With the cost of gasoline at record levels, payments companies aren't missing any opportunities to promote new card programs designed to help consumers save money on gas. Today, Ecount announced seeing a 500% growth in demand for their Fuel Card program over last year - saying that the dramatic increase in demand is due to numerous companies turning to the Ecount Fuel Card program to help provide relief from high gas prices for their employees and customers. Separately, National Payment Card LLC has announced the launch the "first ACH payment card for the gas industry" - saying it provides a way for consumers to pay less for gasoline through an immediate cash reward and for station operators to substantially lower their processing costs for participating consumers compared with the current charges of credit and debit card interchange and processing fees.

Glenbrook has announced the addition of a new session of our popular two-day intensive Payments Boot Camp program to be held in Denver on November 7th and 8th. Each of the Glenbrook Payments Boot Camps is taught by full partners at Glenbrook with many years' experience in the business, operations, technology, marketing and risk management of payments. Glenbrook Payments Boot Camps are a great professional networking venue as well - with many opportunities to talk with other attendees both during the workshop and at a reception on the first night. Learn more about the Denver Payments Boot Camp and registration details at the Glenbrook web site.

Jane Kim reports for the Wall St. Journal that some banks have begun paying higher interest rates on checking accounts in an effort to attract new accounts. But, no surprise, she cites industry experts who say that checking accounts are still "a lousy place" for consumers to save.

Celent has announced it has updated its 2003 report on anti-money laundering solution vendors in a new report titled "Evaluating the Vendors of Anti-Money Laundering Solutions 2006". According to Celent, "the report profiles and evaluates 19 established and emerging vendors of anti-money laundering software, including BI-heavy transaction analysis software and filtering solutions for screening government watchlists such as OFAC."

The Korea Times publishes a story by Shuan Ghaidan, Head of Product Sales and Delivery for MasterCard's Asia/Pacific Region, in which he discusses the business benefits of contactless card technology. "Combined with the benefits of faster completion of transactions, the potential for increased revenue, and the chance to collect and utilize valuable customer data to create highly targeted and effective marketing campaigns, contactless payments hold the potential to have a significant positive impact on retailers’ business and operations."

• QI Systems Receives Additional Order from Cale Systems for Parking Payment Solutions
• GSA Awards Blanket Purchase Agreement for Credit Monitoring Services
• Identity Force Selected to Provide Identity Theft Protection Services to U.S. Government
• Payment Processing, Inc. Partners with AltaPoint to Provide Integrated Credit Card Processing for Medical Practices
• StreamServe Account Statement Enables Firms to Enhance Revenues by Leveraging Customer Information to Provide Targeted, Personalized Offerings
• China: SmartPay Launches Mobile Airline E-Ticketing in Chongqing
• New UATP Acquirer Pinnacle Payment Solutions Improves Business Process and Management Controls
• CardRatings.com: "In Debt We Trust" Documentary Exposes America's Growing Addiction to Credit Card Overspending
• Nova Scotia: ATM scam targets hundreds
• Transaction Systems Architects to Acquire P&H Solutions, Inc.
• DocuSign and eOriginal Deliver First Comprehensive Online Solution for Business and Consumer Loan Documents
• Visa USA: New Edge Networks Complies with PCI Security Standards

We have received news of the following recent management changes:

• Derek LaFavor has been named CEO of eCommLink, a "next generation" payment processor for stored value, debit and credit transactions. Also named were Wayne Anderson, Chief Marketing Officer, Don Barbacovi, VP Sales and Business Development, and Dan Penn, Chief Financial Officer.