Merchant

China Unionpay recently signed an acceptance agreement with Dubai-based Network International LLC, the largest payment acquirer in the United Arab Emirates.

Colorado Attorney General John Suthers’ office filed a lawsuit last week against Westminster, Colo.-based Real Talk Network, alleging the company engaged in false and deceptive trade practices and violated the state's consumer credit laws.

In the second half of June, consumers sued an estimated 471 different collection agencies and creditors under various statutes - including 416 lawsuits citing at least one violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), according to U.S. District Court complaint dockets.

Vietnam Eximbank has begun acquiring merchants in Vietnam for acceptance of cards issued by Japan-based JCB International under an agreement the two companies signed last fall, according to JCB.

Eric Koppelman, a former mortgage title closer, was sentenced to four years in prison for playing a role in a scheme to steal more than $6 million of proceeds from home mortgage loans, according to the U.S. Attorney's office in New York.

An unnamed quick-serve restaurant chain is testing Apple Inc.’s iPad portable computer as a customer-facing ordering and payment device, according to OrderTalk Inc., which makes online ordering systems for restaurants.

The Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council has removed two Ingenico S.A. PIN pads from the list of approved PIN-entry devices following reports they are susceptible to breaches.

New debit card interchange rules that are likely to go into effect next year if the financial services reform bill passes could take a bite out of independent service organizations’ profit margins, observers say (see story).

Visa Inc. says it intends to work with merchants that fail to meet two July 1 payment-security deadlines.

A year or so from now, merchants likely will be paying less to accept debit cards, and financial institutions will be earning less revenue issuing them. And some issuers may have to reacquaint themselves with PIN-debit brands not associated with Visa Inc. or MasterCard Worldwide.