Posts Tagged ‘card’

INGO ARMENIA offers discount motor insurance system

The discount card will allow INGO ARMENIA clients to save 106.5 thousand drams in average per year.

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Credit cards ditched during cash crunch

More than eight million Americans stopped using credit cards over the past year. |||

New York – More than eight million Americans stopped using credit cards over the past year. The decline stems from a combination of consumer choices and bank actions.

An analysis by credit reporting agency TransUnion found that use of general purpose credit cards bearing MasterCard or Visa logos, or issued by Discover or American Express, fell more than 11 percent in the third quarter, compared with the July to September period last year.

About 62-million people now have an active card, compared with 70-million a year ago.

The Chicago company found that consumers in the subprime category, or those with low credit ratings, were believed to be without cards mostly because they were shut down by banks after payments fell behind or balances were written off.

“One can quite reasonably infer that’s not voluntary,” said Ezra Becker, vice president of research and consulting in TransUnion’s financial services business unit. Banks have written off record amounts of credit card balances in recent years.

But a significant portion of the decrease in card usage reflects decisions by cardholders to stop using credit, Becker said. “They’re simply either not purchasing as much or paying down balances.”

Many of these individuals may have shifted to using debit cards. In the past several years the use of debit cards has grown steadily and now surpasses credit card use in both the number of transactions and dollar volume. Interest rate increases by credit card companies and reduced credit lines have contributed to that trend.

Still that doesn’t mean consumers are shunning credit altogether. The average card balance stood at $4 964 in the quarter. That represented a slight increase from $4 951 at the end of the second quarter, and the first quarter-over-quarter increase in a more than a year.

Yet it also reflects a 13 percent drop from $5 612 at the end of September 2009.

Becker said the balance increase from the second quarter is mostly an indication that consumers are still under stress. Prior to the recession, he said, carrying a credit card balance was more of a lifestyle decision reflecting spending choices. “Now it’s out of necessity,” he said. “In times of financial distress, nobody wants to carry a balance. Where people can afford to pay things down, they do.”

Unlike mortgages, credit card delinquencies are in a normal range. The rate of late payments continued to fall in the third quarter. Just 0.83 percent of payments were past due by 90 days or more, compared with 0.92 percent in the prior year period.

Becker said late card payment rates have varied widely over time, but haven’t skyrocketed to anywhere near what was seen in mortgage delinquencies during the recession.

That’s partly because with unemployment high, credit cards became more important for cash-strapped consumers who needed them to purchase necessities like groceries and gasoline, so they kept their payments current. – Sapa-AP

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Ponzi scheme victim creates card game Bag-O-Loot

LACONIA – John Shelley is not alone. He, like many others in New Hampshire, lost a considerable amount of his retirement savings in the Financial Resources Mortgage scam, the largest Ponzi scheme in state history. There is little recovery in sight. But instead of dwelling on his financial privation after the scam was exposed in late 2009, Shelley, of Laconia, rolled up his sleeves to develop and patent a new family card game, quite aptly named, Bag-O-Loot. “Really, the game itself was not invented out of my tragedy, but rather boredom,” he said.

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Rebuild & Keep Good Credit Ratings by Understanding Your Credit Cards

Secured Credit Card is similar to a prepaid credit card since the funds you are using are actually yours and not the issuer of the credit card. Generally people who apply for secured credit card or prepaid credit card are people with poor credit or unemployed. Prepaid Credit Card spending limit is the amount of money you loaded to the card. There are no interest or finance charges on a prepaid card. With secured credit card, your credit line could be from 50% to 100% of your deposit depending on the institution giving you the secured credit. Therefore the company giving you the secured credit card has zero risk.

Secured credit card can be very beneficial because it gives you an opportunity to rebuild your credit history and you are able to make purchases just as if you had an unsecured credit card. Many companies require that you have a credit card to make purchases, such as car rental, airline tickets, etc. Ensure that the company issuing the secured credit, routinely reports customers’ payment history to any of the three main credit bureaus namely Experian, Equifax and Trans Union. This reporting to the credit bureaus will rebuild your credit history over time.

