YouBet.com Runs Ad on ESPN

ESPN Runs Online Gambling Horse Racing Ad

Other online gambling Web sites continue to be stifled under UIGEA

By Nadav S | May 07, 2009

Althoughthe terms of the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act meanyou won't see advertisements for online gambling sites in the US, horseracing betting sites are still getting a free ride if a recent ad onESPN is any indication.

Youbet.com, a US-owned, based andlicensed operation, has been running ads recently on the US's mostpopular sports television channel and Website.

Placing ads onthe Connecticut-based cable television network exposes the Website tomillions of people, including minors, a right seemingly deprived toother online gambling sites.

This particular ad tells viewers to "sign up and get your first $25 free!" before jumping to the slogan "Youbet.com! You in?"

The advertisement includes a link to the Website as well a phone number to call to place bets.

Youbet.comis only open to legal residents of the US living in 13 specific stateslisted on its Website. The states include Nevada, New Jersey andArizona.

According to its Website, Youbet.com Inc. is a publiclytraded company (NASDAQ: UBET) that is US based, US licensed and in fullcompliance with all applicable state and federal laws.

It accepts wagers around-the-clock on races from over 150 racetracks in the United States and abroad.

Related articles

• Odds are Good That U.S. Online Gambling Will Return (daniweb.com)
• US Stimulus Package: Regulate Online Gambling (shoemoney.com)
• Representative vows to put online gambling back in play (arstechnica.com)
• Barney Frank and Internet Gambling (pindebit.blogspot.com)

Visa Debit Commercial: Why Bother Going to an ATM?

Visa’s New Debit Commercial asks “Why bother going to the ATM?”

Visa has launched a new television advertising spot in India entitled “Why bother going to the ATM?”, reflecting the company’s focus to increase cardholder awareness for using Visa Debit cards at point-of-sale locations.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) – May 07, 2009 – Bangalore, Visa, the world's largest retail electronic payments network, has launched a new television advertising spot in India entitled “Why bother going to the ATM?”, reflecting the company’s focus to increase cardholder awareness for using Visa Debit cards at point-of-sale locations.

The new commercial highlights the “buy now, pay now” feature of Visa Debit cards which provides cardholders direct access to their nominated bank account to make purchases wherever Visa is accepted.

Uttam Nayak, country manager, South Asia, Visa said, “Our message is aimed at the millions of Indian consumers already carrying a Visa Debit card in their wallet or pocket. We are using this campaign to remind cardholders that there is no need to go to the ATM or spend time queuing in lines to withdraw cash. Instead, all they need to do is use their Visa Debit card to pay for everyday purchases including for petrol, groceries, bill payments and dining out at those merchant outlets displaying the Visa acceptance sign.”

Consumers can use their Visa Debit cards at more than 30 million merchant locations at home and abroad, as well as make online and phone purchases. A Visa Debit card provides cardholders with a safe and convenient way to pay for goods and services at point-of-sale, without the risk associated with carrying cash. Cardholders can also access funds from their bank account at over 1.4 million ATMs worldwide.

The “Why bother going to the ATM?” advertising made its debut on 1 May with a television commercial (TVC) featuring established Bollywood actor Vinay Pathak. The effort will be supported through various channels such as outdoor signage, print, radio and cinema as well as consumer promotion activities. The TVC will be aired in Hindi and English, plus six local languages.

The TVC portrays Vinay as an autorickshaw driver who gives his passenger a humorous lesson about the card in his pocket and how going direct is better. The screenplay highlights the fact that the card the passenger is carrying in his pocket is actually a Visa Debit card that can be used at point-of-sale locations such as the supermarket, cinema or restaurant.

In March 2009, Visa launched the ‘More People around the World Go with Visa’ campaign in India, a locally adapted global campaign which connected with Indians through emotional touch points such as cricket, festivals, marriage and dining.

“This new commercial reinforces Visa’s call to action through an invitation to cardholders to move spending from cash to electronic payments by using their Visa Debit card. This is in line with our vision of better money for better living especially in challenging economic times when consumers are focused on better ways to manage their money,” Mr. Nayak said.

# # #

About Visa Inc.
Visa Inc. operates the world's largest retail electronic payments network providing processing services and payment product platforms. This includes consumer credit, debit, prepaid and commercial payments, which are offered under the Visa, Visa Electron, Interlink and PLUS brands. Visa enjoys unsurpassed acceptance around the world, and Visa/PLUS is one of the world's largest global ATM networks, offering cash access in local currency in more than 170 countries. For more information, visit www.corporate.visa.com.

Because There's No Patch for Human Stupidity

Source: Finextra
Complete item: http://www.finextra.com/fullstory.asp?id=20007

Description:
An intruder has gained access to the offices of a FTSE-listed financial services firm and duped staff into handing over sensitive information, including staff usernames and passwords, during a social engineering exercise.

