Bank payment cards. Appearance of the card: what does a bank card look like and what information is available on a bank card

There are many definitions of what a bank card is, but their meaning is as follows: it is a convenient universal tool access to your bank account, also known as a special bank account (SCA). The card makes sense only in tandem with your bank account, and all operations are carried out with it (payment at a point of sale or on the Internet, cash withdrawals from an ATM, transfers and accruals). And to put it more correctly, the card account reflects the above operations with money (debit or replenishment).

Hence follows important point- there is no money on the plastic itself, there is only a coded digital information(on a magnetic stripe or in a chip), which, using all sorts of “cunning” protocols, is transmitted to the bank, and he already decides whether to give you money through an ATM or allow payment for goods in a store (any action on the card begins with). Simply put, a bank card is the key to money, not the money itself. This, by the way, is one of its advantages.

All this kitchen with the exchange of information and other things is more interesting for a techie, while it is enough for an ordinary cardholder to know that the payment system (PS) is responsible for all this. That is why on the map you can see not only the name and logo of the bank, but also in without fail image of the payment system (often these are international payment systems Visa or MasterCard, less often local domestic (national) payment systems Sbercard, Gold Crown and etc.). In fact, the payment system is an intermediary between you and the bank, providing the possibility of settlements by bank card everywhere (of course, within its presence).

If we are talking about the exchange of information, then it is important to note the fact that the card without modern means and communication capabilities (Internet, etc.) becomes a beautiful piece of plastic (or more noble material, if the card is privileged), although earlier they did without it (read about slips and embossing).

Interestingly, the bank that issued the card () is its owner (that is, by and large, you must return the bank card back to the bank after its expiration date or if you wish to close it), but does not have the right to manage the cardholder's money (only under a card agreement or by a court decision).

You can fully use the card after it.

Types of bank cards

6. Card authentication code only on cards American Express. It is usually located on the back side of the plastic (see 11).

7. Chip- this is a microprocessor with external contacts removed (in fact, this is a small computer). The chip contains information on the card in the form of digital data and, unlike the magnetic strip, has an increased level of security. For example, if data from a magnetic strip can be copied by creating a clone card, then such an operation will not work with a chip - it uses hardware and software protection against hacking. Cards with one chip are almost never found in Russia - usually banks issue combined bank cards - and with a magnetic stripe.

8. Bank logo- can be placed anywhere on the map, it depends on the design decision. The logo indicates that the card belongs to the bank that issued it (issuing bank). Usually the logo contains the name of the bank in an abbreviated form.

Reverse side of the card

The reverse side of a bank card usually looks like in the following way:

9. Information about the bank- at the bottom of the reverse side of the card, information of the following nature is usually provided: the card was issued by such and such a bank (its name) and only the owner of the card has the right to use it. Often here you can find a free phone hotline to communicate with the contact center specialists.

10. Paper strip for signature– located immediately below the magnetic strip (12). It is available on any cards, even non-personalized ones. The absence of a signature on this strip can lead to the refusal of the cashier to accept the card (sometimes this happens), which the bank warns about in small print under the paper strip in Russian, English and French: “Sample signature, without a signature is not valid.” On the other hand, the presence of a signature, albeit ineffective, but protection against the use of plastic by an attacker (in this case, it is necessary to verify the signature of the cardholder with the signature on it during each purchase - but is it reasonable and realistic?).

Usually on a paper strip is present last group of four digits of the card number with an inclination to the left (you can also meet the entire number) and followed by 3 digits of the authentication code (security code).

The design of the strip can be different: plain or filled with diagonal lines with the words Visa or MasterCard (depending on the payment system of the card).

11. Card authentication code(CVV2 / CVC2), it is also a secret code - consists of 3 digits and is called CVV2 (for Visa cards) or CVC2 (for MasterCard cards). It is usually placed on a small white paper strip, next to the holder's signature strip after the last four digits of the bank card number. The font is tilted to the left.

This code is used when making payments on the Internet (online stores and any online purchases) to verify the authenticity of the card as an additional security element, which significantly increases the security of calculations. It may not be available on cards with entry-level payment systems (Maestro, Cirrus, Electron); the holder will not be able to pay with such a card on the Internet.

