Have you received a preapproved offer in the mail this holiday season that looks like a check, made out to you and ready to cash? Before you rush to the bank, visions of presents dancing in your head, know that it’s not free cash. Rather, it’s more ...

We’ve all done it — you get a letter in the mail that looks like a check. You tear it open and sure enough, there’s a check inside. But you don’t recognize the sender. That’s because it’s a live check — a type of personal loan offer that ...