Javelin Strategy & Research has released its second annual Online Banking Safety Scorecard which ranks 28 banks on their consumer-facing online identity fraud prevention, detection and resolution capabilities with respect to how well the banks protect consumers and allow consumers to protect themselves.

MasterCard has announced several new merchant-related initiatives: incentives for merchants to adopt MasterCard SecureCode payer authentication, free network vulnerability scans of merchant systems, and new education for merchants on security and data protection issues. MasterCard has also launched a new merchant website focused on security at www.mastercardsecurity.com.

First Data Corp. has announced that David A. Coulter has been elected to the Company's Board of Directors.

Visa USA has published its 2005 Annual Report (pdf) for its fiscal year ending September 30, 2005.

Visa USA reported operating revenues of $2.6 billion (up 10 percent) in fiscal 2005 and net income of over $360 million (up 72 percent).

For the first time, payment volume on Visa products exceeded $1 trillion in fiscal 2005, up 18.2 percent.

NOVA Information Systems has appointed Roger K. Alexander to the position of chief executive officer of euroConex Technologies Ltd., NOVA's European affiliate. Alexander will be responsible for running the company's pan-European merchant acquiring business.

Richard Burnett writes for the Orlando Sentinel about Chase's rollout of 'blink' credit cards in the Orlando area.

Michael Leidtke reports for the AP on "Generation Plastic", the group of young consumers who consistently prefer debit and credit cards over cash.

Note: Throughout the day, as Payments News happens, this post is updated.

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