The National Retail Federation and 19 large retailers, including WalMart, Costco, Gap, Lowe's, Nike and Starbucks are choosing not to participate in the pending $7.2 billion class-action settlement with Visa and MasterCard over interchange fees. These retailers will be forfeiting … Continue reading
Ever get tired of figuring out where charges on your business credit card came from? With ReceiptMatch from American Express, you don't have to. This new program was launched a couple weeks ago to give business owners a simple way to … Continue reading
If you want to get the most out of your credit cards, you need to choose a card that has a good rewards program. These programs give you money back on everything you purchase with your credit card. If you … Continue reading
Americans are doing a better job of paying off their credit card debt, and they are doing so in a timely manner. According to the latest report from TransUnion, the average credit card debt per borrower fell 1.7 percent to … Continue reading
Many people assume that "no credit" and "bad credit" are the same thing, but that is not the case. This is not like taking a test in school, where 0 and 50 both lead to an "F". Having no credit … Continue reading
Citigroup announced last week that it will sell its Brazilian credit card and consumer finance business to Banco Itaú Unibanco, Brazil's largest bank based on market value. The sale was reportedly made for $1.3 billion and includes 96 Credicard branches and approximately … Continue reading
Visa recently announced new efforts to issue credit cards in Chinese yuan. Visa would be the second credit card company to have cards in this currency, with Citigroup introducing a similar service last month. China has reformed its foreign exchange … Continue reading
The Long Shadow of Bad Credit in Job Search Over the last several decades, credit reporting bureaus have been selling their services to a much wider range of buyers than just banks. Nearly half of employers use credit checks when … Continue reading
California Attorney General Kamala Harris filed an enforcement action against JPMorgan Chase last Thursday, alleging that the bank used illegal debt collection methods, such as robo-signing, against approximately 100,000 California credit card consumers from January 2008 through April 2011. "Chase … Continue reading
As the use of prepaid debit cards increases, so does the risk of theft and fraud. Last week, federal prosecutors charged eight individuals in New York with cyber attacks on the global financial system. They were part of an international … Continue reading
Credit Card Companies Battle in China The Ms. Magic credit card from China Citic Bank is dotted with crystals and offers free beauty treatments and health insurance. Huaxia Bank's Pretty Lady card entices women with triple points for cosmetic purchases … Continue reading
If you are trying to consolidate the debt on your credit cards, you may consider transferring the balance from one card to another. Some people may not realize this transfer usually comes with a price: a balance transfer fee. This … Continue reading
PayPal may be the most trusted name in online payment processing, but it can now be used in "the real world." The internet mogul is going live in two million retail locations across the country where Discover cards are accepted. … Continue reading
Being the CEO of a credit card issuer or processor pays well. Very well. MasterCard CEO Ajay Banga's pay package last year totaled $11.3 million, an increase of 35 percent over his 2011 compensation of $8.3 million, according to the … Continue reading
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has adjusted one provision from the CARD Act in order to make it easier for spouses or partners who do not work outside the home to qualify for credit cards. It now allows credit card issuers to consider income … Continue reading
Capital One Financial Corporation has seen a 25% drop in profit from the first quarter 2012 to the first quarter 2013. Much of that is due to the fact that the company acquired the online bank ING Direct last year, … Continue reading
Many of us experience a life event that can cause our credit score to plummet. It could be the loss of a job, a bankruptcy, a foreclosure or a medical emergency. There are a variety of life events that can bring … Continue reading
U.S. Amasses Big Data on 10 Million People, Banks Protest The CFPB is working towards monitoring how millions of Americans use credit cards, take out mortgages, and overdraw their checking accounts, but bankers aren't happy about it. The CFPB wants access … Continue reading
Josip Gašpar was once a successful soccer star with a thriving career. After he retired as a player in Croatia, he took on the role of a coach for Prečko Zagreb. This month though, everything changed. Josip was fired from … Continue reading
Credit card delinquency rates fell again in March as consumers continue to pay down credit card debt in a timely manner. Five of the top six credit card issuers reported lower delinquency rates in March than in February. Discover was the only exception … Continue reading
PTO Today is a popular resource for school fundraising groups, and now its efforts are even more expansive. Thanks to a partnership with PayAnyWhere, PTO Today now allows school groups to accept money from credit and debit cards directly through … Continue reading
A Bitcoin is a digital currency that provides instant payment anywhere in the world. It has gained wide popularity in the last few years, and more small businesses are now accepting Bitcoins for their online transactions. Some merchants believe they … Continue reading
In today's credit card market, there are hundreds of cards that are offered to consumers. In fact, LowCards has the largest and most updated database of credit cards and interest rates in our complete credit card index. However, just because … Continue reading
Did you know that your credit card data is constantly being sold to online advertisers who want to target you with specific ads? Companies like American Express and MasterCard have been doing this for years. Credit card companies are not … Continue reading
A recent report underscores that good credit may save consumers significant money on their credit cards. The average interest rate for people with good credit went down 1.69% from the fourth quarter 2012, but the rates for those with average … Continue reading
