| Credit has become a pillar of the American economy. | | | | to report unauthorized charges promptly, and credit |
| When people began to look for ways to increase | | | | companies like MasterCard work to identify the |
| convenience in transactions, credit cards became | | | | problems and stop the cash flow. Cardholders enjoy |
| popular as an effective way to exchange money in a | | | | the safety of non-liability agreements that limit their |
| 'cashless' environment, making transactions faster and | | | | personal exposure to credit theft. |
| avoiding the problems associated with dealing in cash. | | | | In addition, MasterCard and other credit corporations |
| The rise of credit merchants and the widespread use | | | | have come up with new ways to safeguard credit |
| of credit for household transactions has made large | | | | information in order to alleviate customer concerns. |
| financial groups such as MasterCard into catalysts for | | | | New products such as MasterCard SecureCode help |
| the daily flow of money between clients and | | | | cardholders to protect themselves from credit fraud. |
| businesses. With this power, though, comes | | | | SecureCode is a product that deals with a growing |
| responsibility, and now people are wondering how to | | | | type of credit use: the use of credit cards over the |
| respond to problems of credit fraud and identity theft, | | | | internet. With so many cardholders putting their card |
| and where the responsibility lies for these safeguards. | | | | numbers on the web to buy online, and a growing |
| In a recent attempt at technological piracy, | | | | number of unsafe connections through ISPs, it's |
| unauthorized parties got access to data held by millions | | | | essential to address the problem. 'Open' connections |
| of MasterCard holders. Financial data was taken from | | | | like wi-fi and cable increase the chances that hackers |
| databases and a kind of general concern ensued. | | | | will somehow gain access to card numbers and be |
| MasterCard named the third-party data firm | | | | able to use them for illegal activities. Use of tools such |
| CardSystems as the point where security was | | | | as SecureCode helps MasterCard holders to make |
| breached. The problem caused a lot of confusion as | | | | sure that their card numbers are safe; another |
| consumers wondered how their personal finances | | | | important point for those trading online is to protect |
| would be effected. The credit companies have issued | | | | their connections from vulnerability using firewalls, |
| warnings regarding the possibility that individuals could | | | | anti-virus programs and other general network tools. |
| have their credit information used by thieves who gain | | | | MasterCard has long been a familiar name in the |
| access to the pilfered information. | | | | 'realtime' market, in advertising and active in daily |
| Still, MasterCard has made clear that cardholders | | | | transactions. Now it is common online as well. If |
| themselves are not generally responsible for | | | | consumer trust continues, MasterCard will continue to |
| unathorized charges. Consumers have a responsibility | | | | manage finances and financial data for a long time. |