All About Credit Cards

If you are fond of credit card rewards, then you should take advantage of the rewards that automotive credit cards offer. These cards pair a major credit card company with automotive manufacturers. You will earn rewards if you use automotive credit cards to purchase a new vehicle or any products from a manufacturer that is paired with a credit card company.

If you are not satisfied with a particular manufacturer, you can shop around to find automotive credit cards that have deals with a manufacturer that you like. There are also cards that have rewards that can work for any manufacturer. These cards are suitable for persons who are unsure of the type of vehicle that they want to purchase. However, there are also some automotive credit cards that do not include vehicle purchases on their rewards program; instead they offer rewards when you buy auto parts and services.

You must also realize that you cannot buy a car with reward points. The rewards points are only for discounts that range from $1000 to $3000. The manufacturers also choose particular car models that are included in the rewards system. The rewards systems do not usually include used cars. You may need to buy a new vehicle in order to enjoy automotive credit cards rewards.

You also need to understand the credit cards rewards systems and how it can be redeemed. You should always remember that automotive credit cards have fees and interest rates as well. If you choose a card with a high interest rate, you may end up spending more rather than save money on a vehicle purchase. You should avoid being carried away with charging items that you don’t need just to earn reward points.

You can benefit from automotive credit cards if you are sure about the vehicle you wish to purchase. You can easily choose the credit card that will suit your needs. Keep in mind that the points you earn will expire, so using your credit card a lot will not guarantee any benefits. However, if you manage your credit card carefully, you can save a significant amount of money on auto parts, services, and on the next vehicle purchase.

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Enjoying The Best Reward Credit Cards

These days many of us are feeling the financial pinch. From rising inflation to sky-rocketing gas prices, everyone has been effected. If you are looking for another way to save some money, you can do it with cash back credit cards. Here are some things you need to look for when you apply for your card.

Not All Cards Are Equal

Credit card companies have a policy to always advertise only the best features in their ads, which is typical of most people selling anything from used cars to bridges in Brooklyn. The problem is not usually in what is out in the open, but it is what is in the small print that matters. Just because you see a 0% interest on their ad does not mean that everything is good with the rest of the card offer. Look it over carefully - or you may not be getting quite the deal you think.

0% Interest

This feature contains three things that you need to look into. First, there are the balance transfers. If you are serious about saving money, and you have credit card debt, then you need to know what you can transfer and for how long can you transfer it. Some credit cards will only give you this option if you make the transfer when you apply for the card - any other transfers do not get the same 0% treatment. A good cash back credit card will enable you to receive 0% balance transfers for up to one year after you get the card. Also, check whether or not there are any balance transfer fees, since some cards can charge up to 4%.

Another thing you should look at is to determine what it is that comes under the 0% APR. For some cards it applies only to balance transfers, and for others (the better ones), it applies to both balance transfers and purchases.

Then, be sure to look at the time period that applies for the 0% interest. Some companies make this a real short teaser offer knowing that people will either not read the fine print, or not compare cards. For some cards, this period of time can be as short as 90 days. The best cash back credit cards, however, will allow you to enjoy that benefit for between 12 and 15 months.

Cash Back Rewards

Once again, there is quite a variety in what is offered in cash back rewards. The percentage of what is offered as cash back can vary between 1% on the low side to upwards of 6% on the high side. Almost no card will give you 6% on all purchases, but will differentiate between the types of purchases. Nearly all cash back credit cards will give you a better percentage for your purchases made at gas stations, grocery stores, and drugstores. Lower percentages, usually 1% to 3%, apply to all other purchases. You need to know, however, that some cards will require you to maintain a balance, or to make a certain amount of purchases before you get the benefit.

Reward Options

You have a number of ways that you get to use your cash back rewards. They can come to you either as discounts, points which can be used toward purchases at select stores (selected by the card company), or air miles. Some travel cards will also reward you with free hotel stays, discounts toward car rentals, and even credit toward buying a new car.

