Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Fusepoint to Manage PCI Compliant Online Payments for Canadian Lottery Ticket Sales

MiraTel Selects Fusepoint to Develop and Manage PCI Compliant Online Payment Application for Lottery Ticket Sales

Growing
need for compliance with stringent Payment Card Industry Data Security
Standards (PCI DSS) in Canada driving new business for managed services
provider

Toronto, Aug. 25, 2009--Fusepoint Managed Services, a leading provider of outsourced IT services and infrastructure, today announced it has been selected by MiraTel Solutions Inc., a payment processing application service provider, to fully manage and host the company's new online lottery ticket sales application.

MiraTel, which currently provides back office support for the Canadian lottery industry by supplying full service, help desk, credit card processing, and ticket sales, is now developing an online presence for the lottery industry to sell tickets. However, the site must adhere to stringent PCI compliance rules and regulations and be operational in less than a month.

The PCI compliance standard applies to any organization that holds onto, processes or stores credit card information, and MiraTel knew finding a PCI complaint provider was the key to making this opportunity a reality. After conducting a marketplace review, MiraTel chose Fusepoint Managed Services to manage their online payment application.

"This is an exciting opportunity for MiraTel as we migrate a traditional sales platform to an online transaction, where there is absolutely no room for error, and security is paramount," said Alex Moffat, Managing Director, MiraTel. "We required a Canadian managed services provider that could assist us in developing and managing an online website that could gather payment information and comply with Tier 1 PCI standards. Fusepoint easily met both of those requirements and provided us with the knowledge and expertise we needed to develop a nimble, safe and secure web site."

Based on PCI best practices, and taking a consultative approach, Fusepoint built the web site www.ordertickets.ca, which will go live in September, to collect payment information and ticket sales online. The core payment collection technology is currently live and processing payment information for another charitable lottery.

"If you process credit cards in any way, PCI DSS compliance is mandatory," said George Kerns, President and CEO Fusepoint. "As one of the only Tier 1 PCI compliant hosting providers in Canada we are seeing very strong demand in the marketplace as organizations outsource the critical components of their payment environment to ensure compliance with leading industry standards."

Throughout the process, Fusepoint's security and application development teams collaborated to ensure MiraTel would comply with PCI compliance standards including the online payment application itself, the hardware, bandwidth, data backup, firewall, antivirus, network intrusion detection and end to end monitoring and reporting.

About Fusepoint Managed Services

Founded in 1999, Fusepoint is a privately held company with offices in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Quebec City. Through our proven record of success we have built a loyal base of over 400 customers and strong, strategic relationships with Canada's leading technology and communication companies. Fusepoint's managed IT solutions are SLA-guaranteed, scalable and designed to reduce cost structures while mitigating risk. Fusepoint is also SAS 70 Type II, CICA 5970, and Tier 1 PCI compliant, which means our processes are rigorously and continuously audited by accredited third parties and consistently operate at the highest levels within the industry. For more information, visit www.fusepoint.com .

Source: Company press release.

Online Banking Fraud Worse Than We Think (and we think it's BAD!)

Businesses Reluctant to Report Online Banking Fraud

A confidential alert sent on Friday by a banking industry association to its members warns that Eastern European cyber gangs are stealing millions
of dollars from small to mid-sizes businesses through online banking
fraud. Unfortunately, many victimized companies are reluctant to come
forward out of fear of retribution by their bank.

According to the alert, sent by the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center
(FS-ISAC), the victims of this type of fraud tell different stories,
but the basic elements are the same: Malicious software planted on a
company's Microsoft Windows PC allows the crooks to
gain access to the victim's corporate bank account online. The
attackers wire chunks of money to unwitting and in some cases knowing
accomplices in the United States who then wire the money to the
fraudsters overseas.

As grave as that sounds, the actual losses from this increasingly common type of online crime almost certainly are far higher....

Continue Reading at Security Fix by Brian Krebs

Citi Launches Commercial Cards in Thailand

Citi launches commercial cards in Thailand

Commercial card activity in Southeast Asia continues to increase. In the most recent development, Citi Global Transaction Services, a division of the Institutional Clients Group, launched Citibank Commercial Cards for corporate clients in Thailand. It provides the benefit of an integrated cash-management solution that strengthens financial operations and control over expenses.

Corporate clients in Thailand will be provided with comprehensive, customized and online consolidated statements for expense analysis that is powered by Citibank Custom Reports System. Clients will be offered direct integration of card transaction data into expense management systems including CONCUR, SAP, Oracle or Citi's Global Card Management System.

commercial payments international, Citi, Thailand, Commercial Cards

Verifone Introduces PAYware CMS 8.0

MIAMI, Aug. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CL@B 2009 Congress (Stand # 301- 303) -- VeriFone Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: PAY - News),
today announced PAYware CMS 8.0, a new version of its comprehensive
card management enterprise software for banks, financial institutions,
processors and retailers who wish to issue cards, accept electronic
payments and merchant management.

PAYware CMS enables issuers to easily set up and manage feature-rich card programs for both physical and virtual card payments. For acquirers, PAYware CMS supports individual merchant needs such as acquiring services contracts to accept, authorize and settle card transactions; it also offers multi-merchant support at all levels.

