International Cards All You Need
The convenience of using a credit card for everyday purchases like food, gas, and even utility bills is undeniable. Paying with a credit card is faster and easier than writing a check. You also have the peace of mind knowing that a Visa card is accepted wherever you want to shop. You can use your Visa card at millions of places worldwide, offering services in over 200 countries. Shopping becomes easy when you don’t have to worry about currency exchange or whether your card will be accepted or not. Finally, security is key when talking about Visa. A Visa card comes with many layers of security features that can help you use these cards confidently. All Visa cards come with a zero liability policy, which means that if your card is lost, stolen, or used without your permission, you won’t be held responsible for fraudulently incurred charges. Plus, with real-time fraud detection, you are helped in preventing and stopping unauthorized use of your card. Every time you use your card, a unique transaction code is generated, making it virtually impossible for fraudsters to replicate. The Visa card processing network enables safe online shopping with secure encryption. When you use a Visa card, there is no need to sign receipts or get cash back in stores. It’s quick and easy to use a PIN for debit purchases or simply swipe and go for credit purchases. A Visa card is not just convenient for vacations abroad; it’s a good idea to use these cards for purchases in foreign countries whenever possible.
1.1. Convenience
The primary difference between a Visa card and checks or cash lies in their convenience. Purchases are made quickly with a mere swipe or tap of the Visa card, and not having to wait for bank approvals or for the check to clear. As ‘plastic’ money, Visa cardholders could rely on it as a mode to be in cashless societies and make life easier. With the advancements in technology, most vendors are now offering credit/debit card payment services. When payment is made, cardholders could get a receipt for the transaction showing the date, the amount, and the last 4 digits of their Visa card. These transaction details are useful for tracking and disputes which shall be covered in section Visa cardholder – benefits and the card’s protections/limitations. Also, there is an evident convenience of having one single point of contact for any card support, account queries, and even authorizations. With Visa, all around the world offer the same great service so cardholders could travel with peace of mind. For instance, if a card is lost or stolen, Visa cardholder could contact the Global Customer Assistance Services and do not forget to refer to the country’s numbers. If there is an issue with the cards, Visa’s knowledge and their global network of teams would help to get cardholders back to enjoying their trip as soon as possible. Also, travelers could use the card in over 200 countries and the cardholder does not have to worry about expensive money transfers or low exchange rates. Visa cardholder could use their card in hotels, pictures, and restaurants around the world. Some cards may come with Visa’s full range of currency options so it would minimize the effects of foreign exchange. Also, if a transaction is not in the local currency, Visa will convert that transaction at their exchange rate. That way, figuring out – ‘was the exchange rate fair?’ has been done by Visa for cardholders and the transaction amount would show on their statement.
1.2. Global Acceptance
Visa cards are widely accepted both in the United States and abroad. If you are not convinced, consider this: Visa Inc. has its main office in San Francisco, California, but issues its cards to account holders in over 200 countries. As if that is not enough, Visa boasts of continuous and increasing global dominance through acquisition of other leading card companies around the world. Take, for example, the acquisition of Visa International by Inovant LLC in 2008 for a whopping 2.1 billion dollars. In other words, the global interconnectivity and reach which Visa has is now even bigger. With major acquisitions and integration of services globally, it means that account holders now can benefit from the comprehensive acceptance of the Visa card. When an individual applies for a Visa card, they get more than a piece of plastic with a nice design. They are getting access to one of the biggest card firms worldwide that has plenty of experience in managed payments via card technology. Thanks to such an extensive network of Visa, there are various ways such as through technological advancements in card acceptance, better access to different card services and means that an account holder can travel around the world knowing that Visa card will most likely be accepted. Visa cards are not only accepted by merchants, but also by ATMs. With 3.6 billion cards in circulation, each of them backed by a network of ATMs that accept Visa card, travelers and Visa account holders can access local currencies with ease. When you add the Visa Global ATM Network into the equation, then an account holder actually has a secure, convenient and encompasses global network. With widespread digitalization in how sales are made globally, there has been an increasing need for the acceptance of electronic funds and card services at sales outlets. As a result, a number of firms offering point of sale services and Visa have intensified their efforts in ensuring that goods and service efficiencies created by digital marketplaces are realized by consumers. In this front, Visa has come up with the Visa Ready Program, with an intention to give guidance and direction to firms and developers on the best ways to make their products and technology up to the expected industry standards.
