Zero Liability Policy

If you love swipe, swipe, swiping that credit card, you should know if it’s a zero liability policy or not. If it is, that means you’re not held responsible for unauthorized charges.

For instance, you might log onto your credit card account and see a charge for Taco Bell. You’re more of a Mickey D’s or a Burger King kind of fast food person yourself, so this instantly stands out to you as a “that wasn’t me!” kind of charge. With a zero liability policy, you can report the transaction without worrying about paying the charge. Which is why credit cards can be safer to use than debit cards. Because with debit cards, once your money is gone, it’s gone.

Once you figure out if your cc is zero liability or not, make sure you check your charges every once and awhile. How are you supposed to take advantage of your zero liability policy if you never even noticed the Taco bandit? Be wary, burger friend.

Find other enlightening terms in Shmoop Finance Genius Bar(f)