Interest Rate

For some, this may be the most important consideration. Your cash back credit card will give you special benefits for up to one year – after that, the regular rate kicks in. You will want to choose a card that has as low an interest rate as possible – for as long as possible. After that, you may want to get a new card.

Weigh your options carefully when comparing each particular offer. Cash back credit cards usually have a little higher interest in order to offset the freebies the company gives to you. If you are a traveler, then you certainly want either a card that gives you air miles, or rebates on your gas purchases – depending on which you use the most. Watch out for late payments, too, as this can kick your intro APR back up to the regular rate of interest – early.

The Ever Popular Mileage Card
Mileage Cards – Pluses and Minuses
Preparing For Life With Credit Cards For College Students

Who doesn’t like freebies anyways? Mileage cards are growing in number by each passing day. The use of these cards seems to be getting more and more attention with consumers of late. The simple fact is that consumers can derive significant benefit from mileage cards by using them judiciously with every day purchases.

The cards have some significant travel rewards and perks, offering the most obvious benefit that comes wit mileage card use. These are available through different sources and one of the best such sources are the financial institutions themselves.

More about Mileage Cards

There is no dearth of credit cards in the market these days. The only difference is in the services offered that vary from card issuer to card issuer. Not surprisingly, such cards are ideal card options for frequent flyers. People who travel a lot by air can derive superior benefits from this type of card offer.

While these miles are a definite potential perk for the owner, proper use of the card is required. The time period for redeeming the point earned from such cards is generally unlimited with continued use of the card but some companies have a point use limit of 2-3 years. Points are collected for travel purchases as well as regular card purchases and they are tallied up on an ongoing basis for the cardholder.

Personal Mileage Card

Anyone who travels often can use what is known as a personal mileage card. It is literally the same as a traditional credit card but the free travel is just considered an added benefit, not the primary benefit of the card. All that one needs to do is find the card offers from the wide variety of resources available online and narrow down your selection to those cards that offer a redeemable miles reward program. There is a huge number of these cards available in the marketplace. Virtually every airline has a corresponding credit card from which you can derive benefits, not to mention the wide variety of general rewards cards that offer miles as an additional benefit to their reward program. And for all of you international travelers, these cards are generally accepted by most of the international airlines.

The Right Mileage Credit Card

A mileage credit card should be thoroughly researched before cardholders consider applying for any card offer. You can be easily fooled by many of these offers if you do not apply due diligence to the research process. The secret is thorough research and an understanding of how these cards work.

A Mileage Card – For Your Dream Destination

The airlines industry knows the need of the travelers these days. With this is mind, mileage cards were devised and have found their distinct niche with consumers. While the mileage card has been available for years now and is growing in popularity, counter to many of the advertising and marketing campaigns that you see for this type of financial vehicle, mileage credit cards are not a good bet for everyone.

Preparing For Life With Credit Cards For College Students
Mileage Cards – Pluses and Minuses
Doing The Math on Credit Card Rewards

One of the best ways to help prepare your young college student for the realities of life concerning finances is to educate them about the perils of personal finance, in particular the use of college student credit cards. Many companies offer them and they do come with a number of benefits. As recently as about 15 years ago, it was nearly impossible to get a credit card as a college student, but now the times have changed. Here are a few things to look for when you go to apply that will help you to get the best.

0% Interest

This feature allows your student to be able to make purchases and not owe any interest for an initial period up to 6 months. This time frame is pretty standard on credit cards for college students. After that time frame, the regular interest on the card comes into effect. Of course, every young person with a credit card also needs to know that by paying the monthly balance when it is due will bring most any card to 0% interest – on a continual basis.

Balance Transfers

Most college credit card companies assume that this is the first card that students have ever owned and will not offer a balance transfer option. While there are a few card issuers that offer this card feature, a balance transfer is an undoubtedly rare feature in a college credit card. If they do allow it, then it still would only apply for the 6-month introductory offer period.

