Technology

Relentless organized crime rings are launching increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks to steal online consumers’ personal or payment card data. And these attacks come as no surprise to those tasked with preventing fraud because “organized” suggests plenty of collaboration or partnerships to plot crimes.

An alternative payments company that lets users make electronic payments in cash is planning to quickly expand its user base and merchant clients with the addition of a mobile channel.

Fifth Third Bancorp plans to stay the course in its decision to be deliberate in how it deals with reductions in debit card interchange revenue stemming from a rate reduction that took effect last fall under a mandate from the Durbin amendment to the Dodd-Frank Act.

Releases of allowances for bad credit card loans continued to plump banks' bottom lines in recent earnings reports, but loss rates look set to bounce off record lows in the first quarter.

City Bank is upgrading its mobile-banking capabilities to compete with larger banks, always a concern for smaller institutions. At the same time, the $1.9 billion-asset bank, which serves a region surrounding Lubbock, Texas, also is experimenting with security applications for mobile devices that shield non-mobile channels.

The world of card acceptance on BlackBerry smartphones has just become more complete.

With Visa debit card spending for online purchases reaching new heights in Europe and the United Kingdom, the timing appears right for consumers to tie those cards to mobile payments.

BancorpSouth Inc. in Tupelo, Miss., has selected Total System Services Inc. to process its debit card and consumer and commercial credit cards.

A startup is attempting to create a mobile-payment system that focuses on digital receipts and rewards. And it leaves payments out of the process.

PayPal Inc.on Jan. 18 reported a jump in fourth-quarter revenue, driven in part by mobile payments.