MASTERCARD

Customers of Chrysler Group LLC will be able to apply for an automotive credit card program in May that will allow them to receive a number of auto discounts. The program, which will reward customers based on their loyalty to the brand, is being offered through First National Bank of Omaha and MasterCard.

Auto Discounts Offered to Program Participants

Image: fieldsy.org via Flickr

The controversy revolving around international media site Wikileaks is escalating quickly as supporters sent a shot across the bow to Mastercard, successfully taking down the credit card company’s website. The cyber attack was a direct retaliation of the credit card company refusing to process donations to Wikileaks. However, Mastercard isn’t alone. The “hacktivists,” operating under the group label “Anonymous,” also targeted transaction processing site Paypal just a few days prior for the same reasons.

Credit cards will soon be replaced by smartphones, or at least that’s the belief expressed by Google CEO Eric Schmidt. On Monday, he explained why he believed credit cards as we know them may eventually become secondary to smartphones and actually showed off a device with the capability to replace the plastic.

The Unannounced Device

Your bank cards are becoming obsolete. Evolving credit card technology is changing the way we use plastic, something that really hasn’t changed for over five decades. Imagine, if you will, a world where you can access two accounts with just one card, or use your rewards points at the register just by pressing a button. Even better, imagine paying for stuff with a wave of your phone. Yes, your phone.

You might not have heard of them yet, but it won’t be long before your bank starts sending you credit card offers built around this new technology. While most companies have credit card apps for mobile phones and user-friendly payment options online, the actual process of sliding and signing to pay hasn’t really progressed until now.

Anyone who has taken a few (or more) hits to their credit score knows that getting a credit card is near impossible. It’s usually recommended that anyone struggling to obtain a card work on repairing their credit before sending out any more applications.

One of the ways you can do this is with a secured credit card. However, not all secured card payments are reported to credit bureaus and therefore, may not help you build your credit. You have to take the time to find the appropriate card, make regular transactions and slowly improve your credit report over the course of about a year. Then you can graduate to a regular, unsecured credit card.

Image via Wikipedia

Have you ever wondered about the sequence of numbers shown on your credit card, like how those numbers were chosen or what they mean? Most of us identify our issuing credit card company by the logo on the card. However, a little known fact is each credit card issuer has a specific sequence of numbers that appears on every one of the credit cards they issue and is not to be used by their competitors.

MasterCard is making available a unique spin on its usual credit card offers. MasterCard MoneySend(TM) is offering a way for customers to send money to others through their iPhones and iPads as a free app download.

By working with a participating bank or opening a virtual prepaid account, customers could “send,” “pay” or “request funds” for a wide variety of reasons to everyone from friends to business clients. The customer must have an existing MasterCard payment card or checking account to use. (Market Watch)

Retail credit cards are not known for their advantages over traditional credit cards. They often come with low limits, excessive fees or high interest rates. However, some retail credit cards stand out among the rest for their notable perks and features.

You’ve no doubt heard about the Amex Centurion Card and the Visa Black Card, but here are eight other exclusive credit cards that you may want to explore. These are equally rare credit cards that are in the pockets of some of the wealthiest citizens around the world.

For Americans, getting the first credit card is the start of building a financial record. Since the credit history is largely base on the prompt payments of credit cards, it will become exceedingly important to have good credit as you strive to better your lives when deciding to buy a house, get a car loan, and build other lines of credit. Choosing a credit card company is solely at the discretion of the card applicant, but there are some things to consider before filling out the paperwork.