Selling mobile-processing services can prove quite profitable for independent sales organizations, observers say.

An estimated 515 different collection agencies and creditors were sued between March 16-31, the highest half-month period thus far in 2011 and up from 417 sued between March 1-15, according to data from U.S. District Courts.

The Obama administration announced Friday the release of a strategy to protect consumer and business identities in cyberspace.

The availability of NFC smartphones — an ingredient many say is necessary for mobile payments systems to take off — may be a less onerous problem by 2014, a report from Juniper Research said.

STERLING, Ill. – Select Employees CU has signed with MRG Document Technologies to provide it with loan disclosures and closing packages through its web-based MIRACLE Online document preparation technology.

Early data indicate consumers survived the holidays with less financial distress than in the previous few years, and the average U.S. credit card charge-off rate for most major issuers remains on track to continue declining for at least the next few months, according to analysts at Moody’s Investors Service.

AisleBuyer LLC, a Boston company, is selling mobile software that enables a consumer to scan an image of a payment card and use it to pay for in-store and online purchases.

Corporation Bank Ltd. has launched a mobile wallet to enable its customers to make purchases with their mobile handsets, a spokesperson for the Mangalore-based bank tells PaymentsSource.

PASADENA, Calif.-Some financial institutions offer mobile banking. Some host a Facebook page. Wescom Credit Union here is the first to launch a mobile banking application with a Facebook link built into each transaction.

OLYMPIA, Wash.-EvergreenDIRECT CU here reports it stands to save about $60,000 per year on EFT processing after hiring DaLand Solutions to keep vendors honest on pricing.

ALEXANDRIA, Va.-You don't need a sexy iPad to score big sales in the field, according to a $130-million credit union here that signs up most of its members by going out into the world with tried-and-true Dell laptops.

PALO ALTO, Calif.-Life is often easy for fraudsters, because credit unions allow members to log-in to Internet banking using a password, image or challenge question.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska-Credit Union 1's new sales technology and culture is a success: each member has an average of five accounts.

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y.-Look for thousands of "shiny, new" ATMs to crop up as credit unions respond to growing fraud and comply with next year's deadline for the American with Disabilities Act.

NORTH CANTON, Ohio-Skimming can be prevented if credit unions regularly inspect their ATMs, said Terrie Ipson, marketing manager for ATM security, Diebold, Inc. "Most skimming devices are applied with tape or glue that will leave a residue. Vigilance in the inspection of the terminal can enable faster identification of problems."

BROOKFIELD, Wis.-Fiserv said its recent acquisitions of three different companies are part of a broader strategy to continue to expand offerings.

Bank of America Corp. is cutting 1,500 mortgage positions nationwide, mostly in processing and underwriting roles.

NCO Group Inc., a Horsham, Pa.-based accounts receivable management firm, announced that subsidiary NCO Customer Management Inc. has launched a Community Technology Center (CTC) facilitated by Microsoft in Panama City, Panama.

Jeroo Inc. said it is testing a mobile payment technology called Scan&Ship Enterprise.

SCHAUMBERG, Ill. – Discover Financial Services is the latest entry into the person-to-person payments market, introducing a service last week that will allow customers to send money from their phone to anyone with an e-mail address or mobile phone number.