Higher Interest

The credit cards for college students do normally have a higher interest rate than your general cards – about 16.99% up to 18.99% and beyond. So if the compound interest effect is demonstrated and emphasized to your student, it may help them to realize that they need to be fiscally responsible - or they will pay a steep price. Also, you need to know that it is more than likely that the introductory offer may be forfeited by just a single late payment.

Build Their Credit Rating

Many of the advertisements for college student credit cards emphasize that this is a good way for your student to build their credit. It is a good thing for them to understand too that how they treat this card will have a definite reflection on their credit ratings for the foreseeable future. So they may need some extra instruction on this, as well as knowing the importance of paying their bills on time. Many ads for these cards also point out that their card records may be accessed online and they can make payments electronically, yet another nice feature for internet-savvy students.

Rewards

Here is one of the ways that the card starts to make it worthwhile. For each dollar spent, rewards or points are given that can be redeemed either as cash, or as a gift. The rewards on these rebate credit cards include such things as air miles, concert tickets, gift cards, studio tours, and up to 5% cash back on certain items - usually groceries, gas, and medicine, and then 1% on others. Some college student credit cards even give special rewards for keeping a good GPA!

Another Option

If you think that traditional credit cards for college students might be a little beyond your student's readiness to be responsible, then there is another way to go when they go off to college. The prepaid debit card can also give them the ease of plastic without having to carry any cash around, or in their dorm rooms. Amounts can be easily transferred to the card, and some cards even permit amounts to be transferred from one family member’s card to another family member’s card.

Getting your student off to college is a big step in their life – and yours. Getting the right college student credit cards can sure take a load off of your mind by knowing that they do not have to carry a lot of cash. They are also protected against any wrongful uses of the card, too. And best of all, your favorite student can learn to become fiscally responsible, with time, and get an even better card later on.

Apply For Credit Card - Get Instant Approval
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Jacqueline Cubici-Gonzalez, a self-professed Interact shopping addict, visits a grocery store Web site once a week to buy meat, vegetables, canned goods and toiletries. But she doesn't have the items delivered to her home in Camberley, England. She sends them instead to her mother's home in Maracay, Venezuela, through the Web site of the Venezuelan grocery store El Plazas, ElPlazas.com.

"I used to send her money, but this way I have more control," says Cubici-Gonzalez, a Venezuelan who has lived in England for 14 years. "Knowing my mother, I had the feeling that when I sent her money, she would run out and not have everything she needed in the fridge."

Cubici-Gonzalez is part of a growing number of people outside Latin America using the Internet to send groceries to relatives in the region. It's an alternative to sending money that customers like because it lets them avoid fees charged by money-wiring services and ensures that their money is spent on food. And, at a time when many countries in the region are dealing with severe economic downturns, Latin Americans living abroad feel a great need to support family members in their home countries.

>From El Plazas in Venezuela to Peru's E. Wong, grocery stores throughout Latin America now accept Web orders paid with foreign credit cards. Argentina's Disco Virtual began offering service to foreign customers in March 2003, and Mexico's Gigante plans to begin in the first half of 2004. "I have clients from London, Spain, China, Japan," says Maria Teresa Mendez, e-commerce manager for El Plazas. The chain saw its overseas orders increase from virtually none to 6% of Web sales after Venezuela's political instability led to a recession in late 2002.

Disco Virtual, at discovirtual.com.ar, has about 1,500 foreign customers, says the Web site's director, Diego Baron. The store's marketing campaign targets Argentines living abroad by advertising in cities such as Miami, Madrid and Barcelona, where many Argentines have moved in the past three years following the country's debilitating financial crisis. The grocery store also advertises on Web sites that expatriates visit, such as Argentine newspaper sites.

Instead of just groceries, Disco Virtual also offers gift certificates for use in the grocery store. "People don't necessarily know what sort of food their relatives need, so they prefer to buy them vouchers," Baron says. "That way, they know they're not buying clothes."

Baron says he sees the overseas purchases as a niche market with significant growth potential. Web sales account for a small percentage of most grocery companies' annual revenues, and purchases by foreign customers are just a fraction of those Web sales. But companies are continuing to tap the foreign market, in part because Web sales within the region have been somewhat disappointing.

