Men Outside of American Express Company Office

Thanks to Wisconsin Historical Images
Four unidentified men posed standing in front of office buildings. Sign in the window of the American Express Company Office shows a horse and advertises the Jackson County Fair, September 25, 26, 27. Charles J. Van Schaick’s Studio was on the upper floor of the building on the left, the current location of the Black River Falls Historical Society. Van Schaick and Castle (Wis Independent newspaper) built the building in 1884 on South 1st Street. The building on the right was the office of Dr. Penton.

This image is part of a collection of over 6,000 glass plate negatives created by Charles J. Van Schaick. Van Schaick learned the art of photography after moving to Jackson County, Wisconsin. In 1885, he opened a studio in Black River Falls, Wisconsin and served as the town photographer for over 50 years. His work includes both studio portraits and richly varied and intimate snapshots of small-town, Wisconsin life. A portion of his photographic work is represented in Wisconsin Death Trip by Michael Lesy.

For more information about this image, click here:

www.wisconsinhistory.org/whi/fullRecord.asp?id=28583

Did You Know?

The Wisconsin Historical Society produces giclée print reproductions made from high-resolution scans of original source material from its holdings. Custom orders are printed on matte or semigloss papers using large format printers and archival pigmented inks. All print sale proceeds directly benefit the acquisition, preservation and maintenance of the physical and online collections.

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American CEOs pocket hefty payouts amid massive layoffs: Study

American CEOs pocket hefty payouts amid massive layoffs: StudyAmerican CEOs pocket hefty payouts amid massive layoffs: Study
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“Glee,” American Express team up for social action

Hit television show “Glee” and credit card company American Express have joined forces on a new social action campaign to inspire viewers to make a difference in their communities.
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Should You Search Social Media Sites for Job Candidate Information?

This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.
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Lastest American Express News is a post from: Credit Chimp

The Credit CARD Act of 2009 has benefitted consumers, but credit card companies will find ways to replace the revenue it lost through reforms, consumer advocates say.
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Debit card holders are urged to monitor their accounts and be on the lookout for fraudulent charges, which have spiked recently, financial institutions said Thursday.
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Debit cards a problem at car-rental agencies

Dear Travel Diva: My son doesn’t have a credit card, but he has a debit card. When he tried to pick up a rental car at Enterprise in Portland, Ore., the agent said he had to have a credit card to get the car. They finally let him use his debit card but at a higher rental rate. What’s the problem? — Careful Credit
Read more on Detroit Free Press

Debit or credit? Higher One’s ‘noodly’ fees irk college students

IT’S ONLY MONEY: Heading to college? Higher One’s debit card is on hundreds of campuses. Get in the know about how it works. You may be surprised.
Read more on The Oregonian

Lastest Debit Card News is a post from: Credit Chimp

American CEOs pocket hefty payouts amid massive layoffs: StudyAmerican CEOs pocket hefty payouts amid massive layoffs: Study
Read more on The Economic Times

“Glee,” American Express team up for social action

Hit television show “Glee” and credit card company American Express have joined forces on a new social action campaign to inspire viewers to make a difference in their communities.
Read more on Reuters via Yahoo! News

Should You Search Social Media Sites for Job Candidate Information?

This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.
Read more on Mashable via Yahoo! News

Lastest American Express News is a post from: Credit Chimp

Compare All The Low Rate Credit Cards In The Uk

So you are stuck in a credit card with an interest rate that keeps moving up.  If you want to move to a card that has a more reasonable rate, then you are at the right place.  The UK Credit Card Centre promotes a variety of credit card that have low interest rates associated with them.

 We all use credit cards. The ease and convenience of credit cards is part of everyone’s financial day to day activities. So it’s obvious that we all want to reduce our costs associated with the use of credit cards. Although there are many way to reduce your credit card costs, the easiest way is to apply and qualify for a low rate credit card. You can save hundreds each month with a low rate card. When you transfer credit card balances from one card to another to take advantage of low introductory or promotional rates can result in significant reduction in interest or finance charges. Similarly, financing purchases with low introductory or promotional purchase rates can result in significant interest savings. At the UK Credit Card Centre, we offer many credit cards with low interest and low APR rates.

