Wednesday, November 17, 2010

WEBROOT RELEASES ANNUAL HOLIDAY CYBERSECURITY SURVEY

Image representing Webroot Software as depicte...Image via CrunchBase

Shoppers plan to buy more gifts online this year; some online habits hold steady while others worsen

Boulder, Colo., November 17, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — Webroot, the first Internet security service company, today released the results of a survey exploring consumers' online shopping habits leading up to the holidays.
In a survey of more than 2,660 individuals in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, more than half (55 percent) of respondents say they plan to buy at least half of their gifts online this holiday season, up from 38 percent of shoppers last year. The survey also found that some of consumers' online habits — including using search engines and public WiFi for online gift-buying — may put them at risk.
Among the key findings:
  • Roughly the same number of shoppers plan to use search engines rather than going directly to a trusted site: 48 percent of online shoppers frequently if not always use search engines to find gifts online, compared to 52 percent in 2009
  • Trust in top search results, a target for malicious links, has grown: 59 percent of respondents who find gifts via search engines trust the first few pages of results, compared to 38 percent in 2009
  • Use of risky public WiFi has increased slightly: 18 percent are likely to use a public wireless access point to shop online for gifts, compared to 12 percent in 2009

Top 5 Tips for Staying Safe this Season

“This holiday season, we want to make it easy for people to buy gifts online safely,” said Jeff Horne, threat research director at Webroot. "Through our survey, we learned that one in seven respondents has already become a victim of credit, debit, or PayPal account fraud this year. In addition, 57 percent received phishing emails from bogus sources claiming to be a legitimate company — something we see rise around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. To end the year on a safe note, we urge all online shoppers to adopt some best practices before breaking out their holiday gift lists."
Horne recommends the following actions:
  1. Go straight to the site: Type a store's Web address directly into your browser instead of using a search engine to retrieve it. Cybercriminals plant malicious links that look like popular sites within the first few pages of search results. Unless you're using a security service that scans and classifies these sites as safe or unsafe for you, don't trust them.
  2. Be strict about passwords: Use a different password for each site on which you have an account; do not allow your browser to store passwords for you; and use a password manager instead of writing down passwords or storing them in a Word document in order to remember them.
  3. Look for the "signs of security": On sites where you're making a financial transaction, look for "https" in the address bar and a padlock icon in the browser Status Bar. On sites where the retailer uses extended SSL validation, look for the address bar to turn green on secured pages.
  4. Keep PayPal your pal: If you use PayPal, check the accounts that PayPal debits from frequently to quickly detect fraud. When using plastic, shop with a credit card instead of a debit card so you can stop payments immediately if you suspect fraud.
  5. Watch for seasonal scams: Be wary of spam emails claiming to be shipping confirmation or undeliverable package alerts that require you to open an attachment. Delete any message that claims to contain tracking information, but which lacks a tracking number in either the subject or body of the message. The safest way to track a package is through the shipper's Web site, or the online store where you made the purchase.

Additional Survey Findings:

Password Practices:
  • Only 37 percent of respondents use unique passwords for each password-protected site where they shop
  • More than a quarter (26 percent) of respondents reported someone else sent friends a message in their name using their social network, IM, or email account (implying a compromised password)
  • On a positive note, 72 percent use complex passwords, (mix of letters, numbers and symbols)
  • 62 percent also do not save their passwords in the browser
Secure Site Sensibility:
  • 52 percent of respondents do not check for an https connection before making purchases
  • And 50 percent do not check for the padlock in the browser's Status Bar before making purchases
  • When shopping online, more than half (52 percent) only purchase from sites with some form of trust certification, such as those issued by BBB or VeriSign
WiFi Weaknesses:
  • 18 percent of respondents are likely to use a public wireless access point to shop online for gifts
  • 23 percent feel completely safe shopping over a free public wireless connection
Regional Differences:
  • A higher share of UK holiday shoppers prefer buying gifts online: 64 percent versus 51 percent in the US and 34 percent in Australia
  • UK respondents were also more likely to use complex passwords: 77 percent versus 71 percent in the US and 63 percent in Australia
  • US respondents make it a rule more often only to use credit cards for online shopping: 54 percent versus 48 percent in the UK and 39 percent in Australia
For information about antispyware and antivirus products to help secure holiday online shoppers, please visit http://www.webroot.com.