"This update to PAYware CMS complies with the latest PCI DSS requirements and features improved performance and a new intuitive graphical interface which eases usability of every aspect of the system, enhancing productivity and efficiency," said Gustavo Jimenez, vice president and general manager for the Integrated Systems Group of VeriFone Latin America and the Caribbean.

PAYware CMS 8.0 supports all aspects of card and merchant management, payment authorization, clearing and settlement. It can also be used by telcos to issue pre-paid cards and by government agencies to issue and process electronic benefits.

New security features include encryption of sensitive data, PAN masking, and detailed audit tracking of user activity. The software supports all major card association schemes and full EMV compliance for both issuing and acquiring organizations.

The new graphical interface provides an intuitive look and feel with:

Improved graphical dashboards for more immediate monitoring of authorization processes

A highly configurable Web-based reporting module that increases access, automation, and flexibility of reporting

PAYware CMS provides the scalability, flexibility and configurability to manage any in-house merchant acquiring or card issuance program including branded card scheme, private label, stored value/loyalty, private label, fleet, and prepaid cards.

It is a flexible, modular and business-driven solution designed to address the main challenges facing the card industry today, which include the importance of innovation, differentiation and customer retention in an increasingly competitive environment.

Additional Resources:

www.verifone.com/payware-cms

About VeriFone Holdings, Inc. (www.verifone.com)

VeriFone Holdings, Inc. ("VeriFone") (NYSE: PAY - News) is the global leader in secure electronic payment solutions. VeriFone provides expertise, solutions and services that add value to the point of sale with merchant-operated, consumer-facing and self-service payment systems for the financial, retail, hospitality, petroleum, government and healthcare vertical markets. VeriFone solutions are designed to meet the needs of merchants, processors and acquirers in developed and emerging economies worldwide.

PSD Compliance Costing Top Banks Top Dollars

Finextra: Top banks spend big to attain PSD compliance

Tier one banks in Europe have set aside as much as EUR20 million each to attain compliance with the EU's Payment Services Directive (PSD) by November, with about 30% of the budget earmarked for technology changes.

Working with Finextra, Accenture surveyed nearly thirty EU banks, including nearly 20% of the top 100, to assess industry-views, core challenges to implementation, and bank readiness for the PSD, which will harmonise the EU's legal payments infrastructure.

EU bank respondents express confidence in their ability to meet the 1 November compliance deadline, with a vast majority (90%) saying they will be legally compliant on time and nearly three-quarters (72%) saying they expect to be fully compliant by November. Legal compliance to PSD is achievable without full implementation.

Continue Reading at Finextra

Learn more about PSD

PSD Compliance, Payment Services Directive, Banks, Finextra, EU, Accenture

U.S. Payment Industry Grapples with Security - Reuters

In an article published by Reuters India, Ross Kerber is getting all fired up over the blame game. ("They both need to fight fraud and they are fighting each other")

My two cents? It's the typing. You type, hackers swipe... Would you write the combination of your padlock on a post it note and attach it to the lock itself? Then why are we typing?

U.S. payment-card industry grapples with security | Reuters

By Ross Kerber

BOSTON (Reuters) - Fresh details of large-scale cyber attacks against data processor Heartland Payment Systems Inc and supermarket chain Hannaford Brothers show the challenges facing the efforts of the U.S. credit-card industry to upgrade security measures.

While both companies say their computer networks met the tough new standards meant to prevent data breaches, Visa Inc said Heartland at least may have let its guard down.

The positions reflect broader disagreements in the industry, as squabbling between merchants and financial firms over technology and the cost of systems upgrades continues to impede progress, said Robert Vamosi, an analyst for California consulting firm Javelin Strategy & Research.

"They both need to fight fraud and they are fighting each other," he said.

The financial stakes are getting higher. Fraud involving credit and debit cards reached $22 billion last year, up from $19 billion in 2007, according to California consulting firm Javelin Strategy & Research.

The security of consumer information came under renewed scrutiny on August 17 when a 28-year-old Florida man, Albert Gonzalez, was indicted along with two other unnamed hackers for breaching the computer networks of Heartland and Hannaford, both of which said they were in compliance with security requirements.

Those standards were set by a council that includes the world's two largest credit card networks, Visa and MasterCard Inc; fast-food leader McDonald's Corp; oil major Exxon Mobil Corp; and big banks Bank of America Corp and Royal Bank of Scotland Plc.

All these companies face rising costs linked to fraud and its prevention. Of the 275,284 complaints received last year by the government's Internet Crime Complaint Center, 24,775 were tied to credit or debit card fraud, up from 13,033 in 2007 and 9,960 in 2006.

Continue Reading ...

HomeATM, phishing, Albert Gonzalez, Hacking, Hacker, Heartland Payment Systems, Hannaford,

Real Time Keylogging Makes OTP Log-In Obsolete (If you Type it...They will Come!)

Until providers see "what hackers clearly see"... which is ANYTHING that is typed, whether it be credit/debit card numbers, usernames, passwords, (temporary, numeric, one-time, secret answers to secret questions etc. etc. etc.) our data will continue to be
compromised. According to Help Net Security...