In theory, online grocery delivery businesses should fare better in Latin America than they did in the United States, where many flopped with the dot.com bust, perhaps for being overly ambitious. Many of the U.S. start-ups had no brick-and-mortar stores, counting solely on elaborate warehouses with fleets of delivery vehicles and an army of workers that proved too costly to maintain. In Latin American cities, labor is cheaper, distances are shorter than in U.S. suburbs, and the stores use existing in-store staff to fill Web orders.

Yet in Latin America there are not enough Internet users to support these businesses. And those who do use the Internet don't yet feel completely comfortable buying over the Web. "People in Mexico are afraid to give their credit card number online," says Ernesto Valdez, vice president of the Mexican Internet Association (AMIPCI). "We are working on a marketing campaign, educating people so that they understand that buying on the Internet is safe, that there is technology that protects credit card information."

Another problem for Web-based grocery stores in Latin America is demographics. The group of people using the Internet in the region is not the same segment of the population that does the grocery shopping. About 65% of Mexico's 10 million Internet users are between the ages of 18 and 34, and about 68% are men, according to a 2003 AMIPCI study.

Most grocery store shopping, meanwhile, is done by middle-aged or elderly women, says Carlos Gonzalez, e-commerce director at Gigante, whose Web grocery service has not made a profit since it started in 2001. But Gonzalez says he's willing to wait for his customers to come.

"Right now, the young Internet users are living at home with their parents," he says. "But as these new generations get married and have their own homes, Internet grocery shopping is going to Increase."

Play your cards
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PURCHASING CARD PROGRAMS are moving to a new level of value. The first wave of change, which began about twenty years ago, put buying authority in the hands of front-line employees throughout their organizations. The benefits were clear: first, purchasing necessary goods and services became fast and convenient; taking even a part of the procurement process out of the paper-based world generated considerable savings in time and money; and, suppliers received payment almost instantly. Today, a second wave of purchasing card functionality is putting strategic information on the desks of senior managers. The difference is in the data.

At the most basic level of purchasing card use, managers receive monthly statements with "level one" data: date, supplier, dollar value and, of course, the name associated with the card, whether it is assigned to an individual employee or a work unit.

"Level four" data, on the other hand, is enhanced to the customers' specifications. Wendy Hall, Public sector Relations director at BMO ePurchasing Solutions said, "We may be the only provider that can pass level four data, custom data based on unique specifications of a client. An example would be time-sheets from a temp help agency, so we would work with the supplier and the government of Canada to deliver that custom data." she said.

Across levels one to four, there is a world of useful data, including order number, item product code, description, quantity, unit of measure and price. Managers can see where products are coming from and where they are going. If the organization is using temporary services, they can look up spending by individual contractor or the types of work performed. If materials are being sent out for analysis and testing, purchasing information could include tracking numbers. In fact, any information about a purchasing card transaction that can be described in alphanumeric terms can be delivered electronically.

Five years ago, when Ken Babich joined the purchasing services department at the University of Victoria, there were only about 70 purchasing cards in use on campus, with very restricted use, manual reconciliation and a monthly spend of only about $15,000.

Shortly after he arrived, he wrote a visionary article called "Bridging The Gap" that looked at the challenge of creating a seamless merger of purchasing card programs with enterprise resource planning (ERP) software to create an all-electronic process. At that time he wrote, "... purchasing cards should seriously be considered as the preferred method of purchase and payment." Since then, he has pursued that goal.

Today, there are 770 purchasing cardholders at the university and a total spend of nearly $4 million a year. And, best of all, "The entire process is electronic, from the actual commitment right to encumbering it in our budget."

Within the University of Victoria e-procurement website, an e-merchant site hosts the purchasing card solution. Employees use their purchasing cards to buy from approved vendors and each morning all the transactions for the prior period, including the day before, are reported.

