There was a 6% increase in credit card purchases in Israel in 2008 as compared to 2007. Towards the end of the Gregorian year, there was also an increase in the number of credit cards, up to 0.8% from 0.7% in the previous quarter.
 
According to the information furnished in a Central Bureau of Statistic report based on a credit card study conducted by the Geocartographia Institute, 58% of credit card users are unaware of the charges they are paying as a result. This includes annual fees, interest, long-term interest charges and various ‘amolot’ user fees.
 
A surprising 35% of the users do not even check the itemized monthly statement of purchases.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)