Merchants and processors may find Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council requirements for the use of advanced encryption hardware to secure card data useful, but encryption alone is not security’s “silver bullet,” fraud-prevention vendors say.

The majority of consumers in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia are concerned about possible exposure of their personal information. What's more, many have lost confidence in how companies protect such data, says a survey released this week.

FICO, a provider of analytics and decision management technology, announced Wednesday that it has been awarded eight new patents by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia United FCU has signed with eDOC Innovations to install the company’s eDOCSignature solution.

SCOTTDALE, ARIZ.–The rise of more-advanced card data security measures and the emergence of mobile payments helped to drive record attendance here at the annual PCI Security Standards Council’s North American community meeting, whose attendees include payment-industry executives from 40 different countries.

Merchants and processors may find Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council requirements for the use of advanced encryption hardware to secure card data useful, but encryption alone is not security’s “silver bullet,” fraud-prevention vendors say.

American Express has purchased Sometrics, a company that facilitates payments within electronic games using virtual currency, in a deal worth $30 million, the company confirmed Sept. 20.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Lake Michigan CU has signed a multi-year agreement with Online Resources Corp. to extend bill payment services and to implement the company’s retail banking software solution.

The convergence of the major card brands within various evolving Near Field Communication-based mobile payment schemes could inspire more merchants to prepare for contactless-payment acceptance. But the path to individual banks’ participation remains hazy, observers say.

Banks processing their own debit cards should modify their networks to accept new payment technologies, but it may be too soon to determine whether vendors pushing software to make that process easier will trigger a quick change, an industry analyst says.

When it comes to battling data breaches, banks would be well served doing such things as curbing employee web surfing to prevent unauthorized access to information. That’s just one of the suggestions bankers, technology providers and analysts made in a recent survey PaymentsSource sister publication, Bank Technology News, conducted.

The Federal Trade Commission will host a workshop in Washington, DC on December 8 to explore facial recognition technology and the privacy and security implications raised by its increasing use.

Ontario Systems, based in Muncie, Ind., has announced several key leadership hirings, including two vice presidents and two new directors.

PORTLAND, Ore. – United Advantage NW FCU said it signed with eDOC Innovations to implement the company’s CheckLogic Branch Capture solution with forward collection direct to the Federal Reserve.

DUBUQUE, Iowa – Dupaco Community CU has signed with FI-MOBILE to implement the company’s UniFI mobile app solution.

Google Inc. has reached agreements with Visa Inc., American Express Co. and Discover Financial Services with the goal of eventually enabling other financial institutions to add their Near Field Communication-enabled payment card products to Google Wallet, the company announced Sept. 19.

Google Inc. may launch its much-ballyhooed Google Wallet as early as this week, according to a number of reports that suggest the Near Field Communication-based mobile-payment effort officially is getting off the ground.

Mocapay Inc. is testing a mobile loyalty and prepaid gift card platform that it intends to make widely available to small merchants in the first quarter of next year, the company’s president tells PaymentsSource.

PLEASANTON, Calif.-Patelcorp, Inc., an investment and insurance subsidiary of $3.6-billion Patelco Credit Union, has rolled out an investment savings product it says will make investing easy and affordable for its members and those of other CUs.

AUSTIN, Texas-Businesses that want online services galore, including remote deposit and ACH, now have a second choice beyond the big banks here: Amplify Federal Credit Union.