John received a phone call from a debt collector regarding a…

John received a phone call from a debt collector regarding a debt he believes he does not owe. He needs to understand the proper procedure for disputing the debt and requesting verification to protect his credit standing and avoid unwarranted collection activities. How many days does John have to send a written request to the debt collector for verification of the alleged debt? 

Mary is reviewing her credit card statement and notices some…

Mary is reviewing her credit card statement and notices some details that she wants to understand better. Her statement shows an APR of 15%, which translates to a monthly interest rate of 1.75%. Her bank calculates the payment based on previous balance method. Her previous balance was $500, and she made a payment of $350 during the billing cycle. She’s curious to know how much she could have saved if the adjusted balance method was used instead.