MasterCard Worldwide has announced a new PCI Merchant Education Program - calling it "an initiative offered to acquiring bank customers that provides practical assistance in educating merchants and encouraging broader adoption of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)."

Firethorn Holdings and Verizon Wireless have announced "a new strategic relationship that will provide Verizon Wireless customers with the ability to easily interact with their financial institutions using Firethorn's mobile financial services application."

Chockstone has announced the availability of Simply Loyalty™, saying it "provides local and regional merchants easy to deploy loyalty programs that deliver measurable results via highly targeted offers on the POS receipt."

Chase Paymentech and Green Dot Corporation have announced an agreement to offer Chase Paymentech-processed merchants an alternative cash payment solution that gives them the ability to accept cash transactions through their existing online and phone interfaces by accepting Green Dot’s MoneyPak as a form of payment.

Metavante has announced results from its Metavante Payment Progress Index program managed by Celent finding that "healthcare industry e-payments will transition from minority to majority status in the next two years, yet much room for process improvement remains as healthcare payers (insurers) and providers eye overall cost reductions."

ID Analytics has announced ID Score-Revenue, calling it "a new solution to help companies expand their customer base by more accurately evaluating the risk of individuals that lack substantial credit histories."

Sybase 365 has announced results of consumer mobile banking surveys conducted in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific regions that "showed a burgeoning demand for mobile banking among users, though this is tempered by concerns about security and lack of awareness."

Citigroup reported third quarter financial results this morning - including reporting a revenue decline of 2% in its US credit card business that it attributed to lower securitization results. Citi reported its average managed loans for its card business were flat on a 6% increase in purchase sales. Eric Dash reports for the New York Times about the bank's situation with respect to its US consumer business - including concerns "that Citigroup has woefully underinvested in its computer systems for years."

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Saturday vetoed Assembly BIll 779 - a bill by Sacramento Democrat Dave Jones that attempted to write into California state law a series of data security and protection methods regarding payment card and personal information. See our earlier coverage here on Payments News.

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