Now, word comes that Hackers have improved keylogging software by
making it able to report your login credentials in "real time" via a
Twitter-like stream of updates that makes it possible for malicious
hackers to access your accounts even as you're using them.

The efficiency of this new variant of keyloggers is best seen during
routine operations like usage of Internet banking services.

Systems like
RSA's SecurID create temporary numeric passwords that get changed each
minute. The problem is, the attacker now gets the same password
immediately.

Editor's Note: It will get worse...it will NOT get better.

Think of Typing as sort of like a "Field of Dreams" for hackers.

If you type it...they will come.

Read Entire Article Here

Monday, August 24, 2009

The HomeATM Solution

HomeATM
ePayment Solutions, is a leading provider of secure hardware and
software solutions.

The Safe-T-PIN point of sale terminal, manufactured
by HomeATM, is the first ever Internet PIN

entry device (PED) PCI
certification 2.x. The Safe-T-PIN™ provides secure multi-factor
authentication

for e-commerce transactions and secure log-in,
including;

Cardholder Card Control

Device Level Encryption

4-Factor AuthenticationFraud Reduction/Elimination

Quick and Cost Effective

Credit and Debit transaction agnostic

HomeATM's
PCI PED certified device and patented solution; is portable, cost
effective, secure

with instantaneous implementation and completely
ubiquitous (integration into any processing

platform). Just like the
grocery store, gas pump or bank, users simply swipe their card and
enter their

PIN to authenticate themselves. Merchants can confidently
process orders knowing that this method

of authentication to represents
the lowest fraud risk of any transaction and therefore help provide the

lowest fees saving them countless dollars each month. The process is
adaptable to niche applications

that extend its reach beyond simply
online commerce, specifically.

Person to Person (P2P)

Business to Consumer (B2C)

Business to Business (B2B)

On line banking, authentication

Field Services (food delivery, MLM, home sales, taxi, etc)

Prepaid, gift card, stored value and payroll card fund loading

Cross-pollination of brick and mortar clients to the retailer’s dot-com site

The most cost efficient POS hardware available

The
cardholder and their card are present in all scenarios driving
increased security,

fraud reduction, and favorable interchange rates.

Security

Using
impregnable, unimpeachable security we eliminate fraud in the ePayment
ecosystem.

HomeATM’s secure architecture is bank and military grade
insuring the highest integrity behind

every transaction.

Defend Against Hackers who can easily

Screenscrape

Phish

Mouseclick log

Key-log

Install malware

Security
experts unanimously agree that the Safe-T-PIN is the only secure means
of using a PIN

on the internet – “swipe, encrypt and transmit”

Click below to visit the newly designed HomeATM Website...or go to www.HomeATM.net

Think Conference to be Held in Scottsdale

Think Again!

CO-OP’s Annual THINK Conference to be Held April 18-21, 2010 in Scottsdale, Ariz

Registration will be free, online interest forms can be found at www.co-opthink.org

It's not your typical conference. At
THINK 10, world-class visionaries from a range of backgrounds will
share their insights - and sometimes shocking advice - on catapulting
your credit union forward. THINK speakers will inspire, energize, and
awaken you to a new way of seeing the credit union movement.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. (August 24, 2009) – The THINK Conference, which earlier this year attracted more than 350 credit union industry leaders and featured speakers representing some of the world’s best known brands like Nike, Target, Porsche, Travelocity and more, will return in April 2010.

“THINK is the only conference for credit union leaders that both generates new ideas and hones them into unique, business-changing plans and tactics,” said Stan Hollen, President/CEO of CO-OP. “Think 2010 will once again bring you top level strategic advice from outstanding thought leaders from a variety of fields, so that you can aggressively move your credit union forward.”

THINK 2010 will be held from April 18-21, 2010 at the Scottsdale Fairmont Hotel in Scottsdale, Ariz. As in 2009, registration for the event will be free. Reservations will be accepted starting in September, but interested parties can go immediately to www.co-opthink.org to complete a brief online form enabling them to receive conference updates and registration notification.

“With the THINK Conference, we look very carefully at the issues facing the credit union industry and look for speakers with remarkable success stories to tell with lessons credit unions can make immediately actionable,” said Hollen. “We encourage you to save the dates, April 18-21, 2010, and plan on attending this unique forum for learning from the trials and achievements of other world class organizations.”

Past speakers at THINK Conferences include Steve Woznick of Apple, Scott Bedbury of Nike, Peter Schutz of Porsche and Ken Schmidt of Harley Davidson. CO-OP will be announcing its roster of speakers for THINK 2010 next month.

About CO-OP Financial Services

Established in 1981 and located in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., CO-OP Financial Services is the organization that provides the tools, counsel and leadership to help credit unions and their members prosper. Wholly owned by its credit union shareholders, CO-OP provides volume discounts on payments products and services that include ATM network access, debit processing, ATM processing, shared branching, check imaging and mobile payments.

