Ray Birch

The smartphone boom is rapidly ramping up usage of mobile check deposit, which could open the door wider for crime if credit unions don't remain active in guarding against fraud through this emerging service.

John Leekley, founder and CEO of RemoteDepositCapture.com, believes the window of opportunity for remote deposit capture fraud is closing.

Strong check endorsement policies go a long way toward fighting mobile check deposit fraud, but sources are uncertain whether banks and credit unions have focused their full attention in this area.

Every CU should know its members and apply mobile check deposit policies based on an individual's relationships and demographics, advises Cindy McGinness, new product development manager at PSCU.

Pickup trucks of all sizes are expected to hold their value better than all other vehicle segments during the next two years, according to Black Book.

With the CFPB zeroing in on buy-rate financing, the agency's next target may be auto dealer insurance add-ons-and that could significantly hike the indirect loan price consumers see, cautions one CU exec.

When auto loan rates eventually tick up, and analysts agree a rising rate environment is coming, credit unions will be in a better position to battle for new car loans.

The bread and butter of the CU auto loan portfolio is coming under greater pressure, say several analysts who see banks zeroing in on former franchisees of General Motors and Chrysler who are hanging out a new shingle.

If rates tick up, terms of loans will lengthen to keep borrowers in an affordable payment, predict analysts — some of whom have spotted auto loan terms of more than 100 months.

Credit Union Journal asked auto lending execs and analysts for their advice on managing the auto loan portfolio in a rising rate environment. Here's what they had to say.

Credit unions and banks are doing a good job of answering their phones, but banks are doing it better, according to a new study from Moebs $ervices.

Recurring payments and online bill payments can help a CU remain top of wallet with their cardholders and even prevent cardholder attrition.

A new study indicates a big opportunity exists for credit unions to cross-sell new members, and that CUs have a great deal of room to improve profitability and performance in many operational areas.

The new report from Cornerstone Advisors has also discovered a great divide in CUs when it comes to IT.

If the Merchants Customer Exchange (MCX) succeeds, not only is credit union interchange revenue at risk but so is critical member transaction data.

Consumers will decide whether the Merchants Customer Exchange (MCX) becomes a viable payments network, say industry experts.

CUs should be learning as much as they can about the Merchants Customer Exchange (MCX) and paying attention to whether their cards can be part of the new merchant digital wallet, recommend two payments experts.

While credit unions and other analysts try to make sense of what a court ruling striking down the Fed's 2011 interchange cap of 21 cents might mean, at least one analyst sees an even lower interchange rate benefitting most credit unions.

A cooperative business model brings CUs competitive advantages over banks when it comes to setting strategic direction, according to the Institute for Strategic Learning.

Following a federal judge's ruling invalidating the new limits on debit swipe fees, experts remind that adjustments to the interchange rate are not coming soon.