Consumers generally prefer PIN-based debit to signature debit, and are less frequently subjected by banks and merchants to fees for PIN-debit usage, according to a recent survey. At the same time, the number of banks offering rewards incentives to consumers for PIN-debit usage, already a small minority, is declining, says …
Read More »41st Parameter Gets Set to Roll out More Potent Anti-Phishing Software
Mindful of the rapid spread of online frauds depending on phishing, The 41st Parameter Inc. plans next month to roll out a new version of its machine-authentication technology. The Scottsdale, Ariz.-based company is already piloting the new version of its software, called TimeDiff Linking, and last week filed for an …
Read More »United Bank Card Rolls Out New Weekly Bonus Payouts for ISOs
United Bank Card Inc. is introducing two new weekly-payout bonus programs for independent sales organizations and increasing payment frequency on a third incentive program to weekly, as well. The Hampton, N.J.-based acquiring processor says it has begun paying an incremental $30 to $40 to ISOs and sales agents for each …
Read More »Card-Data Thefts Increase Jitters Among Online Consumers
The steady drumbeat of card-data breaches is a major factor causing rising anxiety among consumers who use the Internet for shopping and other financial transactions, the Conference Board reported today. In a quarterly survey of 10,000 households sponsored by the New York-based business organization, 13% of all online consumers say …
Read More »Visa Enables Merchant Campaigns Customized to Single Cardholders
Visa U.S.A. today announced that starting in October it will begin tracking cardholder transaction data at the full 16-digit account number level, allowing issuers and merchants for the first time to target unique promotions and other marketing campaigns at individuals. “Now we can enable [marketing to] a cardholder of one,” …
Read More »Chase Says Its New Blink Card Will March Through Atlanta First
Atlanta is where J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. will begin its rollout of contactless cards, starting June 1, the bank announced today. Chase, which said last week it would begin issuing the chip-equipped cards this summer in a region-by-region rollout (Digital Transactions News, May 19), says almost 1 million of …
Read More »C-Stores Adopting RFID Have Priorities Besides Interchange Costs
Contactless payment technology picked up momentum with yesterday's news that 7-Eleven Inc. is adopting the technology chainwide and that Sheetz Inc. has completed installations at all 309 of its stores. And, contrary to some observers' argument that contactless payment will be held back by the absence of special breaks on …
Read More »Valista Adds Payments Software to Handle Multi-Seller Content Deals
Valista Ltd. says it has developed the first software product capable of handling payments for digital content offered by multiple merchants on the platforms of wireless operators and Internet portals. The payments software, which the Ireland-based company refers to as a “revenue-assurance” solution, allows operators and ISPs to manage payments …
Read More »Bad Web Sites Could Be Driving Card Customers to Costly Call Centers
Surprisingly sub-par performance by credit card issuers' Web sites may be channeling customers to more expensive alternatives for service, such as corporate call centers, reports a new study by Keynote Systems Inc. The San Mateo, Calif.-based company, which measures Web site performance in various industries, says in a summary of …
Read More »United Bank Card Will Use $44 Million from Optimal to Support Growth
United Bank Card Inc., which earlier this week announced it is selling a portfolio of 15,500 merchants to Optimal Payments Corp. for $44 million, said today it will use the cash to add new departments and hire more staff to help cope with rapid growth. Jared Isaacman, founder and chief …
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