With nearly 3,000 credit union members, 28,000 surcharge-free ATMs (including 9,000 deposit-taking), 3,700 shared branch locations (the largest number of branches of any network), 155 million-plus monthly transactions and 26 million cardholders, CO-OP Financial Services is the number No. 1 credit union electronic funds transfer (EFT) network and processor in the U.S. financial services industry. CO-OP Financial Services’ membership has access to 800,000 ATMs worldwide through links to NYCE, STAR, Cirrus, PULSE and Plus. For more information, go to: www.co-opfs.org.

Metavante Says Danversbank to Deploy Rewards Program

Milwaukee, Aug. 24, 2009–-Metavante (NYSE:MV), a leading provider of banking and payments technology, today announced that Danversbank has deployed Metavante Corporation’s expanded rewards and loyalty product to offer its clients a blended rewards program that combines issuer- and merchant-funded rewards. Serving the greater Boston area, Danversbank was founded in 1850 and is the principal subsidiary of Danvers Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:DNBK).

By implementing Metavante’s Points2U Plus offering, Danversbank has expanded and enhanced upon the Metavante-powered rewards and loyalty program that’s been available to Danversbank customers since 2006. Through its deployment of Points2U Plus, Danversbank now awards cardholders with bonus points for debit card-based transactions made at participating retailers — this is in addition to the points a cardholder already earns by using their Dansverbank-issued debit card. The bank is also leveraging Points2U Plus to award double points for card use during seasonal promotions, as well as to reward cardholders with additional loyalty points for the use of other Danversbank services.

“Danversbank continuously looks for ways to provide exceptional service to our customers, and Metavante has been a trusted, collaborative partner who has helped us in that pursuit,” said John Carroll, senior vice president of Operations at Danversbank. “When we are looking to deploy integrated, best-of-breed payments solutions that support our goals and deepen customer relationships, we turn to Metavante. Points2U Plus provides the capacity to tailor Danversbank’s rewards offering to effectively create the customer loyalty that rewards programs are meant to deliver, and most importantly, allows our customers to realize additional value from their everyday purchasing behavior.”

Cardholders can login through the Points2U Web site to view and redeem their points from a Danversbank-branded redemption page, or contact the Points2U call center. The bank’s cardholders have several redemption options, including gift cards, merchandise, travel and downloadable items. Retail recruitment, analytics and customer experience is powered by Affinity Solutions, a leader in merchant-funded rewards programs. Affinity Solutions continually recruits relevant national, regional and local retailers with in-store and online offers across a variety of categories, specifically for participation in the Metavante program.

“Financial institutions increasingly look to payments revenue to maintain market leadership. As rising card activation rates and transaction volumes grow in importance, so too does the ability of a rewards program to attract, retain and improve the loyalty of cardholders,” said Frank D’Angelo, group president, Metavante Payment Solutions. “Points2U Plus makes this competitive tactic available to financial institutions of all sizes, including those without an existing Metavante relationship.”

Available through a wide range of account access channel deployment and customization options, Points2U Plus can support an overarching “relationship rewards” program across multiple product lines, and features a branded points redemption Web site that’s easily identified with the financial institution offering the rewards.

In addition to Points2U, the bank uses a number of products and services powered by Metavante technology, including: risk and compliance, exclusive participation in the NYCE Network for ATM and POS, and a variety of electronic funds transfer solutions including ATM driving, card processing and card personalization.

About Danversbank The bank was founded in 1850 and is a $1.8 billion financial institution operating out of its Main Office at One Conant Street in Danvers, along with 15 other locations in Andover, Beverly, Cambridge, Chelsea, Danvers, Malden, Middleton, Peabody, Reading, Revere, Salem (2), Saugus, Wilmington and Woburn. The bank also has a full service Commercial Banking office at One Post Office Square in Boston. In the fall, Danversbank will open two more full-service branches, the first on Mass Ave. in Boston, and the second on Main Street in Waltham. More information can be found on their web site at www.danversbank.com .

About Metavante Metavante Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:MV) is the parent company of Metavante Corporation. Metavante Corporation delivers banking and payments technologies to approximately 8,000 financial services firms and businesses worldwide. Metavante products and services drive account processing for deposit, loan and trust systems, image-based and conventional check processing, electronic funds transfer (EFT), consumer healthcare payments, electronic presentment and payment, outsourcing, and payment network solutions including the NYCE Network, a leading ATM/PIN debit network. Metavante (www.metavante.com ) is headquartered in Milwaukee.

Source: Company press release.

PreCash Partners with Green Dot

Houston, Aug. 24, 2009--PreCash, its processor Galileo and Green Dot are partnering to give PreCash's prepaid debit card-holders the ability to add cash to their cards at nearly 50,000 additional U.S. retail locations by using a Green Dot MoneyPak. In addition to Direct Deposit, PreCash cardholders can now load cash onto their cards at more locations nationwide, including Walgreens, CVS/pharmacy, Rite Aid, Kmart and Kroger.

To promote this new reloading option, Green Dot and PreCash will be offering PreCash's Vision Premier Prepaid Visa Card with Direct Deposit cardholders a "First Load Free" reward through the holiday season. For Vision Premier Prepaid Visa Card cardholders who load their cards with a Green Dot MoneyPak between August 5, 2009 and December 31, 2009, PreCash will rebate the load fee within four weeks of the transaction with a statement credit. Details about the promotion are available at www.visionprepaid.com .

