SPOKANE, Wash. – Spokane Teachers CU has selected TRC Interactive to deliver First Line of Defense ~ Fraud Detection and Loss Prevention Challenge, an online interactive experiential exercise for banks and credit unions that helps keep their staff sharp, focused and alert to the latest scams.

RICHLAND, Wash. – Gesa CU has chosen to implement Fiserv’s Acumen account processing solution with in-house delivery.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – New Mexico Educators FCU has signed with Bluepoint Solutions to implement the company’s ImagePoint products for in-house item capture and processing.

The past year saw debit card issuers introduce rewards programs to the marketplace and card networks extend their brands with direct-to-consumer offers such as MasterCard Marketplace and Visa Extras. But the debit-rewards landscape likely will change drastically under the Federal Reserve Board’s proposed new debit card interchange rules, a new report suggests.

Fifth Third Bancorp later this year plans to launch CashEdge Inc.’s Popmoney electronic-payment service, which enables consumers to transfer funds to another person’s bank account through the automated clearinghouse system, the companies announced Jan. 5.

Consumer confidence surprisingly fell in December, hurt by rising fears about the jobs market, according to a report released in late December by a private industry group.

India’s banking regulator has extended to Feb. 1 the deadline it had set for banks in the country to add a second layer of security to credit card transactions conducted over mobile phones.

Taiwan on Jan. 1 began taking initial steps toward creating an integrated transit-payment system by introducing multicard readers on Taipei’s bus network, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

SPOKANE, Wash. – Numerica CU announced yesterday it signed with DeepTarget of Huntsville, Ala., to implement the company’s OLB e-mail marketing and security solutions.

WASHINGTON – Congress FCU has signed with Integrated Media Management to implement the company’s TotaliEnroll iPad application to extend the member enrollment process outside the branch.

During the just-completed holiday season, PayPal Inc. experienced a surge in consumers making purchases using its online payment service with their smartphones and other mobile devices, according to the San Jose, Calif.-based company.

Hoping to tap an emerging market, Visa Inc., MasterCard Worldwide and American Express Co. have been working to open their networks to third-party developers of software and smartphone applications.

India’s Seed Financial Services Pvt. Ltd. has secured yet another a contract from Chennai-based Indian Bank Ltd. to support a smart card-based financial-inclusion project, the New Delhi-based financial-services provider announced Dec. 29.

ROUND ROCK, Texas – Dell computers said this morning it has agreed to acquire SecureWorks Inc., the popular information security services provider for credit unions and banks, for $120 million.

Western Union Co. plans to acquire one of its European funds-transfer agents, the Englewood, Colo.-based company announced Jan. 3.

Honda Motor Company in Japan has put an estimated 2.2 million customers in the U.S. on a security breach alert after a database containing information on the owners and their cars was hacked, according to reports.

Bank of America Corp. will take a $3 billion fourth-quarter charge stemming from settlements with Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae over poorly underwritten mortgages the bank sold to the government-sponsored enterprises.

DALLAS – An Internet technology consulting firm has filed suit against InTouch CU and 32 other financial firms, claiming the firms are infringing on its patent for authenticating a website or related services.

Credit card account originations are on the rise again as account-delinquency rates continue to fall and consumers continue to show discipline in their borrowing, a new report Equifax Inc. released Dec. 29 suggests.

In a major turnaround in plans, lawmakers in the Australian state of Victoria reportedly have proposed scrapping the Myki transit card system.