act of generosity. It isn't. Harry Jacobs explains why "lending your name" is the most misleading phrase in personal finance — because when you cosign, you are co-borrowing the debt, with 100% liability and no control over how it gets managed. Every late payment, every default by the primary borrower lands on your credit report with the same force as if you'd… [Listen](https://rss.art19.com/episodes/54fd93f4-7d5e-4ec4-984f-972a0c80f458.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIhRSU1NBbXBsaWZpZXJCb3QGOgZFVA%3D%3D--6345a2e4a0991d4cbe92da92e0fa95ff9d12de2e) ## Common Credit Mistakes That Cost Good People Great Credit _2026-07-14 · The Credit Show_ Good intentions, bad outcomes. Harry Jacobs runs through the five most common credit mistakes he sees from people who are genuinely trying to do the right thing — and explains exactly why each one backfires. Closing old cards to simplify. Cosigning to help a family member. Paying off a credit card without thinking about timing. Applying for too much credit at once. Settling a debt without a… [Listen](https://rss.art19.com/episodes/1287e126-932a-43fc-ad23-ebfa72408240.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIhRSU1NBbXBsaWZpZXJCb3QGOgZFVA%3D%3D--6345a2e4a0991d4cbe92da92e0fa95ff9d12de2e) ## The Myth That You Need Debt to Have Good Credit _2026-07-11 · The Credit Show_ You've heard it from a friend, a forum, maybe even a financial advisor: you need to carry a balance to build credit. You don't. Harry Jacobs dismantles this expensive myth completely — explaining why the credit bureaus don't see your interest payments, only your behavior, and how you can build and maintain an excellent credit score without owing a dollar to anyone. Including a woman in her 60s… [Listen](https://rss.art19.com/episodes/d9b61f85-04fc-4a6e-b87a-d06cbe403804.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIhRSU1NBbXBsaWZpZXJCb3QGOgZFVA%3D%3D--6345a2e4a0991d4cbe92da92e0fa95ff9d12de2e) ## Why Your New Car Loan Dropped Your Score (And Why That's Normal) _2026-07-09 · The Credit Show_ You bought a new car, made your first payment on time, and your credit score dropped 20 to 30 points anyway. What went wrong? Nothing. Harry Jacobs explains the two-part reason every new auto loan temporarily drops your score — the hard inquiry and the new account impact on your average credit age — and more importantly, why the score almost always fully recovers and surpasses its starting point… [Listen](https://rss.art19.com/episodes/872a191a-d12d-40c2-a8d2-fd69d14dec63.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIhRSU1NBbXBsaWZpZXJCb3QGOgZFVA%3D%3D--6345a2e4a0991d4cbe92da92e0fa95ff9d12de2e) ## [Your 24/7 AI Media Buyer (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/yhyaLvviKmwj) _2026-07-09 · **Sponsored**_ Finds placement, geo, and funnel leaks and proposes fixes you approve ## Be Careful When You're "Just Looking": The Hidden Cost of Credit Curiosity _2026-07-07 · The Credit Show_ "Let's just see what you qualify for" is one of the most expensive phrases in personal finance. Harry Jacobs explains exactly what happens to your credit score every time a dealership runs your credit — and why casual browsing across multiple lots over several months can cost you a better interest rate when you actually buy. Learn how hard inquiries work, what the FICO rate-shopping buffer really… [Listen](https://rss.art19.com/episodes/55ed5750-074f-4494-a89a-a384a315185e.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIhRSU1NBbXBsaWZpZXJCb3QGOgZFVA%3D%3D--6345a2e4a0991d4cbe92da92e0fa95ff9d12de2e)