Section 15A. Any application form or pre-approved written solicitation for an open-end credit plan and any printed advertisement which contains such application form or pre-approved written solicitation which is mailed or distributed on or after July first, nineteen hundred and eighty-eight, to a consumer residing in the commonwealth by or on behalf of a card issuer, whether such issuer is located within or without the commonwealth, and which is intended to aid, promote or assist directly or indirectly in the issuance of a credit card by any issuer, shall prominently disclose in easily understood language: the current annual percentage rate for finance charges and, if the rate may vary, a statement to that effect and of the circumstances under which the rate may increase and whether there are any limitations on any such increase, as well as the effects of any such increase; the conditions under which a finance charge may be imposed, including the time period within which any credit extended may be repaid without incurring a finance charge; whether any annual fee is charged and the amount of any such fee; and whether any other charges or fees may be assessed, the purposes for which they are assessed, and the amounts of any such charges or fees.
The card issuer may submit examples of application forms, pre-approved written solicitations, and printed advertisements containing such application forms and pre-approved written solicitations to the commissioner for a determination as to whether they satisfy the requirements of this section. Approval by the commissioner shall constitute prima facie evidence of compliance with this section.
Structure Massachusetts General Laws
Part I - Administration of the Government
Title XX - Public Safety and Good Order
Chapter 140d - Consumer Credit Cost Disclosure
Section 2 - Exempt Transactions
Section 3 - Rules and Regulations
Section 4 - Finance Charge; Determination
Section 5 - Annual Percentage Rate; Determination
Section 6 - Inaccurate Disclosure of Finance Charge or Annual Percentage Rate; Adjustment
Section 7 - Disclosure of Information; Multiple Creditors or Obligors; Estimates
Section 8 - Disclosure of Information; Clear and Conspicuous Statements
Section 9 - Information Rendered Inaccurate
Section 10 - Security Interest in Property Used as Dwelling; Rescission; Liability; Application
Section 11 - Disclosure; Open End Credit Plans; Statement; Contents
Section 12 - Disclosure; Other Than Open-End-Credit Plans; Statement; Contents
Section 14 - Multiple-Page Advertisements; Contents; Open-End-Credit Plan
Section 15 - Advertisements; Other Than Open-End-Credit Plans; Contents
Section 16 - Liability of Owner or Personnel of Advertising Medium
Section 17 - Oral Response to Cost of Credit Inquiry
Section 18 - Model Disclosure Forms and Clauses
Section 19 - Time for Sending Statement; Noncompliance; Finance Charge
Section 22 - Credit Balance Exceeding One Dollar; Periodic Statement Disclosure; Contents
Section 23 - Transfer of Funds Following Default of Debt; Written Notice; Applicability
Section 24 - Guaranty of Obligations of Other Persons; Notice of Additional Obligations
Section 25 - Issuance of Credit Cards
Section 26 - Cardholder Liability for Unauthorized Use
Section 27 - Unauthorized Use of Credit Cards
Section 28 - Liability of Business for Unauthorized Use of Credit Cards
Section 28a - Cardholder Discounts; Surcharges; Finance Charge
Section 28b - Participation in Credit Card Plans; Conditions
Section 29 - Rules and Regulations; Consistency With Federal Fair Credit Billing Act
Section 30 - Inspection of Records
Section 31 - Prohibited Acts; Penalty
Section 32 - Creditor's Failure to Comply With Law; Damages
Section 34 - Unfair Trade Practices; Violations
Section 35 - Limitations on Creditors' Liability and Consumer Rescission Rights