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CARDNEWS FOR CONSUMERS
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(9/30/99)
A Real Dog Card
Forget about putting on your Sunday best. Starting this weekend you can
get an animal blessing through the Internet with a new Pet Blessing e-card. A new
e-card was announced this week by AmericanCatholic.org, web site of the
Franciscan publisher St. Anthony Messenger Press in anticipation of the annual
feast of St. Francis, October 4.
-READ MORE |
(9/29/99)
New I-VISA
The race to offer instant approval, Internet-supported credit cards is heating up.
This week Security First Network Bank unveiled its a new Internet-based VISA card on Tuesday. The new card offers instant online approvals and is
multi-featured credit card with bill presentment/payment options.
-READ MORE |
(9/23/99)
Teen Card
Are you guilty of underage shopping? There is a new payment card just for
you. A San Francisco company announced this week an Internet payment card for
teens. Cybermoola Inc. unveiled its Cybermoola card which combines the features of a
pre-paid phone card and the benefits of an online cash account.
-READ MORE |
(9/23/99)
Smart Catholic Cards
While Americans are just beginning to learn about smart cards the Vatican
announced this week they will use smart cards to handle the larger crowds
expected next year. Smart card manufacturer Gemplus says organizers of the
Catholic Jubilee of the Year 2000 will use Gemplus smart cards to handle the
pilgrims making the trek to the holy cities.
-READ MORE |
(9/22/99)
Teacher's Card
It's zany and it's brainy! School teachers can now get 6% cash back at Zany Brainy stores using a special Discover card. Discover Financial Services
announced yesterday the launch of the Discover Educators Card which rewards
teachers with a 5% special Cashback Bonus award for purchases made at merchant
partners in the Discover Educators Card network.
-READ MORE |
(9/22/99)
Card Economics Improve
The number of consumers paying their credit card bills late is declining and
the number of consumers stiffing credit card companies is declining too. This
week, the American Bankers Association's Consumer Credit Delinquency Bulletin
shows consumer credit loan delinquencies are at a four-year
low.
-READ MORE |
(9/21/99)
Pele MasterCard
MasterCard, soccer legend Pele, and Brazil's Unibanco kicked off the new 'Pele Unibanco MasterCard' this past weekend. The new card benefits Fundacao
Abrinq, a not for profit organization benefiting needy children.
-READ MORE |
(9/17/99)
Card Profits Slow
After peaking in 1996, credit card profits continue to slip downward.
According to CardData, net pre-tax profits dipped again last year by $100 million.
While card industry profits more than doubled in the 90s they have declined over the past three years..
-READ MORE |
(9/16/99)
First Y2K Millionaire
Start the next year, decade, century, millennium with a million bucks in your pocket? This will happen to some lucky dude or dame when the ball drops on New
Year's Eve. The Discover card is giving away $1 million to one winner on New
Year's Eve....
-READ MORE |
(9/15/99)
Fraudulent Fraud Protection
What do you do when fraudulent marketers want to protect you from credit card
thieves? Tell them to take a hike! Under federal law, the maximum amount for
which a credit cardholder can be held liable for charges they didn't authorize
is $50. In many cases card issuers waive the $50 liability, if the lost or
stolen card is reported promptly.
-READ MORE |
(9/15/99)
VISA Supports RIF
VISA has renewed its annual sponsorship of the Reading Is Fundamental program for the third time. This year VISA is donating $300,000 to help the
organization's efforts in promoting children's' literacy. This latest
contribution will bring VISA's total donation to more than $2.6 million since
1996.
-READ MORE |
(9/14/99)
AmEx Rocks
American Express is making a serious effort to connect to GenXers and GenYers. This week AmEx announced it is sponsoring VH1's Hard Rock Live for the second year. Tonight AmEx will sponsor a free rock concert in New York City's Central Park to promote the launching of its new Blue card.
-READ MORE |
(9/10/99)
Forbes 250
CardWeb.com has been selected as one of Forbes magazine's top 250 financial information web sites. According to the September 13 issue of Forbes,
CardWeb.com was cited as an outstanding web site and the only site worth
visiting that is devoted exclusively to credit cards.
-READ MORE |
(9/10/99)
Piling It On
American consumers continue to rack up revolving debt like there's no tomorrow! Since May 31, U.S. consumers have added $11.4 billion to revolving
credit according to preliminary figures released this week by the Federal
Reserve Board.
-READ MORE |
(9/9/99)
Free VISA CD
Bone up on financial literacy with a new educational CD from VISA! VISA
re-launched its 'Choices & Decisions' educational program this week. The
multimedia interactive financial literacy program was originally launched in
1992 and was initially produced by Lucasfilm Learning in 1991. It is the best
in its class.
-READ MORE |
(9/8/99)
AmEx Blue Card Arrives
The American Express 'Blue' smart credit card hit the USA today. Following
the successful introduction of 'Blue' credit cards in other countries, AmEx has
unveiled a special 'Blue' card for the USA which contains both a magnetic
stripe and a IC chip.
-READ MORE |
(9/8/99)
The Savings VISA Card
Build up a mutual fund account or obtain free life insurance with credit
card rewards? It is now possible with a new VISA card from Principal Bank,
a unit of the Principal Financial Group.
-READ MORE |
(9/7/99)
Gays Prefer VISA
More lesbians and gay men carry VISA cards than any other kind of credit card, according to a new survey by CT-based Greenfield Online. VISA was carried by
67% of the gay and lesbian market, while MasterCard was carried by 51% and
American Express by 23%.
-READ MORE |
(9/3/99)
e-Perks For All
Employee perks have come of age as First USA announced this week the official launch of a new worksite marketing initiative called 'e-Perks'. This is an
Internet-based program that offers exclusive savings, services and information
via a website customized for each participating business.
-READ MORE |
(9/3/99)
Speedpass Milestone
Speedpass is red lining! Mobil announced this week that it passed the three million users milestone with its automatic payment system. Mobil reached the
milestone in just two years. Interestingly, the company noted that Speedpass
users purchase gasoline at Mobil an average of one time more per month than
non-Speedpass users.
-READ MORE |
(9/2/99)
Serious Geek Card
If you do not know what Linux is then you should go to another news story. Linux, the more sophisticated alternative to the MS-DOS and Windows operating
systems, has landed a credit card.
-READ MORE |
(9/1/99)
First USA Gets Toasted
It was a blistering expose` of First USA's credit card practices, most notably its late fee policies and fixed rate marketing. ABC Television's Niteline
program aired a 6.5 minute segment Tuesday night exposing real life
examples of First USA cardholders who fell victim to First USA's pricing policies.
-READ MORE |
(9/1/99)
Giant VISA Dies
One of the best supermarket credit cards around is being laid to rest this month. After floundering among three issuers the 'Giant Food VISA' card will
finally rest in peace by the end of September.
-READ MORE |
