Credit

U.S. consumer credit card delinquency and charge-off rates are finally returning to traditional patterns after almost three years of recession-sparked aberrations, analysts at Moody’s Investors Service Inc. said Dec. 15.

It’s all in the name.

Banks supporting campus card programs linked to prepaid accounts believe their ties with college-age consumers are meeting the goal of building future loyal customers by giving them basic payment tools and a financial education they can carry on as their start their careers after graduating.

Despite a lagging economy, Discover Financial Services’ jack-of-all-trades strategy seems to be paying off.

Banks have been much maligned for nickel-and-diming their customers, but in another area–cardholder fraud protections–they are being praised as consumer champions.

Persuading consumers and merchants to shun the traditional way to pay and accept payment for goods and services using plastic remains Dwolla Corp.’s chief goal. But the company also is working to plug some holes in its service.

Anxious to see signs of growth after the recession’s chilling effect on borrowing, the credit card industry may be relieved to see Discover Financial Services reporting an uptick in credit card purchase volume for its fiscal fourth quarter.

Someday, such a thing as an alternative payment no longer may exist.

Private and public banks in India cancelled up to 50,000 credit cards they issued in September and October after local law-enforcement agencies discovered a widespread cloning scam.

Visa Inc. may be preparing to debut its ties to Google Inc.’s Google Wallet mobile-payments scheme in London at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, sources suggest.

Citigroup Inc., Capital One Financial Corp. and a host of other issuers appear bullish on retail credit card programs following recent announcements of their plans to recommit and expand in private-label cards. But a caution flag suddenly has emerged.

No, Wells Fargo & Co. is not feeling the heat to issue more credit cards. But consumers applying for an interest-free loan to purchase a furnace might automatically land a new Wells card, too.

A state in India is demanding that the central government upgrade its Kisan Credit Card so farmers may use it at ATMs and keep it longer before requiring a new one.

Payment Card Industry data-security standards continue to fail merchants in their most vulnerable hour, as one restaurant chain might have prevented a credit card fraud scheme if it equipped its payments systems better to address third-party intrusions, a security expert contends.

The silence is almost deafening.

FleetCor Technologies Inc.’s latest acquisition puts the number of company buys at more than 40 within the past eight years as the fleet fuel card pursues a global growth strategy.

Credit-union members spent 8.1% more and made 10.1% more transactions during this year’s Black Friday than they did on the same day last year, according to a new analysis conducted by Co-op Financial Services and Saylent Technologies, a provider of payment-intelligence services.

Fleet fuel card provider FleetCor Technologies Inc. has acquired AllStar Business Solutions Ltd. from United Kingdom-based The Arval Group for US$304 million (£194 million or 229 million euros), the companies announced Dec. 13.

Isis, still almost a year away from launching its mobile-payments application, is partnering with an industry heavyweight to serve as the security guard for its wallet.

Hold the phone! Google Wallet appears to have a security leak.