Credit Card And Related News For December 2006 -

Welcome to the latest news concerning UK credit cards and other related topics for the month of September 2006

• Younger consumers pressured into excessive spending [31.12.06]
  Concerns over the level of consumers debt such as credit cards and loans has been steadily rising in the UK with consumer debt hitting record levels and many people turning to IVAs and even bankruptcy in order to try and ease the financial strain that has developed from taking on too much debt.
• Store cards resulting in high levels of debt [29.12.06]
  A recent study carried out by the Alliance & Leicester indicates that the temptation put forward by retailers at this costly time of year could be fuelling the UK’s debt crisis quite dramatically, leaving some consumers well over a thousand pounds in debt by the time the festive period is over.
• Many consumers may not be protected against online credit card fraud [28.12.06]
  A recent report has revealed that many consumers who assume that they have automatic protection in the event of becoming victims of online credit card fraud may not actually be protected at all.
• Enjoy the convenience of credit cards and give to your favourite charity [27.12.06]
  We all know the convenience and flexibility that credit cards offer when it comes to spending, enabling us to go out and make purchases without the need to carry cheque books or cash around.
• Consumers urged to look for 0% credit card for Christmas splurge [24.12.06]
  Experts from Sainsbury’s Bank are continuing to urge consumers to consider a 0% interest on purchases credit card for their spending in for the New Year and January period
• The UK’s Rich Exercise Caution with Christmas Credit Card Spending [21.12.06]
  New research has revealed that when it comes to Christmas shopping, Britain’s wealthy are keen to exercise caution when spending with their credit cards. This is in stark contrast to those who are not so wealthy as they tend to spend what they can’t afford.
• Use your credit card to make money not to lose it! [20.12.06]
  Used in the right way, many of the credit cards on the market today could enable consumers to enjoy money saving benefits.
• A quarter of UK card holders have transferred credit card balances [19.12.06]
  According to information from a recent study around twenty five percent of credit card holders in the UK have, over the past year, transferred a credit card balance onto another balance transfer or cheaper credit card.
• Make the most of reward schemes over Christmas and New Year [18.12.06]
  Most of us tend to see a sharp rise in the amount that we spend over the Christmas and New Year period, with everything from the Christmas dinner and entertainment to Christmas presents and even the January sales to fund.
• Make sure that your credit card offers purchase protection [16.12.06]
  UK consumes are being warned to ensure that their credit cards offer purchase protection before they go ahead and use them to make large, costly purchases.
• Brits Become Part Of A Credit Card Nation [15.12.06]
  Studies have revealed that over two and a half billion Brits carry five or more credit cards, reflecting how reliant the nation has become on the convenience and flexibility that credit cards offer.
• Consumers Could Benefit From Insurance Against Identity Theft [14.12.06]
  Sainsbury’s Bank has carried out a study that shows the alarming rise in identify theft in Britain over the years, which helps to reflect the importance of taking out identity theft insurance cover, a product that the bank has recently launched.
• Many UK Consumers Own Five Credit Cards [13.12.06]
  UK consumers’ love affair with credit cards shows no signs of abating as figures reveal that 2.7m Brits carry at least five credit cards in their wallets and one in four carrying at least three.
• Debt Councillors Issue Warning Over Spiralling Debts [10.12.06]
  With this Christmas in the UK set for millions of pounds of increased expenditure on the high street, debt councillors are urging consumers to use their credit cards and unsecured personal loans responsibly.
• UK Crime Unit Bust Card Fraud Gang [08.12.06]
  Officers from the UK’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit helped to jail members of one of the world’s most accomplished identity theft gangs. The gang have been responsible for cloning cards and defrauding bank account holders from the UK, America and several European countries.
• UK Consumers Still Paying Last Christmas Credit Card Debt [06.12.06]
  Around a staggering 4.2m UK consumers are still paying credit card debt accrued from last Christmas, according to new research.
• Exercise Caution With Store Cards [05.12.06]
  Store cards – the brand card that can hurt your wallet if not used with caution. Store cards are similar to credit cards as in they offer credit for goods and services to paid for at a later date.
• Don’t Be a Victim Of Store Cards This Christmas [04.12.06]
  With Christmas placing many household budgets under strain, it’s tempting to look at other forms of credit to see you through the festive season.
• Get The Most Out of Credit Cards This Christmas [01.12.06]
  With Christmas just around the corner, many consumers in the UK will see their wallets feel the strain of Christmas shopping. With many already overspending, one way to relieve the financial pressure over the festive season is to see what credit and store cards in the marketplace can save you money and offer rewards for those spending sprees.
• Credit Card Issuers May Bring Back Annual Fees [01.12.06]
  Currently consumers in the UK can enjoy the benefit of a wide choice of credit cards from reputable companies, and with many of these cards there is no annual fee to worry about, which means that consumers can enjoy saving on the cost of having to pay yet another fee for the privilege of using the credit card.