06/06/2007 • CardFlash® - Payment Card Industry News

MobiClear Introduces a PIV Secured Card

5, Country, Priority, UNITED STATESBy Robert McKinley 06/06/2007

CA-based MobiClear has launched a multi-gateway solution that provides proactive security in all forms of electronic business environments including Internet shopping, business-to-business procurement transactions and retail shopping with credit and debit cards. The “Personal Identification Verification” specialist also announced the availability for consumers to apply, free of charge, for the “MobiClear Secured Card.” With the solution, each purchase or transaction is only approved when the customer has confirmed his identity using his unique MobiClear PIN code via their mobile phone. Last week MobiClear hired Anders Ericsson, previously with Global Connexion, as its new CEO. The Company also added a video demo of the new solution via its Web site. (CF Library 5/29/07)

Latino Coalition Endorses NMC

5, Country, Priority, UNITED STATESBy Robert McKinley 06/06/2007

National Merchant Center has been selected as the Official Payment Processor for the Latino Coalition. At their Washington DC Economic Summit this past month, the Latino Coalition presented the NMC solution to the participating small businesses who had come together to meet with the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of the Treasury for their annual Hispanic review of pending business matters. Latino Coalition is the national umbrella organization that serves major Hispanic business and professional groups throughout the country. National Merchant will present a workshop on credit card and check processing for Hispanic small business owners at upcoming Latino Coalition events in Chicago (August 27) and Dallas (November 2)

Credomatic Ranks Hypercom Best Payment Provider

5, Country, MEXICO, PriorityBy Robert McKinley 06/06/2007

Hypercom has announced its ranking as “Best Payment Provider” in
Central America by Credomatic merchant acquirer. On Credomatic’s
scale of a possible 100, Hypercom scored a 97. The payment
provider was evaluated in terms of product quality, delivery, warranty,
reclamations, additional services, features and benefits. Card payment
providers are becoming increasingly significant with more than 18 million
cards issued in 2006 and nearly 30% of retail purchases now made with
cards versus cash, according to industry sources. Installed point-of-sale
terminals now exceeds 115,000 and is growing, momentum that can be
credited to Credomatic’s expertise in payment system automation services.
Credomatic is currently supported by more than 70% of the region’s banks.

Most U.S. Consumers Check Credit Reports

5, Country, Priority, UNITED STATESBy Robert McKinley 06/06/2007

A March poll of 500 consumers found that consumers know their credit score and report them accurately. Nearly 60% of consumers believe that checking their credit report on a regular basis is critical in protecting their creditworthiness. The research conducted by Auriemma Consulting Group also found that consumers focus more on monitoring their credit reports than their credit scores. Nearly 70% plan to obtain a credit report in the next six months, and 48% have done so within the past year. ACG noted that the average score identified by survey participants was 735, about 10 points higher than the actual average.

Gas Gift Card Sales Pick Up in Q2

5, Country, Priority, UNITED STATESBy Robert McKinley 06/06/2007

SVM announced that its customers have purchased over 20% more gasoline gift cards in second quarter 2007 than in the first quarter and are using the cards to boost morale and build loyalty with their employees. SVM reports that its customers are using the SVM-issued gasoline gift cards to motivate, retain, and keep their employees enthused to come to and perform at work. According to the GAO, Americans have spent $20 billion more so far this year than last on gasoline. As a result, many employees are feeling a direct strain on their family budgets. Employers recognize this financial impact on their employees and are assisting by providing fuel cards to help with the cost of getting to work as well as to other daily activities such as the grocery store, doctor visits, community events, children’s activities and traveling on vacation. SVM provides gasoline gift cards from every major oil company in America and a distributor of the American Express-branded “Fill It Up” prepaid gasoline card.

Americans View Credit Cards as Debt Cards

5, Country, Priority, UNITED STATESBy Robert McKinley 06/06/2007

A new study has found that Americans overwhelmingly see credit cards as “debt” cards. Respondents were over five times as likely to characterize cards as “an easy way to get into debt” than they were to describe them as “empowering” or an “indispensable part of life.” More than a third admit to using their cards for purchases they can’t afford. The research by Roper Public Affairs and Media for CreditCards.com also revealed that about 75% say they don’t bother reading the terms and conditions of their own credit cards. About 72% of respondents realize that they should consolidate their balances onto a single card. However, only 22% actually have done so. Nearly 80% advocated checking their credit score, but only half said they occasionally do so.