12. Magnetic stripe- This is a strip with digital data on a magnetic storage medium. Data is written to it only once during the issuance of the card by the bank and contains the information necessary for the calculation of this card.

Advantages and disadvantages of bank cards

Benefits of bank cards:

Primarily, plastic card replaces cash(especially a trifle), but it does not create inconvenience, because. payment for it in outlets for its holder, there is no commission (the stores themselves pay a significant commission according to the rules of payment systems - an average of about 2% per operation). Large money also does not need to be carried with you, they are all safe in a bank account.

It follows from this no need to declare a large amount of money during a trip to another state(at customs) – cards are not subject to customs registration.

loss or Credit card theft is no longer a problem compared to the loss of a wallet with money - the card can be quickly blocked by calling the bank or by SMS (the holder should always know how to block his card). The fraudster (or the one who found it) will no longer be able to use it, the bank will issue you new card with the same amount in your account.

If you have an international payment system (IPS) card, then you won't have problems paying abroad in most countries of the world where this MEA operates. Your funds will be automatically transferred to your local currency at the bank's set exchange rate (with a possible small commission). You can also pay online.

Any payments will go through quickly no matter what country you are in. Also easy You can withdraw money from any ATM(with the logo of your payment system).

holder can replenish your account quickly and without interest through payment terminals or ATMs with the function of accepting cash, without wasting your time in queues at the bank's cash desk.

If the cardholder is Abroad, then replenishment of the card account is The best way transfer money to him, in contrast to systems instant translation who charge a certain percentage for this service.

Disadvantages of bank cards:

The main disadvantage is lack of 100% security when making payments at retail outlets and on the Internet. The point here is not even in the standards and data exchange protocols used, but in the targeted actions of attackers aimed at stealing card details (especially on the Internet). They use many illegal methods and the defense against this is financial literacy and care of the cardholder.

Some transactions may come with a fee., for example, payment abroad in foreign currency. It is important to have an idea about such operations and be sure to specify the amount of the commission.

The rest of the shortcomings are rather the underdevelopment of the plastic settlement infrastructure: the cards are still not accepted in all stores; some the complexity of the application while working with an ATM(especially for the elderly); tip payment problems(in Russia, this is not as developed as in Europe and the USA, where a separate line in the check is provided for tips and they are carried out as a separate payment).

Separately, it can be noted that All card purchases are not anonymous, this information is available to the authorities.

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Before you issue a "plastic", it is worth finding out what types and payment systems are there and how they differ from each other? What level of security does each of them offer, and what profitability can the owner expect?

Every year the popularity of banking plastic is growing. calculations non-cash way between organizations and individuals is also gaining momentum. Cards are much safer and more convenient than a wad of cash. In addition, paper money does not give the owner all the advantages of plastic.

The first plastic card appeared in North America in the mid-1950s. 20th century, thereby starting to replace the lost popularity checkbooks. The magnetic stripe for taking account data is an invention dating back to the 60s, and the chip only appeared in the 90s. The tiny device contains all the completeness of the cardholder's data, the state of his account and all the operations performed.

In the Soviet Union, the history of plastic financial instruments begins with the gift of the first credit card to Gorbachev by a private bank in 1967. Individuals who wished to own the novelty had to transfer $ 2,000 to a financial institution.

Important! According to statistics, online scammers steal about 2.5 million US dollars from cards every day.

For the safety of customer savings, banks are constantly developing special protective programs. Recently, the ideas of biometrics in the field of bank security are gaining popularity. For example, identification by a card of the owner by fingerprints or retinal pattern. But scammers are not asleep either, often being one step ahead of official developments.

One of the first plastic cards

What is the difference?

Plastic carriers have the main characteristics by which they differ. What are these characteristics? First, let's look at what "plastic" is according to type of holding and how it works:

Debit cards - to save own funds owner. You can pay for purchases only if you have funds. Popular with employers for calculating employee benefits.
Credit - provide the bank client with money for temporary use according to certain limits. You cannot go beyond these limits, otherwise you will have to pay penalties or the percentage will increase. Usually, to popularize such cards, banks provide customers with an interest-free period of using funds, during which you can return the money at no cost.
Overdraft - allow the owner to pay off the bills, even if the funds are not enough. The bank allows the client to exceed the limit, subject to the return of money at interest.

