Some people have been swindled by giving their credit card numbers to dishonest salespeople over the phone.
It becomes a loan when the credit becomes due and you do not pay for it.
Adding monthly interest charges means you pay more for the goods and services.
Consumers often have more than one credit card and each one has a credit limit. When the credit limits for all cards are added up, the total can be in the thousands of dollars. Consumers can fall into the habit of using credit cards to extend their income.