About the Research

An online survey of consumers in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia was fielded November 5 through November 7, 2010 by ResearchNow. Respondents qualified for the survey if they own a computer or laptop, made at least one purchase online in the past year, and plan to purchase holiday gifts this year (online or retail). At the 95 percent confidence level the margin of error is ±1.9 percentage points for the full sample of 2,663 respondents, ±3.0 points for the US sample of 1,093, ±3.0 points for the UK sample of 1,046, and ±4.3 points for the Australian sample of 524.

About Webroot

Webroot is a leading provider of Internet security for consumers and businesses worldwide. Founded in 1997, privately held Webroot is headquartered in Colorado and employs more than 470 people globally in operations across North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. Consistently rated among the best security offerings available, Webroot's products include email, Web and archiving security services for businesses, and anti-malware, privacy and identity protection for consumers. For more information, visithttp://www.webroot.com or call 800.772.9383. Read the Webroot Threat Blog: http://blog.webroot.com. Follow Webroot on Twitter: http://twitter.com/webroot.
©2010 Webroot Software, Inc. All rights reserved. Webroot is a trademark or registered trademark of Webroot Software, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

Media Contact:

MacLean Guthrie
720-842-3164


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78% of Bank Customers Opt-Out of Debit Card Overdraft Protection

Debit CardImage by Neil T via Flickr

Consumer Reports Poll: Only 22 Percent of Bank Customers Have Opted-In for Debit Card Overdraft 'Protection'


 
Large Majority of Consumers Want Right to Choose Whether to Be Covered by Fee-Based Overdraft Programs for Checks
WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Two months after new federal regulations started requiring banks to get their customers' permission before signing them up for costly debit card overdraft programs, a national poll by the Consumer Reports National Research Center has found that only one-fifth of consumers holding an ATM or debit card have chosen to opt-in.
The poll found that 22 percent have signed up to have their ATM/debit card transactions covered for a fee if they don't have enough money in their checking accounts to cover them. A large majority of poll respondents said they wanted the same right to choose whether to be covered by fee-based overdraft programs for check transactions.
"Now that banks are no longer allowed to automatically enroll customers into high-cost debit overdraft loan programs, the vast majority of consumers are saying 'no thanks,'" said Pam Banks, Senior Policy Counsel for Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports. "Consumers shouldn't opt-in to high-cost overdraft loan programs because there are more affordable options available when checking account funds fall short. Bank customers should have the same right to choose when it comes to overdraft programs covering checks."
Of those consumers who signed up to have debit card or ATM transactions covered for a fee, the poll revealed that 55 percent had experienced an overdraft in the past six months.
This finding is not surprising given the aggressive and oftentimes misleading "opt-in" marketing tactics many banks target at customers who overdraw their accounts. These marketing materials often drive customers to high-cost coverage while failing to market cheaper alternatives.
Thirty-nine percent of those who had overdrafted their account in the past six months chose not to sign up for such coverage.
Seventy percent of consumers responding to the Consumer Reports poll said they would like to have the choice when it comes to whether their bank covers the checks they write for a fee when they do not have enough money in their accounts to cover them. About half of these respondents – or 47 percent – indicated that they would select this option. Over one-third – or 38 percent – said they would decline to do so.
Consumers Union noted that there are cheaper alternatives for consumers when it comes to covering overdrafts triggered by debit cards or checks. Most banks allow customers to link checking accounts to a savings account, credit card, or a line of credit. When an overdraft occurs, the bank will automatically transfer money to cover the transaction from the linked account. The FDIC has concluded that the fees assessed for these other types of programs are significantly lower than for automatic overdraft loan programs.
The fact that customers who opted in are more likely than not to have recently overdrawn their debit card accounts confirms that many customers remain exposed to excessive overdraft fees and unfair practices, and underscores the need for meaningful substantive reforms.
The FDIC is currently considering a proposed guidance on overdraft programs for small state chartered banks that recommends that consumers be given the right to "opt-out" of overdraft coverage for paper checks and electronic payments. Consumers Union and other consumer groups have urged the FDIC to go further and require banks to get their customers' permission before charging fees for such coverage. The groups also recommended that consumers who want overdraft protection should be offered the least expensive form of overdraft coverage for which they qualify.
A federal judge in California recently ruled that Wells Fargo gouged consumers by manipulating the order it processed transactions, which triggered more overdrafts and generated more costly fees. The FDIC's proposed guidance would put an end to this practice for the state-chartered banks it supervises. Consumer groups recently urged the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to take similar action with respect to the banks it supervises and to require banks to offer consumers the lowest cost overdraft option available to them.
The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a telephone survey of a nationally representative probability sample of telephone households. 1,014 interviews were complete among adults aged 18 or over. Interviewing took place overSeptember 30-October 3, 2010.
SOURCE Consumer Reports