ATM Fees on the Rise Using an ATM outside of your bank's network is becoming more expensive. The average fee a bank charged a non-customer for using their ATM in 2012 was $2.10, a 20 percent increase from the $1.75 … Continue reading
The prepaid debit card industry has grown tremendously in the last few years and consumers are expected to load $672 billion on these cards in 2013. What is the hype behind prepaid cards? Why do consumers love them so much? In this … Continue reading
Airline credit cards allow frequent flyers to save money on their travels. These cards are designed to provide discounts on airfare or completely free tickets, and many of them provide rewards for other travel accommodations. If you fly on a … Continue reading
The European Commission has begun an investigation regarding the fees MasterCard charges consumers for card transactions made while visiting Europe. According to the BBC, the European Commission, the antitrust regulator of the European Union, said some of the firm's "inter-bank … Continue reading
Many credit card websites compare hundreds of cards in different categories such as low interest and balance transfers, but a category you rarely find on any credit card website is "credit cards for retirees". The reality is as more and … Continue reading
Applying for a credit card is much like applying for a loan or a rental home. You have to provide information that a company can review and assess. If everything works out well, you will be given a line of … Continue reading
Schnucks, a major supermarket chain based in St. Louis, announced that 2.4 million debit and credit cards of its customers may have been compromised over a four month period. According to company officials, the breach occurred from December 2012 to … Continue reading
Credit card issuers are still finding new ways to attract affluent cardholders. Visa is offering a six-month free trial with CLEAR, a biometric identity service used in airport security. The relationship will allow Visa Signature cardholders to move to the head of the … Continue reading
For the most part, it takes credit to make credit. You can't get a loan or credit card without having some form of credit to prove that you are trustworthy. This frustrating cycle can be difficult to overcome when you … Continue reading
Ever feel like government employees frivolously spend your tax dollars on personal items? You're not the only one. In an effort to put a limit on the money Hartford city employees spend on dining and travel, Councilman Kenneth Kennedy is … Continue reading
Analysts See Steady Credit Card Use, Despite Fears of Consumer Cutbacks Analysts expect upcoming earnings from American Express, Visa and other large credit card companies to show that shoppers continued to swipe their credit cards at a healthy clip in the … Continue reading
The LowCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report is based on our Complete Credit Card Index which tracks the advertised rates of 1,060 credit cards in the United States. Our editorial team constantly track the cards in order to identify trends in credit cards … Continue reading
Knowing what affects your credit score may allow you to make better financial decisions over time. It is similar to knowing the types of questions on a test before going in to take it. You may not know all the … Continue reading
The radio commercials and online ads make them sound so tempting: a chance to reduce or wipe out completely credit card debt. But are debt settlement companies really worth it? Can they do what they claim? The Federal Trade Commission … Continue reading
A Louisiana woman is in jail for stealing her 84-year-old grandmother's identity and purchasing over $100,000 in computers, home improvements and several vehicles. It is the latest case that highlights a growing trend in society: financial abuse of the elderly. … Continue reading
Ever get tired of seeing countless fees on your credit card bills? Individually, these fees may not seem like that big of a deal. A couple dollars here, a few cents there. When you start to add them up though, … Continue reading
Nearly everyone has shopped online at some point in time. While many people are concerned about their credit card information being stolen, the majority of people place orders online all the time and never think twice about the security of … Continue reading
It used to be commonplace on flights to pay cash for an alcoholic beverage. Not anymore. Many airlines have now switched to a cashless policy, requiring purchases only by a debit or credit card. The non-cash requirement on airlines was … Continue reading
In the modern world, speed is everything. We drive fast cars on fast highways while our fast phones access a fast internet connection. There is no time to waste. Many people apply this same theory to their credit scores, seeking … Continue reading
18 States Considering Ban on Credit Card Surcharges Eighteen states are now considering legislation that would bar retailers from imposing surcharges when consumers use their credit cards. Ten states have already imposed bans on credit card surcharges, which limited the potential impact of … Continue reading
The LowCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report is based on our Complete Credit Card Index which tracks the advertised rates of 1,060 credit cards in the United States. Our editorial team constantly track the cards in order to identify trends in credit cards … Continue reading
American Express has recently been scrutinized for lacking FDIC insurance on its prepaid cards. The company instead chose to work through a surety program, which gave its customers different levels of protection based on the states they live in. Amex … Continue reading
Credit card delinquencies have reached an 18-year low, signaling that more cardholders are paying their bills on time. The number of accounts that were 30 days or more overdue dropped to 2.47% in the fourth quarter of 2012, according to … Continue reading
Tired of the time it takes to swipe your card at the pump? Z Energy wants to eliminate that problem through a new tap and pay system at their fueling stations. Rather than swiping your credit card like normal, you … Continue reading
With the slow diminishment of cash in the modern world, many Americans find it difficult to pay for parking in busy cities. In response to this quarter-lacking quandary, Ocean City officials have opted to install parking meters that now accept … Continue reading