Heartland Payment Systems has announced that it has added Automated Clearing House (ACH) functionality to its Express Funds check management platform, which is powered by transmodus. "The consolidation of the ACH feature with Express Funds allows businesses to process all check transactions — paper, online and over-the-phone — from one location in a cost-effective way."

On the wires:

• Vesta and Jibe Mobile Deliver Integrated Mobile Payments Application
• Banks Launch Integrated Mobile Banking Solution from First Data
• VeriFone’s VeriShield Total Protect Integrated with ISD’s Card Data Security Suite
• iSmartCheck Identifies Why Merchants Need to Add Electronic Checks to Their Payment Options
• Naked Facts Report: QR Code Use Explodes by 1200% in the Last Half of 2010

On the web:

• BAI Banking Strategies: Crossing Borders with ACH
• Bank Systems & Technology: Debit Card Fee Caps May Be No Big Deal
• Wall Street Journal: KT to Become Largest Stakeholder in BC Card in Korea
• Inside Mobile Apps: Android Opens Up More NFC Access for Developers
• RCR Wireless: DoCoMo and KT announce NFC Joint Venture in Asia/Pacific
• RFP Connect: Ukash Extends Its Presence into Brazil and Argentina
• Wall Street Journal: Chargebacks Create Small-Business Headaches
• WebProNews: PayPal Digital Goods Payment Product Released

Shell Oil Products US has announced that it will be "the first major gasoline retailer to nationally launch an electronic check payment method when the Shell $aver Card becomes available to consumers on January 5, 2009. The Shell $aver Card will provide a convenient, new way to pay for purchases through a direct link to a consumer’s checking account, and offer a savings on each gallon of fuel pumped at participating Shell-branded stations. Shell wholesalers and retailers will benefit from the Shell $aver Card’s flat, per-transaction merchant service fee that is lower than third-party debit and credit cards."

Also, according to Shell, First Data will be handling the $aver Card transactions including using FDC's TeleCheck check verification services. READ MORE »

MODASolutions eBillMe, an alternative payment option that allows consumers to pay merchants directly through their online bank account, has introduced a new Buyer Protection Plan.

The Federal Trade Commission has announced that San Diego-based Qchex, an Internet-based check creation and delivery service, has agreed to a temporary restraining order to halt what the FTC describes as its unfair business practices. According to the FTC, "Qchex creates and sends checks drawn on any bank account identified by a Qchex customer without verifying that the customer has authority to write checks drawn on that account. As a result, con artists have used the Qchex service to draw checks on bank accounts that belong to others."

Cara Nissman writes for Bankrate.com about how more colleges and universities are deciding that it's just too expensive for them to accept credit cards for tuition payments. We reported earlier this month on a move by Brigham Young University to push its students to using echecks for tuition payments.

KeyBank Global Treasury Management has announced it is "the first bank to offer its commercial clients complete eCheck ACH Payee reporting through all of its check fraud, account reconcilement, controlled disbursement and Positive Pay image services." The service allows clients to verify the names of the vendors and suppliers to whom they make payments.

Brittani Lusk writes for the Deseret Morning News how Brigham Young University and other Utah-based colleges and universities are pushing their students to use echecks rather than credit or debit cards for making their tuition payments.

Mark Anderson writes for the Sacramento Business Journal about El Dorado Hill-based MyEcheck which he reports is preparing for a mass market launch of its echeck payment service.

Ina Steiner reports for AuctionBytes this morning on plans by Amazon.com to enable buyers to pay for their purchases through their bank accounts rather than using credit or debit cards.

Amazon.com will create an electronic funds transfer or bank draft, which will be presented to the buyer's bank or financial institution for payment from their bank account. Bank accounts must be valid automated clearing house ("ACH")-enabled at a U.S.-based financial institution, and transactions must be payable in U.S. dollars.