Credit Card Glossary: Terms and Definitions
Carbon-paper packets
In the early days of credit cards, sales were transacted by using carbon-paper packets that fit into a simple sliding device called a zip-zap machine. The card would be put face-up in the zip-zap, a carbon-paper packet of alternating paper and carbon paper would be placed over it, and the tight-fitting slide would be run over both of them. The pressure of the slide would create an impression of the credit card number on the papers — one for the customer, one for the merchant, one for the merchant’s bank. Today, such transactions are rare; most are handled by electronic card readers that take the card information via its magnetic stripe.
Terms from A-Z
Search the CreditCards.com glossary for every credit-related term from "account holder" to "zombie debt." Select a letter for alphabetized terms and definitions.
aAccount holderAccount numberAccount takeover fraudAcquirerAcquiring financial institutionAcquisitionAdd-on ratesAdditional cardholderAdjusted balanceAdverse actionAdverse action codesAdverse credit historyAffinity cardAirline credit cardAlgorithmAlternative methods of payment (AMOP)American ExpressAnnual feeAnnual percentage rate (APR)App-o-ramaApplicationApplication feeApplication fraudApproval responseArbitrageArbitrationAssociationATM (Automated Teller Machine)AuthenticationAuthorizationAuthorization codeAuthorization dateAuthorization onlyAuthorized amountAuthorized transactionAuthorized userAutomated Clearing House (ACH)Automated teller machine (ATM)Automatic paymentAvailable creditAverage daily balance
bBad creditBalanceBalance chasingBalance-to-limit ratioBalance transferBalance transfer feeBankBank accountBank cardBank holding companyBank identification number (BIN)BankruptcyBasis pointBatchingBehavior-based repricingBehavior scoreBehavioral modelingBest credit cardBilling cycleBilling statementBitcoinBitcoin addressBitcoin processorBitcoin walletBlockchainBlocksBOGOBottom-dollar scamBreakageBusiness card (business credit card)Business credit scoreBusiness guaranteeBust-out fraudBuy Here Pay Here car dealers
cCarbon-paper packetsCard issuerCard-linked loyalty offersCard memberCard member agreementCard-not-present (CNP) transactionsCard-not-present fraudCard-present (CP) transactionsCard-present fraudCard-present transactionsCard readerCardersCardholderCardholder agreementCardingCarding forumsCash advanceCash advance checkCash advance feeCash advance rateCash backCash cardCasherCashingChapter 11 bankruptcyChapter 13 bankruptcyChapter 7 bankruptcyCharge-back periodCharge cardCharge-offCharge-off rateChargebackChip-and-PIN cardsChip and signatureChip cardChip-enabled terminalChoice of lawChurningClaims and defensesClearingCloningClosed-end loanClosed loopCo-branded cardCo-signerCOB fraudCollateralCollectionCollection-proofCombined guaranteeCommercial cardsCommercial credit scoreCommunity propertyConcierge serviceConjoined accountConsumer credit fileConsumer credit reportConsumer Financial Protection BureauContact chip cardContactless chip cardContactless paymentsConvenience checksConvenience feeCorporate credit cardCramdownCredit bureauCredit bureau risk scoreCredit cardCredit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009Credit CARD Act of 2009Credit card imprinter formCredit card numberCredit counselorCredit freezeCredit historyCredit inquiryCredit life insuranceCredit limitCredit lineCredit mixCredit monitoring serviceCredit mulingCredit obligationCredit ratingCredit Repair Organizations ActCredit reportCredit reporting agency (CRA)Credit scoreCredit unionCredit utilization ratioCreditors meetingCross-collateralizationCryptocurrencyCurrency conversion feeCVV
dData breachDate of first delinquency (DOFD)DD (Regulation DD)De-tokenizationDeadbeatDebitDebit cardDebtDebt avalancheDebt consolidationDebt management plan (DMP)Debt negotiationDebt settlementDebt snowballDebt-to-income ratioDebt-to-limit ratioDebtorDeed in lieuDefaultDefault APRDefault rateDeferred interestDeficiency balanceDeficiency judgmentDeleveragingDelinquent accountDescriptorDial-up card readerDigital walletDirect mailDischargeDischarged debtDiscount rateDiscover CardDistributorDodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection ActDongleDormancy feeDormant accountDouble-cycle billingDrip pricingDropDual cycle billingDual interface chip cardDue dateDumpDurbin AmendmentDynamic authentication dataDynamic currency conversion
eEarnings Withholding OrderECOA codesElectronic Fund Transfer ActElite qualifying milesElite statusEmancipated minorEmbossedEMVEMV applicationsEMV cardEMV liability shiftEncryptionEnd-to-end encryption (E2EE)Envelope budgeting systemEqual Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA)Equitable divisionEvergreen clauseExcellent creditExecutorExpired card
