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Leading card processor First Data Corp. on Friday found itself cast as the villain in the bankruptcy of Denver-based Frontier Airlines Holdings Inc., which claimed it sought Chapter 11 reorganization in order to prevent its card processor, First Data Corp., from increasing the so-called “holdback” on card charges and thereby …
Read More »Bigger Volume Jumps Are in Store for BOC E-Checks, NACHA Says
It grew 267% in just one quarter, yet the new back-office conversion (BOC) electronic-check code still isn't getting any respect. But it will, according to officials at NACHA, governing body of the automated clearing house network. NACHA reports that the ACH handled 3.08 million BOC transactions in 2007's fourth quarter …
Read More »Discover Triples Its Acceptance Network with Diners Club Deal
Seemingly trapped in North America after shedding its money-losing British credit card operation in March, Discover Financial Services LLC suddenly is a global payments player with its pending deal to buy Diners Club International from Citigroup Inc.'s Citibank N.A. for $165 million in cash. The deal adds 8 million merchant …
Read More »Pay By Touch Selling Merchant Business to Merrick for $2 Million
After first trying to sell its merchant-processing business as a single unit, bankrupt Solidus Networks Inc., which does business as Pay By Touch, is expected to sell half of it to a big Utah-based merchant acquirer, Merrick Bank Corp., for $2 million, according to documents filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court …
Read More »First Data Filing Points to Break-up of Chase Paymentech
Talks under way between processor First Data Corp. and banking giant JPMorgan Chase & Co. indicate Chase Paymentech Solutions LLC, the world's largest merchant acquirer, might be split between its two owners, according to documents filed this week with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Greenwood Village, Colo.-based First Data, which …
Read More »Overstock.com Says PayPal Yields Triple Expected Volume
Online merchants implementing payment alternatives to bank cards are beginning to report significant results. Since it started to accept PayPal in November, for example, online closeout retailer Overstock.com Inc. has seen the alternative payment method soar to 10% of its revenues and 12% of its orders, according to Alan Johnson, …
Read More »Interchange Bill Raises Questions About Role of Government
A bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives late last week that proposes to lay down new rules for how payment card interchange would be set raises many questions beyond whether the banking or retail lobby carries more clout in Congress. The questions can be summed up in one: …
Read More »‘Friendly Fraud’ Grows Worse, But Chargebacks Winnable, Expert Says
A problem the electronic payments industry calls “friendly fraud,” which has long dominated chargebacks for online sellers of digital goods from songs to software, is getting worse for these merchants, according to the top executive of a payments processor specializing in this market. Gene Hoffman, chairman and chief executive of …
Read More »Could Free Scanners Unlock Small Businesses for Remote Capture?
With free card-swipe terminals having already captured the imagination of acquirers and merchants, the notion of free check scanners might not be far behind. Indeed, free equipment that reads magnetic-ink-character-recognition lines while capturing check images could be the key for banks to drive remote deposit capture adoption among small businesses, …
Read More »Cardtronics Looks for 2008 Payoff from Former 7-Eleven Vcom Fleet
Bolstered by the acquisition of convenience-store giant 7-Eleven Inc.'s sizable ATM business, leading non-bank ATM network operator Cardtronics Inc. on Thursday reported fourth-quarter financials that show an improvement in most operating measures. Company executives insist their efforts to improve the performance of 7-Eleven's high-function Vcom kiosks as well as other …
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