Approximately 62 million credit cards were in use in India during the fiscal year 2021. The total number of cards has steadily climbed in recent years, recovering from a drop in numbers during the lockdown.
In February 2022, the Indian banking system revealed a net addition of roughly 1.5 million credit cards. If you want to earn cash back, miles, points, or a combination of all three, you may apply for a credit card to make your purchases.
However, to use a credit card, you need to activate it. Once you activate the card, the issuer will be informed that you have received it.
No matter which credit card you own, activation typically goes smoothly and only requires a short time.
The problem is that some people still have many questions about activating credit cards.
That is why we will cover everything you need to know about activating credit cards, from finding the right card for your spending habits to how to activate it properly.
How to select a credit card for your needs?
There are several things to take into account while selecting a credit card in India.
1. Determine needs:
Your needs must be determined before you apply for credit card.
Understanding your needs and determining the type of card that would work best for you and your demands is essential.
2. Eligibility requirements:
A wide range of credit card options is available and not every card will be available to you.
Thus, check credit card eligibility requirements of the lender before applying.
3. Compare cards:
After you have narrowed down your options, evaluating each card’s characteristics and costs is essential.
With the top credit card in India, you can maximise your points and earn extra rewards with each purchase.
You can apply for the credit card offline or online after making your choice.
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How to activate your credit card?
You can activate your credit card by the following means:
- Internet banking
Take the following actions to activate credit cards online with internet banking:
- The cardholder must open the bank’s website first.
- To continue, the cardholder must log into his internet banking account.
- Next, select card activation.
- Now, input the credit card number, expiration date, and birthdate.
- Click “Submit”
- To proceed, the cardholder must input the ATM PIN and select Submit.
- Once the OTP is entered, you can proceed.
Credit card activation will be accomplished in this manner.
- Mobile application
To activate a new credit card online with a mobile app, adhere to the steps listed below:
- The initial step for cardholders is to download the mobile app from the google play store and log in.
- The following step is to select “activate the card”.
- Now, input the credit card number, expiration date, and birthdate.
- Click “Send OTP” at this time. Enter the OTP and submit it after receiving it on your mobile device.
- Your card will activate once you click “ok”.
- Customer support service
The customer support service can be contacted if cardholders do not want to activate their cards online. Cardholders can easily activate their credit cards by calling the bank’s customer care division.
- Offline
Additionally, cardholders can activate their credit cards in person at a bank location.
- SMS
Credit cards can occasionally be activated by sending an SMS to a bank’s customer service department.
Not every bank provides this service. Thus, before sending the SMS, please confirm the procedure with your bank.
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Conclusion
Credit card usage has grown significantly in India. By definition, credit cards serve as a means of both payment and credit.
When compared to traditional payment methods like cash, the convenience of not having to carry paper money, which is regarded as heavy and risky in transportation, is one of the primary reasons for the growing use of credit cards.
Card issuers demand that you activate your card before using it to safeguard your data and ensure it is only accessible by authorised parties.
The account will still be included on your credit reports even though it is not currently active. In reality, not activating your credit card might lower your credit card score and make you more vulnerable to credit card fraud. Thus, ensure you activate your card as soon as you get the credit card.
