| The credit card is the result of many | | | | poor, depending on the individual banking |
| merchant credit systems. It was used for the | | | | infrastructure. |
| first time in the 1920s. The first credit | | | | |
| cards were used in the United States to sell | | | | The credit cards were not always made of |
| fuel to the automobile owners. Their number | | | | plastic. They also consisted of metal, paper, |
| was increasing dramatically and, in 1938, | | | | celluloid, and fiber. In 1946 John Biggins |
| several firms started to use each other's | | | | invented the program that connected the local |
| cards. | | | | merchants to bank customers. The banks billed |
| | | | the customer, coming from the merchants that |
| Edward Bellamy invented the first credit card | | | | deposited sales figures into the bank. |
| in 1887. He was the first to use the term | | | | |
| "credit card". Ralph Schneider and Frank X. | | | | France was very fast to develop chip-based |
| McNamara invented the concept of using cards | | | | credit cards and now this is the major |
| to pay merchants in 1950. The Diners Club | | | | anti-fraud credit feature. Now the design of |
| produces the first general purpose card, | | | | the credit cards is important too. The |
| shortly followed by American Express and | | | | customers are tempted to use the prettiest |
| Carte Blanche. Western Union had begun a | | | | cards; they prefer best designed logos too. |
| similar activity in 1914. | | | | The personalized cards were used by Bank of |
| | | | Hawaii in 1969. They are delivered usually |
| In 1958 the Bank of America provided the | | | | online by many specialized software firms. |
| BankAmericard: the product that evolved into | | | | |
| the actual Visa system. Mastercard appears in | | | | Now, millions of families use the |
| 1966 when some banks established | | | | general-purpose credit cards, from many |
| MasterCharge. | | | | issuers, with the best conditions. This |
| | | | simple way to offer credit to customers is |
| Those who were traveling all over the country | | | | becoming more and more popular. Tips paid by |
| needed an effective way to make the necessary | | | | credit cards are always welcome. We must |
| transactions. They needed to be able to take | | | | remember that finance charges may be |
| their credit anywhere and use banking | | | | different depending on the method used by the |
| facilities. Barclaycard, in 1966, in the UK, | | | | creditors. All terms and conditions on the |
| launched the credit card for the first time | | | | credit card use must be deeply understood. |
| outside of the United States. | | | | The bills must be promptly paid to keep the |
| | | | credit rating high and avoid important |
| The card reaches huge adoption level in the | | | | charges. Late payment charges must be avoided |
| United States, Canada and UK, but many | | | | too. It is wise to keep a list of all credit |
| cultures were cash-oriented in the last part | | | | card numbers. In case of theft or loss, this |
| of the 20th century. There are still many | | | | is the easier way to report the accident to |
| countries where the credit card system is | | | | the credit cards issuer. |