 The MBNA 6.7% American Express credit card offers a low 6.7% rate on your purchases, balance transfers, and money transfers.  Plus this without fees (transfer must be made within first 60 days).  With the MBNA 6.7% American Express you also get access to a fantastic rewards programme where you earn when you spend.  Redeem rewards for flights, cash, shopping vouchers and much more. Find out more about the MBNA 6.7% American Express Credit Card.

 The Barclaycard Simplicity Credit Card is another example of a low rate, low interest credit card targeting the UK market.  Barclaycard, a leader in the UK credit card market, offers the Simplicity card with a very low 7.8% interest rate.  So if you’re tired of having to find a new credit card each time the promotional offer on your current card ends, let us make life simpler for you. This card offers one low rate – 7.8%, applies to every purchase and/or balance transfer you make.  The Barclaycard Simplicity card not only offers a low rate, but also unparalleled benefits including Identity Protection Service, safe shopping with Fraud Protection, purchase delivery protection, emergency help when traveling abroad, and great holiday deals with our Travel Service.  Learn more about the Barclaycard Simplicity Credit Card.

To wrap up our discussion on low rate, low fee credit cards in the UK, we decided to include the MBNA Rate for Life Visa Card.  This card offers a promotional low rate on balance transfers and money transfers – 5.9% for the life of the balance.  This card is ideal for rearranging your finances and consolidating loans.  This promotional rate does come with a 2% transfer fee.  To learn more about the MBNA Rate for Life Visa Card.

Like all credit card decisions, you need to take the time to understand the interest rates and fees associated with each of the card.  To find out more, please visit the UK Credit Card Centre

Fraudsters rack up millions of dollars in merchandise using fake credit cards with legit numbers hacked off the Internet. Detective Bob Watts of Newport Beach PD shows how it’s done.

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Compare All the Low Rate Credit Cards in the Uk is a post from: Credit Chimp

How To Significantly Reduce Payment Processing Costs By Converting Debit-Card Customers To Direct-Debit Payments

It seems that banks are constantly coming up with new ways for us to pay bills and withdraw money. First there were paper checks, then credit cards, then ATM cards, then debit cards linked to bank accounts, and now ACH electronic funds transfers. Of course, with each new payment method comes a new set of fees passed on to account holders and merchants. The smart merchant will weigh the pros and cons of each method with regards to safety, accountability, and processing cost, and then design her business practices to maximize profits without compromising customer service.

This article will help merchants do this by comparing two very similar payment methods-debit card charges and bank account ACH direct-debits. It will explain how switching customers who pay with debit-cards to direct-debit transactions can significantly reduce merchant processing costs.

What is a Debit Card?

A debit card is a bank issued card that allows its user to access the funds in his account to pay for merchandise or services. A debit card acts like a credit card, and is often associated with a credit card brand such as VISA or MasterCard, with the difference being that funds are immediately deducted from the cardholders checking or savings accounts when a purchase is made.

What is Direct-Debit?

Direct debit is an easy way to deduct a payment directly from a customer’s bank account. It uses the premise of a paper check but takes it to the next level with electronic funds transfer. With direct debit, the need to write paper checks is completely eliminated. Your customer simply gives you permission to take funds directly out of his checking or savings account and transfer them to yours. Direct-debit is typically used for auto-recurring billing of regular transactions, such as a monthly rent payment, so that written permission to transfer funds is needed only once and customers no longer need to write checks every month. But, it can also be used with an Online Payment Gateway to enable your customers to purchase your products or pay their bills directly from a checking or savings account instead of with a credit card or debit card.

What are the differences between a Debit Card transaction and a Direct-Debit transaction?

Debit card transactions and direct debit transactions are at their core the same-each authorizes a transfer of money directly from the cardholder’s account to the merchant’s account. And, from the consumer’s standpoint they are exactly the same.

From the merchant’s standpoint however, they are very different. The transactions are processed through different networks, and the payment processing charges differ significantly.