Closing unnecessary accounts and consolidating your bills to make payments more manageable could be an advantage financially. By not applying for too much credit within a short period of time is another factor that will help in rebuilding your credit rating. Additionally, even though secured credit is like prepaid cards, they do have certain fees attached.
Benefits are similar to that of an unsecured credit card, such as usually being paid interest on your balance in the bank, using Automated Teller Machines (ATM) to make deposits, withdrawals, and making purchases at participating merchants. Following the above steps will strengthen your credit rating.

Unsecured Credit Cards are issued to individuals with good to excellent credit rating. Credit ratings depend on certain criteria, such as one’s ability to repay loans. These criteria include payment history, employment history, and financial stability. Individuals with excellent credit will most likely receive a lower interest rate. A major factor in maintaining excellent credit is making your loan payments on time thus avoiding late fee penalties.

Customers should read the credit agreement to ensure that they understand their obligation to the creditor. Making payments on time will strengthen your credit rating. Unsecured credit cards has numerous advantages such as low interest rates, high credit limit, business name options, no annual fees, and low APRs on balance transfers up to 12 months. Closing unnecessary accounts and consolidating your bills to make payments more manageable could be an advantage financially. By not applying for too much credit within a short period of time is another factor that will help in maintaining a good credit rating.

Rebuilding your credit takes time, patience, and consistency. If you consistently pay your bills on time, you will see an improvement in your credit ratings over time. There are no quick fixes for improving your credit report except for mistakes or inaccuracies that can be corrected, hopefully in your favor. Your credit information is maintained by the credit bureaus namely Experience, Equifax, and Trans Union for seven years. Therefore poor credit information will remain on your report for seven years. The good thing is that as negative information disappears with positive information, this will definitely rebuild your credit rating.

Applying for secured credit card can be very beneficial because it gives you an opportunity to rebuild your credit history, and you are able to make purchases just as if you had an unsecured credit card. Many companies require that you have a credit card to make purchases, such as car rental, airline tickets, etc. Ensure that the company issuing the secured credit, routinely reports customers’ payment history to any of the three main credit bureaus namely Experience, Equifax and Trans Union. This reporting to the credit bureaus will rebuild your credit history over time.

Business Credit Card
Business credit cards are very popular for small business owners because of the many benefits they offer. Benefits includes 0% Intro APR on balance transfers, no annual fees, high credit limit, low interest rates, cash rewards, bonus miles, free online account management to choosing card design etc., At iCreditOnline.com we have some of the best business credit cards from American Express, Advantage, Chase, Bank One, Bank of America, Discover, Citibank, Household Bank and more, with online credit card approval. Why waste time going to a bank when you can get a decision in less than 60 seconds with secure online credit card application. Online Credit Card Approval with Online Credit Card Application is fast and easy!

Student Credit Card

Having a student credit card while still living at home or attending school away from home can be an advantage. It gives the student the opportunity to establish credit at an early age and to start asserting their independence. It comes in handy in case of emergency, it is less trouble and safer to carry a student credit card than to carry cash. Parents find student credit cards to be very convenient. They are able to make deposits to their children’s account while they are away from home. Students should be careful with their credit card receipts to avoid identity thief.

If you consistently pay your bills on time, obtaining students credit cards is a good way to established credit rating and start building a good credit history while in school. Establishing and maintaining a good credit rating will make it easy to purchase a car, a home or obtaining a personal loan in the future. For students who are not committed to their financial obligation, getting a student credit card is not a good idea. Running up balances, finding yourself in debt, unable to make monthly payments will destroy your credit rating.

Student’s credit cards generally have high interest rates. At iCreditOnline.com we offer some of the best student credit cards from Chase and Discover with 0% APR introductory rate for 6 months, no annual fees and online account access. Online credit card approval with online credit card application is fast and easy!

