Credit card users should be aware of foreign usage charges, it has been claimed. According to Moneyfacts analyst Michelle Slade, such fees can be as high as 2.99 per cent for both purchases and cash transactions. She... read more

The need for consumers to seek the best credit card deals may be set to increase, following the findings of a recent study into UK charges. According to research conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers PwC,... read more

Stability is the key to ensuring a good credit record, according to one industry expert. Writing for the Times, James Jones of credit reference agency Experian explained what is necessary for consumers... read more

Consumers seeking the best credit card deals this Christmas should exercise caution, it has been claimed. According to David Black of Defaqto, applying for every single deal – especially those which... read more

The UK Cards Association is again running its online safety campaign - Be Card Smart Online - helping to protect consumers against the risk of credit fraud. It claims that more than 32 million consumers... read more

Existing Nationwide customers are being offered the chance to win one of two VIP trips for two to the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Credit card customers who make more than eight Nationwide Visa credit... read more

The popularity of debit and credit cards mean that small businesses must allow their customers to pay using them, it has been claimed. According to Merchant Accounts, many smaller enterprises such as restaurants,... read more

Innovation may be one way of improving the credit card business model, it has been claimed. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers' PwC Precious Plastic report, the industry is currently unsustainable,... read more

A rise in personal insolvency rates will be seen if fixed fees and higher annual percentage rates become a feature of credit provision, it has been claimed. David Rodgers, managing director of Debt Advice... read more

Households in Britain will spend an average of £5,000 over the coming year, simply paying off the interest on loans, it has been reported. According to the Precious Plastic report, published by professional... read more

Consumers who can only afford to make minimum monthly repayments on credit cards may have debt problems, it has been suggested. Writing for lovemoney.com, Rachel Ronson said these are set at "ridiculously... read more

It is now more difficult for consumers to run up huge plastic card debts unchecked, according to Credit Action. Chris Tapp, director of the money education charity, said it is harder now to get a credit... read more

Many consumers are still as reliant upon credit cards and borrowing money as they have been in the past, it has been claimed. Commenting after the Bank of England reported that lending to consumers increased... read more

New government regulations on credit cards could help reduce the number of people seeking debt advice, it has been suggested. According to a spokesperson for the Consumer Credit Counselling Service CCCS,... read more

The government has announced plans to tackle 'unfair' credit card practices and charges. According to the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, such charges could be outlawed under new proposals,... read more

Families wishing to take holidays during the October half-term break can avoid running up debts by using the Santander Zero credit card, it has been claimed. Commenting after the bank reported that the... read more

The Saga Group has offered free debt advice to consumers, urging them to switch credit cards in a bid to reduce their outgoings. According to the firm, if all credit card providers had acted to reflect... read more

Halifax has confirmed that it will continue to provide access to credit for both new and existing customers. The firm made the announcement after Natwest changed the way it administers credit cards, with... read more

A woman has been freed from an £8,000 credit card debt following a court ruling. MBNA had sought repayment from Lynne Thorius, although a judge decided this was unfair because of the way she had been... read more

The Financial Services Authority FSA is to take steps to protect consumers in the payment protection insurance PPI market. New steps are designed to ensure cusotmers are better treated when buying... read more

A credit card provider is promoting its online account management services as the UK braces itself for the possibility of postal strikes during October. Barclaycard is urging its customers to migrate to... read more

When you apply for any type of credit commitment be it a new credit card, a personal loan or a mortgage application, your bank needs to know what type of risk you are and they base this decision on your credit file, so its crucial you keep it as clean as possible... read more

The amount of money which Brits put on their credit cards has dropped to its lowest rate for two years, new figures have revealed. The quarterly statistical release Q2 2009 from the UK payments association... read more

The decline in the usage of cheques has continued, according to latest figures. A 13.7 per cent fall in the number of cheques cleared has been reported by the UK Payments Association, which has also witnessed... read more

An improvement in household wealth is likely to be seen in the coming months, but it will be a gradual process, one commentator has claimed. Chris Tapp, director of Credit Action said unemployment –... read more