ClickandBuy Signs Metromojo.com

5, Country, Priority, UNITED STATESBy Robert McKinley 06/06/2007

KY-based social network provider Metromojo.com announced that it has chosen ClickandBuy as its payment system for its network of geo-targeted online communities. Metromojo members use ClickandBuy to access the supporting member package, which allows users advanced messaging and profile customization capabilities, such as automated transactions for a scrolling ad/text message. Metromojo’s current city sites are primarily in the Southeastern and Midwestern United States, with plans to expand across North America as well as to many of the top 50 English-language markets globally. ClickandBuy processes, handles and manages digital content for games, songs, movies, streaming video, podcasts, VoIP calls, television, publishing as well as for physical goods.

Buffalo Trades Guns for Prepaid Cards

5, Country, Priority, UNITED STATESBy Robert McKinley 06/06/2007

The City of Buffalo launched this past weekend its “No Questions Asked” gun buyback program offering prepaid bank cards in return. Buffalo’s program is modeled after several other city’s successful gun buyback efforts, particularly the City of Chicago that in two different one-day gun buybacks retrieved over 4,200 guns. Pre-paid bank credit cards will be provided, no questions asked, in the following denominations: $10.00 – Non-working or antique guns (including BB guns and pellet guns); $50.00 – Rifles/Shotguns; $75.00 – Handguns and $100.00 – Assault Weapons (e.g., Uzi’s, AK-47s). Last year the Buffalo Police Department took 1,000 illegal guns off the streets of Buffalo and this new program will work to support that activity. The project is being financed by $30,000 in asset forfeiture funds that have been acquired by the city through the seizure of monies from illegal drug and other criminal activities in Buffalo, as well as a $10,000 contribution from the Erie County Medical Center.

Consumers See M-Banking as Secondary Access

5, Country, Priority, UNITED STATESBy Robert McKinley 06/06/2007

A new report has found that only about one-tenth of its survey respondents have used a mobile device such as a cell phone, PDA/Palm Pilot/BlackBerry/ organizer (PDA/organizer), or MP3 for conducting financial activities online. Three-quarters of the 1,000 respondents said they own one of these devices, but have not used it for online financial activities. The research by Atlanta-based Synergistics also found that slightly more than one-quarter of cell phone users say this is their primary method of performing banking transactions, while more than one-third say it is a secondary method and close to four in ten use it only in an emergency. Among those who have performed financial activities using a PDA or organizer, more than one-third say this is their primary method of performing banking transactions. More than four in ten of the PDA/organizer users say it is a secondary method, and close to one-fifth only use it for banking in an emergency.

JCB Launches New Global Branding Strategy

5, Country, Priority, UNITED STATESBy Robert McKinley 06/06/2007

JCB Cards has announced that “Good Times Start Here” will be the company’s new brand slogan, as part of its new global branding strategy. The new JCB logo, announced in February, will also start appearing at selected JCB acceptance merchant locations worldwide. JCB cards are issued in 20 countries and territories and are supported by a network of millions of merchants in 190 countries and territories. The company has over 350 partners and 59 million cardholders.

Cardtronics to Acquire 7-Eleven US ATMs

5, Country, Priority, UNITED STATESBy Robert McKinley 06/06/2007

Houston-based Cardtronics has inked a deal to acquire the U.S. ATM operations of 7-Eleven for about $135 million in cash. The acquisition will add more than 5,500 high volume ATMs to the company’s portfolio, expanding the size of Cardtronics’ network to over 30,000 machines. Under terms of the agreement Cardtronics will have a ten year exclusive right to operate all ATMs and advanced function financial self-service kiosks in 7-Eleven locations throughout the U.S., including any new 7-Eleven stores. Of the over 5,500 machines in the 7-Eleven U.S. ATM network, approximately 2,000 are “Financial Services Kiosk” or “Vcom” terminals. In addition, the 2,000 “Vcom” machines will soon start accepting image deposits for participating financial institutions. Cardtronics expects the deal to close by the end of June.

Atos Acquires Banksys & BCC

5, BELGIUM, Country, PriorityBy Robert McKinley 06/06/2007

As of December 2006, Atos Origin, via Atos Worldline, aquired Banksys
and Bank Card Company (BCC) to create a leader in European payment
issuing and acquiring. This development will also allow for enhanced
customer service efficiency and performance. Banksys provides
authorization,
security and guarantee of electronic payments in Belgium and operates a
range
of services, including “CardStop”, through an acceptance network of more
than
100,000 merchants. BCC affiliates merchants to accept VISA, MasterCard,
Maestro, V PAY and VISA Electron and is continually diversifying its
acceptance
network of 55,000. Atos Origin is an international information
technology services company with annual revenues of EUR 5.4 billion and
employs over 50,000 people in 40 countries.

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Abdulaziz AIDahmash, Head of Digital Banking & Payments of SABB in Saudi Arabia, will speak at the 10th Annual Middle East Banking Innovation Summit in Dubai on March 1st. pyvnts.com ecommerce payments pic.twitter.com/G2RWUjYnsd

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