Online Comparison Sites: There are a number of credit card comparison sites that offer a variety of tools to gather information on various credit cards. The consumer can use these tools by typing in the necessary information, such as salary and monthly expenses, and then make easy comparisons of the various cards. The comparison is based on points, earning percentage, categories and limits. Online comparison sites also have financial directories and credit card glossaries that offer you a lot of credit card information.
Yellow Pages: One can get credit card information through the credit card yellow pages or directories. Such journals have information about the credit card agents in your city whom you can contact.
Classifieds: One can look through the credit card classifieds in the newspapers or on the internet. These are usually advertised by
credit card companies and agents. One can contact them directly, online or on the phone to get the required credit card information.
Credit Counseling Agency: Credit counselors can also be important sources of credit card information.
The easiest and fastest method of gathering extensive information is through the Internet. Site such as www.economywatch.com provide extensive details regarding the various reward programs and credit card deals available in
the market.
Credit Card Information: Regulators
Australia: Credit card regulations are created by the Reserve Bank of Australia. The authority has made some amendments in the interchange of fee standards of the Payment Systems Act 1998 in 2008. The variations apply to Visa and
MasterCard credit cards.
India: The Reserve Bank of India has a working group that handles the regulatory mechanism for cards after the Annual Policy Statement 2004-05. The group has promoted safe growth of credit cards in the nation. It also makes sure that there is compatibility between the issuers’ rules and regulations and customer practices.
Singapore: The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) regulates the credit practices in the country. The scope of New Part VIII also includes all
credit card issuers, not only banks and non-banking financial institutions. Entities and third parties not holding authority to issue credit cards cannot solicit card applications. MAS has the power to see how the approved issuers are operating and if they are following the rules set by MAS in relation to credit cards.
The UK: Britain’s Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is the credit card regulatory authority in the UK. UK-based credit
card companies charge a severe fee from their clients, especially if the clients do not comply with the terms and conditions.
The US: The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System has issued Regulation Z with the purpose of implementing the federal
Truth in Lending Act. This regulation monitors credit card practices and allows card holders to cancel specific credit transactions. The aim of this regulation is to allow consumers to make informed decisions using the terms and conditions of each credit card. Regulation AA is aimed at prohibiting unfair practices and acts as far
as credit card accounts are concerned.