First Data has published a new white paper, Leveraging Secure IP-Based Payment Connection Network To Reduce Costs and Increase Customer Satisfaction, that discusses "the emergence of secure IP transaction networks that leverage the strengths of conventional IP connectivity while addressing its inherent shortcomings. Learn why these networks are the transport method of choice for payment processing, and why merchants of all sizes should consider migrating their payment transactions—from dial-up or conventional IP solutions—to a secure IP network."

MasterCard Worldwide has announced a multi-year contract extension with Fifth Third Bank for it to continue its partnership with MasterCard, issuing Credit and Debit MasterCard cards for both consumers and corporations. READ MORE

FICO has announced the general availability of its Falcon Fraud Manager 6.0 - saying "it is the first payment card fraud management solution to incorporate adaptive analytics, an innovation that accelerates financial institutions’ ability to spot new fraud patterns and prevent them from causing extensive damage. Early response to this innovation has been enthusiastic, with multiple projects already underway, including an installation at a major, U.S.-based credit card issuer." READ MORE

Western Union, Consumer Portfolio Services, and VeriSign have announced a pilot project to enable CPS customers to trigger their monthly car payment directly from their mobile phone. According to the companies, "unlike mobile payment services that direct the consumer to a website or interactive voice response system (IVR), the new service allows consumers to quickly and easily initiate their payment using their phone's text messaging service based on debit or credit card information entered online." READ MORE

In an article titled "Debit-Card Use Overtakes Credit", Robin Sidel writes for the Wall St. Journal about the increasing usage of debit cards by US consumers. Sidel notes that Visa reported yesterday that during the last quarter of 2008 debit card purchase volume slightly exceeded credit card purchase volume for the first time in Visa's history.

Similar statistics released earlier this week by APACS in the UK show the surging volume on debit cards in that particular market.

According to a press release, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, joined by Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, met yesterday with consumer groups, civil rights leaders and credit card consumers to discuss the national need for credit card reform. The discussion centered on the House Bill, Credit Card Holders Bill of Rights of 2009, (HR 627) which is set for a vote today and would significantly strengthen consumer protections in the credit card market. READ MORE

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