10 Cons Of An International Credit Card

10 Cons Of An International Credit Card

Credit card fraud is a fast increasing crime in the world. International Credit Card holders are mostly the victims of this unauthorized access to their accounts. Let’s take a closer look of the problems faced by international credit cards.

1. Repetitive use of credit card numbers. After a credit card number has been used and disregarded, say cancelled, credit card companies would reissue the same number to other cardholders. The personal identification numbers (PIN) is changed as well as the credit cardholder’s personal information. But it still bears the same credit card number.

2. Low standards when it comes to the use of cards by the participating merchants. This is a common problem encountered by international credit cardholders. Employees of the participating merchants have the full access to the account number as well as the security number of the card.

3. Account Statements given out by credit card companies contains less information about the participating merchant. It does not include relevant information about the vendor that charged any transaction on the credit card.

4. Unreliable blocking functions. Once a card loss is reported, it will still take months for the credit card companies to block the transactions being made through the stolen or lost credit card.

5. Lack of validation software. Participating vendors should have better validation software installed on their computer system.

6. Consumer unfriendly policies on fraud management. The policies on the present fraud management take the blame on the cardholders though not directly stipulated. This means that the policies on the fraud management of international credit card companies protect not the consumers but the company.

7. Lax standards on investigation about fraudulent transactions. This is the sad part for the victims of fraud through their credit cards. Getting the suspects charged though proven guilty of fraud seems to take on slowly.

8. Credit card fraud is usually committed through online transactions. This means that credit cardholders are not protected with the authorized or unauthorized use of their cards on purchases or services paid online.

9. Most of the companies that typically appear on charges are those associated with pornography industry. These companies are the ones that accept transactions even without verifying the cardholder’s information.

10. Most of the banks’ system is not compatible with other international credit card companies for the e-commerce. This is a potential weakness that would mean loss of clients so they would prefer to keep quiet about it.

0% Credit Cards: Are They Worth It?

0% Credit Cards: Are They Worth It?

Credit card jumping has become a common practice. The term refers to the habit of moving debt balances from card to card to take advantage of preferential rates. But just how worthwhile is credit card jumping for consumers?

UK consumers have staggering levels of debt. Consumer borrowing has grown by more than 50% in five years. It's no wonder that people are looking for new ways to ease the debt burden. Credit card jumping offers one possible solution.

Money Saving Device

People who are carrying large amounts of debt can save hundreds of pounds in interest simply by taking advantage of the latest credit card balance transfer deals. Many of these offer a 0% interest rate for a fixed period, such as three, six, nine or even 12 months.

As well as transferring balances from other credit cards to a 0% credit card, consumers are sometimes able to transfer balances from store cards and even outstanding loan amounts.  It is worth checking to see if these transactions also benefit from the 0% balance transfer rate.

Transferring a balance to a 0% credit card means that any payments made are paying off the principal rather than the interest. This reduces the amount owed, which is good news for those using this as a debt management method. Many card issuers do charge a balance transfer fee to curb the practice of credit card jumping, so it is worth looking around for the best deal.

Getting The Best From Credit Card Jumping

To get the best from 0% credit cards, many savvy consumers move from card to card when the preferential rate period expires. This requires some organization, but credit card jumping can mean that debt balances continue to go down as consumers move money (or rather, debt) from card to card. Those who don't move their debt at the right time often find they are paying a much higher interest rate – and the debt is not being cleared. This strategy works best when consumers pay on time. Late payment can result in fees that increase consumers' level of debt.

Consumers who are using many credit cards to manage their debt should consider creating standing orders to manage payments automatically. It is also worth using a spreadsheet or calendar program to keep track of when it is time to move to the next credit card.

Other Incentives

Credit card jumping can be an effective way of reducing debt, providing consumers do not add any new debt. There are also other incentives for using 0% cards, such as charitable contributions, rewards points, air miles, travel insurance and much more. It is worth shopping around to get a reward as well as the interest-saving rate.

Summary

Credit card jumping can be a good strategy for people who are:
1. organized about managing debt
2. trying to clear a large debt
3. prepared to shop around for the best balance transfer deals
4. able to pay on time consistently so as not to damage their credit rating.