By class cards differ in the level of bonuses and services:

Payment systems

They, like maps, are divided into several varieties, based on the geography of use. Some allow full use financial instrument in any country of the world, and others - only within the framework of their own state. Here is a list of existing PSs:

Visa - configured to make dollar transactions.
MasterCard - focused on transfers of funds in dollars or euros. By the way, MasterCard brings together approximately 1,000 more institutions into a partner network than Visa.
Maestro is an exclusively Russian product, developed and operating in Russia.
american express- american maps, which are accepted in almost any country in the world, but have not received wide distribution among Russians.
MIR is the youngest of all existing payment systems. Created in Russia to replace imported analogues.

To find out which payment system the bank plastic belongs to, you can not look at the card logo. It is enough to know its number, more precisely, its first digits. MIR card numbers start with 2, American Express with 3, 4 is the first digit of the Visa-based card number, 5 indicates that the plastic belongs to the Master Card, 6 to the Maestro.

Additional card features

In order to attract as many depositors as possible to their products, banks regularly release new, more sophisticated and high-tech plastic cards on the market. For example, co-branded The bank issues cards jointly with a partner company. When calculating with this instrument, points are credited to the client's account, which can later be used to pay for bank services or certain goods. Also popular various promotions and special bonuses, such as installment or cashback cards.

Cashback is a return of a small percentage of the funds spent from the card.

How safe is modern "plastic"?

One of the constant concerns of the security service of a financial institution is the level of protection of banking plastic. Recently, new concepts have appeared in this area, for example:

How to avoid fraud?

Any bank client from time to time thinks about the security of his own account. It is no secret that in the arsenal of modern scammers there are various computer programs and other innovative tools that help crack cards. Therefore, getting credit card, account holders try to use it only as a means of withdrawing cash. Meanwhile, following a few rules will help protect your plastic:

How does cashless payment work?

What is the procedure for non-cash payments? The principle of operation here is as follows:

When making a purchase, the card is inserted into the terminal, which establishes the authenticity of the plastic.
Acquiring bank(that is, the institution responsible for the production of all transactions on these cards) compares the received data with those in the database.
If no discrepancies are found, a request is sent to the payment system.
The system sends a request to the bank that issued the card (issuing bank) to find out information about the account status. Then the opportunity to purchase is established, and if there are enough funds, then the required amount is transferred to the seller's account.
The terminal prints out two checks, the seller signs them and keeps one for himself, and gives the second to the buyer.
At the end of the day, all data on funds transfers are sent to the acquiring bank, with which the store recalculates.

There are several types of bank cards, they differ in the territory of application, in the ownership of funds and in purpose. Consider each type of bank cards in detail.

By area of application:

Local
International
Virtual

Local

Local (intra-bank) cards are intended for transactions strictly in the system of the issuing bank. It can only be used at ATMs and terminals of your bank. ATMs and terminals of other banks do not serve such a card. Payment for purchases at retail outlets can also be made only if there is a terminal of this bank, which is quite rare. This card does not allow you to make transactions on the Internet, with the exception of transactions on the website of the issuing bank, if it provides such an opportunity.

International

International bank cards are cards of international banking systems. The most popular systems are Visa and MasterCard. Cards of these systems are of several types and differ in their functionality. The most popular of them allow you to make transactions in almost any ATMs and terminals around the world, as well as pay for purchases via the Internet. The vast majority of cards issued by banks are based on these payment systems.

Virtual

Virtual bank cards are cards intended for making transactions exclusively via the Internet. In appearance, they almost do not differ from ordinary debit cards, but they lack a magnetic stripe and a chip, which makes it impossible to use the card at ATMs and terminals. Also, the cardholder does not have the opportunity to receive cash at the cash desk of a bank branch, except for the case of closing the card if there is a positive balance on it. In this way, virtual card- these are rather account details presented in the form of a bank card.