1.3. Security
Another intriguing attribute about Visa cards is their security feature. Actually, security is one of the most widely marketed benefits of Visa cards. These are optional, which means that the visitor is required to sign the Visa card on its signature panel that is located on the reverse side. When used for shopping or paying for goods, Visa cards are digitally secure, which means that they are safe to use in all forms of shopping. Each and every time a Visa card is used, the transactions are processed electronically. This means that the details of the Visa card will not be stored and hence the privacy and security of the card is always protected. The Visa cards are also protected against fraud, which guarantees the cardholder maximum protection. In case the Visa card is lost, you don’t have to worry about losing anything on the card. All you need to do is to contact the card issuer and the card will be cancelled and a replacement will be issued. The replacement will be sent wherever you are, and hence there is no need to worry when you are far away from home. Also, the security feature normally covers the cardholder against unauthorized purchase, loss, fraud, or any other type of risk that may be associated with the use of the card. In most cases, Visa cardholders are entitled to free assistance services in case the card is lost. These include the arrangement for emergency and urgent cash and card replacement within 24-48 hours, which is very helpful. The modern Visa cards have come with relatively high technology security features. For example, the Visa micro tags, which are security features that have been added to the front design of Visa cards. This offers consumers and businesses an added layer of protection. The micro tags contain security technology which cannot be seen by the naked eye and it is very unique. It is virtually impossible to duplicate a Visa card with the same security micro tags, and hence this acts to protect all Visa cardholders from fraud, loss, and unauthorized purchase. With these micro tags, Visa cardholders are able to carry their cards wherever they go with confidence and peace of mind. This is what has been described as next-generation Visa security.
2. Rewards and Perks
Visa cards allow cardholders to earn cashback at differing rates, depending on the kind of card the person has. For instance, a Bank of America Cash Rewards Visa credit cardholder earns 3% cashback in a category of their choosing, 2% cashback at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and 1% on all other purchases. Cashback is earned on purchases, and can be redeemed at any time; in some cases, the cardholder can receive notification that their cashback is offered as a direct deposit, starting at $2500. Travel rewards are exclusive offers, and often vary by each kind of Visa card as well. Whether a card is associated with a certain airline or hotel, or it offers options for different travel perks, a cardholder can accumulate points for every dollar they spend, leading to potential rewards like free flights and hotel stays. Purchase protection is another great benefit of using a Visa card. When a consumer uses their card to make a purchase, they may be able to get warranty coverage on that item. Visa credit cards also can save travellers hundreds of dollars on most trips, as they offer 24/7 roadside dispatch services, auto rental collision waivers, and emergency assistance when cardholders are traveling and they need it; for example, when a cardholder’s luggage is lost. As a Visa cardholder, certain credit accounts automatically qualify for special savings with certain retailers. For instance, Zales—the diamond store—has an exclusive offer to save $50 off of every $300 spent, if the customer pays with a Visa card. These kind of valuable, exclusive discounts help cardholders to save money and take advantage of value-added shopping options.
2.1. Cashback Offers
For many consumers, one of the most compelling benefits of using a Visa card is the opportunity to earn cash back on their purchases. When a consumer makes a purchase with a Visa card, a small percentage of that money comes back to the consumer in the form of a cashback reward. Typically, the amount of the reward is based on a tiered system: the more a consumer spends using their Visa card, the higher the percentage of the cashback reward. For example, many Visa cards offer consumers 1% cashback on everyday purchases and 2% or higher on certain categories such as gas and groceries. Some even offer as much as 5% cashback on these categories and others like dining out, entertainment, and Amazon – and there may even be opportunities to earn even more than that on a seasonal basis! Cashback rewards from Visa cards can be redeemed in a variety of ways. Some cards automatically apply earned cashback to the consumer’s monthly statement, and others allow the consumer to request a deposit into their designated bank account. Still others offer the choice of having the reward applied to their statement, credited into a checking or savings account, or even used to purchase popular gift cards. This level of redemption flexibility means that it’s relatively easy for consumers to find opportunities to use their earned cash back in a way that is meaningful for their unique financial situation.
2.2. Travel Rewards
Hits and misses of using Visa cards when making payments towards a travel tour. It is very easy to talk about the benefits offered by Visa cards until you are asked to list a specific benefit and how it can help an ordinary traveler access the world more conveniently and cheaply. I am of the opinion that Visa cards come with more advantages than their main rival, the MasterCard despite the fact that the two share almost similar benefits. First and foremost, I have been checking out the annual percentage rates (APR) of both Visa and MasterCard to establish which of the two is more comfortable to use and cheaper in the long run. On this note, I have found out that Visa cards come with lower APRs in comparison to MasterCard. This is a major benefit that frequent travelers can rejoice. Lower interest rates mean the cost of servicing a credit that is accrued through a Visa card will be significantly cheaper. It will take less time and resources to clear all the debt and start working on growing credit scores. What is more and seems to excite the most is the zero liability that comes with unauthorized purchases. This means that in case a third party accesses a Visa card and makes unauthorized transactions, the owner shall not be held accountable for the resultant costs. However, misuse and negligence of the Visa card may see owners being held responsible for some unauthorized transactions. In light of the above explanation, it is clear that while individual benefits may appear petty, they all go a long way in helping the cardholder lower the cost of moving from one place to another.