Debit card transactions require the merchant to obtain a credit card merchant account and often to sign a long-term contract and pay a fee to open the account. Debit card transactions are processed through the same network as credit card transactions, and funds are deposited, less a commission (known as the “discount rate“), into a merchant account. The discount rate for debit-card purchases is typically lower than for credit card purchases (This is because the bank is taking less of a risk with a debit-card that deducts funds immediately from a bank account than with a credit card.), however there are some merchant processors that do not extend this discount to their clients. Typically, 2-3% of the transaction plus a 30 cent inquiry fee will be deducted from a debit-card payment and the balance will be deposited into the merchant’s account.

Direct-debit transactions use the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network to move funds from one bank account to another. Thus, you can use your regular business checking account for Direct-Debit transactions. You will need to sign a contract with a company authorized to manage these ACH transactions, but there is typically no long-term commitment. You will pay a fee for each direct-debit transaction you process-but it is typically a flat-fee that is not dependant upon the size of the transaction. (There are some companies that do charge a percentage based fee for direct-debit transactions-you should avoid these processors!). This fee is typically less than per transaction.

How much can merchants save with Direct-Debit Transactions?

Accepting direct-debit instead of debit-card transactions can generate significant savings for most transactions; with the rule of thumb being the larger the transaction amount the more the merchant saves. The following is a simple example using the PaySimple pricing structure:

Transaction Amount: 0

Cost to process via Debit Card (MOTO rate): .49 (.29 inquiry + 2.04% discount)

Cost to process via Direct-Debit: .55 flat

Total Savings per Transaction: .94

Total Monthly Savings (based on 250 transactions/month): ,485.00

Are there Drawbacks to Direct-Debit transactions?

The largest drawback for merchants accepting direct-debit payments is that unlike debit-card payments, you will not immediately know if there are sufficient funds in the customer’s account to cover the charge. With a direct-debit, you will get NSF notification in 24 hours (far better than the weeks it typically takes for a paper check processed by the bank). This can be a significant concern for merchants who are providing goods or one-time services at the time of payment. But, in the majority of cases, 24 hour notification is sufficient.

Another concern is that customers will not be comfortable with giving a merchant direct access to their bank accounts. However, that is essentially what they are doing with a debit card transaction. The problem truly is one of education not of security or of process. Fortunately, that is an easy problem to solve. ElectronicPayments.org is a fantastic website that provides a wealth of customer education materials. Your payment processing company may also offer free marketing and educational literature that can be distributed to your customers.

The Bottom Line

Direct-debit transactions are just as safe as or safer than debit card transactions. Direct-debit and debit card funds are deducted immediately from customer accounts. Direct-debit transactions are just as simple to perform as debit card transactions, and both can be used for auto recurring payments, online payments, phone payments, and point-of-purchase payments. But, processing direct-debit transactions is significantly less costly for merchants than processing debit card transactions.

Find More Debit Card Articles

How to Significantly Reduce Payment Processing Costs by Converting Debit-Card Customers to Direct-Debit Payments is a post from: Credit Chimp

The Credit CARD Act of 2009 has benefitted consumers, but credit card companies will find ways to replace the revenue it lost through reforms, consumer advocates say.
Read more on The Oklahoman

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Credit card interest rates soared in the second quarter to a nine-year spike, according to the market research company Synovate.
Read more on CNN Money

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Read more on KSL Salt Lake City

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Mastercard Advantages

MasterCard introduces the hologram security device, first in credit card industry. MasterCard delivered its new clearing system, a major component of its System Enhancement Strategy. MasterCard’s goal in rewriting its processing platform was to provide its customers with the opportunity to realize significant operational efficiencies, develop new products and services, create new revenue streams, and enhance profitability. The platform employs advanced technology to enhance MasterCard’s transaction processing operations – authorization, clearing, settlement, and file transfer. MasterCard is the only online PIN-based global debit brand; Maestro offers cardholders secure convenient access to their funds both domestically and internationally. As the leading brand in U.S credit cards, there are various card offers introduced in U.S market. Let’s see the specific MasterCard offers and Descriptions.

