#1 Credit Myth Costing You Serious Money & New Scams Sweeping the Country

The big banks are absolutely thrilled when you fall for the "cockroach" of personal finance myths: the completely false idea that you need to carry a balance and pay interest on your credit cards to build an excellent credit score. This misinformation has been circulating for decades, and it is flat-out wrong, as Clark explains. Also, beyond credit card misinformation, we are facing an unprecedented wave of sophisticated fraud, with online crime complaints officially surpassing one million for the first time. Driven by advanced AI, scammers are now launching highly realistic "spear-phishing" attacks using actual data breaches from hotels and cruise lines. If you get an urgent message claiming your upcoming hotel reservation can't be validated or that you owe more money on a cruise, do not take the bait. Stay vigilant, question unexpected requests for money, and always independently verify any urgent alerts regarding your travel plans or financial accounts.

Plus, Christa shares your #AskClark questions and Clark gives his take. All this and more on the July 15, 2026, episode of The Clark Howard Show. Submit your questions: https://clark.com/ask

Helpful links from the show:
https://clark.com/credit/credit-score-mistake/
https://clark.com/phone-plan-finder/

00:00 - Intro
01:08 - #1 Credit Myth Costing You Serious Money
06:28 - Ask Clark - My Daughter Is Moving to Singapore for Two Years. Should She Buy a Car There? (Linda, Massachusetts)
09:33 - Ask Clark - What Is AblePay, and Is It Really a Good Way to Save on Medical Bills? (Matthew, Tennessee)
11:53 - Ask Clark - Is the Autopilot App Worth Paying to Track Flight Price Drops? (Glenn, Michigan)
15:23 - New Scams Sweeping the Country
22:36 - Ask Clark - Travel Scam Alert: Beware of Fake Taxis at Concerts and Major Events (Anonymous, Florida)
25:35 - Ask Clark - Should I Keep My T-Mobile Magenta MAX 55+ Plan or Switch to Experience More? (Robert, Michigan)
29:43 - Ask Clark - Should Teachers and Healthcare Workers Keep Their Retirement Savings at TIAA? (Pete, New Jersey)

Mentioned on the show:


Clark.com: Advice You Can Trust:
SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/Clark

Listen To The Clark Howard Podcast: https://clark.com/podcast
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-clark-howard-podcast/id207724573
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3lrwhe2fO5GjZQKntfJZf6
iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/8-the-clark-howard-podcast-28200731/

Follow Us for More Money Tips:
Website: https://clark.com/
Podcast: https://clark.com/podcasts/
Newsletter: https://clark.com/newsletters/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theclarkdotcom/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clarkhoward/

Need Consumer Advice?
The Consumer Action Center is a free resource for advice on money and consumer issues. Call 636-49C-LARK (636-492-5275) and a member of Team Clark will assist you as soon as possible. The Consumer Action Center is available Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.

If you found this video valuable, give it a like.
If you know someone who needs to see it, share it.
Leave a comment below with your thoughts.
Add it to a playlist if you want to watch it later.

Our Promise to You:
At Clark.com and ClarkDeals.com, we do not get paid for endorsements or reviews of any product or service, nor do we allow advertisers to place paid content on our sites. More information: https://clark.com/ad-disclosure/