"We've seen exponential growth with our Vision Premier Card over the last four years as consumers look for credit card alternatives that offer the same convenience, management and protection of plastic, without hidden fees," says John Chaney, Chairman and CEO for PreCash. "With the Green Dot MoneyPak, our cardholders have another safe, convenient and affordable way to add cash to any of their accounts."

Mark Troughton, President of Green Dot Financial Network states, "Green Dot is very pleased to partner with PreCash and provide their cardholders the ease and convenience of loading cash to their Card, at the point-of-sale, at the nation's largest retailers."

"We are excited about the continued growth and success of the PreCash prepaid programs. Providing more convenient options to reload cards through the Green Dot Reload Network will be a great added benefit for PreCash customers," said Todd Brockman, President of Galileo Processing, Inc.

About PreCash, Inc.

PreCash provides convenient, real-time payment solutions that convert cash into electronic payments for consumers who do not use traditional payment methods such as credit cards or bank accounts. PreCash offers the Vision Premier(SM) Prepaid Visa card and other prepaid Visa and MasterCard products, prepaid debit card program management services, real-time cash bill payments, prepaid wireless refills, payroll card products and more. The company places more than 30,000 prepaid debit cards in the market monthly and services more than 30,000 national retail, wireless dealers and independent retail locations nationwide. Founded in 1998, PreCash is headquartered in Houston, Texas, with additional offices in Portland, Oregon. For more information, visit www.precash.com, or www.visionprepaid.com .

Source: Company press release.

Australia Debit Growth Aussome!

Visa and Mastercard Debit cards Taking Charge in AU 24 August 2009 Strong Leap Over Same Period Last Year Consumers put a little more on their credit cards in June but the long term trend continues to be for shoppers to cut back on their use of credit. The latest credit card data from the Reserve Bank, published yesterday, shows that the average card balance rose from $3,094 in May to $3,127 in June but that June figure is down 0.2 per cent on a year ago. The big news is the growth in debit, particularly Visa and Mastercard debit cards. The value of purchases made on debit cards in June was 40 per cent higher than in the same period last year. Debit now makes up 35.8 per cent of card payments in Australia. According to MWE Consulting, debit accounts are increasing at more than twice the rate of credit and charge accounts. “Scheme debit has increased from a 21.3 per cent share of the value of debit purchases in March 2008, when data commenced, to 26.7 in June this year. Share rose 24 per cent over the past 12 months and the trend shows no signs of abating.”

Source : The Sheet

Hackers Exploit Evolving Web

Bits - Hackers Exploit an Evolving Web - NYTimes.com

By SAUL HANSELL

Published: August 24, 2009

The world’s savviest hackers are on to the “real-time Web” and using it to devilish effect. The real-time Web is the fire hose of information coming from services like Twitter. The latest generation of Trojans — nasty little programs that hacking gangs use to burrow onto your computer — sends a Twitter-like stream of updates about everything you do back to their controllers, many of whom, researchers say, are in Eastern Europe.

Trojans once just accumulated secret diaries of your Web surfing and periodically sent the results to the hacker.

By going real time, hackers can get around some of the roadblocks that companies have put in their way. Most significant, they are now undeterred by systems that create temporary passwords, such as RSA’s SecurID system, which involves a small gadget that displays a six-digit number that changes every minute based on a complex formula.

If your computer is infected, the Trojan zaps your temporary password back to the waiting hacker, who immediately uses it to log onto your account. Sometimes the hacker logs on from his own computer, probably using tricks to hide its location. Other times, the Trojan allows the hacker to control your computer, opening a browser session that you can’t see.

“What everybody thought was a very secure identification method, these guys found a low-tech means to get around it,” said Joe Stewart, the director of malware research for SecureWorks, a software company. “They don’t break the encryption; they just log in at the same time you do.”

hackers, web, browser, don't type, swipe

Bing's Wolfram Alpha Move

About 3 months ago in a post entitled: Wolfram Alpha...Better than Segway! there was speculation that Google and Wolfram Alpha might work together...but 3 months later, it's Microsoft's Bing who enters the fray.

Microsoft's Bing search engine and Wolfram Alpha have reached a
licensing deal that allows Bing to present some of the specialized
scientific and computational content that Wolfram Alpha generates,
according to a source familiar with the deal.

Representatives from Microsoft and Wolfram Research declined to comment on the deal.

Wolfram Alpha's unique blend of computational input and curated output has not taken the world by storm, but it is considered an interesting enough take on the business of internet search to attract high-profile attention within the industry.

Wolfram Alpha does not return the usual list of links to pages with search keywords, instead providing answers to questions such as stock prices and complex mathematical formulas — with mixed results.

Bing, on the other hand, is enjoying a solid start in the three months since it made its debut as it gains users, and it will at some point be the default search experience on Yahoo's highly trafficked pages following a long-awaited deal.

It is not clear whether Bing results will carry Wolfram's branding (that is, results 'Powered By Wolfram Alpha'), but there will be some sort of presence.

