Frederick Lowe

A reloadable prepaid card has become a not-for-profit group's way of helping unbanked immigrants feel safer by not having to carry as much cash.

The Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports magazine, expects the U.S. House and Senate to introduce bills prohibiting fees and expiration dates on gift cards when the new, Democrat-controlled Congress convenes in January.

While such megabanks as U.S. Bancorp and Wells Fargo & Co. have been making strides offering check-imaging functions at some of their ATMs, so have relatively small institutions such as Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union.

Most Macy's department stores pulled the plug on selling consumer electronics five years ago. But a recent deal with Zoom Systems Inc. is allowing Macy's to reconnect to the fast-growing market.

More debit card issuers are processing their PIN-debit card transactions through Visa USA and MasterCard Worldwide, reversing issuers' long-standing policies of not putting all their debit product support behind one brand.

Debit card purchases this year will leave credit card transaction volume in the rearview mirror, according to the upcoming 2007 edition of the ATM&Debit News EFT Data Book.

This is the contactless card's rookie year in Major League Baseball, and with the opening of the 2006 season this month team executives say they have high expectations that the league will hit a homerun by enabling consumers to pay for their cotton candy and sodas more quickly and easily inside ballparks.