"We take that information in spreadsheet format and we apply the tax tables to it, the PST and the GST, based on where the goods initiated from and so we have that all embedded in code through a product from a company called Millennium Computer Systems which is here in Victoria," Babich said. When data enters the financial software system, money immediately leaves the appropriate budgets.

As Babich said, "The end user can buy something today and within 24 hours, they can go to their financial statement, click on the transaction and see that it is a p-card transaction, what the value is and what it is for, all electronically. That was 'bridging the gap'."

Looking back, Babich said there is more to a solution than just technology. "One is the management of the program itself and the degree to which there is an entrepreneurial spirit attached to it. In other words, how willing is an organization to go ahead and engage technology, particularly p-card technology and some of the inherent risks that they think might come with it."

Once the gap is bridged, and data is flowing into an organization, the next step is to turn it into useful information. Brent Needham, the commercial solutions senior manager at Visa Canada said organizations really capture value with a fully automated procure-to-pay process.

"If you use an ERP system integrated with your electronic procurement system, and it automatically goes on a p-card, then it is much easier to take that enhanced data electronically and, if you're a compliancedriven organization, make sure people are in compliance," he said. "If you're an organization that really values strategic sourcing, you use that to figure out how much you're buying from suppliers and then try to negotiate better deals because you understand how much you're spending with each supplier over each twelve-month period."

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Credit card companies regularly warn consumers about how to protect themselves from fraud when using plastic: scour statements for unauthorized purchases, shred paperwork that includes account numbers and don’t leave bills or cards on the kitchen counter when people are in your home.

But shoppers are pretty much left in the dark if they want to know if a store is keeping their credit card and debit-card transactions secure. There are a few things savvy consumers can do to check up on a retailer’s security practices before plunking down their plastic.

The card industry itself is cracking down on merchants who don’t follow industry guidelines known as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, or PCI. Starting this month, Visa Inc. will start levying fines of $25,000 a month for noncompliance.

Merchants who accept plastic must install firewalls and take other measures to keep computer systems safe from hackers. They aren’t allowed to store certain sensitive data that hackers can use to make phony purchases or produce fraudulent cards.

Merchants, unfortunately, have been slow to respond. Of the 327 largest merchants, just 44% of them have validated their compliance, according to Visa.

The card companies won’t tell you who’s still breaking the rules. “Disclosing the name of compliant merchants would be like drawing a road map for the thieves,” says a Visa spokeswoman. Cardholders aren’t liable for unauthorized purchases.

Merchants also tend to be tight-lipped for similar reasons. That pretty much leaves it up to the consumcredit er to figure out. It’s not easy: Shoppers can’t see inside a merchant’s computer system.

But there are a few things to watch for.

First, industry rules and federal law prohibit merchants from printing more than the last five digits of an account number on a customer receipt. So the first clue: If a merchant is printing too much data on receipts, chances are that’s not the only hole in its system.

Look at the equipment. If the cash register has one of those old-fashioned green computer screens, chances are its security is also from a bygone era. Card-swipe devices should be enclosed in tamper-proof plastic. And as silly as it sounds, if the swipe device “looks old, dusty and dirty, it probably hasn’t been retrofitted,” says one security expert.

Some online merchants have seals on their Web sites that provide security credentials. Designersreplica.com, which sells sunglasses, has a small “credit card guard” insignia on its Web site that identifies it as a “PCI Tested Website.”

“We believe that merchants enjoy more sales because they show they are PCI-compliant,” says Michael Johnson, chief executive of ComplyGuard Networks, a New York company hired by merchants to test their systems. Next month, ComplyGuard will start providing “no-fraud zone” stickers to brick-and-mortar customers who comply with the rules.

The fact is, there are still too few guarantees when it comes to card security. Except, of course, for the foolproof method: Pay with cash.

By Robin Sidel
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New Weapon against I.D. Theft?
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Before you begin your holiday shopping, there’s one thing you should strongly consider doing — and it’s not making a list!

Evidence suggests that more people have their identity stolen during the busy shopping season than at any other time of year, and that could be a big, expensive headache.