By ownership of funds

Debit
With allowed overdraft
Credit
Prepaid

Debit

A debit (settlement) bank card allows you to make transactions within the limits of the funds available on the account. That is, the cardholder can only use their own cash. The bank can set a minimum balance level - a certain amount, upon reaching which the client cannot make transactions until the account balance is replenished. The terms and conditions of the bank may also stipulate the accrual of interest on the balance of funds. The debit card serves mainly as a substitute paper money and also allows you to make payments online. Most cards issued in Russia are debit cards.

With allowed overdraft

A bank card with a permitted overdraft is an improved debit card, the peculiarity of which is the possibility of exceeding the own funds available on the account. The excess of funds is carried out at the expense of a credit, which is automatically opened on the card when the amount of the transaction exceeds the positive balance.

The amount of the overdraft is fixed and is negotiated in the contract for opening a card. Cards with permitted overdraft are often tied to salary projects accounts, and therefore the issued loan is repaid automatically upon transfer wages. Also, automatic payments can be made on the account, despite the lack of funds, which will also be equated to a loan.

The fee for the loan begins to accrue from the moment the limit of own funds is exceeded until the amount of the required amount is credited to the account, taking into account the commission. Usually, interest rates for overdraft operations is higher than for conventional loans.

Credit

A credit card is intended for transactions with borrowed funds. By its properties, a credit card is almost the same as a loan. The main difference is that the funds can be used as needed, with interest accruing only on the amount actually used.

Credit cards are reusable, that is, after repayment of the borrowed amount, you can use credit funds again. At the same time, for periods when credit funds are not used and there is no debt on the account, no commissions are charged (except for payment of additional services, such as mobile banking).

The loan amount is set individually for each client and is determined according to the same principles as when applying for a regular loan.

Another feature of a credit card is that it is not supposed to have a positive balance. That is, even if a “plus” was formed when depositing funds on the card account, it cannot be used for anything other than repaying the loan after it has been used in the following operations. These funds are debited within the loan repayment period specified in the agreement.

Interest on credit cards is usually lower than on cards with permitted overdrafts, but higher than on conventional loans.

An important difference between a credit card and a conventional loan is the presence of the so-called " grace period» - certain period during which no interest is accrued for the use of credit funds. The duration of this period varies depending on the banks, but on average it is 50-60 days.

It should also be remembered that it is beneficial to use credit cards when paying for purchases directly with a card, since most banks charge interest on withdrawing cash from ATMs, on average 3-5%.

Prepaid

A prepaid bank card is a card that, at the time of purchase, has certain amount and settlements are made on behalf of the issuing bank. A prepaid card allows you to make purchases or pay for services in the same way as a regular debit card.

The bank that issued the card may impose restrictions on the use of the card, for example:

a short card validity period, after which it will not be possible to use it or replace it;
inability to return funds in case of loss of the card or after its expiration date;
inability to withdraw funds;
inability to replenish the card account.
If the amount on the prepaid card does not exceed 15,000 rubles, then the bank does not require customer identification.

Gift cards are one of the varieties of prepaid bank cards.

By appointment

Personal
Salary
Corporate
Prereleased

Personal

A personal bank card is issued by the client independently and used by him for personal purposes. Due to the fact that the client gets the card on his own initiative, he usually does it consciously and strives to ensure that the card fully meets his needs and provides some benefits.

Salary

Salary cards are issued to employees of companies within the framework of salary projects (an agreement between an enterprise and a bank on the transfer of wages to cards). Terms of Use salary cards are usually more beneficial than using personal ones. In addition, banks usually greatly simplify the process of obtaining a loan for owners of salary cards, and lending conditions can be preferential.

Depending on the specific organization, you may need to return the card after you leave the company or continue to use it until the expiration date.

Corporate

Corporate cards are issued for the purpose of making operational purchases and paying for services by employees of companies in its interests, for example, paying for restaurants, gas stations, car washes, etc. The funds on the card account belong to the company and are taken into account in the calculation of own funds. In this regard, all transactions carried out on the card must be confirmed by checks and other documents confirming intended use funds.