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Watch out for the Grinch Come Cyber Monday: Five Online ‘Don’ts’ from AVG Technologies

AMSTERDAM & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In 2009, online spending during Cyber Monday equaled $887 million and more than half of those dollars were spent at U.S. websites1. As more consumers are expected to take advantage of online sales come this year’s Cyber Monday on November 29, AVG Technologies is cautioning consumers to avoid Internet security pitfalls where cyber criminals can steal or compromise personal data.
“These ‘don’ts’ are rooted in common sense, however, many Americans continue to become victims of credit and debit card fraud and identity theft year-over-year”
According to Javelin Strategy & Research, the number of U.S. identity fraud victims rose 12 percent to 11.1 million adults last year—the highest level since the survey began in 2003.2 With this in mind, AVG’s chief research officer, Roger Thompson, recommends the following five ‘don’ts’ that will help people protect their identity while shopping online this holiday season:
Tis the season for giving, but don’t give away your personal data:
There is no reason to disclose your address, phone number and credit card information if you are trying to get something for free via the Internet. Never respond to emails that request you provide your credit card info via email, and do not respond to emails that ask you to go to a website to verify personal (and credit card) information—also known as phishing scams. Your dedicated shopping email account should be in no way affiliated with your personal, everyday email account.
Don’t let your antivirus security software expire:
A first step for all consumers is to ensure their PCs or Macs are protected and updated with the latest anti-malware technology, specifically making sure browser security enhancements are configured and enabled in antivirus software. To use the free version of AVG 2011, which has all of the core advancements of security protection, consumers can visit www.free.avg.com.
Don't settle for the top results of your search:
Advertisers and marketers work diligently to place their tricky deals to the very top of search results, hoping you will assume the results on top are the best. If you decide to scope out whatever pops up first, be extra careful and use common sense.
Don’t become password complacent:
As the end of the year approaches, do not rely on the familiarity of your current passwords and switch up your passwords on your credit card and bank accounts. Refresh email accounts with an updated, unique password. Write them down and keep the information in a secure location.
Don’t use multiple credit cards:
It is much easier to track transactions and detect suspicious activity if you limit the number of credit cards you use to one or two. Make sure each card offers identify theft protection. Also, keep records of your online shopping – print confirmation pages and email confirmations.
“These ‘don’ts’ are rooted in common sense, however, many Americans continue to become victims of credit and debit card fraud and identity theft year-over-year,” said Roger Thompson. “As Thanksgiving fast approaches and shoppers begin to let go of their wallets, AVG urges consumers to practice heightened vigilance and take necessary security steps while shopping online.”
Keep in touch with AVG
About AVG Technologies
AVG is a global security software maker protecting more than 110 million consumers and small businesses in 170 countries from the ever-growing incidence of Web threats, viruses, spam, cyber-scams and hackers on the Internet. AVG has nearly two decades of experience in combating cyber crime and one of the most advanced laboratories for detecting, pre-empting and combating Web-borne threats from around the world. Its free, downloadable software allows novice users to have basic anti-virus protection and then easily upgrade to greater levels of safety and defense when they are ready. AVG has nearly 6,000 resellers, partners and distributors globally including Amazon.com, CNET, Cisco, Ingram Micro, Play.com, Wal-Mart, and Yahoo!
1 Source: National Retail Federation, October 2010
2 Source: Javelin Strategy & Research, "Identity Fraud Survey Report," February 2010


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Tuesday, November 16, 2010

AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless Announce Joint Venture to Build National Mobile Commerce Network