Explanation of some of the credit cards we offer:

0% Intro APR Credit Card or Balance Transfer Credit Card gives you the benefit of using this credit card without making any interest payment on the principal for a stated period of time. This credit card is marketed to individuals with good credit rating who want to transfer balance from a high interest credit card to a 0% intro APR credit card.

Cash Rewards or Cash Back Credit Card earns a percentage on purchases made. This reward or cash back is credited to your account.

Debit Card takes the place of carrying a checkbook or cash. This card is used like a credit card with certain limitations, such as not being able to rent a car. Purchase transactions are contingent upon having enough funds in your checking or savings account to cover the purchase. Verification of funds requires entering your Personal Identification Number (PIN) at a point-of-sale terminal.

Low interest credit card saves you money. Having a good credit rating qualifies you for some of the best low APR credit card offers.

Prepaid Credit Card spending limit is the amount of money you loaded to the card. There are no interest or finance charges on a prepaid card. Therefore the company giving you the prepaid credit card has zero risk. Generally people who apply for prepaid credit card are people with poor credit or unemployed.

Secured Credit Card is secured by the amount of funds you have in your account. Your credit line could be from 50% to 100% of your deposit depending on the institution giving you the secured credit.

Unsecured Credit Card is issued to individuals with good to excellent credit rating. Credit ratings depend on certain criteria, such as one’s ability to repay loans. These criteria include payment history, employment history, and financial stability. Individuals with excellent credit will most likely receive a lower interest rate and can receive instant online credit card approval. A major factor in maintaining excellent credit is making your loan payments on time thus avoiding late fee penalties.

Travel Rewards Credit Card benefits may include travel accident insurance, free rental car collision/loss damage insurance, rebate on gasoline purchases, frequent flyer points or bonus miles towards airline flights, free quarterly and annual account summaries.

Author: David Hall
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Secured Credit Cards- Consumer Tips

Whether you have no credit or damaged credit, secured credit cards are a good tool for building a good credit history.

Several months ago Tom, a member of CreditBoards.com, filed for a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy. Now he is in the process of rebuilding his credit history. Its a task that is not easy, but with patient persistence he is seeing progress already. Daily he checks his credit score and is slowly seeing improvement.

1 – In addition to correcting every mistake, even the smallest ones, on his credit report, he is using a secured credit card.

2 – This secured card is an important tool in the overall process of building or rebuilding credit.

Who should consider a secured credit card?

Someone who has no credit history.

Someone with a damaged credit history.

What is a secured credit card?

Secured cards are credit cards opened with a deposit into a savings account, money market or certificate of deposit. The amount of deposit required varies from card to card, but generally minimum amounts range from $250 – $500. These funds are considered your security and will even earn a little interest since they are being held in a savings account. Your credit limit is determined by the amount you deposit into the savings account. Sometimes the limit will be for the full amount of the deposit; other times it will be a percentage of the total.

It is important to keep in mind that a secured card is a credit card, not a debit card. If full payments are not made each month, then interest is charged on the outstanding balance. And the lending institution uses the security money to pay off the debt only as a last resort. Even though the card is secured, it is still possible to damage credit.

What are the benefits of a secured credit card?

Establishing credit. If you have never had a credit card, a good first step in establishing good credit is applying for a secured credit card. Assistant Professor of Economics at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN, Jerry Plummer says, A secured card is most useful for the person starting out on their credit history, since it says that the person is willing to take the extra step to establish credit.

Reestablishing credit. If your credit history is damaged, you may only be able to qualify for a secured credit card. Using this secured card appropriately and within the set parameters will help rebuild your credit and qualify you for an unsecured card. If you have had to file for bankruptcy, however, you may not qualify until it has been discharged.

Preset limit cannot be exceeded. If poor spending habits were part of the cause for bad credit, then a secured credit card will help keep spending in check.

Useful for transactions that require a credit card. Hotels and car rentals require the use of a credit card. If you dont qualify for an unsecured card but you do for a secured card, then you are still able to make the transaction.

What should I look for or avoid when shopping for a secured credit card?