fFair and Accurate Credit Transactions ActFair creditFair Credit Billing ActFair Credit Reporting ActFair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA)Fair IsaacFAKO scoreFallback transactionFalse positiveFederal Deposit Insurance Corp.Federal funds rateFederal Open Market CommitteeFederal Reserve BoardFederal Trade CommissionFee harvesting cardsFee-harvesting credit cardsFICOFICO scoreFinance chargeFinance chargesFinTechFirst party fraudFixed rate (or fixed APR)Fleet cardsFloatFloorFloor limitForbearanceForeclosureForeign transaction feeFormat-preserving encryption (FPE)Fraud alertFraudulent transactionFraudulent userFullsFullzFundingFurnisher
iIdentity theftIn-houseInactive accountInactivity feeIndexInquiryInstallment loanInstant approvalInterchange feeInterest rateInterest rate capIntroductory periodIntroductory rate (or intro APR)IssuerIssuer identification number (IIN)
lLast dollar scamsLate payment feeLayawayLevyLiborLienLimited or no creditLine of creditLinked transfer accountLoan modificationLow interestLoyalty programs
mMagnetic stripeMagnetic stripe cardMail or Telephone Order Merchandise RuleMail/phone order merchantMail/phone order transactionMan-in-the-middle fraudMandatory binding arbitrationMarginMasterCardMasterCard acquirerMasterCard cardMasterCard issuerMeans testMedical identity theftMerchantMerchant accountMerchant agreementMerchant bankMerchant category code (MCC)Merchant category codes (MCC)Military bankMini-Miranda rightsMinimum finance chargeMinimum paymentMinimum spendMixed fileMonthly periodic rateMonthly statementMutual savings bank
nNational bankNational Consumer Assistance PlanNational issuersNear Field CommunicationNegative amortizationNegative informationNegative option dealsNet payNever payNew balanceNFCNonbankNondischargeable debt
oOffice of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)Office of Thrift SupervisionOffline PINOnline bill presentment and paymentOnline financial transactionOnline PINOpen endOpen loopOpt outOver-blockingOver-limitOver-limit feeOverdraft protection
pPassbook savings loanPasswordpay to payPayday loanPayment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)Payment due datePayment historyPayment protection planPayments networkPayroll cardPCI compliancePenalty ratePenalty repricingPer transaction feesPeriodic statementPersonal guaranteePersonal representativePhishingPiggybackingPIN cashingPIN (personal identification number)Plain vanillaPlastic (card)Point of sale (POS)Point of sale terminalPoint-to-point encryptionPolicyPost datePostingPreapprovalPreapprovedPrepaid cardsPrescreeningPrice protectionPrimary account holderPrimary account number (PAN)Prime borrowerPrime creditPrime rate (or prime interest rate)Private keyPrivate labelPrivate label credit cardProcessing dateProcessorProgram managerProof of claimPurchase money security interestPurchase rate
rRadio frequency identificationRAM scraping attackRate tartRe-aging, or re-ageReaffirmationReason codeReceiptRecovery room scamsRecurring billingRedliningReference numberRefundRegulation DDRegulation ERegulation XRegulation ZReloadable cardReloadedRemote deposit captureResidual interestRestore Online Shoppers Confidence ACT (ROSCA)Retail cardRetail merchantRetroactive interest rate hikesReturn assistance programReturned payment feeRevolverRevolving balanceRevolving chargeRevolving line of creditReward cardRFIDRide-through optionRisk-based pricingRoll rate
sSales draftsatisfaction and releaseSavings and loan associationSavings bankSchumer BoxScore factorSecured credit cardsSecured debtSecurity codeSecurity interestSemi-secured credit cardSemisecured cardService chargeSettlementSettlement bankSetup feeShort Message ServiceShort saleShoulder-surfingShowroomingSign-up bonusSignature stripSin purchasesSkimmerSkimmingSkip tracerSledSmart cardSmishingSMSSoft inquirySoft pullSplit payment transactionSpoilageStandard APRStandard floor limitState bankStatementStipulated judgmentStoozingStored-value cardStraight-rollerStudent credit cardSubprime creditSubprime credit cardSubprime lenderSuper-prime creditSynthetic identity theft
tTablingTargeted offerTax deductible interestTax Reform Act of 1986Teaser rateTelephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)Terms and conditionsThin fileThriftTiered rewardsTime-barred debtTitle loanToken vaultTokenizationTop of walletTotal finance chargeTrade lineTrailing interestTrancheTransactionTransaction Authentication Number (TAN)Transaction identifierTransactorTravel credit cardTruncationTruth in Lending ActTruth in Savings ActTwo-cycle billingTwo-factor authentication
uUDAAPUnbankedUniversal defaultUnsecured credit cardsUnsecured debtUpfront pricingUser authenticationUsuryUtilization ratio
vValidation codeVantageScoreVariable interest rateVisaVisa cardVisa issuerVisa merchantVoice authorizationVoidVoid transaction