Prereleased

A pre-issued bank card is a card that is issued even before the client writes an application for a card. Such a card initially does not contain information about its owner, it does not indicate the full name. The card is attached to an account that is opened for a specific client. Such a card makes it possible to perform all the same operations as a regular debit card, including using an online bank, and receiving interest on the balance of funds. However, for security reasons, it is not recommended to use such cards as the main ones and store on them large sums, since the payment for them does not require the presentation of documents. In addition, cards may not be accepted for hotel reservations, car rentals, and payments at some online stores.

Pre-issued cards are very convenient when you need to urgently issue a card, because in this case the procedure will take several minutes. They are also often used by banks to pay interest or to replenish a credit account.

Mosoblbank credit card bank card

Whatever international payment system they belong to payment cards , and no matter how attractive the design used by banks when issuing them, the principles of operation of the cards are subject to the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, the banking legislation of the Russian Federation and are set out in the Regulations Central Bank RF.

The main principles of the functioning of payment cards are set out in the Regulation of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation "On the issue of bank cards and on operations performed using payment cards" (approved by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation on December 24, 2004 N 266-P) (as amended on September 23, 2008).

In accordance with this Regulation of the Central Bank, each credit institution may issue bank cards of the following types:

Settlement (debit) card- intended for transactions within the established amount of funds (expenditure limit). Settlements on such a card are carried out at the expense of the client's funds in his bank account, or at the expense of a loan provided to the client in accordance with the agreement bank account in case of insufficiency or temporary absence of funds in the bank account (overdraft).

Credit card- intended for transactions, settlements for which are carried out at the expense of funds provided by the credit institution - issuer to the client within the established limit in accordance with the terms loan agreement.

Prepaid card- is intended for its holder to perform operations, settlements for which are carried out by the credit institution - issuer on its own behalf, and certifies the right of the prepaid card holder to claim credit institution- to the issuer for payment for goods (works, services, results of intellectual activity) or for the issuance of cash.

Bank payment card is a universal payment instrument with which individuals (cardholders) can carry out the following operations:

receive cash in foreign currency Russian Federation or foreign currency on the territory of the Russian Federation;

receive cash in foreign currency outside the territory of the Russian Federation;

pay for goods (works, services, results of intellectual activity) in the currency of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Russian Federation, as well as in foreign currency - outside the territory of the Russian Federation;

other transactions in the currency of the Russian Federation, in respect of which the legislation of the Russian Federation does not establish a prohibition (restriction) on their performance;

other transactions in foreign currency in compliance with the requirements of the currency legislation of the Russian Federation.

Payment cards of banks (on a tangible medium) comply with certain design standards and have a format defined by the ISO 7810 ID-1 standard:

width - 85.6 mm,

height - 53.98 mm,

thickness - 0.76 mm.

You can see more details about the size of a bank card and the material for its manufacture.

Symbols and design elements on a bank card

Layout of the front and back side of the conditional banking payment card looks something like this:

The front side of a bank card may have the following elements and designations:

Name and surname of the card holder - in Latin transcription.

Card expiration date - month and last two digits of the year

The name and logo of the payment system with which the card is serviced.

Card number - consisting of 16. Card number can have 18 - 19 digits

Chip - additional card protection

The abbreviated company name of the bank, uniquely identifying it.

Issuing bank logo identifying the bank.

The reverse side of a bank card may have the following elements and designations:

Bank name - repeated at the bottom of the card

Paper strip for owner's signature

CVV2 or CVC2 - authentication code, not found on all categories of cards. On American Express cards, the code is located on the front side (four-digit number above the card number)

Magnetic stripe (black)

Appearance of bank cards

What type of card do banks choose? For example, I will give the types of bank cards of the three most popular banks among the population:

When considering the given samples of plastic cards of the above banks, it can be stated that, despite the presence of various color patterns, images are clearly visible on all cards: the name and logo of the bank, the logo and name of the international payment system (VISA, Maestro, MasterCard), card number, etc. .d.

On the front side of the card, any specific pattern can also be applied, and the logo and name of the bank can be located on top, but in any places determined by the bank's designer (on the right or on the left). As a rule, the main color scheme and pattern of each bank has its own peculiarity peculiar only to this bank.