Bank of America® WorldPoints® Platinum Plus® MasterCard®: This Card offers 0% Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on balance transfers and cash advance checks for your first 12 billing cycles. The card user can earn 1 Point for every dollar you spend in net retail purchases. Points are redeemeable for cash, brand name merchandise, travel with no blackout dates dining certificates and more. There’s no annual fee, free 24/7 Concierge Service and Absolute Fraud Protection.

CitiBusiness® Card: This card provides 0% Intro APR and the Intro period is for 12 months. 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 month. There is no annual fee for the primary card. This card provides generous credit line to its users. Also Provides “Ask the Experts” service, employee cards, free account summaries, business discounts, and more savings on everyday business purchases. There is liability for unauthorized purchases.

2% Back MasterCard: This card offers 0% Intro APR and the card members get 2% back on every purchase, everywhere – automatically! The card members can manage their account with 24/7 online access and bill pay and the card members can choose a payment due date that’s convenient for them. Provides 100% fraud liability protection and great built-in MasterCard benefits.

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Rewards Card: This card provides 0% Intro APR and the intro period is 12 months . There is no annual fee. Provides Gift Card — Redeem 6,000 Bonus Points after first purchase and also provides 0% APR on balance transfers for twelve months. The card members will earn five bonus ThankYou Points for every dollar spent at Supermarkets, Drugstores and Gas Stations for 12 months and earn one bonus ThankYou Point for every dollar spent on all other purchases.

Advanta Platinum BusinessCard with Rewards: This card offers 0% Intro APR and intro period is 15 months. There is no annual fee. Provides 0% APR for 15 months on Balance Transfers, 7.99% fixed APR there after and 7.99% variable APR on purchases. The card members have their own choice of 5% Cash Back or Travel Rewards and there is no limit on earnings. Provides Fraud Liability. And the card members can get personalized card — their company name on the top of the card.

Toys R Us Mastercard: This card offers 0% Introductory APR for up to 6 months on the Toys“R”Us & Babies“R”Us MasterCard. There is no annual fee. The card members will earn 4 points per spent in eligible purchases at Toys“R”Us & Babies“R”Us with the NEW Toys“R”Us & Babies“R”Us MasterCard. And also earn 1 point per spent on their eligible everyday purchases like gas and groceries made everywhere MasterCard credit cards are accepted. Provides a 10% Savings Reward Certificate,valid at any Toys“R”Us & Babies“R”Us location, when the card members earn 1,000 points. The card members can receive up to two certificates per month.

Union Plus® MasterCard: This card offers FREE rewards program designed for hard-working union members. The card members get 2,000 bonus points after first purchase, more than halfway to a Gift Card. Also earns 1 point for every dollar spent anywhere and Earns 2 Points for every dollar spent at gas stations, grocery stores, and drug stores. There are no balance transfer Fees and APR stays FIXED until the balance is paid in full. There is 1.99% introductory APR on new purchases. There is no annual fee and no liability for unauthorized use.

Citi® Driver’s Edge® Platinum Select® Card: The card members will earn rebates for Every Mile Driven and the rebates can be applied toward car maintenance, or to buy or lease a New or Used Car. Provides 6% rebates on gas station, Supermarket, and Drugstore Purchases for 12 Full Months, 3% Rebates after, and 1% Rebates on all other purchases. Provides 0% APR on balance transfers for 12 full months. The Rebates can also be applied to the Thank You Network.

SNAP™ MasterCard: This card offers 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 6 months for qualifying applicants and the rates shown for Platinum and other rates apply for Gold, Silver or Secured. Provides 100% fraud liability protection and 24/7 online account management. Provides complimentary built-in Tap-N-Go™ technology. The applicants can get the card in as little as 3 days for most cards (rush fees will apply).

Johnny Cash™ Prepaid MasterCard® Card: This card comes with a slogan called If You Love Cash… You’ll Love this Card! This card offers 00.00 Max Value and all the applications are 100% approved! There is no employment required, no security deposit, no credit checks, no turndowns and there is no annual fee.

Imagine® Gold Card: It’s an unsecured credit card. The Intro APR is 19.75% and there is no Intro period. The annual fee is 0. This card increases the regular credit line of its card members and reports to all 3 Credit Bureaus!. The special feature of this card is all applications are accepted.

