Obopay Introduces Mobile Payments for AOL's AIM Users

"Our busy, on-the-go users have quickly grown accustomed to being able to use their mobile phones to instantly and effortlessly send money to others anytime, anywhere in the U.S.," said Obopay CEO Carol L. Realini. "With the new AIM Obopay plugin, we make it even easier by allowing AIM desktop users to send money directly from their AIM Buddy List to another AIM user's cell phone."

With the Obopay plugin on the AIM(R) service, eligible AIM(R) users who have signed up with Obopay can link directly to their mobile payment account to immediately send money(2) to the mobile phone of any of their AIM(R) buddies who have signed up for the Obopay service. Whether it's to pay back a friend, pitch in for a group gift or help someone out of a jam, the AIM(R) Obopay plugin is an easy and fast way to send or receive money. The plugin for AIM(R) enables Obopay users to add money to their accounts and check account balance and history right from the AIM service on their desktop.

It's easy to get started, too. Once the AIM user has downloaded the AIM Obopay plugin, he or she simply clicks "Actions" on the AIM(R) Buddy List(R) feature, then clicks "Send money using Obopay." To spend or withdraw money, users can choose to link their bank account to their Obopay account and then transfer funds. Or, users can sign up for and use the optional Obopay pre-paid debit card from MasterCard to spend money at any retailer or withdraw funds from any ATM that accepts MasterCard(R) cards.

"AIM users want to stay connected and multi-task wherever they are, and we're providing them with more opportunities to do so," said Marcien Jenckes, Senior Vice President, Messaging & Social Media, AOL. "By working with Obopay to enable eligible AIM users to pay or pay back their AIM buddies with just a few clicks, we're making it easier for them to do more each day right from the AIM service."

AIM users who are ages 13-17 are only able to obtain an Obopay pre-paid debit card through Obopay's new Sponsored Accounts feature that launched in February. This new feature gives parents the opportunity to sign up for Obopay and create a linked sub-account for their teen. This enables parents to provide their teens with a parent-controlled, pre-paid, re-loadable payment card so their teens can make purchases as well as learn how to budget and manage their money responsibly -- all within the guidelines set by their parents.