A credit card pre-application checking service has been made launched by Barclaycard - the first of its kind in the UK. The online facility allows potential and existing customers to investigate whether... read more

New research has indicated that south-east London is the worst area in the UK for instances of credit card fraud. A study conducted by card screening firm The 3rd Man has revealed that consumers living... read more

NatWest and RBS have announced plans to significantly reduce the charges for customers who go overdrawn without agreement or exceed an agreed overdraft limit. Effective from October 1st, the cuts will... read more

The over-50s own more credit cards than any other age group, it has been reported. According to research conducted by Saga Platinum Credit Card, 49 per cent of survey respondents in the age category said... read more

UK credit and debit card customers may be leaving their accounts exposed by telling friends and family what their PIN numbers are, it has been reported. According to LV Home Insurance, one in five consumers... read more

Barclaycard has launched a new online account servicing system in a bid to make it simpler for credit card users to monitor and manage their account. mybarclaycard offers provides customers with greater... read more

American Express is to introduce a £20 annual fee for Platinum cashback credit cards which are left dormant, it has been reported. The change will be made for existing card holders from October 1st,... read more

A new study has highlighted the effects of the weather on consumer spending habits. Co-operative Bank Credit Cards compared transaction patterns across two consecutive weekends which experienced vastly... read more

Approximately two in five consumers who use their credit cards to make everyday purchases pay their balance off in full each month, it has been reported. Research conducted by Norwich and Peterborough... read more

Credit card providers are increasingly closing the door on customers who attempt to move their debt in a zero per cent balance transfer, it has been claimed. According to the Daily Mail, lenders are being... read more

Consumers travelling abroad should aim to use prepaid currency cards where possible, it has been suggested. Foreign exchange firm Caxton FX says individuals who use their debit cards while overseas are... read more

Consumers can benefit greatly by setting up a pension fund early in life and paying in small amounts on a monthly basis, it has been suggested. Keith Churchouse, the director at Churchouse Financial Planning,... read more

UK consumers should consider what they want most from a credit card before making their selection, it has been claimed. According to the Daily Mirror, a range of options exist including zero per cent interest... read more

Consumers will find it harder to find a credit card with a reward scheme as growing numbers of products have left the market, new research finds. A study by Sainsbury's Credit Cards found that 66.8 of... read more

A scheme set up by Barclaycard to provide early assistance for customers experiencing financial difficulty has been hailed as a success. Designed to spot customers who may be about to experience credit... read more

Credit card users should be alert to the possibility that changes may be made to the terms and conditions of their product, it has been claimed. Writing in the Daily Mail, James Coney said a number of... read more

A slight increase in consumer confidence was witnessed in July, according to Nationwide. The firm's Consumer Confidence Index recorded a slight increase of one point last month as overall sentiment remained... read more

British consumers increased the amount they donated to charitable organisations using their debit and credit cards last year, it has been reported. According to the UK Payments Administration, a total... read more

Brits on holiday need to exercise the same caution as they would at home when using their credit and debit cards, according to Which? Money. Research from life assistance company CPP found British holidaymakers... read more

New research has found that global credit card fraud would be cut if an international security standard was introduced. A spokesman for HSBC said that user-not-present fraud was a growing trend among criminal... read more

Credit card companies are set to be banned from sending out unsolicited cheques and raising customers' credit card limits without permission, according to a government white paper released today. The review... read more

Credit card companies are set to be banned from sending out unsolicited cheques and raising customers' credit card limits without permission, according to a government white paper released today. The review... read more

New figures show the UK personal debt at the end of May hit £1,459 billion, which demonstrates a slowdown in the last 12 months. Statistics collated by Credit Action show that total consumer credit... read more

Barclays has introduced new guidelines that have lowered the minimum repayment rate on its credit card products. Credit card holders will now be able to make repayments of £5, with the minimum repayment... read more

The consumer credit markets in shrinking so people could face less choice and reduced availability in future, a new report has found. The latest figures from the Finance and Leasing Association FLA show... read more