But, The Early Show money maven Ray Martin explained Thursday, there’s a new way to protect yourself.

It’s called a credit freeze.

Although it’s been available in some states, now everyone in the country can shut down access to his or her credit report, thanks to a move by credit bureaus last week.

A credit freeze, Martin points out, is exactly what it sounds like: It prevents potential new creditors from accessing your credit report without your explicit permission. That means no one can use your name to take out a loan or sign up for a credit card.

Ray says it’s a fabulous idea, and he plans to sign up immediately himself.

He stresses that we’re talking about preventing identity theft here, not preventing credit card fraud. Freezing credit does NOT someone from getting your credit card number and using that information to charge things. However, it WILL stop someone from opening new credit accounts in your name, putting their utility bill in your name, etc.

In general, identity theft is much more serious than credit card fraud. There are express limits in the law on your liability in the event someone uses your credit card number, but no such limits exist for I.D. theft, and you might not even realize your identify has been stolen for long periods of time.

A credit freeze, Martin observes, is like the ultimate lock-box around your precious credit report. However, the freeze also stops you from accessing the report.

Let’s say you walk into a department store, do a lot of holiday shopping and decide to open a store credit account in order to save 10 percent on your purchases. You wouldn’t be able to. You can’t apply for and receive instant credit like that. Instead, you would have to call the credit bureaus beforehand, ask them to lift the freeze, apply for the credit, then have your accounts re-frozen.

There’s the other catch: You must pay each of the three credit bureaus $10 to freeze your credit. You also have to pay to lift the freeze. For a couple, that means $60 to enact the freeze, $60 more if they want to apply for a loan and lift the freeze, then $60 more to reinstate the freeze.

But, if you’ve been a victim of identity theft, it’s all free.

More good news: All states have different rules, so the standard $10 fee doesn’t apply across the country. In some states, the service is offered for free, and others charge only $5.

Regardless of some of the apparent hassles, Martin says everyone should freeze their credit reports before doing any holiday shopping. In particular, he recommends that anyone who has been a victim of identity theft sign up for a credit freeze immediately. That also makes a lot of sense for kids, who are a growing target of I.D. thieves and won’t be applying for credit anytime soon. It could also be a good option for “mature” creditors — adults who don’t plan to apply for a loan anytime soon.

But, Martin notes, even if you do intend to apply for credit soon, you shouldn’t dismiss this new opportunity: The associated fees are small compared to what it will cost you in both time and money to straighten out a stolen identity.

To have your reports frozen initially, you need to send a certified letter to each credit bureau. Check out each bureau’s Web site for details on what needs to be included in the letter. For the most part, they need very basic information, such as your Social Security number, birth date, etc., and a copy of your drivers license and/or utility bill.

A credit freeze is the only thing you can do to stop identity theft before it begins. But, if the credit freeze sounds a little extreme for you and you still want to do something to protect your identity, you have two other options, Martin says.

You can institute a “fraud alert,” a special message you request be placed on your credit report, requiring lenders and merchants to verify your identity before issuing any new credit. This is free, but there’s a chance lenders could ignore the alert. And you could sign up for credit monitoring, and pay a credit bureau $5 to $15 a month to send you an e-mail alerting you to any changes in your credit report. That could alert you to unusual activity, such as a card being opened in your name that you didn’t know about.

by Ray Martin
Credit Card Scammer Must Repay $12 Million
Applying for Another Credit Card...
Revolution Online Money Transfer Service...

When traveling to Europe, the Orient, or wherever your final destination may be, your options for paying for dinners and tourist gifts are either 1) traveler’s checks or 2) your credit card. The choice of which to used to be quite easy, but things have changed.

The ideal choice used to be to swipe your plastic. The big three (Visa/Mastercard/AMEX) would give you an excellent exchange rate, since they run so much money through the international banks. However, these days, cards have begun to affix surcharges when they’re used internationally. The percentages are usually fairly low (from 1-3 percents) but they can add up.