Fees. This is the area you will really want to research when shopping for a secured credit card. Some cards will come with fees that run into the hundreds of dollars, eating away much of the credit you secured with the savings account. Professor Plummer says a card with no fee is the best, but a small one-time fee can be okay. Annual fees for attractive secured cards typically range from $20-$35. Be sure to watch out for hidden fees such as registration charges and setup fees.

Interest Rate. Just because you have no or poor credit doesnt mean you have to settle for the highest interest rate. Interest rates for attractive secured cards should not exceed 19%. Shop around and get the most competitive rate available.

Read the fine print. Linda Tucker, Director of Education for Consumer Credit Counseling Service for Arkansas and Memphis, TN, stresses the importance of reading the fine print. Doing so will let you know your exact obligations to the issuing company: for example, the grace period, what happens if you dont make a full payment, and what fees are attached if you dont make the full payment. Understanding these details will help make sure you are not further damaging your credit.

Fraudulent Offers. As with unsecured cards you need to watch out for fraudulent offers.The Federal Trade Commission gives the following advice to protect yourself from credit card fraud:

  • Offers of easy credit. No one can guarantee to get you credit. Before deciding whether to give you a credit card, legitimate credit providers examine your credit report.
  • A call to a ’900′ number for a credit card. You pay for calls with a ’900′ prefix — and you may never receive a credit card.
  • Credit cards offered by “credit repair” companies or “credit clinics.” These businesses also may offer to clean up your credit history for a fee. However, you can correct genuine mistakes or outdated information yourself by contacting credit bureaus directly. Remember that only time and good credit habits will restore your credit worthiness.

When will I qualify for an unsecured credit card?

It can take several months to see an improvement in your credit history. Bankrate says its a good indicator when you start receiving flyers in the mail for unsecured cards that your credit is improving. However, its a good idea to continue taking things slowly. Using a secured card will help you learn healthy habits so that when you do get an unsecured credit card you remain in control of your spending and credit.

Where can I find a secured credit card?

Most companies dont advertise secured cards. But you can visit the Card Reports section of http://www.CardRatings.com to find out where and how to apply. Click on the link entitled Cards for Consumers with Poor or No Credit.

Other tips

Tom recommends sticking with only one or two cards and keeping spending to a minimum. The goal is to pay the card off each month.

Tucker emphasizes the importance of paying the amount due each month; otherwise late fees can be charged, interest rates raised, privileges lost, and credit history negatively affected.

Make sure you are getting a credit card as opposed to a gas card or a department store card.

Make sure a reputable bank or credit union, even a local one, is issuing the card. And, dont automatically assume a bank is issuing the card.

Not all issuers report to the three major credit agencies (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion). Its important to get a card that does report to all three agencies; otherwise you will be wasting your time. Fortunately, secured cards normally report to the credit agencies just like unsecured cards (you should verify this before applying).

If you have filed for bankruptcy, you may need to wait until it has been discharged before qualifying for a secured card.

Get one only if you cannot get credit, since you have no credit record; or if you have poor credit. Plummer says, Many companies will not even count them as credit, such as automobile F&I (Finance and Insurance) people, although they will not admit it. So, if you dont really need a secured card, you will be doing more harm than good.

Finally, whatever situation you are in, no credit or poor credit, the best way to build good credit is to set up a budget and then stick with it.

1 You can pay membership fees to any one of the three credit bureaus Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax- to be able to check your credit score online daily. Visit our Credit Information section for more details. Tom recommends purchasing Microsoft Money 2004, which comes with a one-year membership to Experian (value of $99.00).

2 To find out more about correcting errors on your credit report, read our article How to Correct Mixed or Split Credit Reports.

Author: Amy Cooper-Arnold
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Never Underestimate How Much Credit Reformers Will Accept For a Vote

When I moved from the East Coast to the West Coast in 1973, credit card companies doing business in the State of Washington could not legally charge more than 12% interest on an account. That was because credit card interest rates were subject to the usury limits of the State of Washington; that was the law in every state.

In 1979, the U. S. Supreme Court justices that represented you and me ruled that the state of the lender, not of the borrower, had the sole power to legislate interest rate limits.

