Because identity theft and credit card fraud are among the fastest growing crimes in the U.S., there are several steps you should take immediately if your credit card becomes lost or stolen, or if you find bills in your mail that you do not recognize or charges you did not authorize.

The first step you should take is to initiate a fraud alert on all your credit card accounts. There is a common misconception that doing this will prevent you from obtaining any further credit cards or financing. This is simply untrue. What a fraud alert will do is require creditors to contact you by telephone before any new accounts are opened in your name. It will also require creditors to contact you by telephone before making any requested changes to any existing accounts, such as increasing your line of credit.

To place a fraud alert on your accounts, contact any one of the three major credit bureaus:

Equifax: 1-800-525-6285

Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN

TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289

The credit bureau you contact will then contact the remaining two bureaus and all three will send you a current copy of your credit report, free of charge. When you receive these reports, look them over carefully. Note any accounts you didn’t authorize or debts you don’t recognize. Also check that all your personal information, such as name, address, and Social Security number are correct. If any incorrect or fraudulant information is found, contact the credit bureau to have it removed. Then continue to check your credit report on a regular basis to insure no further fradulant activity is found.

After initiating a fraud alert, you should then immediately close any accounts you think may have been violated and submit an ID theft affidavit to the credit card companies in question. You should then file a police report with your local police department and also file a case with the Federal Trade Commission.

Identity theft is a federal offense with stiff penalties for those who dare to attempt it and are caught. Take steps to protect your credit and prevent yourself from becoming a victim of this very serious crime.

Karyn Kudrna is owner of the website http://www.credit-123.com which offers information on low interest credit cards

Prepaid debit cards are great financial tools and may be just the financial tool you need. Here a seven compelling reasons why:

1. A prepaid debit card helps you stay out of debt because the money you spend is your own. Credit cards encourage you to spend money you don’t have, thereby giving you a false sense of reality. In truth, by using a credit card what you?re doing is borrowing money from someone else (your card provider) to purchase the things you want. However, with a prepaid debit card the money you spend is your own.

2. Prepaid debit cards helps you control your spending habits, because in most cases you cannot spend over the amount you have in your account.

3. A Debit card can be the perfect way to pay your freelancer if you are a small business owner. Simply issue your freelancer a card and load funds onto the card whenever you want to pay them for a completed project.

4. You can use a prepaid debit card to send money to your loved ones abroad or to your college age children away at school. Some debit cards allow you to have two cards for one account and in this case you will be able to keep one for yourself and send the second to your loved one. Once they have received their card you can loaded funds to your account and call the other person to tell them how much money they can access from the nearest ATM or POS merchant. Their money is instantly available worldwide. It’s a cheaper and faster alternative to expensive money transfer companies.

5. Prepaid debit cards are a safer way for employees to receive their salaries. Statistics indicate that in the United States over 3 million payroll checks are stolen each year. However, with the use of direct deposit combined with a payroll debit card, there is no worry of that ever happening. Also, through the use of direct deposit and a payroll debit card, you will have immediate access to your wages, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – no matter what part of the world you’re in. You will also save time by having your salary deposited to your payroll debit card – no more standing on long lines each pay period in the bank to cash your check.

6. A debit card is a convenient and affordable solution for the unbanked. Over 10 million households in the United States alone do not have bank accounts. In cases like these debit cards can serve as bank accounts. They can be used to access cash or make purchases at merchants such as gas stations, grocery stores or convenience stores. Additionally, debit cards can be just as useful as regular Mastercards or Visas because in many cases they can be used to purchase goods and services not only in shops but on the internet, and via mail order and to withdraw cash at home and abroad from ATMs (cash dispensers).

7. Prepaid debit cards are easier to apply for than credit cards. Often, they require no bank account, no employment verification, no credit checks and no security deposit. If you’ve been turned down for traditional bank issued credit cards because of poor credit, bad credit or no credit at all, try applying for a prepaid debit card. Some prepaid debit cards have a built in credit reporting feature which make it easier for people with bad credit to rebuild their credit histories by reporting their monthly payments to the major credit reporting bureaus.

For more information about Prepaid Debit Cards, check out THE definitive guide to prepaid debit cards of all kinds including: prepaid mastercards, payroll debit cards, debit gift cards, virtual credit cards, offshore, US and international debit cards, at: http://www.debit-card-guide.com

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Rewards credit cards offer benefits based on how much you spend within a certain time period. In general, you can accumulate points towards your rewards with every purchase, although the number of points per dollar and value of the points vary from card to card. The points can then be redeemed for rewards such as gas rebates, airline miles, cash back, gift cards to stores, or discounted merchandise, depending on the program. Here are five tips to help you choose the best rewards credit card for you:

1. Consider your credit needs and habits. Although the prospect of earning rewards on your spending can be exciting, make sure that you know what else you need out of a credit card. If you tend to carry a balance month to month, for instance, you may find a low APR and lower rewards rate to be more economical than a higher rewards rate with a high APR.