These fees make it so it might be worth looking into traveler’s checks, particularly if A) you can get them for free and B) you find a place with good exchange rates. You do lose some convenience, but expensive meals can rack up some big bills. So, take a close look at your options, and choose which payment method makes the most sense to you (and your wallet.)

Ways to compare credit card offers
New credit card legislation for students
New credit card legislation for students

A survey expected to be released soon reportedly found that retailers are more likely to say that online fraud involving credit cards is a problem, even though losses being absorbed by merchants may be down slightly from a year ago.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the survey conducted for CyberSource Corp. by Mindwave Research found that 83 percent of merchants who sell online say fraud is a problem, up from 75 percent who said the same thing a year ago. However, the companies interviewed estimated that they lose, on average, 4 percent of online revenue to credit-card fraud, down from 5 percent a year ago.

Still, the survey of 132 companies, which the Wall Street Journal said including pure e-tailers and clicks-and-mortar operations, discovered that while online shopping accounts for just 5 percent of all credit-card transactions, it was the source of 50 percent of all fraud involving cards. The survey also found that 28 percent of merchants surveyed were not aware that they were responsible for the losses generated by online credit-card fraud.

U.K. optical lens vendor Optical Antenna Solutions, working in conjunction with researchers at Warwick University, developed and is trialing an optical device it says will help reduce credit-card fraud. The new optical lens and antenna reportedly can capture data signals from wireless phones more efficiently, over greater distances and at greater capacities. When wireless subscribers are ready to make purchases using their handsets and credit card accounts, the antennas, inserted in mobile phones to read as part of the infrared port, will be pointed toward cash registers, where similar infrared ports are located. Personal security codes are then entered into the phones, at which point the OAS antennas capture light signals carrying the data required to authorize the transactions. When the information is verified, handshakes take place, completing the purchases. South Korea is testing the system, which also will be trialed in Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States

Balance transfer credit cards are an appealing aspect of the credit card business. They allow many people to find just what they need in getting a lower interest rate. On top of that, they allow for some of the best choices when it comes to lowering your debt to credit ratio. In short, if you choose these credit cards wisely, they can work very effectively for prospective cardholders. If a balance transfer is right for you, take the time necessary to determine what the right move is.

Learning If It’s Right For You

Balance transfers can be beneficial to virtually anyone that has a balance on a credit card that is costing them money in finance charges. If you can apply for and get a lower interest rate on a credit card, then it could be a plus to consider it. This would mean that you could move your existing credit card balance to that one and end up paying much less on the card balance that you currently owe.

Another time that it can be beneficial to you to use balance transfer credit cards is when and if you select to get rid of some of your highly costly debt to keep yourself out of collections. To use this method, you should consider what you will do after the balance transfer happens. If you can invest some time in getting this new account open and restarting your credit with them, you may be able to get a lower interest rate, get a larger credit limit and improve your credit score as well. But, you can get into real trouble if and when you do not cancel or stop using the first credit card. If you continue to use the card with the large balance on it, you could find yourself in serious trouble overall.How To Get Balance Transfer Credit Cards

If you are looking to benefit from the prospect of balance transfers, you will, of course, need to find and apply for these credit cards. In most cases, virtually any credit card you apply for can be used as a balance transfer credit card. During your application process, the company will ask if you would like to use their credit card for this need. If so, then they will instruct you on how to do so right then and there. It can be that simple.

Yet, it does take some time and concentration to make it happen. To get a good quality balance transfer credit card, you should invest some time researching the best available opportunities. Luckily, you can easily do this right on the web. Take some time to look at several offers as they are all likely to be a bit different. Of course, you will also need to qualify for the credit cards in order to use this service. Here, they will likely look at your credit score and your income range to determine this need. Telling them up front that you would like to use balance transfers can be a great way to entice them into approving you for the amount that you need.

When it comes down to it, balance transfer credit cards allow people to find solutions to debt problems that they didn’t have before. If used properly, these credit cards can save a person signficiantly over time. Yet, it is necessary to find the best product at the best price for that to become a reality.