The Conference Board has released the results of a survey of 10,000 consumers that indicates that two-thirds of consumers are now using the Internet to make travel arrangements. However, consumer concerns about the security of credit card information remains the primary reason consumers don't actually book their travel online.   » Continue Reading

Wells Fargo Financial has issued a response to charges by Acorn as reported recently in the Los Angeles Times.   » Continue Reading

Daniel Wolfe reports in the American Banker on GE Consumer Finance's recently announced deal with PayPal.   » Continue Reading

Yodlee has announced that LowerMyBills.com has selected Yodlee's BillDirect to power its BillPay Plus electronic bill presentment and payment service.   » Continue Reading

DesignTechnica.com reports on some Gartner research exploring the use of mobile phones as all-purpose payment devices -- highlighting the importance of the acceptance infrastructure being in place.

Gartner says that a contactless credit facility is the most interesting part of the offering. How many retailers' point-of-sale terminals will be able to process contactless credit payments is unclear. Acceptance at the point of sale will be critical to the success of contactless payment schemes. If few retailers accept contactless payments, customers will tire of trying to use them and revert to traditional payment methods.

Micropayment provider Peppercoin has announced version 2.0 of its small payment service including support for small value transactions at the physical point of sale.

Thomas Claburn reports in Information Week on activity focused on restoring trust in email.

Separately, eWeek reports on plans by VeriSign to introduce an anti-phishing service this week.

The service allows VeriSign to monitor the Internet for signs of new phishing schemes, such as phony looking e-mail messages and new malicious Web sites that play off a customer's brand. VeriSign will then work with ISPs to have those sites removed, and it can help with the forensic investigations.

The full text of the announcement of VeriSign's Email Security Services is now available.

MSN Money's Terry Savage has some advice for consumers on how to deal with consumer debt.

Americans are now carrying $683 billion in revolving credit card debt. That’s not the amount we charge every month; it’s the outstanding unpaid balances on which people pay interest. And, according to a report by Cambridge Consumer Credit Index, 47% of the people who paid less than the full amount on their credit card bills in a recent month, made only the minimum payment due. In fact, only 13% of Americans with an outstanding balance could afford to pay more than half the balance.