2. Consider what kind of reward is best for you. There are all sorts of rewards cards available, from cash back to gas rebates to airline miles and more. Consider what kind of reward will benefit you the most, and then compare the cards that offer that specific type of reward.

3. Read the fine print. Look carefully at how fast rewards points accumulate on each card and when they expire. If the points are likely to expire before you have enough to use, it’s time to look at another card! Also make sure you are aware of all of the fees associated with your card, including annual fees, late or over-limit fees, and APR.

4. Compare several cards to find the best one. Once you know which kind of reward you are looking for, you can start comparing several different cards that offer that reward.

5. Check several sources of information. The Federal Reserve publishes a survey of credit card terms every six months, and there are a wide range of websites where you can compare credit card offers to find the best one.

To find and apply for a rewards credit card, Beth Derkowitz recommends Find Credit Cards.

Discover offers a variety of credit card options, and is famous for their cash back rewards programs. Here are five tips to help you choose the best Discover credit card for you:

1. Know your credit needs and habits. How much do you usually spend on your credit cards, and how quickly do you pay off the balance? Are you looking for a card to make large purchases or transfer balances with? A card where you can earn extra cash back on daily household expenses like gas for the car? When you consider questions like these, you can identify which features fit you best and make a considered decision that can save you money and help you get the most out of your card.

2. Consider which features are most important to you. Knowing how you will use your card is helpful in deciding which options and terms are most essential for you. With a list of the options you want, you can prioritize them to make a picture of what your ideal credit card agreement would look like, and also know what you are willing to do without.

3. Compare all of your options. There are several Discover cards available, and by considering all of them you can choose the one that will offer the most rewards for the way you plan to use the card. Take a look at which stores or purchase types earn the most, and which type of reward is the most valuable to you.

4. Read the fine print. Make sure that you understand all the terms of your credit card agreement, including fees, interest rates, credit limits, grace periods and rewards terms. When looking at rewards programs, remember to check which transactions earn how many points, and whether those points expire after a certain amount of time.

5. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If there is anything you don’t understand or are unsure of, don’t be afraid to contact Discover’s customer service department and ask for information.

To find and apply for a Discover credit card, Beth Derkowitz recommends Find Credit Cards.

Cashback and reward credit cards are rapidly gaining popularity here in the UK. Imagine being paid to spend money. That’s the idea behind a cashback credit card. As credit cards have gained wider and wider acceptance, credit card companies are working hard to convince you that theirs is the best credit card you can carry in your wallet. If you’re in the market for a cashback credit card, here are some tips to help you compare and choose the best credit card for you.

Jon Francis has been involved in various areas with the world of finance and has a keen eye for a bargin! He has an in-depth knowledge of the credit card UK market and now helps others get the best from a credit card. For more information visit

Establishing credit is very important. Whether you have previously had a good credit standing and lost it, or you are just beginning to accumulate credit and establish a credit rating, a few standard concepts will help you establish a good credit rating.

The principle way that a lending agency obtains information about your credit history is through one of the credit bureaus. There are three nationwide credit reporting agencies in the United States that handle this, and they are Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. These agencies collect your financial information from anywhere that you have developed a payment history. When purchasing anything on payments, these three credit reporting agencies keep a permanent record.

When borrowing money and establishing credit, you must be able to prove to the lender these four things:

1) Stability – You must prove that you can hold a steady job with a dependable income and that you have lived in the same place for a certain length of time.

2) Ability to repay – You must be able to demonstrate that your income exceeds your expenses.

3) Assets – Lenders will look more favorably on your application for credit if you have assets such as a home, car or savings account that can serve as collateral.

4) Credit references – Lenders will look to see that you have credit references and a good credit standing!

These four principles will help you establish good credit history, and from this, a credit score, to evaluate your availability to repay.

To maintain a good credit standing all purchases bought on time must continue to be handled in a timely fashion. To be responsible in your payments, you will need to prepare a budget from year to year to keep your finances on track; there is no way around it! Obviously you cannot spend what you do not make, so the easiest way to prepare your budget is to list exactly what is coming into your household and where that money is going.

