Avoid the Zeus Virus on Your Credit Card

As fraudsters seem to invent new ways to trick, scam and hoax the public everyday, it is becoming increasingly important to know how to protect your finances.

The prevalent platform or 'God' for financial fraud, Zeus Malware, is a particular worry for banking customers at the moment.

Zeus has succeeded in inventing a particularly fool-proof device for asking people to provide their most intimate financial details.

By targeting the two main security systems Verified by Visa and MasterCard, a total of 15 leading financial institutions and their customers could be at risk.

By mimicking the validation page which is often requested by Visa and MasterCard, the scam has enough legitimacy to dupe even the most careful e-bankers.

This scam is particularly disheartening as from the outset Verified by Visa and MasterCard SecureCode has been introduced in the customers' best interests.

If you don't have one of these systems protecting your card then it is strongly advised that you enroll now. Especially since, as you'll see when you do a credit card comparison, some card providers only protect you under their internet fraud guarantees when you've signed up to this scheme with a password.

It is easy to sign-up - simply visit your bank's website, register your card for the service and choose a password that no one could guess.

You could use numbers, symbols and letters in your password for added protection.

After this, every transaction you make online will be protected.

A screen will come up and ask for the password and if it is incorrect, you will not be able to complete the transaction.

This added layer of protection should be used with caution though, as the Zeus hoax has so recently proved.

PC's that are infected with the malware could be subject to an attack.

After making a transaction, Zeus could inject their own falsified form into the browser, claiming that Visa and MasterCard now have compulsory security systems.

They will then ask for details such as date of birth, social security number, card number and personal password.

This information would give them access to your card and they would then be able to make countless 'card not present' transactions.

However, this will not happen if you are already enrolled in Verified by Visa or SecureCode.

It can also be avoided, as can every scam of this nature, by downloading the software that your credit card provider suggests.

Programmes are free to download for e-banking customers of several UK banks including HSBC, Santander, RBS and NatWest.

The software detects and stops HTML injection, and would not allow Zeus to force a false form on to your browser.

Zeus is very hard to detect even by the most high-tech anti-virus software.

It is also alarmingly common, so if you suspect the smallest irregularity on your PC, contact your bank, download software and make sure you get disinfected.

Note that credit cards meant for spending as opposed to, say, 0% balance transfer credit cards, may be more likely to come with added fraud protection.

This can include monitoring of the account which flags up unusual activity as potential fraud.

Qualify For Corporate Credit Cards Without Personal Guarantee

Corporate credit is essential for many new businesses and for those that are currently operating. Businesses with a good loan score can qualify for higher business loans, vendor loan and corporate credit cards without personal guarantee. Most small businesses, unless they have an established line of business credit, often link their personal and business accounts together. A personal guarantee is often required for business credit cards, loans and some vendor accounts when a business is new, without established trust in future payment or has a low credit rate.

Businesses without established surplus cash will have to use the owner's personal credit score when it comes to applying for credit cards or loans. Business owners with a low FICO score that apply for a credit card or loan may be approved with a low extension line or at times even denied loan. For owners with bad assets, obtaining any kind of business capital outlay is nearly impossible. In order to create a financially fit business, emphasis must be placed on building business credit. Business loan is based on a Paydex score, which is similar to the FICO score used in personal loan. The Paydex score takes into account the number of revolving accounts and whether they are paid on time or defaulted. Late payments and defaulted accounts negatively affect a business's credit.

In order to obtain an extension for a business should start out by applying for an Employer Identification Number or tax ID number. This a clear separation from personal social security number of the owner and that of the business and officially makes it a separate entity of its own. It also allows a business owner to then use the EIN number for the business to establish surplus cash lines. Once an tax ID number is obtained, the next step is to establish a few small lines of loans to help build up a good Paydex score.

One thing to keep in mind is that paying debts on time does not improve your loan points if the creditors do not regularly report the payments and account status to the capital outlay bureaus. Make sure that the vendor or bank that supplies the business assets reports the account to the capital outlay bureaus including Equifax, Experian and Dun & Bradstreet. One or all of these companies are used by credit card and loan companies when reviewing a business loan application. By establishing several revolving accounts and keeping them current, a business can greatly improve its extension rate. With a good Paydex score, a business can easily obtain credit cards and loans with having to personally guarantee the loans. Eligibility will be based solely on the extension score of the business.

Instant Credit Card Offers

Has it ever occurred to you how a credit card works and what is its role in your fiscal health? Now-a-days everyone depends on digital cash technology to compare these cards and keep credit or debit cards which are prominently used by one and all to carry out daily transactions.

How A Credit Card Works?

It is a credit facility. When one swipes the card, the company pays the receiver. This expense is borne by the company. At the end of the month, the credit card company totals up the amount of all the transactions that took place, adds an interest and also levies a service charge. There is a due date to pay off these bills and a fine is charged by the company if there is a late payment. Their offers come with many facilities and hence to avail a good one, their comparison must be done.

Before filling the application form make sure that all the terms and conditions are well read especially about the low interest card. To get the best deals, one should look for the fees the company charges and the rates at which they calculate the interest for the payments made after the due date. Always go in for a card of a company which is doing well. There are many sites which even do the comparison for low interest such cards and simplify access to an online visa card application for such deals.

Instant Approval Credit Cards

The best way for application of a card is to surf the official website of the card company and fill up the credit card application form. After the application form is filled, the company starts the process of approval. In this process, a complete background check is done. Credit scores are taken to determine the creditability which also indicates the ability of the applicant to pay the monthly bills. The credit score and credit ratings also determine the person's spending habits. Instant approval cards follow a process of approval takes not more than 48 hours. In cases, where the applicant has a very good credit rating/credit score, the approval process requires a time period of a few hours. Sometimes the process take longer if one has applied for 0 interest cards.

Types Of Instant Approval Credit Cards

Based on the nature of their approval, there are several different types:

Credit Cards for people with Bad Credit: These cards are issued for those who have a poor credit and usually have to suffer with a high service charge. If the user can't pay the bill, the company can legally take over some assets to recover the losses.

Cards for people with Fair Credit: These cards are offered to those who have a good credit. If the applicant does not have a job, the company demands collateral.

Student Credit Cards: These online cards are issued to students who don't have regular jobs but whose parents have a steady income.