We accept credit cards is a statement that you must came across many times at various shops, food markets as well as other merchant outlets. This statement is usually accompanied by a few stickers (Visa/Master card etc). Credit cards have transformed the firms and our way of life to a great extent. Many years back there were only a number of shops that could accept credit cards but today you’ll find that most of the shops accept credit cards. In fact, some shops (like those belonging to a large retail chain) not merely accept credit cards but in addition supply credit cards. These credit cards entitle you for rebates by using them at any of the stores of the retail chain.
With credit cards around, lots of people have stopped carrying any cash with them or simply carry a very little bit of cash with them. That means that any shop that doesnt accept credit cards is potentially losing customers. In fact, this is one reasons why virtually every merchant accepts credit cards.
With the evolution of internet, credit card industry too took a new turn or more came ecommerce and e-shops. So, those stickers of We accept credit cards, moved on towards the doors of internet shops. Thus came the era where virtually every online-shop would accept credit cards (directly or indirectly). In fact, this was the premise which the complete online-business industry was based. This really is convenience at its best.
Fraud is owned by virtually every financial instrument. So there came fraudsters too, who too declared We accept credit cards. These fraudsters make use of a large amount of processes to commit credit card related fraud. Some of them disguise themselves as online merchants who accept credit cards as mode of payment (the actual motive being extraction of critical credit card details). Others are individuals who work on merchant shops that accept credit cards. These fraudsters either clone the credit cards or simply note critical information from them (and employ that for online-shopping). Another fraudsters lure innocent people into revealing credit card details in forums. And you will find tech-savvy fraudsters who use computer programs/softwares/devices (called spyware) to spy on the individuals who use their credit cards for online payments. The spyware capture their credit card information and obtain it transmitted towards the spy using internet.
So plenty of merchants and service providers do accept credit cards but remember that the fraudsters too welcome/accept credit cards. This really is something you surely have to be careful about.