Citi® Driver’s Edge® Card for College Students: This card offers 0% APR for Six months on purchases, Cash Advances, and Balance Transfers – No Balance Transfer Fee with this Offer. Helps the card members to build credit history and the card users will earn rebates towards any car, new or used. Provide offers like, Get Cash for Miles Driven and free online account management.

Citi PremierPassSM: This card offers 0% APR on Balance Transfers for Twelve Months and the card member will get 5,000 Bonus Points after the first purchase. The card member will earn one point for every dollar spent on purchases and also earn one point for every three miles flown on any Airline. There is no annual fee.

AT&T Universal Platinum Card: This card offers 0% APR on Balance Transfers for Twelve Months – a Balance Transfer Fee Applies with this Offer. The card member save on Phone Services used everyday and provides up to 30 free phone Minutes per month – Anytime, Anywhere. And there is no annual fee.

The Vaya™ Prepaid MasterCard® Card: This card have some special advantages. lets see one by one. Provides guaranteed approval, there are no credit check, bank account or security deposit required, No interest charges or late fees and no check cashing fees. Provides Prepaid, with easy loading options, Free Direct Deposit and the card member can add cash instantly at thousands of retail locations. This card offers purchasing power at more than 32 million merchants worldwide, Cash Access at more than 900,000 ATMs and protected by MasterCard’s Zero Liability Policy.

Western Union® Prepaid MasterCard® Card: This card is named as Easy to get! Easy to use! No credit checks required, no lengthy application, a non-refundable .95 enrollment fee for the card and the application don’t even need a bank account. The card member can shop wherever MasterCard debit cards are accepted, can access cash from participating ATMs, the card member can reload cash on his card at any of the 47,000 participating Western Union Agent locations in the U.S. The card member can directly deposit paycheck on the card and he’ll get .95 waiver on his monthly account maintenance fee.

The BuyRIGHT Prepaid MasterCard®: The Card user can get cash at over 900,000 ATMs worldwide, and pay bills online or over the phone and eliminate payday hassles with free direct deposit. This card is accepted at millions of MasterCard locations worldwide. There is NO credit checks, NO employment verification and There are NO monthly or annual fees.

Orchard Bank Gold MasterCard®: The card user can enjoy the prestige of a Gold MasterCard and receives Gold card privileges and benefits. This is a great credit card to strengthen or rebuild credit and reports to all 3 credit bureaus monthly, which can helps to improve credit score. There is free Online 24-hour account access and Bill Pay. Also provides periodic credit limit increases and there are 4 Plastic Designs to choose from.

Orchard Bank Platinum MasterCard®: The card user can enjoy the prestige of Platinum with no up front fees and Premium Platinum benefits including Purchase Protection. This is also one of the great credit card to strengthen credit and reports to all 3 credit bureaus monthly, which can help improve the credit score. Also provides free Online 24-hour Account Access and Bill Pay. Periodic credit limit increases and there are 4 Plastic Designs to choose from.

Orchard Bank Secured MasterCard®: This is a secured

Mastercard Advantages is a post from: Credit Chimp

Debit card holders are urged to monitor their accounts and be on the lookout for fraudulent charges, which have spiked recently, financial institutions said Thursday.
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Debit cards a problem at car-rental agencies

Dear Travel Diva: My son doesn’t have a credit card, but he has a debit card. When he tried to pick up a rental car at Enterprise in Portland, Ore., the agent said he had to have a credit card to get the car. They finally let him use his debit card but at a higher rental rate. What’s the problem? — Careful Credit
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Lastest Debit Card News is a post from: Credit Chimp

I am 13 yrs old, and I am getting my first debit card (visa). Of course, I dont have a drivers license, but wen u pay with ur credit card u hav 2 show ur id. When they ask 4 identification, can i show my student id? My student id has my picture, my name, and the grade i am currently in. Can I show this wen i pay with a debit card?

Best Answer:

Answer by Renee E
why don’t you get a state id?

Debit Card? is a post from: Credit Chimp