LOS ANGELES – Three men on Monday were charged with stealing more than $2 million from area credit unions and banks by skimming credit card numbers at local gas pumps.

CLARK, N.J.-With the recall of millions of Toyota models reverberating throughout the country, Aspire FCU here is making an effort to calm any fears its Toyota-owning membership may have-and also generate additional loan volume.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.-For most of their history credit unions have rued the fact they are a superior option to banks but many consumers still don't join.

Nevada Fed Asks Members To Move Money Out Of CU

WASHINGTON-As the Federal Reserve looks for ways to pull liquidity out of the banking system, the board recently proposed a program to sell term deposits to financial institutions-a move that could add even more competition for beleaguered corporate credit unions.

WASHINGTON-One of the first Check 21 providers in the northeastern part of the country has re-launched its efforts to bring in credit union business. Now based in Los Angeles, Direct Fed Payment Solutions has processed more than seven million checks totaling more than $6 billion in transactions since its founding six years ago when it was called Skyline's DirectFED. The revamped firm is touting its remote deposit capture software and direct line to access to the Fed. "The response to our remote deposit capture software was phenomenal," VP- Sales Ken Buren said. "Many of the credit union representatives that I spoke with expressed a growing need to find alternatives to the corporate system."

WASHINGTON-America's CUs should cross the threshold of $1 trillion in total assets sometime in 2011, following growth across the board in 2009, according to a new analysis.

RICHARDSON, Texas-Texans CU, which won a $40 million judgment in U.S. Bankruptcy Court just last month, was stung by the same judge to the tune of more than $21 million in a separate case.

LIVONIA, Mich.-Consumers can now enjoy the benefits of CU membership when they watch TV.

NAFCU Launches Interchange Counterattack

WILMINGTON, Calif.-The struggles of the worldwide economy can be seen quite clearly in the sharp drop in container traffic here at America's busiest port-a downturn that has been a big part of a deep malaise that hit California harder than most states.

DORCHESTER, Mass.-Medical Area FCU is taking a novel approach as it enters a new market by opening a location solely dedicated to lending.

March

WASHINGTON-Leaders of the Senate Banking Committee apparently have agreed on a scheme for a consumer financial protection agency, but the latest plan would establish the initiative as an office inside the Treasury Department, rather than creating a new bureaucracy.

ARLINGTON, Va.-As credit union adoption of social media continues to explode, the question of what is appropriate for this medium continues to be a hot topic, and while CUs wait for regulators to weigh in, experts suggest they would be wise to follow existing guidelines for online content and ads.

WASHINGTON-As the credit union faithful hiked the Hill during CUNA's GAC, they were told to pound away at one single message: lift the member business lending cap, and we will help create jobs at no cost to the taxpayer.

WASHINGTON-Mid-term elections are drawing near, and yet another shake-up could be in store, CUNA suggested.

WASHINGTON-NCUA Board Member Gigi Hyland made her point just by walking onto the GAC stage with her hand-picked music blasting: "It's The End Of The World As We Know It," by REM.

NEWARK, N.J.-A second insurer, a Lloyd's of London syndicate, is trying to deny liability in the massive U.S. Mortgage/CU National Mortgage fraud for which almost 30 credit unions are seeking recompense of as much as $125 million.

LENEXA, Kan.-A year after the takeover of U.S. Central FCU, David Dickens, the former chief investment strategist who was fired as losses began to spiral out of control at corporate's corporate, is fighting with NCUA over the terms of his severance.