Isis to Lead the U.S. Payments Industry from Cards to Mobile Phones; Available to All Merchants, Banks and Wireless Service Providers; Venture Led By Former GE Capital Financial Executive
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless today announced the formation of a joint venture chartered with building ISIS™, a national mobile commerce network that aims to fundamentally transform how people shop, pay and save.
http://www.paywithisis.com“Moving forward, Isis will be available to all interested merchants, banks and mobile carriers.”
Isis’ initial focus will be on building a mobile payment network that utilizes mobile phones to make point-of-sale purchases. By utilizing smartphone and near-field communication (NFC) technology to modernize the payments process, Isis intends to deliver new levels of competition and value to consumers and merchants. Isis expects to introduce its service in key geographic markets during the next 18 months.
Michael Abbott has been named as Chief Executive Officer of Isis. Formerly with GE Capital, Abbott is a veteran financial services executive with extensive experience in the payment and technology industries.
“Our mobile commerce network, through relationships with merchants, will provide an enhanced, more convenient, more personalized shopping experience for consumers,” said Michael Abbott, Chief Executive Officer of Isis. “While mobile payments will be at the core of our offering, it is only the start. We plan to create a mobile wallet that ultimately eliminates the need for consumers to carry cash, credit and debit cards, reward cards, coupons, tickets and transit passes.”
Isis Brings Both Consumer and Merchant Scale
Founding members, AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless, collectively provide wireless services to more than 200 million consumers who will have access to the Isis service. Isis is working with Discover Financial Services’ payment network, currently accepted at more than seven million merchant locations nationwide, to develop an extensive mobile payment infrastructure for the joint venture.
Barclaycard US, part of Barclays PLC, is expected to be the first issuer on the network, offering multiple mobile payment products to meet the needs of every customer.
“We believe the venture will have the scope and scale necessary to introduce mobile commerce on a broad basis. In the beginning, we intend to fully utilize Discover’s national payment infrastructure as well as Barclaycard’s expertise in contactless and mobile payments,” said Abbott. “Moving forward, Isis will be available to all interested merchants, banks and mobile carriers.”
How It Works
The new venture will enable contactless mobile payment and commerce services using near-field communication technology. NFC uses short-range, high frequency wireless technology to enable the encrypted exchange of information between devices at a short distance. The new system is being designed and built to include strong security and privacy safeguards.
About Isis
The joint venture is between AT&T Mobility LLC, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless and is based in New York City. The venture is chartered with building ISIS™, a national mobile commerce network that will fundamentally transform how people shop, pay and save. The Isis mobile commerce network will be available to all merchants, banks and mobile carriers. ISIS is a trademark of JVL Ventures, LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos, product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Contacts

Edelman
Troy McCombs, 206-268-2225
troy.mccombs@edelman.com
Permalink: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101116005744/en/ATT-T-Mobile-Verizon-Wireless-Announce-Joint-Venture
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U.S. Bank Expands Mobile Capabilities with Innovative New Visa Payment Solution