It is unlikely that Bing is going to turn over the bulk of its results to Alpha, however. In a blog post on Friday, Wolfram founder Stephen Wolfram admitted that linguistic problems are to blame for half of the occasions when Wolfram Alpha does not return a result. That percentage is changing as Wolfram refines the science behind Wolfram Alpha, but it will take some time.

This article was originally posted on CNET News.

MasterCard Settles with NZ Commerce Commission on Interchange Fees

Media Release Issued 24 August 2009/No. 20

Commerce Commission and MasterCard agree to settle credit card interchange fee proceedings

The Commerce Commission and MasterCard International Incorporated (MasterCard) have signed an agreement settling the Commission’s claims that MasterCard’s credit card scheme rules providing for the payment of multilateral interchange fees, together with related rules, breached the restrictive trade practices provisions of the Commerce Act.

The Commission and MasterCard have agreed to resolve the Commission’s claims on substantially the same basis as the Commission’s settlement with Visa, which was announced on 12 August 2009.

The agreement with MasterCard requires MasterCard to alter the way its scheme rules will apply in New Zealand. The changes include:

Credit card issuers will now be able to individually set the interchange rates that will apply to transactions using their credit cards, subject to maximum rates determined by MasterCard. These rates will be publicly available.

Merchants will no longer be prevented from applying surcharges to payments made by credit cards or by specific types of credit cards. Any surcharges will be disclosed to cardholders at the time of sale and bear a reasonable relationship to the merchant’s costs of accepting MasterCard products. Merchants will also be able to encourage customers to pay by other means.

MasterCard has confirmed that non-bank organisations or companies who might wish to provide acquiring services to merchants are permitted to join the MasterCard network as acquirers if they meet relevant financial and prudential criteria.

“The agreed changes to the MasterCard rules will boost competition in the provision of credit card services to retailers in New Zealand,” said Commerce Commission Chair Dr Mark Berry. “The Commission is pleased that MasterCard has agreed to settle the Commission’s claims on the same basis as Visa.”

“The settlement can be expected to reduce overall costs to consumers of payment systems by driving down interchange fees and facilitating merchant steering towards lower cost payment methods. It will also ensure that costs of credit card use fall to a greater extent on the card users themselves, who can make informed choices about payment methods, and less on other consumers,” said Dr Berry.

MasterCard has agreed to contribute $3 million towards the Commission’s costs to date in bringing these proceedings.

On the basis of the settlement agreement the Commission will be seeking leave to discontinue its proceedings against MasterCard in the High Court. The Commission’s claims against ANZ National Bank Limited, Bank of New Zealand, Westpac New Zealand Limited, ASB Bank Limited, Kiwibank and TSB Bank Limited in relation to interchange fees in the Visa scheme continues, as does its claim against those banks and The Warehouse Financial Services Limited in relation to the MasterCard rules. The Commission’s remaining claims will be heard at the High Court in Auckland in October this year.

The Commission will be making no further comment at this time, due to the remaining claims yet to be heard. A public version of the settlement agreement with MasterCard can be found attached to this media release and on the Commission’s website.

Background

Settlement with Visa. The media release Commerce Commission and Visa reach agreement to settle credit card interchange fee proceedings is available on the Commission’s website www.comcom.govt.nz under Media Centre/Media Releases

Interchange fees. Each time a New Zealand Visa or MasterCard cardholder makes a purchase, the card accepter (usually a retailer or service provider) pays a fee to their own bank as part of the payment authorization process. That fee is comprised mainly of the interchange fee, which is paid to the cardholder’s bank.

Visa and MasterCard purchases occur in a four-party card system, which operates as follows:

Cardholder purchases goods or services from a merchant;

Merchant sends the transaction details to its own bank (acquiring bank);

Acquiring bank sends the transaction details to the bank or financial institution that issued the card (card issuing bank);

Card issuing bank pays the acquiring bank the retail price of the goods or services less the interchange fee;

Acquiring bank pays the merchant the retail price less a merchant service fee;

Card issuing bank debits the retail price from the cardholder’s account.

The retailer or service provider that has incurred the interchange fee is not allowed to recover the fee from the cardholder, so must average out the cost of that fee across all of their sales. This increases the cost of every item or service sold by businesses which accept Visa or MasterCard. All customers of those businesses bear that averaged fee, regardless of whether the customer pays by credit card, cash, EFTPOS or another payment method.

Credit card usage in New Zealand.

In 2004 there were approximately 2.1 million Visa cards and 900,000 MasterCard cards in use in New Zealand.

In 2004 Visa had 61 per cent of the New Zealand credit card billings, and MasterCard had 29 per cent of the market.

Relevant sections of the Commerce Act. The proceedings are brought under sections 27 and 30 of the Commerce Act 1986. Section 27 prohibits contracts, arrangements or understandings that substantially lessen competition. Section 30 prohibits price fixing, which is when people or businesses that are in competition with each other agree to control, fix or maintain the prices for the goods or services that they supply. Price fixing is deemed to substantially lessen competition under section 27 of the Commerce Act.

Penalties. The Commerce Act provides for penalties for price-fixing of up to the higher of $10 million per breach, or either three times the commercial gain resulting from the breach or 10 per cent of a company’s turnover.

International action on interchange fees. Interchange fees have been scrutinized by many international regulatory agencies. In 2003, the Reserve Bank of Australia moved to regulate the level of interchange fees, reducing the fees over time from 0.95 per cent of transaction value to less than 0.50 per cent. Public and private competition enforcement actions have also been brought in respect of interchange fee arrangements in numerous jurisdictions, including the United States and the UK.

Media contact:

Allanah Kalafatelis, Communications Manager

Phone work (04) 924 3708, mobile 021 225 4417

Felicity Connell, Senior Communications Adviser

Phone work (04) 924 3709, mobile 021 225 4454

Commission media releases can be viewed at www.comcom.govt.nz

Three Merchants to Offer Moneta Bank Payments

Three Specialty Internet Merchants to Offer Moneta Bank Payments

Three
online specialty retailers, Trade as One, Pro-Techt and Global Living,
will offer Moneta as their newest online payment option. Moneta offers
consumers a secure, free online payment method which enables them to
safely pay from their bank account without leaving the merchant site or
disclosing sensitive information.

Atlanta, GA
(PRWEB) August 25, 2009 -- Three online specialty retailers, Trade as
One, Pro-Techt and Global Living, will offer Moneta as their newest
online payment option. Moneta offers consumers a secure, free online
payment method which enables them to safely pay from their bank account
without leaving the merchant site or disclosing sensitive information.

"Moneta provides the best combination of low costs and sales uplift
available that we've found in an online payment method," said Stuart
Rentz, COO of Trade as One. "As a Fair Trade retailer, we are always
looking for cost-effective ways to attract new customers to our site.
The access Moneta provides to acquire new customers through their bank
marketing programs is very appealing to us. We are looking forward to
offering Moneta to our customers and participating in their national
bank marketing campaigns."

Customers set up their free Moneta account conveniently through a single enrollment process at www.monetacorp.com
setting a username, password and designating a bank account for the
online payments. When shopping online, the consumer simply logs in, and
completes the transaction within seconds, without leaving the merchant
site or revealing sensitive information.

"Specialty merchants face many challenges in keeping costs low and
attracting new customers," said Guido Sacchi, CEO of Moneta
Corporation. "We are committed to providing the best balance of low
cost payments and incremental sales opportunities for Moneta's merchant
partners. Moreover, Moneta provides specialty as well as mass-market
merchants' access to a high quality, low-risk consumer base through our
bank marketing programs."

Consumers shopping with Trade as One, Pro-Techt and Global Living may
make purchases using the Moneta payment option in early September.
TradeasOne.com, an Internet retailer of Fair Trade gifts, enables
consumers to fight global poverty by purchasing products from artisans
in the developing world. Pro-Techt develops and markets products that
provide healthier, safer, and more enjoyable outdoor experiences.
Global Living is an online and brick and mortar urban home furnishings
store offering unique one-of-a-kind antiques and artisan pieces mixed
with new and modern furniture.

About Moneta Corporation

Moneta Corporation is a leading
payments company offering secure, convenient methods for consumers to
pay online merchants directly from their checking or money market
accounts. Moneta partners with online merchants and banks to accept and
process payments, while providing additional branding opportunities and
revenue streams. Moneta's rapidly growing partner network enables
online retailers and travel providers to attract valuable customers
with a preference for paying directly from their well-established bank
accounts. Moneta is a privately-held company headquartered in Atlanta,
Ga. For more information, visit www.monetacorp.com.

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Cadivi's $300 Million Debit

A $300 Million Debt

Cadivi delinquent before the national banking system

The chairman of the Currency Administration Commission (Cadivi), Manuel
Barroso, reported that the managing entity owes $300 million to the
financial system. This amount corresponds to the money which credit
card users spend abroad, which has been regulated by the government for
the past six and a half years. Some banks have prohibited the use of
credit cards abroad because of the government's delays in paying up.

The banking institutions are not inclined to use their assets to pay
Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club and American Express operators.

Trade
Minister Eduardo Saman announced that institutions which block the use
of credit cards without justified reason -- overdrafts or failure to
pay -- will be fined. Venezuelan credit card holders may not spend mor
than $2,500 per year on consumption, according to regulations laid down
by Cadivi. The government is studying increasing the amounts based on
duration and destination.

Want to understand more about Cadivi? Click here

Nevada Prepares for Online Gambling Legalization

INTERNET GAMBLING: Nevada prepared for the 'if'

State could assume leadership role if legislation passes

By HOWARD STUTZ

Nevada, where declining gaming and sales tax collections have ravaged the biennial budget, could benefit financially if a bill to legalize Internet gambling in the United States is approved by Congress.

The potential, however, rests on a big IF.

Editor's Note: IF and when itis passed, don't forget that Nevada passed a new law which mandatesbusinesses to comply with PCI when collecting or transmitting paymentdata.

Nevada Mandates that "ALL" Merchants Comply with PCI
A First: PCI ComplianceMandated for State's Merchants. Nevada, has passed a new law that, asof next year, requires businesses to comply with PCI when collecting ortransmitting payment card information.