2.3. Purchase Protection
With my Visa, I am guaranteed to be protected from theft and damage for any items, so you are not exactly confined to shop for anything specific for your purchase to be protected. Visa card purchase protection can cover your newly purchased item for the first 90 days from theft and damages due to vandalism, fire, or any other reasons of the kind. It applies secondary to the primary insurance and is eligible if the primary insurance does not completely cover the purchase. Each item is eligible for coverage up to $500, no matter if it is a combined purchase or singularly purchased. This is an exclusive Visa card offer for many Visa Gold and Visa Platinum cards. And you will get the secure feeling of additional protection from Visa without any extra charges. So in case anything does go wrong, getting your money back will be the last thing you want to worry about. Plus, Visa card purchase protection does not require extra fees. It is already included in the member benefits, unlike some of the other cards where new card applicants may have to go through card registration before receiving the benefits. By undertaking online registration, customers can receive their insurance essentials pack, including the terms and conditions of their insurance cover. The terms and conditions of insurance cover often come with printing and handling the card, and the company does reserve the right to vary the insurance benefits over time.
2.4. Exclusive Discounts
These discounts and deals are open to most consumers. Visa cardholders are eligible to join the discount program without any extra charge and start using the discount cards at local pharmacies right away. Also, pet medications are covered in the discount program, and savings are up to 75% each use. This really helps enrich the consumers’ digital life in the United States and close the gaps in internet access. By offering discounts in such broad categories, the discount program provides an opportunity for more Canadians to lead a better and healthier life.
All these special offers and much more are now available on the Visa discount directory at visaperks.ca and will make your money more valuable and stretch a long way. Such discounts make the payments of utility bills or phone bills more valuable and much easier. By using the discount program, you can perform a search for discounts on such bills and save more money. Also, the service of UNA RX provides much convenience for the users, making it easy to get and use the prescription cards.
Additionally, there is a special deal for persons who reside in Illinois and select from 34 Cook and DuPage counties. You can receive special discounts on over 700 different generic medications and over 200 brand medications at participating pharmacies with an Illinois discount prescription card program managed by UNA RX card program. Up to a 75% discount for each use, and even pet medications are covered, sometimes better than the pet-specific card programs. On average, over 50% when you use the UNA RX card program with the Visa card from Alliant Credit Union at Walgreens and Duane Reade.
Visa offers various deals and exclusive discounts to cardholders when they use their Visa card for online shopping. This includes discounts on prescription medications, travel, health, wellness products, and services. For example, using the Visa card from Alliant Credit Union, persons can receive a 5% discount on every purchase at Walgreens and Duane Reade. This really helps, and all you have to do is show the mobile coupon at the photo counter in-store.
Section 2.4 Exclusive Discounts
3. Financial Flexibility
Last, many Visa providers will give you the option to transfer balances from other credit cards or loans. Doing a balance transfer can help you spread the cost of your borrowing and see all your finances in one place. On top of that, some Visa cards offer introductory deals with 0% interest on money that you transfer for a certain period of time. This could really help you save money and pay off your debts more efficiently.
Next, Visa also provides a great way to manage your money and repay what you owe. This is because they offer up to 56 days interest-free on purchases. An interest-free period is a length of time during which you don’t need to pay interest on the amount of money that you borrowed when you used your credit card. When you make payments to your account, these are used to pay off the oldest balance first. This means if you take advantage of the interest-free periods and ensure that you pay the balance in full every month or before the end of the interest-free period, you could potentially avoid paying interest altogether.
Now let’s look at the benefits of financial flexibility that a Visa card can provide. First, credit limits for Visa cards are generally higher than for other types of unsecured credit, such as store cards or even credit cards such as MasterCard. The credit limit defines the maximum amount of money that you can borrow using your credit card. The credit limit can be affected by a number of things, including your personal circumstances and the terms of the account.