U.S. BankMINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--U.S. Bank (NYSE: USB) and Visa (NYSE: V) continue to be at the forefront of mobile payments innovation, partnering with DeviceFidelity, FIS and Monitise to introduce an innovative new way for customers to make purchases using their mobile phone. Customers can simply wave their phone in front of a Visa payWave contactless payment terminal in order to pay. U.S. Bank is one of the first major card issuers in the United States to pilot this landmark technology as employees in multiple states will begin testing this month. Plans are underway to introduce it to select customers next year.
“With the In2Pay solution, we aim to bring the speed, interactivity and security of mobile contactless payments to a user’s preferred device, and collaborating with such enthusiastic, innovative partners such as U.S. Bank, Visa and Monitise is a huge step towards realizing that goal.”
“Our customers have told us that they want to mobilize their accounts with us – they want to make payments with their mobile device and this is a natural extension of our existing banking relationship,” said Dominic Venturo, chief innovation officer for U.S. Bank Retail Payment Solutions. “As their trusted financial services provider, we’re already offering convenient mobile account access. Now we’re adding contactless payment capabilities to their existing mobile device.”
Issued by U.S. Bank, a DeviceFidelity In2Pay™ microSD is inserted in the customer’s mobile phone or within a specially-designed iPhone case (In2Pay iCaisse™). Visa and DeviceFidelity recently introduced the patent-pending In2Pay microSD based mobile contactless technology and the associated In2Pay iCaisse solution. FIS and Monitise developed the application that enables customers to make mobile purchases and access account information as part of the U.S. Bank pilot.
The solution conforms to the industry standard for memory cards, microSD, and fits into the memory card slot found in many existing mobile devices. U.S. Bank will be testing with several market leading mobile brands. This mobile payment solution is password protected and uses advanced security technology to uniquely identify each contactless transaction. As is true with a lost or stolen card, the chip can be immediately disabled by the bank as needed.
“Consumers worldwide are embracing mobile as a convenient way to engage with and manage their daily financial lives. The ability to link an existing payment account to a mobile phone is transforming how consumers pay and how merchants get paid,” said Bill Gajda, head of mobile innovation at Visa. “The solution developed in collaboration with DeviceFidelity will do just that and has the potential to accelerate the adoption of mobile payments in the U.S.”
“U.S. Bank is leading the way through the early adoption of contactless microSD solutions, and we are excited to be part of their efforts to bring mobile payments to the U.S.,” said Amitaabh Malhotra, chief operating officer at DeviceFidelity. “With the In2Pay solution, we aim to bring the speed, interactivity and security of mobile contactless payments to a user’s preferred device, and collaborating with such enthusiastic, innovative partners such as U.S. Bank, Visa and Monitise is a huge step towards realizing that goal.”
U.S. Bank is a consistent leader in innovative mobile payment solutions. Last month, the company launched a full-suite mobile banking solution with bill pay capabilities for prepaid cardholders – the first of its kind in the prepaid marketplace. It was also the first large American bank to test the Visa Money Transfer person-to-person mobile payment service, and has partnered with Visa to give cardholders on-the go access to account alerts, offers and a locator service with the Visa Mobile application. In addition, U.S. Bank was one of the first banks to test the Visa Micro Tag, an early contactless mobile payment device.
About Visa
Visa is a global payments technology company that connects consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments in more than 200 countries and territories to fast, secure and reliable digital currency. Underpinning digital currency is one of the world's most advanced processing networks--VisaNet--that is capable of handling more than 10,000 transactions a second, with fraud protection for consumers and guaranteed payment for merchants. Visa is not a bank, and does not issue cards, extend credit or set rates and fees for consumers. Visa's innovations, however, enable its financial institution customers to offer consumers more choices: Pay now with debit, ahead of time with prepaid or later with credit products. For more information, visitwww.corporate.visa.com.
About DeviceFidelity
DeviceFidelity, Inc. develops plug-and-play technologies that empower a variety of institutions to deploy their services and applications on millions of mobile phones worldwide. Its patent-pending In2Pay microSD and In2Pay iCaisse solution transforms popular mobile phones into an interactive contactless transaction device. Committed to bringing contactless innovation to the mobile phone, the company has numerous patents pending in both U.S. and international patent offices. DeviceFidelity is a private corporation with headquarters in Richardson, Texas and offices in San Mateo, California and New York. For more information, go to www.devicefidelity.com.
FIS (NYSE: FIS) is one of the world’s largest global providers dedicated to banking and payments technologies. With a long history deeply rooted in the financial services sector, FIS serves more than 14,000 institutions in over 100 countries. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., FIS employs more than 30,000 people worldwide and holds leadership positions in payment processing and banking solutions, providing software, services and outsourcing of the technology that drives financial institutions. FIS is a member of Standard & Poor’s 500® Index and consistently holds a leading ranking in the annual FinTech 100 list. For more information about FIS, visit www.fisglobal.com.
About Monitise
Monitise plc (LSE: MONI.L) is a global leader in Mobile Money solutions, with the proven technology and expertise to enable financial institutions and other service providers to offer a wide range of mobile banking and payments services to their customers in both developed and developing territories. With live services in the UK and in the USA, where it is in partnership with FIS, the company is currently working with international partners to deliver similar safe, secure mobile banking and payment services in territories worldwide, including India and the Asia Pacific region. Current key partners include Visa, VocaLink, FIS, HSBC, Lloyds TSB, First Direct, Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest, Travelex, Ulster Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Vodafone, Orange, O2, T-Mobile, 3 UK, The Carphone Warehouse and First Eastern. For more information visit www.monitisegroup.com.
About U.S. Bancorp
U.S. Bancorp, with $291 billion in assets as of Sept. 30, 2010, is the parent company of U.S. Bank, the fifth-largest commercial bank in the United States. The company operates 3,013 banking offices in 24 states and 5,323 ATMs and provides a comprehensive line of banking, brokerage, insurance, investment, mortgage, trust and payment services products to consumers, businesses and institutions. Visit U.S. Bancorp on the web at www.usbank.com.