Young professional workers living in rented accommodation in and around cities are the most at risk of having their identities stolen, new figures suggest. Research from CreditExpert found that young singles... read more

Barclaycard has announced plans to launch a new credit card to be used for small purchases. In a move which could see the end of carrying around pockets full of change, the new contactless card can be... read more

A specialist police squad that tackles financial fraud has saved over £315 million in losses and recovered 335,000 cards and card numbers. The Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Crime Unit DCPCU has recovered... read more

Electronic payments are growing in popularity, with two-thirds of all retail purchases being paid for on plastic last year. The figures released today by Apacs, the UK payments association, reveal that... read more

A consumer watchdog has accused credit card companies of being "out of touch with reality" for continuing to put up interest rates over the past year. Which? Money found that 28 of the most widely... read more

Hackers are selling personal identities and bank details for "less than a can of cola", says an internet security firm. Increased demand for personal information such as email addresses, dates... read more

Credit card spending among women could rise as a direct result of PMS, it has been claimed. A report from Karen Pine at Hertfordshire University shows that impulse buys among women increase during what... read more

People going on holiday this spring face a heightened risk of having their credit cards stolen and cloned, financial group Equifax has pointed out. The firm said that more and more criminals are taking... read more

Credit card firms that do not charge customers extra for spending money abroad gain a competitive advantage, Saga revealed today. The firm said that data from customers shows that taking out a credit card... read more

The way in which Britons spend their monthly wage has been totally changed by the financial crisis. This is the main finding of new research from Abbey Credit Card - which showed that newly thrifty shoppers... read more

The government should help Britons currently struggling with credit card debts and introduce a mandatory positive order of payments. This is the view of Nationwide Building Society, a major credit card... read more

The government must intensify its crackdown on unscrupulous loans lenders and credit card providers, a consumer group has said. Which? pointed out that "immoral" firms which perform "toxic... read more

Financial discipline is key in the current recession, Fool.co.uk said today. According to the financial website, banks are currently cracking down on spendthrift customers - meaning that many will be forced... read more

Many consumers are wasting money on credit card interest, when they could be on a zero per cent deal instead. According to a new poll from Abbey, just 23 per cent of the nation's credit card debt is held... read more

Customer refusals from credit card firms will result in the economic downturn getting worse, a top analyst has said. Meredith Whitney, the expert who corectly predicted the looming troubles for Citigroup... read more

Saving rather than spending is being prioritised by credit crunch-hit UK consumers. The latest MoneyMood Survey from Legal & General L&G showed that around 75 per cent are not currently in the... read more

Customers could lose up to £50 if their new contactless card is stolen, it has been suggested. Barclays began to send out the "pay and wave" cards this week and is already facing concerns... read more

Credit card customers are facing an unprecedented wave of "phishing" attacks from fraudsters, Equifax has claimed. According to the credit reports firm, many people are being victimised by an... read more

A best buy table-topping new credit card has been launched by Abbey. The new Abbey Credit Card offers zero per cent on balance transfers for customers for 15 months. This is a longer period than any other... read more

A best buy table-topping new credit card has been launched by Abbey. The new Abbey Credit Card offers zero per cent on balance transfers for customers for 15 months. This is a longer period than any other... read more

Customers could lose up to £50 if their new contactless card is stolen, it has been suggested. Barclays began to send out the "pay and wave" cards this week and is already facing concerns... read more

Credit card customers are facing an unprecedented wave of "phishing" attacks from fraudsters, Equifax has claimed. According to the credit reports firm, many people are being victimised by an... read more

Credit card customers are facing an unprecedented wave of "phishing" attacks from fraudsters, Equifax has claimed. According to the credit reports firm, many people are being victimised by an... read more

Consumers concerned over rising default rates among UK businesses are using credit cards in ever-greater numbers new analysis from Saga revealed today. According to the financial services provider 46... read more

Many Britons have debts which they keep secret from their nearest and dearest CreditExpert.co.uk has said. A report from the site showed that just under one in five people owed money in either secured... read more

The rise of credit cards and the decline of cheques will not have positive effects on the nation's spending habits, an expert has warned. Analysis from Fool.co.uk suggests that people might get deeper... read more