3.1. Credit Limit
The credit limit is the maximum amount you can spend on your credit card without incurring penalty charges. When you sign up for a Visa card, your credit card provider carries out a number of checks to assess the most suitable credit limit for you. This might include checking your credit history and reviewing the information you provided as part of your application. By giving you a line of credit, the credit card company is essentially providing you with an interest-free short-term loan each month. This can be really useful in helping you manage your monthly outgoings, especially if there are unexpected or emergency purchases you need to make. For example, if your car breaks down and you need to pay for a repair, having the ability to put this expense onto your credit card and pay it off over the next few months can give you valuable breathing space when it comes to managing your finances. Plus, credit cards often come with additional consumer protection benefits such as Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, which can provide you with extra support towards getting a refund for purchases over £100. This means there are potential benefits to using a credit card instead of a debit card or cash, as long as you stay in control of your spending and pay off the balance each month. Plus, using a credit card responsibly each month can help improve your credit score over time; your credit card provider will report to the credit reference agencies on a monthly basis to show that you’ve met the minimum payment and that your account is up to date. By keeping a low balance relative to your credit limit and paying on time each month, this can help demonstrate to other lenders that you are managing your credit well, which is likely to increase your chances of being accepted for other types of credit in the future. Also, a credit card offers some protection against fraud, because if your credit card’s used without your permission, you won’t be out of pocket at all. There are legal limits to this protection depending on the type of card and when the fraud is reported; for example, the card provider must refund any payments made fraudulently using a credit card and credit card customers can only be charged up to £50 of the amount.
3.2. Interest-Free Period
The period of time in between when you make a purchase and when you need to make the payment can be very important in managing cash flow, especially for larger purchases. Imagine you could have up to 51 days to make payments on purchases between your credit card statement (which you receive every 30 days) and the payment due date. This could help you ensure that you always had the appropriate funding in place for the needs of your business, rather than finding that large purchases eat into cash reserves faster than anticipated. This is exactly what the interest-free period offers. So long as the conditions are met – that is, you pay the full balance shown on your statement every month by the due date – then the interest-free period applies. This is another benefit of a Visa Business Card over some other payment methods – as well as having a simple and widely accepted way to pay for goods and services, it also offers an extended period of time during which you can choose to pay. You can even extend this period by making use of a balance transfer offer, if one is available. For example, it might offer a further 12 months of no interest on the amounts which you transfer from other credit cards, which have an interest charge. This can be particularly useful in managing existing credit card debt, or in providing some additional flexibility in cash flow for larger, planned expenditure.
3.3. Balance Transfers
Balance transfers are an option provided by credit cards. It is defined as the process of transferring the current debt on a credit card to another card which is offering a better interest rate. Normally, when people open a new credit card with a balance transfer offer, they are provided with a credit limit. This credit limit includes the maximum amount of a balance transfer, which cannot exceed the available credit. It should also be noted that most credit card companies typically charge a balance transfer fee and this can range from 3% to 5% of the amount of each transfer. However, with a Visa credit card, you will benefit from the zero-dollar liability policy. This refers to the fact that you are not responsible for any unauthorized purchases, which provides an extra layer of security. In addition, Visa’s secure technology is used by most banks for balance transfers. Popular banks such as Bank of America, Citi, and Chase are just a few large banks that use Visa to offer credit and debit cards to account holders. This secure technology not only ensures that things run smoothly but it also guarantees that you will benefit from the maximum level of protection throughout the process. All in all, it is evident that one of the benefits of a Visa card is that it allows a customer to create an easier financial life. By taking advantage of a Visa balance transfer, account holders have the ability to consolidate their debts, enjoy more flexibility and benefit from other positive features such as fraud monitoring and security.
4. Additional Features
Other than the benefits that stem directly from the credit or debit card company itself, many Visa cards have been engineered to include numerous additional features. These features vary from security provisions to providing more efficient and convenient ways in which to make payments and carry out transactions. Some of them, for example, are aimed at reducing the number of theft cases and instances of fraud, and others are aimed at making life easier for card users from a practical point of view. By offering this service, credit and debit card customers do not have to worry anymore about finding themselves in a situation where they’ve lost their card or they’ve had it stolen – meaning that this particular feature is likely to reduce the amount of fraud as well. This service effectively provides a solid protection for the card in the sense that, even if a card is lost or stolen, it cannot be used for payments without the right fingerprint, which means that it is much less useful to a thief. Moreover, this contactless service can also be exploited in many places – around 111 countries, to be exact, which is a growing number and hence the Visa card grows in practicality wherever the customer goes. In terms of global use and ease of transaction, it’s difficult to argue against a card with a contactless provision. Every major mobile phone provider has released mobile payment services in recent years, and now a large number of Visa cards come with mobile wallet integration – including those from major players like Barclays and Capital One. With the widespread implementation of services such as “Google Pay”, this feature is set to be a firm favourite amongst new and experienced card users alike. Visa cards not only offer a secure and user-friendly way to pay on the high street, but also provide an efficient method of online shopping and digital payments. Every card provides customers with up-to-date fraud protection and security features, and contactless payment options and mobile integration are additional benefits that make the Visa card a solid and practical choice. For modern living, convenience is the key; and Visa cards definitely provide when it comes to the flexibility of today’s fast-paced lifestyles and expectations. By offering a card to suit all customer needs and focusing on inter-connectivity with mobile devices and technological advancements, Visa clearly markets a consumer-friendly complete payment system that is sure to meet demand.