Make two columns on a piece of paper. Title one side Inflow and the other side, Outgo. Under the heading Inflow, list all the finances that come into your household including paychecks from employment, part time jobs, side jobs, alimony, child support, everything. On the other side, make a list of your expenditures, and be as thorough as possible. List rent or mortgage, utilities, food, gas, clothing, credit cards, loans until you have created a list of everything that is spent in a month.

When you total each side, the Inflow should be larger than the Outflow. If it is not, then you will have to make some adjustments. It will have to come back into line because you cannot continue spending more than you are making!

Once you accomplish the budget and determine the financial level that you can maintain, when you make more money – you can make more purchases. If you overextend yourself for a temporary purchase, you run the risk of ruining your permanent credit history that you?ve been working so hard on. Think before you spend, and save your credit cards for emergencies by paying the entire balance each month. A good credit score is worth its weight in gold in today?s society where everything is bought on credit or credit cards.

Copyright (c) Greg Aldrich

Greg Aldrich helps match consumers to the appropriate credit cards. His site, http://www.FindYourCard.com, allows anyone to compare credit cards sorted by features and apply online.

There are a variety of ways that thieves can get your information and use your cards to make purchases. Here are a few of the more common ways:

You pay for dinner at the restaurant with your credit card. Your waitress takes the card to the register, processes the transaction and returns it. What you didn’t see was the copy of your card details that she made, and later used it to make purchases online and by phone!

You can’t believe your luck when you get a mailing that says you’ve won a free trip and all you need to do is join a travel club to get the free trip. After providing your credit card details to join the club, you never get the free trip and you start seeing charges on your statement that you didn’t make!

A thief finds copies or receipts of items containing your credit card details in the trash and then uses the information to make purchases.

Fraud like these examples cost cardholders and credit lenders several hundred million dollars every year. While you cannot prevent all fraud from occurring, there are reasonable things that you can do to help prevent and protect against credit fraud.

When using your credit card to pay for dinner at a restaurant, draw a line through all the lines above your signature that do not contain money amounts. So if you have left a cash tip on the table for th server, draw a line through the tip line on the receipt, or even write left on table in the space to make sure that the server doesn’t add a tip in after you leave! Try to keep an eye on the server when he or she takes the card to the register, processes it and returns to your table.

When you get a new credit card, sign the back as soon as you receive it. Carry credit cards in a different place from the rest of your cash, and even someplace other than your wallet if possible. Save all of your receipts so that you can compare amounts to your actual billing statements, and open the bills when they come in and verify that they are correct each month. Reconcile the account in the same way you would a checking account to make sure everything is correct.

When you are moving, notify your credit card companies immediately with the new address so your statements are not finding their way into someone else’s hands at the old address.

Don’t ever write your account number on the outside of an envelope, or on a postcard. Anyone could notice it and write the information down.

When shopping online, make sure the websites that you are shopping from are secure. They should have an SSL certificate displayed, or at least have a domain starting with https, where the s indicates it is a secure page and it’s okay to enter your card information.

If you must provide your credit card information by phone, be sure the company you are giving the information to is reputable.

Open your statements each month even if you know you did not make a purchase. Make sure that there are no purchases on the account that you didn’t make. If a purchase shows up on your billing statement that you are unsure of, call the company and find out who it is, and what they sell and see if you did make the charge and simply forgot. If you still don’t know who the company is, or know you did not make a purchase- get on the phone and call the card company as it is most likely a fraud case.

If you still find yourself a victim of credit fraud, you need to immediately call the credit lender. Once reported, the law protects you against any liability for unauthorized credit charges, and you will only be liable for up to $50, which is the maximum liability according to federal law.

This article has been provided by Creditor Web. At CreditorWeb.com you can compare over 100 credit cards from multiple banks and apply for a credit card online.

Cash back offers are a type of rewards program where the cardholder receives a cash rebate equal to a specified percentage of the amount charged to the card on an annual basis.

Cash back reward programs started appearing in 1990 when the Discover Card made their industry-shattering 1% cash back offer. Other cards soon followed.

Cash back programs typically come with higher interest rates than cards that do not offer a cash back incentive. If the cardholder does not pay their balance in full every month, that higher interest rate can offset the value of the cash back incentive.

A recent survey by BankRate.com revealed that four out of five cardholders preferred to receive lower interest rates rather than cash back. Nonetheless, cash back rewards can make sense for people and organizations that make large purchases regularly and pay the balance in full.

The original Discover Card cash back offer was pegged at 1% of annual purchases. This means that a cardholder who charged $10,000 over a 12-month period could expect to receive a check for $100.00.

