First Horizon Merchant Services Acquires DirectNET
DENVER, Jan 12, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- As part of its ongoing strategy to provide the highest level of products and services to the travel and hospitality industry, First Horizon Merchant Services Inc. has purchased all rights to the DirectNET loyalty...

Snatch Back Some Of Your Hard-earned Cash From The Banks And The Government
WHY do we do it to ourselves? Why, after all the fun and frivolity of the festive season, do so many of us feel driven to indulge in that self-flagellating ritual of hope triumphing over experience known as New Year's resolutions? Especially as so many...

Mbna Poised To Buy Premium Credit
MBNA, the US credit card giant, is the leading bidder to buy Premium Credit, a specialist finance business, for around pounds 200m.

Christmas Shoppers Defy Debt Fears With Record Spree
BARCLAYCARD customers spent more on their cards in the run up to Christmas this winter than they did in 2002, despite general concerns about personal debt levels.

Hsn, Ge Consumer Finance Extend Private-label Credit Card Agreement
STAMFORD, Conn., Jan 8, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Television and Web retailer HSN, and GE Consumer Finance, a global leader in business and consumer lending solutions, announced today an extension of their private-label credit card program through 2008...

Credit-union Portfolio Sales Strong
Sales of credit-union credit card portfolios for 2003's first nine months ran well ahead of last year's pace, according to Peterborough, NH-based broker and credit-union financial advisory firm Brookwood Capital. Through Sept. 30, 43 credit unions with...

Just One Word: Plastic
Favorite movie rentals like Star Trek have long shown cashless societies, but consumers haven't been eager to give up the greenback in favor of electronic payments. Until now.

Credit Card Late Fees Rising
New credit card offers are including higher late fees, some up to $39, a spokesperson for Tarrytown, NY-based Synovate Mail Monitor tells CardLine today. In the third quarter, 10% of the estimated 975.7 million credit card solicitations issuers mailed...

How Spam Undermines Loyalty Efforts
It's no secret that unwanted commercial e-mail, or spam, is a nuisance. In fact, spam is so much of a nuisance that Congress just passed a law to control it, and, at this writing, President Bush was expected to sign the measure.

Catholic Knights Unveils Affinity Card
Milwaukee-based Catholic Knights last week rolled out the We Share affinity credit card that donates 1% of the value of purchases to the Catholic parish or school of the cardholder's choice. Las Vegas-based M&I Bank FSB, a subsidiary of Marshall and Isley...