VERIFONE, HYPERCOM AND INGENICO ABANDON PLANS TO DIVEST POINT OF SALE BUSINESS TO INGENICO FOLLOWING JUSTICE DEPARTMENT LAWSUIT

WASHINGTON — May 20, 2011 VeriFone Systems Inc., Hypercom Corp. and Ingenico S.A. have abandoned plans for Hypercom to divest its U.S. point-of-sale (POS) business to Ingenico, the Department of Justice announced today. Their decision to abandon the divestiture came just one week after the department's Antitrust Division filed a lawsuit to block the proposed acquisition by VeriFone of Hypercom and to block the proposed divestiture of Hypercom's U.S. business to Ingenico. The department's lawsuit to block the overall deal between VeriFone and Hypercom is still pending, and as the companies have publicly reported, the department is in discussions with them to identify an alternative buyer that is acceptable to the department.
"We are gratified that the parties recognized the anticompetitive nature of the agreement and abandoned its divestiture plan promptly," said Christine Varney, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division. "Our discussions with the companies will continue as they seek to find an alternative buyer that will resolve the department's antitrust concerns."
POS terminals are used by retailers and other firms to accept electronic payments such as credit cards and debit cards. The three companies manufacture more than 90 percent of all POS terminals in the United States.
The department's complaint alleged that the merger of VeriFone and Hypercom would result in a dominant POS terminal manufacturer that would likely raise prices and reduce innovation, quality, product variety and service. The complaint also alleged that the proposed divestiture to Ingenico did not adequately resolve the competitive concerns raised by the VeriFone/Hypercom transaction.
VeriFone is a Delaware corporation headquartered in San Jose, Calif. VeriFone earned more than $1 billion in worldwide revenues in its last fiscal year, ending in October 2010.
Hypercom is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz. Hypercom earned more than $450 million in worldwide revenues in 2010.
Ingenico is a French corporation with worldwide revenues in 2010 of more than $1.3 billion.

Adam Atlas Attorney at Law - The Publisher of this blog

Multi-Billion Dollar Civil Money Laundering And Forfeiture Action Also Filed Internet Domain Names Used By The Poker Companies Seized

April 16, 2011 (New York) PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and JANICE FEDARCYK, the Assistant-Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI"), announced the unsealing of an Indictment today charging eleven defendants, including the founders of the three largest Internet poker companies doing business in the United States - PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker (the "Poker Companies")- with bank fraud, money laundering, and illegal gambling offenses. The United States also filed a civil money laundering and in rem forfeiture complaint (the "Civil Complaint") against the Poker Companies, their assets, and the assets of several payment processors for the Poker Companies. In addition, restraining orders were issued against more than 75 bank accounts utilized by the Poker Companies and their payment processors, and five Internet domain names used by the Poker Companies to host their illegal poker games were seized.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney PREET BHARARA said: "As charged, these defendants concocted an elaborate criminal fraud scheme, alternately tricking some U.S. banks and effectively bribing others to assure the continued flow of billions in illegal gambling profits. Moreover, as we allege, in their zeal

________________

to circumvent the gambling laws, the defendants also engaged in massive money laundering and bank fraud. Foreign firms that choose to operate in the United States are not free to flout the laws they don't like simply because they can't bear to be parted from their profits."

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge JANICE K. FEDARCYK said: "These defendants, knowing full well that their business with U.S. customers and U.S. banks was illegal, tried to stack the deck. They lied to banks about the true nature of their business. Then, some of the defendants found banks willing to flout the law for a fee. The defendants bet the house that they could continue their scheme, and they lost."

According to the Indictment and the Civil Complaint unsealed today:

On October 13, 2006, the United States enacted the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act ("UIGEA"), making it a federal crime for gambling businesses to "knowingly accept" most forms of payment "in connection with the participation of another person in unlawful Internet gambling." Despite the passage of UIGEA, the Poker Companies, located offshore, continued operating in the United States. In a press release dated October 16, 2006, Absolute Poker announced that the company would continue its U.S. operations because "the U.S. Congress has no control over" the company's payment transactions.