As cash back reward programs spread throughout the charge card industry, and consumers began to take advantage of them in large numbers, charge card issuers began to adjust the payment percentages to offset the sums they were obligated to pay out each year.

Most card issuers established a tiered level of rebates that were tied to amounts charged to the card. Scenarios such as 1/10th of 1% for monthly purchase below some high dollar amount, such as $2,500, became common. Today there are a number of different payment programs in effect and it can be a full-time job just selecting the card with the best offer.

In recent years some charge card issuers have been partnering with large corporations to establish attractive cash back offers tied to purchases of specific products or services. Citibank, for example, launched their Dividend Rewards MasterCard which offers a 5% rebate on gasoline and grocery store purchases, along with drug store purchases, and 1% on all other types of purchases. General Motors issued a MasterCard which offered cash credits that could be used to purchase GM vehicles.

Charge card companies offer cash rewards to stimulate usage of their particular card. The amount that they pay in cash back to the consumer is offset by the fees that merchants pay to accept the card. They also hope that the consumer will build up a balance greater than they can pay in full which brings the card issuer additional revenue in the way of interest charges.

Provided by Creditor Web. Creditor Web empowers consumers to compare and apply for a credit card online.

GM MasterCard would probably be the perfect credit card to have if you are a fan of GM products. With the GM MasterCard, users are able to earn a 5% rebate when they purchase or lease a new SUV, truck or car from General Motors. Also, earnings are not limited to any annual sum. However, rebates that are not redeemed within seven years will expire.

Furthermore, GM MasterCard cardholders should also be aware of the redemption allowance that is permitted for the specific type of GM vehicle. The allowance is dependent on the year of the model, which differs between alternate GM vehicles. Indeed, it is also not uncommon to find redemption allowances to be raised during promotional periods.

Other benefits of the GM MasterCard include the exemption from any annual fees or registration fees, and also 0% introductory rate for balance transfers or purchases made charged to the card within the first twelve months.

Once the promotion period is over, annual percentage rates will vary with each individual in accordance to the applicant?s credit history. Users with good credit histories are entitled for the lowest possible rates. However, the regular APR of the GM MasterCard is 12.74% for purchase charges and 23.15% for cash advances.

Nevertheless, a minimum cap is applied for credit card transactions regardless of the tie in with the Prime Rate. Also, fees are also payable for cash advances, balance transfers, surpassing the credit limit or for late payments. In return, the GM MasterCard provides its users with protection from unauthorized use of the card, replacements for emergency cash or card, automobile insurance, travel accident insurance of up to $1,000,000 and online access to manage all accounts pertaining to the card.

For more information or to apply for the GM MasterCard, Eric Wasselman recommends Find Credit Cards.

Debt can almost seem like an addiction. It?s as if once you start, you can?t stop using your credit cards to buy everything from a new couch for your living room to the weekly groceries and the night out on the town. The debt crisis gets to be so bad because you feel like you must have these items, but you don?t have the cash to pay for them. So out comes the credit cards. Then next thing you know, the little cash you do have goes to paying off your minimum monthly payments on your cards, and so you have to use your credit to buy even more stuff to survive.

The key to breaking this debt cycle and to escape high credit card debt is to view the problem as just that?an addiction. You need to think of your debt problem as one that you may need to quit cold turkey. Or if you say, I don?t have that bad a problem. Then at least you have to learn to get your debt under control and use it in only responsible ways.

The first thing you can consider is your paycheck. Do you live the proverbial American dream?living paycheck to paycheck? Basically, that?s what our culture leads us to do. We have to keep buying gadgets, a bigger house, a nicer car, all to keep up with the Joneses next door. That is a one-way ticket to high debt. So instead, look at your paycheck as your financial ceiling. It may seem hard to do, but in truth, that?s how all people should view it.

Not only should you not spend over this ceiling. You should spend under it. Don?t faint. People actually live this way, so it?s not impossible. That extra money you save every paycheck can then go to paying down your debt. The more serious you are about escaping the debt cycle, the more money you will save from your paycheck to pay down debt.

Amazingly, do this for a time, and you will actually escape from under your high debt. It?s that easy. OK, maybe it?s not easy. But it is simple math. Then, once you pay down your debt, you can raise the bar on your spending, right? Wrong. The next step is to save your spare cash for that proverbial rainy day. Then you can actually start to buy your gadgets again?after you save up enough cash to buy them clean.

Joshua Shapiro recommends Find Credit Cards to find an Advanta credit card that?s tailored to suit your financial needs.