South Dakota then eliminated any usury limits, hoping to draw more businesses to its state. The credit card companies flocked to South Dakota and immediately began to increase their interest rates to what have now become unconscionable levels. Federal credit unions are currently limited to charging a maximum of 18% interest, but banks can charge whatever the market will bear.

Many banks currently charge 30% interest for certain accounts, and virtually all banks have default rates that soar to 30% when cardholders use their line of credit and then overcharge their limit, make a late payment, or miss their monthly payment. Credit card providers also have steep fines for any misstep a consumer may commit.

While no one is forcing consumers to apply for and use credit cards, credit card companies have routinely and willfully taken advantage of any consumer misfortune, such as losing their job or being hit with exorbitant hospital bills, to inflate interest rates.

The average credit card balance of many Americans is $13,000, either on one card or several cards. A 30% interest rate means the consumer has to pay more than $300 a month in interest alone without reducing the underlying $13,000 principal balance by a single cent.

The idea is to put consumers into a position where they have a legal obligation for the rest of their natural lives that they cannot possibly bring to a zero balance even if they stop using their credit card(s) and pay the interest only.

The recent legislation to help curb these abuses sounds better than it is. Yes, there are some restrictions but here is what the bill does not do:

It does not cap interest rates on credit cards, it just slows down the time when the rates can be implemented. Companies will still be able to charge interest rates of 30%, 40%, 50% or 100%, whatever the market will bear.

It does not explicitly cap credit card fees. Are your surprised? Don’t be.

It does not take effect immediately, giving credit providers in many cases 9 months to raise rates and fees on current accounts. Do you really think they will not do so?

It does not limit interchange fees charged to businesses for credit card processing; these fees are passed on to the consumer.

In other words, the bill does not attempt to restrict the most important issues, such as capping the interest rates and fees.

It also does not prevent issuers from finding new fees to boost revenue. Use your card to withdraw money at another bank’s ATM machine, and your credit card provider as well as the bank in question charges a fee. Look for these fees to rise dramatically. So how ridiculous can this get? How about cameras that record if you even look at an ATM machine but do not use it, then you are charged a fee for just thinking about using the machine.

While some regulation of credit card provider abuse is welcome, this current bill is more smoke and mirrors than substantive legislation. Why? Heck, I thought you would never ask.

Here’s why: Credit card providers spread a lot of money around to get a majority of your congressmen to craft a bill that was more favorable to the credit card company than the consumer. Some people call this lobbying; others call it a convenient pay-for-vote system that continues to enrich congressmen and credit card companies at your expense.

Copyright 2009 Ed Bagley

Author: Ed Bagley
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Credit Card Identity Theft Protection – Stop Credit Identity Theft From Happening To You

Credit card identity theft protection, Stop credit identity theft from happening to you and protect your financial identity.

As more and more financial transactions take place electronically, the number of people at risk of becoming victims of credit card identity theft increases as well. In today’s age, it is imperative that anyone with a bank account or credit card have some knowledge about credit identity theft. Becoming a victim of credit card identity theft can be devastating to your financial security, as well as your life. It is important to understand the methods criminals use to acquire your sensitive personal information to adequately protect yourself from this rapidly growing financial identity theft crime. Phishing is one popular means of gaining personal data. In this scam, the criminal sets up a legitimate looking website that captures information like account numbers, passwords, and loan information. Dumpster diving is also a common way for thieves to access your personal information. You should always shred sensitive items, like credit card statements, pre-approved offers, and bank statements, and avoid throwing sensitive papers, like mail or receipts, into public trash receptacles. There are other ways criminals can obtain your personal information and commit credit card identity theft, do it is also a good idea to keep an eye on your credit card statements and immediately report any questionable charges to your account holder’s fraud department. There are also various credit card protection organizations that will aid in monitoring your credit report. Placing their warning stickers on your cards may also help in preventing credit identity theft.

