The use of debit cards is rising much faster than consumers' appreciation of their risks. Many consumer groups recommend limiting their use because they may not have the same liability protections as credit cards.

A new payment system called Gratis targets two of the biggest issues affecting the credit-card industry: security and the fees that merchants pay. It's one of the newest entrants seeking to shake up the traditional card networks.

MasterCard and Visa are clamping down on merchants that flout rules aimed at keeping card transactions secure.

MasterCard's efforts to combat identity theft has had some success, but also show how difficult it is to catch the outlaws, let alone to stamp out such fraud altogether.

Credit-card issuers are offering single-use cards in an effort to combat the rapid rise in identity theft when shopping online.

If you just can't seem to settle your dispute with the store that sold you shoddy goods or charged you the wrong amount, you may be able to get help from an unlikely source: your credit-card company.

M ore business travelers are hitting the road without cash in hand, relying only on their credit and debit cards for payments. But there are still a few trip details that require greenbacks at the ready.