A bank card can be issued to an individual, regardless of his citizenship (both resident and non-resident). The issuance of bank cards to a client and the performance of operations on a bank account using them is carried out on the basis of an agreement

A lot has been said and written about bank cards, but we still see how customers confuse debit cards with credit cards, are prejudiced against prepaid "plastic" and have absolutely no idea why they need virtual cards. Our today's material is addressed to those who want to sort through the types of bank cards once and for all and find out which one is intended for what.

In order to talk about the types of bank cards, we first define what they are. Many plastic holders mistakenly believe that a card and a bank account are the same thing. Many common misconceptions follow from this - for example, that the loss of a card also leads to the loss of funds on it. However, this is not at all the case.

In fact, a bank card is just a payment instrument. By itself, it is a piece of plastic, and only "binding" to the client's bank account allows you to manage your money with the help of a card. Of course, the loss, blocking or damage of the card does not affect the state of the account in any way (of course, if it does not fall into the hands of scammers with other data, who can cash out your money).

Almost any of the following can be linked to the same account. existing species cards - it all depends on the tariffs and capabilities of the bank, as well as the desires of the client himself. Therefore, let's talk about what types of "plastic" can be produced today, and how they differ from each other.

Main types of bank cards

Despite the seeming variety of bank cards that are offered to their customers today financial institutions, they all have similar characteristics and varieties in the database. The difference is only in tariffs, commissions offered additional services and bonuses - but before comparing financial benefits from cards of different banks, you need to decide on the type of "plastic" that suits you best. As a rule, the division of cards can be done according to several parameters:

By the owner of the funds in the account– debit, credit, overdraft, prepaid;
By territory of use– local, international, intrabank, virtual;
By payment system – Visa, MasterCard, Golden Crown, American Express, etc.
By the level of loyalty to the client and the volume of services– electronic, standard, gold, platinum, etc.
By data storage method- chip, with magnetic tape, combined.

The combination of different parameters from this list gives that huge assortment of "plastic" that can be seen today in the advertising offers of banks. But it is this abundance that leads to confusion for future cardholders - how to choose desired view and don't make a mistake. Let's tell you more about the most popular categories of banking "plastic".

Debit cards

Debit cards are "plastic" tied to a deposit current account. This is the most common type of bank cards - all salary, "pension", payment cards belong to this kind.

The main feature of debit cards is that the client has the right to dispose of only money, pre-placed to them in their bank account. If this amount has already been spent, it is impossible to withdraw funds from the card until the next replenishment. We list other characteristics of cards with a debit limit:

Such a card can be “tied” to a salary account, deposit account"on demand", a deposit account with the possibility partial withdrawal funds, accrued interest account;
You can issue a debit card for a teenager from 14 to 18 years old (with the consent of the parents); for children from 6 to 14 years old, it is possible to issue an additional card to the parent card with a restriction on transactions on it. Persons over 18 years of age are entitled to issue debit cards on their own.
Application for release debit card considered as soon as possible (several minutes), as it does not require additional permits and checks. The issuance of the card itself, depending on its type and region, can be instantaneous or take several weeks.
To issue a debit card, you only need a passport and the personal presence of the client, no additional documents not required;
As a rule, there are no upper and lower balance limits for debit cards - the client can both reset the account and place unlimited amounts on it;
Funds on card accounts are protected by the deposit insurance system (with maximum amount compensation of 1.4 million rubles);
A certain small percentage may be charged on the balance of funds (usually the average monthly amount on the account is considered);
With a debit card, you can pay in cash and non-cash: make payments on the Internet and through an online account, withdraw money from ATMs, pay for goods and services at terminals.

Overdraft cards

One of the most unclaimed products of banks - These are overdraft cards.. Many holders of "plastic" simply do not understand the mechanism of operation of such a credit limit, and therefore refrain from using it. Let's talk about these cards in more detail.

