Secured credit cards can be an effective way to build or re-establish your credit history. However, some marketers of secured cards make deceptive advertising claims to entice you to respond to their ads. Here are some things you may wish to keep in mind. Secured and unsecured credit cards can be used to pay for goods and services. However, a secured card requires you to open and maintain a savings account as security; an unsecured card does not. The required savings deposit for a secured card may range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. The amount you can charge on your card is a percentage of your deposit, typically 50 to 100 percent. Usually, a bank will pay interest on your deposit. In addition, you also may have to pay application and processing fees — sometimes totaling hundreds of dollars. Before you apply, be sure to ask what the total fees are and whether they will be refunded if you’re denied. Typically, a secured card requires an annual fee and has a higher interest rate than an unsecured card. Deceptive ads often leave out important information, such as: The cost of the ‘900′ call — which can range from $2 to $50 or more -for which you are billed just for making the call; The required security deposit, application, and processing fees; Eligibility requirements like income or age; An annual fee or the fact that it has a higher than average interest rate on any balance. If you’re considering a secured card as a way to build or re-establish a credit record, make sure the issuer reports to a bureau. Your credit history is maintained by companies called reporting agencies or bureaus; they collect information reported to them by banks, mortgage companies, department stores, and other creditors. If your card issuer doesn’t report to a bureau, the card won’t help you build a good history.