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CARDNEWS FOR CONSUMERS
(11/28/03) Holiday Sales Credit card activity during the pre-Thanksgiving week, considered the first week of the holiday shopping season, shows that consumers are spending about 9% more this year. VISA, which handles more than half of all general purpose payment card transactions in the USA, says its data show that spending in discount stores was up nearly 12%, while department store spending was up about 5% during the week ending November 21st. -(READ MORE)	(11/27/03) Bankruptcy Mistake Filing personal bankruptcy may give you a way out of an uncomfortable situation and possibly a clean start, but it could shut you out of the credit market for as long as ten years. Furthermore, it can have a long-term negative impact on your ability to find a job, get insurance, rent a place to live, rent a car, or obtain other services. -(READ MORE)
(11/26/03) CCA Crackdown The recent recession has been a real boon to credit counseling agencies as many consumers got caught in the debt trap. But, it has apparently been a bit too lucrative for some CCAs as the Federal Trade Commission has launched a crackdown to clean up the industry. -(READ MORE)	(11/25/03) Liberty Card American Express is spearheading a drive to reopen the Statue of Liberty and is asking its cardholders to donate their points and/or charge their cash contributions to "The Card." The nation's leading charge card issuer is also donating one cent to The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation for every purchase made on its cards between December 1st and the end of January. -(READ MORE)
(11/21/03) Prepaid Cards As the "pay later" market evolved in the 1980s and the "pay now" market evolved in the 1990s, the emerging market of the 2000s is "pay before." While the developed credit card and debit card market account for trillions of transaction dollars annually, the new prepaid card market is expected to top $240 billion globally this year, and may hit $500 billion by the year 2007. -(READ MORE)	(11/20/03) Fiscal Fitness Month Hundreds of student teams are competing this month to help Americans in their local communities to fight the credit binge and achieve financial independence. The effort is being led by the non-profit Students In Free Enterprise which has deemed November to be "National Fiscal Fitness Month." -(READ MORE)
(11/19/03) Natural Golf VISA The nation's fastest-growing golf instruction and equipment company has teamed up with Ohio-based National City Bank to launch a rewards credit card that will not get you teed-off. The new "Natural Golf VISA Platinum" offers cardholders 2% back on all purchases using the card, which then can be redeemed for Natural Golf products. -(READ MORE)	(11/18/03) HSN CARD TV shopping network HSN is launching a rewards bank credit card with Providian. The new "HSN Rewards Card" will enable its users to earn points for dollars spent, which they can use towards the purchase of HSN merchandise. -(READ MORE)
(11/17/03) Bankruptcy Record Bankruptcy filings for the twelve-month period ending September 30th again hit an all-time high of 1.66 million, a 7.4% increase over the same period in 2002. Chapter 7 filings hit 1.18 million and Chapter 13 filings approached 500,000 over the past twelve months. -(READ MORE)	(11/14/03) Card Week Next week marks the time when payment card executives will come together for two of the biggest and most important industry events of the year. BAI's Retail Delivery Conference is set for New Orleans, while the Cartes 2003 event will be held as usual, in Paris. -(READ MORE)
(11/13/03) Debt Pulse The pace of growth in credit card debt picked up in September as Americans added $3 billion in revolving credit compared to $1 billion one-year ago. Since the start of this year, consumers have added more than $19 billion in revolving credit, ending September at $731.5 billion. -(READ MORE)	(11/12/03) Check Card Month VISA wants you to get in touch with your debit card side and has declared November as the "Know Your Check Card Month." To help consumers understand the intricacies of debit cards, VISA has created a quiz to in its Web site. -(READ MORE)
(11/10/03) Stock Cards Credit cards that generate personal equity in the stock market now run the gamut from green horns to blue bloods. This month, the prestigious investment firm William Blair & Company has teamed with MBNA America to launch a high credit limit VISA card for its well-heeled clients. -(READ MORE)	(11/7/03) Reward Buttons When it comes to credit card rewards, a cash-back program still rings the consumer's bell. Nearly half of U.S. consumers prefer cash-back over air miles, flexible points, purchase rebates, or purchase discounts. However, air miles come in at a strong second place. -(READ MORE)
(11/6/03) New Discover Cards The credit card rewards battle is heating up as Discover launches two new reward cards into the marketplace. Discover says its new "Gasoline Card" and "Miles Card" are forerunners of a series of new reward cards planned for the U.S. market. -(READ MORE)	(11/5/03) Personal Helper VISA has launched a unique holiday promotion this year offering card users the chance to win some time-saving extra help. VISA cardholders are automatically entered into the "VISA Personal Helper" sweepstakes each time they use their card between now and December 31st in the USA. -(READ MORE)
(11/4/03) Trip-A-Day During the holiday season, MasterCard users can snag an $8,000, first class trip to the Universal Orlando Resort. Between now and December 31st, MasterCard will automatically enter each U.S. card transaction into the "Trip-A-Day Giveaway" holiday sweepstakes. -(READ MORE)