News

January, 2007

• 18 January

  Cost Cutting Helps TSYS Boost Profits After a Tough Year

  It was a bumpy ride, but Total System Services Inc. (TSYS) emerged from 2006 with some hefty profit growth. The second-largest card processor this week reported fourth-quarter revenues of $503.9 million, up 19.8% from $420.7 million a year earlier, and net income of $87.1 million, up 75.2% from $49.7 million. …
• 18 January

  In Its Latest Offer for Checkout, Google Entices New Users With Bonus

  Google Inc. is paying new customers of its Google Checkout $10 to sign up for the service under a promotion launched this month and scheduled to run through Feb. 15. The promotion represents the latest in a number of marketing efforts for both merchants and consumers the Mountain View, Calif.-based …
• 17 January

  Online Fraudsters Continue to Churn out Multiple Phishing Sites

  The sudden proliferation of Web sites hosting phishing attacks that began in October cooled only slightly in November, as online fraudsters continue to create multiple sub-domains to foil anti-phishing filters. The number of unique phishing sites came to 37,439, essentially flat with the 37,444 reported for October, according to the …
• 17 January

  The Corrosive Siege Over Signature-Card Interchange

  10 Tipping Points for the Payments Industry Part 3 (Editor's Note: In its November-December 2006 issue, Digital Transactions magazine began a series of special analytical reports concerning the 10 most critical issues now confronting banks, processors, and merchants as they engage in handling electronic transactions. Written by noted researcher and …
• 16 January

  Detroit Takes Deep Plunge Into Card Acceptance for Parking

  In a development that represents one of the largest projects so far to replace cash for payment at on-street parking meters, the city of Detroit on Tuesday started accepting credit and debit cards at 175 new multispace meters. The city expects the meters, each of which controls up to 10 …
• 16 January

  With Microsoft and H-P, First Data Plugs Into PC-Based Payments

  The concept of point-of-sale electronic payments without a standalone card reader took another step forward this week when leading processor First Data Corp. introduced a new personal computer-based service called First Data POS Value Exchange. Aimed mostly at single-location merchants with up to five checkout lanes, the service uses hardware …
• 15 January

  DVD Sellers, Others Find PayPal Mobile Spurs Impulse Sales

  Since its launch last April, PayPal Inc.'s m-commerce service, PayPal Mobile, has built an attractive portfolio of original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and brands that want to sell direct to consumers. The list includes Fox Home Entertainment (DVDs), Sony BMG (CDs), NBC/Bravo (television-show merchandise), and the National Basketball Association (team- and …
• 12 January

  Visa Hopes Its New Platform Will Speed M-Commerce Trials

  Visa USA has signed up an undisclosed number of member financial institutions to use a new m-commerce technology platform the card network announced this week that ties together a wide range of functions, including contactless payment, over-the-air personalization (OTA), couponing, mobile banking, Internet payment, and person-to-person (P2P) funds transfers. A …
• 11 January

  Suddenly, Mobile-Banking Race Heats up As More Entrants Elbow in

  The race to bring online banking and bill-payment services to users' handsets is getting more intense. Most recently, Chantilly, Va.-based Online Resources Corp. said it is entering mobile banking by partnering with Access Softek Inc., a Berkeley, Calif.-based developer of financial services software. The application uses Access Softek's OFX (open …
• 11 January

  Hypercom Aims at PC-Based Payments With Its TPI Software Deal

  Payment-terminal manufacturer Hypercom Corp. on Thursday announced that it has bought the assets and technology of TPI Software LLC, a move that positions Hypercom to be a major player in the growing personal computer-based point-of-sale payments market. Founded in 2001, TPI Software specializes in applications that integrate payment functions with …