Siemens Enterprise Communications, which conducted the exercise, says organizations now spend fortunes to protect confidential information from cybercriminals who try to hack into their IT systems.  Yet they are still at risk through simple social engineering techniques where staff are manipulated into handing over information.

At the financial firm the intruder, a Siemens consultant, managed to enter the office without being challenged by security staff before basing himself in a third floor meeting room, where he worked for several days.

The intruder gained access to the company's data room, IT, and telecoms network. He then used the internal telephone system to call employees, claiming to be from the IT department, backed up by the caller ID, and requested information.

Of twenty users targeted, seventeen supplied their usernames and passwords giving the intruder easy access to confidential electronic data.

During the week-long exercise at the firm, Siemans says the consultant befriended a number of employees and was even on first name terms with the foyer security guard.  On two separate occasions, the consultant managed to escort a second Siemens staffer into the building who was able to perform further analysis of the company's IT network.

Colin Greenlees, security and counter fraud consultant, Siemens Enterprise Communication, says: "Social engineering is principally concerned with manipulating people into performing actions or divulging confidential information in order to access electronic or physical data. Hi-tech protection systems are completely ineffectual against such attacks, and most employees are utterly unaware that they are being manipulated."

Vuja Day

I'm having a Vuja Day. That's when you get the feeling that this never happened before...and then it's gone...!

In a press release Acculynk announced they signed up 2Checkout.

I'd started to write a post about that ...but then realized that I had already done one on 2Checkout...."2Plus years ago!" (so I was able to save some time and simply repost the one I had already done...see below) In the meantime, my Vuja Day just turned out to be Deja Vu...all over again.

Monday, April 09, 2007

Pay By Touch PIN-Debit Solution Adopted by 2Checkout

Leading E-Commerce Platform Adopts Internet's First Software-Only PIN-Debit Payment Service

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, IRVING, TX AND COLUMBUS, OH – (April 9, 2007) – ATM Direct, a division of Pay By Touch and providerof the first software-only Internet PIN-debit payment service, todayannounced that 2Checkout.com, Inc., a leading eCommerce distributioncompany, is adopting the ATM Direct™ service to allow shoppers to usePIN-debit cards to buy goods online.

"Our focus is on providinga great customer shopping experience, including giving consumers avariety of ways to pay," said Kristin Dach, Chief Financial Officer for2Checkout.com (www.2checkout.com).

"Manypeople are seeking a more secure way to pay online or simply prefer toshop with their PIN-debit cards. We see Internet PIN-debit as anotherway to provide superior service to these customers while encouragingmore consumers to shop with us."

PIN Debit has been in widespreaduse for over 20 years and remains one of the most popular, fastestgrowing and most secure payment methods in the world. On the Internet,the ATM Direct PIN-debit service (www.atmdirect.com)provides an ideal payment alternative for consumers that prefer debit,have limited credit or are seeking a more secure way to pay over theInternet.

"Consumersrecognize PIN-debit as a very secure form of payment, and the onlinePIN-debit experience is the same," said Robert Ziegler, General Managerfor ATM Direct at Pay By Touch. "ATM Direct does not change the flow ofthe merchant site or redirect the shopper to a new page. Merchants havecontrol over how they present the PIN-debit option, which can be aseasy as 'Debit or Credit.' Shoppers simply enter their card number,followed by their 4 digit PIN. It's fast, easy and can help lower therisk of shopping cart abandonment."

Like PIN-debit paymentsin the brick-and-mortar world, Internet PIN-Debit transactions areprocessed across the EFT networks directly with the consumer's bank,allowing real-time, guaranteed payments to Internet retailers at lowercost than credit card or signature debit card transactions over theInternet.

The ATM Direct service is the Internet's onlysoftware-only PIN-debit solution which allows for rapid, no-costdistribution. By adhering to PIN-debit industry standards, the ATMDirect service also enables networks, banks and card issuers thatalready accept PIN-debit to accept Internet PIN-debit transactions withfew to no changes to their infrastructure.

About 2Checkout™
2Checkout.com,Inc. (2CO) is an online reseller for over 300,000 tangible or digitalproducts and services. Established in 1999 and headquartered inColumbus, Ohio, 2Checkout.com is an e-commerce solution that deals inUSD and multiple foreign currencies. The 2CO model combines multiplepayment channels, fraud detection, data security, customer service, PCIcompliance, co-branding and dependability. For additional information,visit http://www.2checkout.com.

About ATM Direct, a Division of Pay By Touch
ATMDirect, a division of Pay By Touch, provides innovative and securepayment and authentication services to the Internet economy. The ATMDirect™ merchant services deliver the industry’s first software-only,regulatory compliant, Internet PIN-debit payment service. Foradditional information, visit www.atmdirect.com

About Pay By Touch™
PayBy Touch (www.paybytouch.com) is the global leader in biometricauthentication, personalized marketing and payment solutions. Already,more than 3.6 million consumers are using Pay By Touch services toidentify themselves, make purchases, cash checks and get personalizedsavings with the touch of a finger. Pay By Touch services are free forconsumers to use and available in more than 3,000 retail locationsacross 44 states, the UK and Singapore. Pay By Touch also providesrobust data management and payment processing solutions for ACH(electronic checking), card-present and card-not-present debit andcredit transactions for retail clients. Founded in 2002 andheadquartered in San Francisco, Pay By Touch employs 800 professionalsand holds more than 60 patents worldwide on secure, convenient andcost-effective transaction solutions.

