Australians are at greater risk of credit card fraud in December than in any other month of the year, an expert has said.

Beth Jones, a senior threat researcher with Sophos, a security software firm, observed that scammers aiming to con consumers out of their credit card information are often more active in the days before Christmas.

Speaking to Australian Macworld, she said: “The two-week mark before Christmas is when things start to ramp up out of control.

“Spammers and malware authors focus on when the attention is going to be there. Read full article…

Britons will reap the benefits of being transparent about debts accrued on credit card debt, an expert has suggested.

Jasmine Birtles, founder of Moneymagpie.com, explained that recognising potential money issues rather than ignoring them is “a very healthy thing”.

“For far too long people have kept their debt to themselves,” she remarked.

Meanwhile, a YouGov SixthSense survey claimed earlier this week that frequent credit card users are more likely to be in good financial health than those who only use their plastic occasionally.

The survey found that around 35 per cent of people use their credit card weekly, while 24 per cent use it only once a quarter or less.

Frequent credit card use was not a sign that people were in financial difficulties and reliant on borrowing money, the researchers said.

In fact, they associated frequent use with wealth and stability.

“Those with greater means can afford to use their credit cards as if they were debit cards : the card can be used day-in, day-out for all types of purchases and payments can be made in time without having to incur charges or high interest payments,” explained James McCoy, YouGov SixthSense research director. Read full article…

If you’re a Costco member in the market for a new credit card, consider the “Costco American Express” credit card.

First and foremost, the American Express Costco credit card is a American Express credit card and a Costco card in one.

That’s right, two memberships for the price of one in the TrueEarnings® Card from Costco and American Express.

Cash Back Rewards at Gas Stations, Restaurants, and Even Costco!

The Costco American Express card also comes with great cash back rewards, including 3% back on gas for annual gasoline purchases up to $3,000 (and 1% thereafter).

You also get 3% cash back at restaurants, 2% cash back for travel, and 1% cash back on everything else, including Costco purchases.

If you eat out a lot, the cash back at restaurants is certainly a biggie. In fact,

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Paying only the minimum monthly repayment (MMR) on credit cards can prolong debt and increase interest charges significantly, warns price comparison website Moneysupermarket.
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Consumers could be increasing their debt by thousands if they pay only the typical MMR required by their provider,

According to the new research, if a customer pays only the minimum repayment every month, it can take up to three times longer to repay the debt in full.

Moneysupermarket advised credit card customers to be proactive and pay slightly more (they suggest five per cent) every month. Read full article…

Due to the staggering amount of credit card debt in the U.S., many people have been reluctant to apply for a new card, and parents in particular are warning their college-aged children about the possible woes of credit card misuse. This is not surprising considering the seemingly unfair terms that govern many college credit cards. Even so, there are some cards that may actually give the student some extra financial help in difficult times, without charging exorbitant rates or unexpected fees. The following information outlines some of the reasons to choose a college credit card.
Easy Approval

College credit cards usually have easy qualification standards in comparison to other cards, which is one reason experts recommend them to people who have not yet established a credit score.

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