So, an overdraft is a credit to a debit account. In fact, a client who has concluded an overdraft agreement receives the right to pay with a card in excess of the balance on the account. Main characteristics of an open overdraft card:

The credit limit is not open to everyone - banks have a certain list of requirements for the client (age, credit history, financial position, work experience, etc.);
The main requirement when opening a limit is stable income to the card account. That is why most often overdrafts are offered on salary and pension cards. The fulfillment of this requirement “overrides” the violation of others - for example, the client may not have the required length of service, but the bank will offer him an overdraft.
In order for the overdraft to be opened, the card must be valid for several months (usually from six months) - so the bank will be able to track the frequency of receipts;
The overdraft limit varies depending on the bank and the type of card. It can be either 30-50% of the average monthly income, or 5-6 salaries;
No documents are required to open an overdraft - all necessary documents are provided upon initial opening of an account. As a rule, it is enough to sign an overdraft agreement on the terms offered by the bank;
Overdrafts can hardly be called profitable - banks open them at fairly high interest rates (25-30% per annum). In addition, in many cases there is a fee for using the overdraft facility;
To use the limit, it is enough to withdraw an amount greater than the account balance - without additional requests to the bank;
The repayment of the overdraft occurs automatically - when funds are credited to the account, the bank writes them off as a loan.

A debit card overdraft is a very convenient type of loan that allows you to get access to borrowed funds . However, it has several disadvantages - the most significant is that an overdraft is addictive to loans, and after a while the borrower cannot do without them.

Credit cards

Credit card is special kind consumer loan opened individuals. A card with a credit limit is an opportunity to use the bank's funds at any time and in any place. Credit card characteristics:

To issue plastic, it is necessary to open a loan account, which means obtaining a bank loan;
The credit card limit is the amount of the loan granted by the bank;
Issuing a card takes from several hours to a week, depending on the speed of consideration loan application and its limit
To issue a card, you need a client's passport, proof of income, place of work - that is, everything that is needed to issue a regular consumer loan;
Credit cards are issued only to persons over 18 years of age with permanent employment;
Rates on cards can be quite high - up to 40-50% per annum. This is a fee for the “revolvability” of plastic - that is, the ability to repeatedly use the limit;
Many credit cards also have a debit limit - and in the absence of commissions for cash withdrawals, they can be very beneficial for the client. As a rule, banks charge interest on the balance of their own funds on credit cards by type of deposits, and the rate can be quite good.

A credit card is a payment instrument that gives the borrower access to loan account. It can only have a credit limit, but it can also perform the functions of a debit one - it all depends on the tariffs of a particular bank.

Prepaid cards

Enough the new kind plastic cards - prepaid. They appeared only a few years ago, and have not yet gained popularity. A prepaid card is a kind of analogue of a gift certificate for stores and beauty salons, but with a much wider range of applications. Main characteristics:

They are issued as an unnamed debit card - that is, their issuance occurs instantly, at the time of the conclusion of the contract
This is a bearer card, that is, any owner can pay with it, regardless of who purchased the card;
Has a certain limited limit, does not involve opening an overdraft or replenishing an account (in the latter case, there are exceptions);
As a rule, it is unsuitable for calculations on the Internet;
You can withdraw cash from the card or pay with it at the terminals of stores.

Prepaid card - great replacement gift certificate , cash gifts or salary "in an envelope". Carrying such plastic is safer and more convenient than cash, but there are a number of restrictions compared to a debit card.

Division of maps by territory of use

Until now, we have only talked about dividing cards by owners of funds, which can be the plastic holder himself, a bank or a third party who bought a prepaid card. However, the matter is not limited to the choice of a credit or debit card - you also need to determine in which territory the use of plastic is necessary. On this basis, the cards are divided into:

Intrabank - that is, those that can be cashed only at the issuer's ATMs. Such, for example, are cards that some banks issue to cash out consumer loans.
Local - cards that can be used only in a limited area (for example, in the country where it is issued). So, in Russia there are several local payment systems, with which only local banks cooperate.
International cards belong to major payment systems and can be cashed in any country in the world. These cards will be useful for travelers - they can be linked to a multi-currency account and make payments in one of several currencies;
Virtual cards are needed for payments in the Internet space. They don't exist in physical form, they cannot be used at an ATM or offline store. At the same time, a virtual card is an excellent payment tool for cashless payments and online purchases.