Pay By Touch

Fountain Hills, Arizona, United States

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Fed Rejects Common Sense - Retroactive Rate Increase Cool with Them

Fed rejects request to end retroactive interest rate increases

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve rejected a request to force credit card companies to immediately halt retroactive interest-rate increases on existing balances, Democratic Senator Charles Schumer said on Tuesday.

Schumer and Christopher Dodd, who chairs the Senate Banking Committee, asked the Fed last month to use its emergency powers for rescuing banks to also help credit card consumers being slapped with unexpected rate increases.

"The Federal Reserve's failure to protect consumers from these outrageous rate increases is unconscionable," Schumer said.

Editor's Thoughts:  So let's say you decide you "may" want to purchase a 52" LCD HDTV.  Part of the decision process to "buy" is that you have a 5.9% rate on one of  your credit cards.  So you make the purchase.  Then, the credit card company hikes your rate to 19%.  If it was 19% at the time of the purchase, you wouldn't have made the move.  It was BECAUSE you had a 5.9% rate that you did.   It only makes complete and logical sense that retroactive rate increases are ridiculous. 

What would happen if you decided to buy a $35,000 car because they advertised 0% financing and 6 months into the purchase, they changed the rate to 19%?  What's the difference?  Why did the Federal Reserve reject this request?  It doesn't seem to make sense.

Western Union to Acquire Custom House

Source: Bloomberg News

WesternUnion has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Canada-basedCustom House, Ltd., a provider of business-to-business internationalpayment solutions for small and medium enterprises. The US $370 millioncash transaction is expected to close in the third quarter 2009,subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

The international SME payments market is a large,growing and highly fragmented category. Today, Custom House is on planto generate US $100 million in annualized revenue, primarily fromsenders in seven countries including Canada, the United States, theUnited Kingdom, Italy, Australia, Singapore and New Zealand. Thecompany has built a sizable client base, significant internationalpayment capabilities, a strong network of banking partners and scalableoperations that are poised to capitalize on this opportunity.

CustomHouse’s multi-channel payment solutions include their online platform,which provides reliable web-based payment capabilities to over 120countries worldwide. These strengths will be enhanced by WesternUnion’s globally recognized brand, international footprint andfinancial strength.

Christina Gold, president and chief executive officer ofWestern Union, stated, “Custom House is a dynamic business and has asignificant customer base in the cross-border payments market, whichgenerates strong margins and cash flow. Western Union intends to growthis business by attracting new customers and entering newgeographies.”

Strategic Rationale
The acquisition of Custom House supports Western Union’s strategic plan by:

• Entering a new growth market and diversifying its product portfolio
• Furthering Western Union’s presence in the SME payment market
• Expanding its customer base
• Building a global line of business
• Establishing strong account-to-account transfer capabilitiesthat complement Western Union’s existing cash-to-cash andaccount-to-cash expertise

Peter Gustavson, Custom Housechairman and founder, stated, “We are extraordinarily proud of what theCustom House team has accomplished as an independent company and areexcited about the increased potential that will come from leveragingour collective resources.”
Currently owned by Peter Gustavson and the Boston-based privateequity firm Great Hill Partners, Custom House will become part of theWestern Union Global Payments segment (formerly theconsumer-to-business segment) on completion of the transaction, andcontinue to operate under its existing management team in Canada. Foreach of the past nine years, Custom House has been voted one ofCanada’s 50 Best Managed Companies.

Ranjana Clark, executive vice president of Global Payments andGlobal Strategy, stated, “Custom House is a highly complementarybusiness with a proven operating model, seasoned management anddifferentiating technology. Custom House President and CEO Peter Ciceriand his team are known for providing clients with speed, accuracy andworld-class customer service. We look forward to working closely withCustom House as we continue to grow this dynamic business.”

Custom House has been growing revenue at a 20% CAGR over thepast three years. The Victoria-based company has a diverseinternational client base of nearly 40,000 customers with an averageprincipal per transaction of approximately US$25,000. With a strongteam of 630 employees worldwide, Custom House’s multi-channel deliveryand recurring transaction-based business model has significantoperating leverage.

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Snapshots Added to PIN Payments Blog

Introducing Snap Shots from Snap.com

I just installed a nice little tool on this site called Snap Shots that enhances links with visual previews of the destination site. Sometimes Snap Shots bring you the information you need, without your having to leave the site, while other times it lets you "look ahead," before deciding if you want to follow a link or not.

Should you decide this is not for you, just click the Options icon in the upper right corner of the Snap Shot and opt-out.