A few articles have been tweeted our way concerning debit cards vs. credit cards.

As debit cards become more important, it’s equally crucial for consumers to be well informed about their advantages and disadvantages. Credit card companies are ready to make the transition. Are you?

Here’s a fun promotional video for MasterCard PayPass created for Polish consumers.

We like the music and fun, retro style.

Enjoy.

MasterCard PayPass from Bitter Lix on Vimeo.

The CARD act may have a few more consequences.

One commenter notes that CARD has reduced the number of cash back offers for consumers.

Of course, it’s easy to interpret this in a couple of ways. For those who like credit card companies, this makes the CARD Act seem financially harmful to “good” credit card users. For those who are upset by credit practices, it’s a sign that the CARD Act is reducing certain negative financial incentives.

We’ll remain impartial- but it is interesting to see how the CARD Act affects all …

We’ve been covering the effects of the new CARD act. In addition to legislation, organizations like the FTC continue to act on credit rules and regulations.

The latest news? The FTC is requiring disclosures on credit report sites.

It’s good for consumers to be aware of their options, in any case. Conversely, credit report sites do offer credit monitoring services that some consumers may value more. However, it’s good for consumers to realize they have a choice.

OregonLive publishes news on a new rule that’s been bouncing around the web.

Soon, credit card statements will include more information about the effects of making a minimum payment on a credit card instead of fully paying it off. As any student of good finance knows, making the minimum payment can be a way to maximize your cost through delayed pay off times and increased fees.

New regulations will give consumers an idea of how long the minimum payment takes to erase your debt as well as an idea of how …

Carol_Phillips tweets a generational link:

“So I researched all the big boys: Chase, Amex, Visa, Discover, Bank of America and MasterCard…” http://bit.ly/aij3zH#tngg #GenY

The article is a tongue in cheek look at “dating” a credit card for its rewards.

Though it’s told with a focus on humor and benefits more than fiscal responsibility, it’s still a worthwhile read for younger …

Today’s Business Insider has a useful guide to accepting credit cards on your iPhone.

We’ve written in the past about Square and credit cards, but there is a bevy of other options for merchants and consumers.

It’s worth a look.

We recently stumbled upon the site RipoffReport.com.

It’s worth it for consumers to notice sites like these.

When you use a credit card, you’re making a bet on your financial future. Hopefully, most purchases won’t affect your credit rating. But those that do can damage it unless you catch the errors. Sites like Ripoff Report are a great resource to help you become an informed consumer.

Montyloree notes that errors can come from anywhere:

Many errors on your credit report are from when creditors manually add your information to their database. IE.. when you apply for credit

It makes sense- as well as computer error, human error can seriously distort your credit. While it’s difficult to know the exact situation in which humans could a generate errors, it’s easy to imagine everything from a typo to confusion over lookup.

It reinforces the need for consumers to be vigilant- however possible- in their own credit process.

STSgirl has a post about the forefront of credit theft:

Could micropayments be the new way to validate stolen credit cards? tinyurl.com/ybsdowp

The full article details a theory- criminals could use micropayments to check if credit cards are valid.

Micropayments are very small transactions used for non-traditional items, like virtual goods or song plays. The theory goes that in the same way crooks used small gas transactions in the past to steal, they could use micropayments in the future.

The lesson for consumers is simple: watch your statement carefully for any …