More using credit cards
The Federal Reserve says consumer borrowing went up 7.4 percent in November. Credit card debt by itself went up more than 11 percent, a six month high. Analysts say shoppers relied on credit cards, especially before the holiday, because home equity loans have become harder to get. Total consumer credit, not counting mortgages, is now at a record two and a half trillion dollars.
Security Breach
The University of Georgia in Athens is investigating a security breach that may have allowed a hacker to get the personal information of more than four thousand current and former students. It apparent happened in late December. School officials say someone broke into a server containing the information of about 500 current graduate students that live in family housing and also obtained information on more than 3,700 former students. The server was taken off line as soon the problem was discovered. The University will attempt to notify all those who may be affected. Last year, a hacker accessed the personal info of about 35 hundred current and former students from another server.
Booking travel online
Consumers are using the Internet more and more for their travel plans. In 2007, more travel was bought online than offline for the first time ever. That's according to the "phocuswrigh consumer travel trends survey." Analysts say travel packages are being bought less frequently online, while individual plane tickets are purchased more often on the web.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement