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San Jose, Calif.-based point-of-sale terminal developer VeriFone Holdings Inc.'s outspoken chief executive, Douglas G. Bergeron, sought in an analysts' conference call Tuesday to make hay out of the current concern about cardholder data security stemming from recent breaches at retailers such as TJX Cos. (Digital Transactions News, March 29). Older …
Read More »Emida-Q Comm Merger Could Expand Prepaid Market for ISOs
Two processors specializing in prepaid wireless transactions announced a merger on Wednesday that will create the second-largest provider in the business and could create opportunities for independent sales organizations. In a deal for which terms were not announced, Emida Technologies Inc., Foothill Ranch, Calif., is combining with Orem, Utah-based Q …
Read More »MPI Case May Not Be the Last ISO Action, FTC Says
A recent case filed by the Federal Trade Commission against an independent sales organization in Beaverton, Ore., may not be the last such action the federal regulator will bring. In April, the agency sued Merchant Processing Inc. in federal court, alleging the ISO duped merchants by promising to buy out …
Read More »Some Phishing News Not As Good As It Seems, Latest Report Says
In the battle against the online fraud known as phishing, March brought a mix of good news and bad, with dramatic drops in malicious software offset by a steep rise in targeted brands, according to the latest report from an organization that tracks the fraud. Separately, the U.S. Commerce Department …
Read More »Processor Plans To Combine Prepaid MasterCards with Phones
Prepaid card processor eCommLink Inc. is joining with mobile phone and payment technology providers to offer a cell phone and prepaid debit MasterCard tied to a single account. The prepaid MasterCard function eventually will be incorporated into the phone, enabling consumers to use the phone for payments at merchants' points …
Read More »First Data Plans To Cut 12 Data Centers Down to Three by Mid ’09
As part of its efforts to rationalize its operations, First Data Corp. plans to consolidate its 12 U.S. data centers into three over a two-year period starting in the second quarter, according to a quarterly report the processing giant filed this week with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The total …
Read More »Some PCI Progress, But Visa Sends a List of Non-Compliant Software
Amid highly publicized data breaches at major chains like TJX Cos. Inc. and Stop & Shop Supermarket Cos., large merchants are making progress in achieving compliance with the Payment Card Industry data-security standard (PCI), though nearly two-thirds of them have still not been certified as meeting the standard. Some 35% …
Read More »Tempo Boosts Merchant Base with Its Chase Paymentech Deal
Fledgling PIN-debit network Tempo Payments Inc. this week reported that Chase Paymentech Solutions LLC, the nation's largest merchant acquirer, is now offering Tempo acceptance. With Chase processing for more than 500,000 merchants, the agreement opens a huge new acceptance base to San Mateo, Calif.-based Tempo, though whether that potential is …
Read More »On Interchange, the NRF Turns to the States, Underscoring Sales Tax
If regulation can't be avoided, national trade groups often prefer federal regulation over regulation by states on the theory that one set of rules is less costly and easier to comply with than 50 different sets of rules. But when it comes to interchange, the National Retail Federation is challenging …
Read More »With New GM, PCI Council Plans Webinars And Rules Update
With its first top executive in place, an industry consortium formed last year to promote the Payment Card Industry data-security standard (PCI) is getting set to elect a board of advisors, launch educational programs for merchants, and conduct a meeting aimed at updating the security rules. The announcements come in …
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