WASHINGTON – Thousands of credit unions, banks, payment processors and other businesses are expected to join a series of simulated cyber attacks next month, which will test the vulnerability of the financial network.

Five villages will become the first in the Indian state of Tripura to be covered under a biometric banking card initiative overseen by Tripura State Cooperative Bank, a spokesperson for the Agartala-based bank tells PaymentsSource.

Merced School Employees Federal Credit Union members now can pay bills using their mobile phones through a recent agreement the Merced, Calif.-based institution made that provides them access to Fiserv Inc.’s Mobile Money service.

Best Buy Co. Inc. has made good on threats it made in July to drop acceptance of Visa Inc.’s contactless payWave cards because of the interchange rates the network applies to them, according to an industry analyst.

Best Buy Co. Inc. has made good on threats it made in July to drop acceptance of Visa Inc.’s contactless payWave cards because of the interchange rates the network applies to them, according to an industry analyst.

British issuer Barclaycard and mobile-network operator Orange UK have launched a cobranded contactless credit card, a product that brings the two firms closer to offering payments via mobile phones.

RALEIGH, N.C. – State Employees’ CU has signed a three-year deal with ATTUS Technologies to provide the $18 billion credit union with its WatchDOG Pro to fulfill its OFAC and USA PATRIOT Act compliance requirements.

SAN FRANCISCO – Patelco CU announced yesterday it has signed with CO-OP Financial Services to offer the company MY Deposit system, which allows members to deposit checks from their home or office.

WASHINGTON – Government Printing Office FCU said yesterday it has signed with CRI Solutions to provide its members with online lending software solutions via CRI’s InterLend online lending system, as well as Collateral Protection Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance.

At the start of 2009, consumers said, almost timidly, that it would be nice to be able to manage their bank accounts with mobile phones. Now, they are demanding such services.

FERNDALE, Mich. – Credit Union ONE has signed with Ingenix, an Ann Arbor-based digital marketing and design provider, to teach its employees classes in digital marketing and best practices for clients using new media technology to connect with customers and drive new business.

MERCED, Calif. – Merced School Employees FCU has implemented Fiserv’s mobile banking service, MobileMoney.

CHAMBERSBURG, Penn. – Patriot FCU said it has installed Silver Peak Systems NX wide area network appliances.

LAKE BLUFF, Ill. – Moebs Services has been granted a patent for a new service that will allow credit unions and banks to customize their overdraft protection programs.

John A. Ward 3rd, a veteran of the card and banking industries, has rejoined the board of Innovative Card Technologies Inc.

Historically rivals, alternative payment providers and banks are laying down their swords.

POST FALLS, Idaho -Social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook will pose some of the biggest threats in 2010, according to TriGeo Network Security.

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.

High card-payment transaction costs are helping to keep the number of European vending machines that accept noncash payments low, Jürgen Göbel, chairman of European Vending Association’s cashless committee, tells PaymentsSource. The trade group represents 63 vending-machine companies and 20 national vending associations in Europe, where at least 3.8 million machines produced 2008 revenues of 13 billion euros (US$18.6 billion), the trade group says.

Luup International Ltd. plans to establish a mobile phone-based remittance service for the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia, a spokesperson for the Norway-based payments provider tells PaymentsSource. The service will enable the approximately 500,000 Indonesians in the United Arab Emirates to transfer funds home.