A House of Representatives resolution was introduced in May that would establish a framework to permit licensed online gambling operators to accept wagers from inside the United States. Legal experts said Nevada has the statutory structure in place to investigate and license online gaming companies. Also, Nevada could become the premier American jurisdiction for hosting Internet casinos.

If the sites were to operate from Nevada, gaming regulators said the online businesses would have to pay upfront fees. Also, the online casinos would be taxed at the same rate as Strip casinos, now 6.75 percent on gaming revenues.

Again, a big IF because the keys to the whole deal rest with the 111th Congress some 2,500 miles to the east in Washington, D.C. Federal lawmakers have focused attention on health care reform, the nation's economic crisis and other matters, setting aside issues such as Internet gambling.

"(Debate on the bill) probably won't happen this year," said former Sen. Richard Bryan, an attorney with Lionel Sawyer & Collins, who spent 12 years representing Nevada in the U.S. Senate as a Democrat. "My sense, however, is that there is a gathering, gradual momentum where, eventually, Internet gaming will occur and be regulated," Bryan said. "I'm just not sure if it has reached critical mass yet."

Lack of action hasn't stopped interest in the subject.

Bryan and fellow Lionel Sawyer & Collins attorney Greg Gemignani said the firm has been approached by potential clients who want to set up Internet gambling businesses in Nevada should the activity be legalized. Nevada lawmakers enacted the process to license Internet gaming in 2001 but the state's effort went dormant a year later when there wasn't any action on the federal level.

If Internet gaming is legalized under the current bill in Congress, Nevada could be chosen by the Department of Treasury to determine whether an applicant is suitable for federal gaming licensing.

BENEFITS TO NEVADA

Observers believe Nevada, which legalized casinos in 1931, stands to benefit because the state has investigated and licensed gaming companies and regulated the industry longer than any other jurisdiction.

"The suitability requirements under the current bill look like a subset of what Nevada already requires," Gemignani said. "Given Nevada's current laws permitting interactive gaming licensing, Nevada is well-placed to be at the forefront of regulating online gaming and providing assistance to the federal government in determining the suitability of applicants."

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Verifone Introduces MX ATM Cash & Payments System for Latin America Market

Partners with PROSA on Customized Payment Kiosk for Mexico Retail Stores

MIAMI, Aug. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- VeriFone Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: PAY - News), today introduced the MX ATM, a new convenience retail payment kiosk with cash dispensing and deposit functionality, designed for the Latin America market. PROSA, Mexico's largest electronic switch and processor, partnered with VeriFone for a customized solution that it plans to roll out nationally throughout retail locations in Mexico.

The VeriFone MX ATM is a family of secure, simple-to-use payment and cash dispensing kiosks, intended for environments such as hotels, department stores, night clubs, and enterprises.

Merchants can install the MX ATM kiosks to dispense cash, balance inquiry and to provide a variety of value-added services including telco top-up, bill payment, redemption and reloading of prepaid cards.

"VeriFone's MX ATM provides PROSA with a new solution to increase customer loyalty, reduce operating costs and expand our reach to dispersed points of service," said Miguel Angel Balcazar, new business executive director for PROSA.

MX ATM decreases cash management and security costs for retailers by providing a tool for cash recycling. The MX ATM can also be configured to include other peripherals such as barcode readers, biometric readers and coin acceptors for deployment in different environments, such as parking and mass transit.

"VeriFone continues to develop new secure electronic payment solutions tailored to the needs of local markets," said Fernando Lopez, senior vice president and general manager for VeriFone Latin America and the Caribbean. "MX ATM can be custom-configured to meet the specific needs of an organization and provides the highest security to ensure integrity of remote operations."

Among the MX ATM's most important features is its advanced monitoring capability, highly secure environment, including 3DES, EMV, and PCI-PED, electronic locks, optional ink dye systems, several optional vaults, virus-free Linux environment, designed to operate in the most demanding environments.

Additional Resources:

www.verifone.com/mx-atm

About VeriFone Holdings, Inc. (www.verifone.com)

VeriFone Holdings, Inc. ("VeriFone") (NYSE: PAY - News) is the global leader in secure electronic payment solutions. VeriFone provides expertise, solutions and services that add value to the point of sale with merchant-operated, consumer-facing and self-service payment systems for the financial, retail, hospitality, petroleum, government and healthcare vertical markets. VeriFone solutions are designed to meet the needs of merchants, processors and acquirers in developed and emerging economies worldwide.

Verifone MX ATM, PROSA, Verifone Holdings, PAY

Monitise Buys Vocalink

Finextra:

Monitise buys out Vocalink to take control of Monilink network

Monitise has bought out joint venture partner VocaLink to take full control of UK mobile banking and payments network Monilink. Monitise will pay an initial £1.5 million in cash over three years for debt-free, 100% ownership of the network.

VocaLink will continue to provide Monilink with access to its banking and payments infrastructure, in return for services fees. The firm could also earn up to £1.5 million in further consideration, subject to Monilink beating financial performance targets, between now and June 2013.

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Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Businesses Reluctant to Report Online Banking Fraud

Monday, August 24, 2009

Three Specialty Internet Merchants to Offer Moneta Bank Payments

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