In an article titled "Nokia Makes a Call for Global Mobile Payments", Steve Bills writes for the American Banker about Nokia's investment in mobile payments provider Obopay. Bills cites a Nokia executive who compares the integration of cameras into mobile phones over the last few years with the potential for mobile banking and payments being similarly integrated - although the Nokia exec "declined to give details about the Obopay investment or to say whether Nokia plans to incorporate the technology in its phones."

Today's Marketplace program on PBS has the first of a two-part story about Sioux Falls, South Dakota and the historical reason why so many credit card issuers are based there.

In an article titled "Credit card users beware: Terms, they are a-changing", Connie Prater writes for CreditCards.com about recent changes that some credit card issuers are making to their terms and conditions. According to Prater, "changes have come quickly in interest rates, fees, minimum payments, credit limits and rewards -- and none of them favor consumers."

The Bank Fraud Forum Blog has been launched by Memento Security.

Fraud is a serious issue that deserves serious discussion. The Bank Fraud Forum℠ has two primary objectives: 1) to convey insights, opinions and comments on the world of financial crime, and 2) to serve as an open, albeit virtual, forum for the fraud fighting community. Our goal is to offer intelligent, timely and thought-provoking analysis of trends, news, best practices and more.

San Francisc-based GoalSpring has announced a major milestone following the December 2008 alpha launch of DebtGoal.com by passing the $100 million mark of consumer debt enrolled in its service. DebtGoal.com is "an easy-to-use, free online tool helping consumers with debt to create and manage a plan to pay it down." GoalSpring says it was founded out of a desire to break the mold of previous financial services companies that push products rather than help people achieve goals. READ MORE

In a press release, MasterCard Canada said it "has accepted an opportunity to appear before the Senate Standing Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce in order to discuss the payments industry, as well as to address the significant misinformation being propagated by retail sector lobbyists." MasterCard Canada also has a web site on the subject of interchange fees called InterchangeTruth.com. READ MORE

ID Analytics has announced the availability of the ID Network Attributes, a family of products that provide organizations with greater insight into the array of consumer identity information within the company's ID Network. According to the company, "these attributes reveal new and powerful insights into identity information not available from other sources such as public records or credit bureaus, while protecting the sensitivity of the data." READ MORE

In an article titled "Taxi Commission Says Credit Cards Help Drivers", William Neuman writes for the New York Times "that credit cards may be saving the industry from feeling the worst effects of the recession." It turns out that since all cabs in New York City are now equipped for credit card payments, "many corporations that once ordered black cars for their employees have begun telling them instead to take a cab (which costs less) and charge it." One in five taxi trips are being paid for using payment cards.

In its 2008 earnings release this morning, First Data Corp. announced that on Dec. 31, 2008 First Data and Wells Fargo extended their merchant alliance joint venture, Wells Fargo Merchant Services, for five years. In connection with the transaction Wells Fargo increased its ownership in WFMS by paying First Data a cash consideration resulting in First Data and Wells Fargo owning 40% and 60% of WFMS, respectively, as of Dec. 31, 2008.

First Data held a webcast this morning - an accompanying presentation is available online.

Obopay has announced an investment from Nokia - sayimg that "this investment is a resounding endorsement for Obopay's ongoing innovation in mobile money technology." READ MORE

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