Contacts

U.S. Bank Media Relations
Teri Charest, 612-303-0732
teri.charest@usbank.com
or
Visa Global Corporate Relations
Elvira Swanson, 415-932-2564
globalmedia@visa.com
Permalink: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101116005308/en/U.S.-Bank-Expands-Mobile-Capabilities-Innovative-Visa

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PayFlex® Names MasterCard Preferred Healthcare Payment Card Provider

http://www.payflex.comCompanies to Develop Joint Programs to Educate and Drive Use of Prepaid and Debit Healthcare Cards

OMAHA, Neb.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PayFlex Systems USA, Inc. (“PayFlex”), a leading administrator for employee benefit programs, today announced that MasterCard Worldwide will be the preferred payment card provider for PayFlex HealthHub™, a website that uniquely links healthcare, financial and wellness information with a single prepaid or debit card and customer call center, at a central destination.
“By offering employees the option to use a prepaid or debit MasterCard card to pay for their healthcare needs, we’re able to provide a familiar and easy-to-use payment method that offers incentives and additional value for consumers.”
PayFlex powers more than $1 billion in transactions annually for nearly one million participants nationwide. By extending its relationship with MasterCard, PayFlex will continue to provide a single, convenient card for employees to pay for all qualified healthcare expenses, whether through flexible spending accounts (FSAs), health savings accounts (HSAs) or health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs). Additionally, PayFlex and MasterCard will work together to develop innovative educational programs to help ensure consumers understand the simplicity, ease and convenience of healthcare prepaid and debit cards. This unique initiative will enable companies to increase spending account adoption and significantly enhance their incentive management programs.
Rise in Consumer-Directed Healthcare
Employers are increasingly delivering consumer-directed healthcare (CDHC) options, which pair high-deductible plans with HSAs or a similar funding mechanism. According to a 2010 survey by Tower Watson and the National Business Group on Health, 46 percent of companies report consumer-directed health plan (CDHP) enrollment of at least 20 percent. As consumers take more ownership over their healthcare spending, card payments and incentive-based rewards have significantly grown in importance.
“With the continued momentum of consumer-directed healthcare, PayFlex is constantly seeking convenient ways for employees to simplify how they manage their wellness and healthcare spending,” said Rob Butler, president of PayFlex. “By offering employees the option to use a prepaid or debit MasterCard card to pay for their healthcare needs, we’re able to provide a familiar and easy-to-use payment method that offers incentives and additional value for consumers.”
“Consumers today clearly prefer the convenience, security and flexibility that cards tied to HSAs, FSAs and other healthcare accounts can provide. In fact, MasterCard research shows that offering a prepaid or debit card option may be one of the keys to ensuring consumers use their HSAs more effectively,” said Ron Hynes, Group Head, Global Prepaid Product Development Solutions, MasterCard Worldwide. “We are pleased to be working with PayFlex to offer consumers a better way to track healthcare spending, simplify the medical payments process and to make it easier for consumers to manage their medical expenses.”
With MasterCard, PayFlex HealthHub participants can benefit from the convenience of making qualified medical purchases with a MasterCard prepaid or debit card, including for copayments, deductibles, prescriptions, vision care and certain over-the-counter items. In addition to managing spending for tax-advantaged healthcare accounts, employees can leverage this same card for other employer benefits, such as dependent care, transit/parking and incentive programs.
For organizations seeking further information, please contact healthhubinfo@payflex.com.
About MasterCard Worldwide
As a leading global payments company, MasterCard Worldwide prides itself on being at the heart of commerce, helping to make life easier and more efficient for everyone, everywhere. MasterCard serves as a franchisor, processor and advisor to the payments industry, and makes commerce happen by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, governments, businesses, merchants, and cardholders worldwide. In 2009, $2.5 trillion in gross dollar volume was generated on its products by consumers around the world. Powered by the MasterCard Worldwide Network — the fastest payment processing network in the world — MasterCard processes over 22 billion transactions each year, has the capacity to handle 140 million transactions per hour, with an average network response time of 140 milliseconds and with 99.99 percent reliability. MasterCard advances global commerce through its family of brands, including MasterCard®, Maestro®, and Cirrus®; its suite of core products such as credit, debit, and prepaid; and its innovative platforms and functionalities, such as MasterCard PayPass™ and MasterCard inControl™. MasterCard serves consumers, governments, and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. For more information, please visit us at www.mastercard.com. Follow us on Twitter:@mastercardnews.
About PayFlex Systems USA, Inc.
PayFlex (www.payflex.com) is a leading nationwide provider of administration for employee benefit programs, with 20 years of experience. PayFlex provides a broad range of services to several thousand employers, including many Fortune 500 companies that employ several millions of employees. PayFlex services include FSAs, HRAs, HSAs, commuter, dependent care, along with COBRA and direct billing, processing nearly $1 billion in transactions each year.


