A federal lawsuit against Atlanta-based CompuCredit accuses the card issuer of cutting credit lines when customers used their cards at bars, massage parlors, and even to pay for marriage counseling. The company's lawyer calls the practice "commonplace across the industry."

Information from more than 50,000 credit card accounts -- and perhaps as many as 200,000 accounts -- was taken from online shoppers at Wards.com, now run by a direct mail company. While the catalog company reported the breach to credit card processors and authorities, cardholders were left in the dark.

If you think that your heavy spending won't catch up to your hefty paycheck, think again. Credit card debt is growing as the tightened economy forces consumers to pay with plastic more often, and it's not just affecting workers with low salaries.

Most people know by now to consider cash back and other rewards when considering which credit cards to keep in their wallets. But how can you tell which are the best overall? See a collection of the most rewarding cash back and gas cards, as well as seven ways to get the most out of the benefits they offer.

Comstock

Thousands of new grads will be hitting the ground running this summer, and the bloggers at WalletPop have some useful financial advice on everything from getting car insurance to changing the world.

From the New York Times:
Student Loans Start to Bypass 2-Year Colleges

Shoppers have been increasingly dependent on credit cards to purchase basic necessities, but can a credit card be used to buy something as expensive as a car? Check out what credit card companies have to say.

You may know the basics about your credit score, but there's more to it than just paying your bills on time. Ken and Daria Dolan take you behind the hidden tricks of credit reporting so you can keep you score high.