4.1. Contactless Payments
And don’t forget that you can still use your Visa contactless payments outside of the country. Visa’s contactless payments are known globally, with established success in over 15 countries. They are constantly expanding and now they are fully operational in 48 countries worldwide, as of December 2018.
Thirdly, Visa contactless payments are not only efficient for transactions but they are also really reliable and have good levels of security. Every now and then it is easy to accidentally tap your wallet or purse and make a payment at a contactless terminal without realizing and not intend to do so. For Visa security, although every attempt is made to avoid the possibility of people making accidental payments where a card has been tapped on a terminal by mistake, you will be happy to know that if a transaction is completed this way, the money spent in this way can be refunded. This makes using contactless payments with Visa a stress-free experience, knowing that in the unlikely event of making an accidental payment, your money will be safe.
Secondly, there are a variety of payments that you can make with Visa card contactless payment. For example, many small one-off purchases, including things like buying your morning coffee on the way to work or maybe a sandwich when you’re out for lunch, are all examples of perfect times to use contactless payments. This is again expanding the possibilities of Visa, opening it up to being the main source of payment for more and more types of purchases.
These contactless payments have a number of advantages. First and foremost, they are really six times quicker than paying with cash. This is particularly important when you’re in a store and there are large queues of individuals waiting to start buying things. Every second counts in trying to reduce the length of the queue and the wait for everybody. Quick and efficient transactions are not only something that’s enjoyed by the customer but also by the retailer and Visa card themselves. With quicker transactions and thus a reduced amount of time to pay for something, the flow of customers through a retail store is greatly increased. This means that retailers can serve more customers in less time and it allows for a smaller overcrowding which can be an issue in some larger retail stores. All of these ultimately result in a better shopping experience for everyone.
Contactless payment is an increasingly widespread method of payment that is being employed by different merchants all over the world. Most importantly, it is a growingly recognized phenomenon that benefits both the consumer and merchant alike. Instead of having to go through the cumbersome process of swiping your Visa card and entering your PIN, contactless payment has a different, more expeditious method. This new technology utilizes short-range communications that allow the exchange of payment details between a contactless card and a similarly enabled POS terminal. It makes purchases more efficient and also allows for the payments to be mobile, industrial methods known as mobile commerce.
4.2. Mobile Wallet Integration
This is a service that provides seamless in-store and online transactions by integrating the selected mobile device with the Visa account. According to the website, all Visa mobile devices are now accepted at point-of-sale terminals and ATMs for cash withdrawals. A variety of rewards and loyalty programs offered by individual merchants or service providers can be easily integrated with this already concise system and provide further convenience and added value to the customer experience. Besides that, every transaction is well protected and secure as personal data is well safeguarded during the process and Visa’s tokenization service ensures that no sensitive account information is ever shared. Furthermore, it rated highest in the Consumer Reports ratings in terms of mobile payment apps for customer safety and security. Last but not least, for any digital wallets and other payment solutions in the market including this particular Visa mobile service, the user guide and installation instructions are easily available on the internet. Also, both Apple and Google frequently publish apps and services to provide a great user experience alongside these mobile payment services and customers are advised to repeatedly review their apps and make sure that they are kept up-to-date with the latest versions. This service and the information mentioned in this section are retrieved from the official Visa product site. However, it is wise to browse the internet and assess the latest feedback and reviews before making a decision to adopt this modern payment method.
4.3. Fraud Protection Services
For anyone who has ever lost their wallet or had it stolen, they understand the inconvenience and worry that moments such as these create. Luckily, the fraud protection services that Visa provides have quite a few wonderful things that can help out a cardholder. For starters, someone is always available to help 24 hours a day, 365 days a week. They will keep a cardholder and a card member connected and they will immediately begin working on canceling lost or stolen cards and reorder those for the cardholder and any individuals that are on the same accounts as the primary. All of this occurs while taking steps to still safeguard a cardholder from any unauthorized transactions. In fact, 316 of the top 2000 online merchants use Verified by Visa – a simple, secure way to pay online. And if something does happen, the Visa Zero Liability Guarantee means a cardholder will not be held responsible for any unauthorized charges.