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Business Wire Partners with CARTES 2010

Business Wire and CARTES 2010: a Perennial Partnership

http://www.businesswire.frCARTES & IDentification 2010
PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Business Wire, the global leader in news distribution, and CARTES & IDentification 2010, the key business event for digital security, smart technologies, payment and mobility, have signed a media partnership agreement for the fourth consecutive year. The trade show, which will be held in Paris from 7 to 9 December 2010, is the main international event for all professionals in the sector.
“Over the years, we've measured the impact of the event in the ever-expanding field of chip cards and digital security. Communication plays a major role in accompanying this trend, and Business Wire has always offered solutions to help companies distribute their information and provide them with exposure at international level”
A genuine crossroads for innovation in smart technologies and identification, CARTES is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. "Business, Innovation, Foresight and Celebration" are the main themes covered by this year's event, which around 20,000 visitors and 1,300 delegates are expected to attend.
"We're very pleased to renew our partnership with the organizers of CARTES ", stated Olivier Corneloup, Director of Business Wire France."Over the years, we've measured the impact of the event in the ever-expanding field of chip cards and digital security. Communication plays a major role in accompanying this trend, and Business Wire has always offered solutions to help companies distribute their information and provide them with exposure at international level".
For the 2010 event, CARTES is offering new inroads into new markets: NFC and contactless payments, card security, debit and credit cards, card manufacturing, identification, M2M & IoT, auto ID, network infrastructure, data and exchange security and a respect for confidentiality. This whole host of topics reflects current market trends.
This year CARTES will again present its SESAMES awards to innovative companies, these are benchmark accolades for the industrialists in the sector. They represent a real promotional springboard for the winners and provide recognition for their projects.
"2010 is an exceptional year for CARTES. We are celebrating 25 years of the Paris trade fair, in March we inaugurated CARTES in Asia, and we have other development projects in the pipeline. The issues relating to smart technologies and card payment solutions have become global, and companies active in this industry need international exposure. CARTES is there to encourage these exchanges. Furthermore, our partnership with Business Wire provides us with additional visibility in international media", stated Slobodan Petrovic, Director of the CARTES & IDentification trade fair.
The three-day CARTES trade fair features a congress, World Card Summit, the SESAMES awards, a pavilion dedicated to the Internet of Things, presentations on smart M2M and biometrics, and offers an opportunity to discover and get acquainted with the latest international innovations and news in the sector. These 3 days, packed with events, will provide perfect opportunities to combine amiable interaction and networking, with informative conferences as well as retrospectives and exceptional exhibitions.
About Business Wire
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About CARTES & IDentification 2010
The CARTES & IDentification Trade show will open its doors from December 7th to 9th at Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre. The world leading event on digital security and smart technologies will bring together all the international players of the sector who will present their innovations to the 20,000 visitors and 1,300 delegates expected. This year, CARTES & IDentification will celebrate its 25 years. www.cartes.com



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