How to Avoid Credit Card Identity Theft

The effects of financial identity theft can be quite harmful to a victim’s life and creates all sorts of problems. Staying active in your credit standings and credit card usage is one of the best ways to defend yourself from the crime of credit identity theft. There are a number of simple things you can do to protect your identity and your credit. Most importantly, remember to never give your credit card number to someone over the phone, unless you started the transaction. The businesses you patronize would not call you and request this type of sensitive information over the phone. While shopping online, ensure that you are using a secure website before entering your credit card number. The website address of a secure site always begins with https://. Emails that ask for login information or account numbers are usually scams, so never respond to these. Instead, forward them to the actual business’s fraud department. If you are using your credit cards in a standing store, keep the card in your sight any time you use it and keep all your receipts until you can shred them at home. Only carry the credit cards you plan to use and store the extras in a secure place. If you have several different cards, consider canceling a few so you minimize the chances of becoming a credit card identity theft victim. Remember to shred any cards you are no longer using. Fewer credit cards will also make it easier to monitor your monthly statements. Always sign the back of your credit cards and memorize your pin numbers and store them in a separate place. These credit card identity theft prevention tips are very easy to follow and will save you from all the headaches associated with credit identity theft.

Watch out for e-mails

Emails that urge you to act immediately are often phishing scams and should be avoided. These emails usually attempt to alarm you about an account you own and will request your personal information when you log into their false website. The email may say your account has been violated and request you to change your password or may offer a free gift or special savings by logging into your account. Other common phishing emails claim your account must be updated or it will be closed. If you follow the actions requested in these emails, you will become another victim of credit card identity theft.

Will Smart Credit Cards End Financial Identity Theft?

Smart credit cards are not a new idea, but they are quite expensive to put into use. As chip technology continues to advance, it is more affordable for businesses and users to use these cards. All business systems will have to be updated for chip reading technology before Smart cards can be in wide use, but the cards can be locked with a four digit pin number to prevent credit card identity theft. These cards hold all sorts of information, including passwords and even shopping habits, but the data can be controlled by the card owner and the information seen by others can be limited. Smart credit cards will make a huge impact on the commonness of credit identity theft, but it will take time to come into use in most places.

Author: Daryl Plaza
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Payday Loans No Debit Card: Most promising hard cash without debit card

Introduction:

Payday Loans No Debit Card is a short term unsecured loan which will provide an assist to you meet up the desperate monetary need. This facility is available for those people who don’t have any debit card to show to the lending company. In UK, most of the finance companies ask for showing debit card to borrow instant funds.  

If the bottleneck financial situation is troubling you and unwanted expense come your way then apply for this cash and solve your problem without any hassle. You can borrow small amount that fulfil your need at the same moment.

Features:

No debit card loans have many benefits which pushes you to access a cash advance easily. It makes your life easier by providing easy and instant cash. You can meet your superfluous expenditure in most handy manner. It proves to be a boon acting as a bridge between the borrower’s special need and direct cash flow.

Additionally, you are not required to fax your documents to the lender and engage yourself in much paperwork. No collateral is required to place against the borrowed amount. You can use your borrowed for multiple purposes such as paying bills, paying previous debts, shopping, paying utility bills like telephone and electricity etc.

Lastly, you can apply from online services that are completely hassling free and appropriate in every sense. You just need to file an application and submit it to the website of lending company.

Requirement:

Qualifying for no debit card loan is simple. There are some simple conditions; you need to fill which includes:

The applicant should be a citizen of UK
•    You must be more than 18 years of age.
•    You must be currently working and must earn a salary of £1000.
•    The borrower should be employed for more than a period of six months in the same company.
•    You should be able to give with the required credit rating details before availing the mortgage to the respective lender.

David Warner is a well known author and has been writing content for Faxless Payday Loans. His content is worth reading as it gives you an insight about different aspects of payday loans no debit card, payday loans with no debit card, 3 month payday loans and fexless payday loans For more information visit http://www.faxlesspaydayloans.org.uk/

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/loans-articles/payday-loans-no-debit-card-most-promising-hard-cash-without-debit-card-1597320.html

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