The rise of credit cards and the decline of cheques will not have positive effects on the nations spending habits an expert has warned. Analysis from Fool.co.uk suggests that people might get deeper... read more

Britain's women risk becoming locked into a debt spiral - as they are refused deals for credit cards and loans by banks. A poll from credit report provider Equifax revealed today that 38 per cent of women... read more

Halifax credit card holders spent an average of £42 on clothes in the run-up to Valentine's Day last year. Figures from the credit card provider revealed that Britons not only spend money on eating... read more

Britons are looking to tighten their purse strings this Valentine's Day, according to new research from Abbey. The mortgage and banking provider has revealed that 39 per cent of those planning to celebrate... read more

Around £10 billion was racked up on UK credit cards over the weeks before Christmas. Despite the economic slowdown and credit crunch, early pre-Christmas discount sales from retailers and the government's... read more

Love-struck Britons ignored the recession and racked up big Valentine's Day credit card payments, figures from one provider have indicated. According to Barclaycard, purchases from florists were up 168.8... read more

The UK's economic output will drop by three per cent in 2009, a new forecast from the Bank of England suggests. Writing for the institution's latest quarterly inflation report, Mervyn King said that Britain... read more

Love-struck Britons ignored the recession and racked up big Valentine's Day credit card payments, figures from one provider have indicated. According to Barclaycard, purchases from florists were up 168.8... read more

Credit card customers need to be on the look out for internet fraudsters, CIFAS has warned. The fraud prevention service has noted a 207 per cent rise in so-called "facility takeover frauds"... read more

Around £10 billion was racked up on UK credit cards over the weeks before Christmas. Despite the economic slowdown and credit crunch, early pre-Christmas discount sales from retailers and the government's... read more

Halifax credit card holders spent an average of £42 on clothes in the run-up to Valentine's Day last year. Figures from the credit card provider revealed that Britons not only spend money on eating... read more

Britons are looking to tighten their purse strings this Valentine's Day, according to new research from Abbey. The mortgage and banking provider has revealed that 39 per cent of those planning to celebrate... read more

Abbey has scooped the top prize at this year's Credit Card Awards, handed out in a London ceremony this week. The Zero card, which offers zero per cent on balance transfers, purchases and cash withdrawals... read more

Britain's credit card firms could be forced to put up rates over the months to come, the Consumer Credit Counselling Service CCCS warned today. According to the debt charity, government regulations are... read more

There is little certainty over Wi-fi costs for overseas travellers who wish to go online during their trip, analysis from Expedia showed today. According to the online travel company, per-hour charges... read more

Around ten million Britons are using their credit cards for essential items such as their weekly food shop, the Post Office has claimed. Figures from the organization also show that 2.6 million plan to... read more

Rising credit card debts are to be a likely consequence of people's failure to keep their New Year's resolutions, it has been suggested. According to Abbey, just one third of the people who pledged to... read more

Consumers should be more vigilant about potential credit card fraud, marketing services firm CPP said today. The banking industry was also praised by the organisation for the steps they have taken to limit... read more

Credit card customers are confusing legitimate requests to send their details through the post for fraud attempts, an investigation has found. A report from the BBC's Working Lunch programme shows that... read more

Banks are following their own schedules in their take-up of the new Faster Payments system. Apacs, which created Faster Payments, confirmed today that some firms had yet to adopt the system - despite it... read more

Students become more responsible about their money management if they increase their personal finance education at sixth form. This is the main finding of research from the University of Manchester, which... read more

The recession is likely to lead to higher fraud rates, Cifas has claimed. According to the fraud prevention service, the slowing economy is likely to result in many more people turning to a career in crime. Latest... read more

Extra protection against credit card fraud has been offered by an internet payments service. PayPal has unveiled a new extra code customers can use - the Security Key - in addition to their password. The... read more

Real-time monitoring of card transactions has been strongly defended by HSBC. The UK-based bank said, in new analysis released today, that scanning payments as they take place was more "effective"... read more