Because U.S. banks and credit card issuers were largely unwilling to process their payments, the Poker Companies allegedly used fraudulent methods to circumvent federal law and trick these institutions into processing payments on their behalf. For example, defendants ISAI SCHEINBERG and PAUL TATE of PokerStars, RAYMOND BITAR and NELSON BURTNICK of Full Tilt Poker, and SCOTT TOM and BRENT BECKLEY of Absolute Poker, arranged for the money received from U.S. gamblers to be disguised as payments to hundreds of non-existent online merchants purporting to sell merchandise such as jewelry and golf balls. Of the billions of dollars in payment transactions that the Poker Companies tricked U.S. banks into processing, approximately one-third or more of the funds went directly to the Poker Companies as revenue through the "rake" charged to players on almost every poker hand played online.

As alleged in the Indictment, to accomplish their fraud, the Poker Companies worked with an array of highly compensated "payment processors" – including defendants RYAN LANG, IRA RUBIN, BRADLEY FRANZEN, and CHAD ELIE – who obtained accounts at U. S. banks for the Poker Companies. The payment processors lied to banks about the nature of the financial transactions they were processing, and covered up those lies, by, among other things, creating phony corporations and websites to disguise payments to the Poker Companies. For example, a PokerStars document from May 2009 acknowledged that they received money from U.S. gamblers through company names that "strongly imply the transaction has nothing to do with PokerStars," and that PokerStars used whatever company names "the processor can get approved by the bank."

By late 2009, after U.S. banks and financial institutions detected and shut down multiple fraudulent bank accounts used by the Poker Companies, SCHEINBERG and BITAR developed a new processing strategy that would not involve lying to banks. PokerStars, FullTilt Poker, and their payment processors persuaded the principals of a few small, local banks facing financial difficulties to engage in such processing in return for multi-million dollar investments in the banks. For example, in September 2009, ELIE and others approached defendant JOHN CAMPOS, the Vice Chairman of the Board and part-owner of SunFirst Bank, a small, private bank based in Saint George, Utah, about processing Internet poker transactions. While expressing "trepidations," CAMPOS allegedly agreed to process gambling transactions in return for a $10 million investment in SunFirst by ELIE and an associate, which would give them a more than 30% ownership stake in the bank. CAMPOS also requested and received a $20,000 "bonus" for his assistance. In an e-mail, one of ELIE's associates boasted that they had "purchased" SunFirst and that they "were looking to purchase" "a grand total of 3 or 4 banks" to process payments.

The Indictment and Civil Complaint seek at least $3 billion in civil money laundering penalties and forfeiture from the Poker Companies and the defendants. The District Court issued an order restraining approximately 76 bank accounts in 14 countries containing the proceeds of the charged offenses. Pursuant to a warrant for arrest in rem issued by the U.S. District Court, the United States also seized five Internet domain names used by the Poker Companies to operate their illegal online businesses in the United States.

* * *

Defendants CAMPOS and ELIE were arrested this morning in Saint George, Utah and Las Vegas, Nevada, respectively. ELIE will appear later today before a U. S. Magistrate Court Judge in Las Vegas, Nevada. CAMPOS will appear before a U.S. Magistrate

Court Judge in Saint George, Utah on April 18, 2011. Defendant FRANZEN is expected to appear for his arraignment on April 19, 2011 in the Southern District of New York. Defendants BITAR, SCHEINBERG, BURTNICK, TATE, TOM, BECKLEY, RUBIN and LANG are not presently in the United States and have not yet been arrested. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York is working with foreign law enforcement agencies and Interpol to secure the arrest of these defendants and the seizure of criminal proceeds located abroad. BITAR, TOM, RUBIN, BECKLEY, CAMPOS, ELIE, and FRANZEN are U. S. citizens. A chart identifying each defendant, the charges, and the maximum penalties, is attached to this release.

U.S. Attorney PREET BHARARA praised the FBI for its outstanding leadership in the investigation, which he noted is ongoing. Mr. BHARARA also thanked Immigration and Customs Enforcement's New York and New Jersey offices, and the Washington State Gambling Commission, for their assistance in the investigation.

The matters announced today are being handled by the Office's Complex Frauds and Asset Forfeiture Units. Assistant U.S. Attorneys ARLO DEVLIN-BROWN and NICOLE FRIEDLANDER are in charge of the criminal case, and Assistant U. S. Attorneys SHARON COHEN LEVIN, MICHAEL LOCKARD and JASON COWLEY are in charge of the civil money laundering and forfeiture actions.

The charges contained in the Indictment and Civil Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Defendant Citizenship Residence Age

ISAI SCHEINBERG Canada;

Israel

Isle of Man 64 (est.)

RAYMOND BITAR United States California

Ireland

39

SCOTT TOM United States Costa Rica 31

BRENT BECKLEY United States Costa Rica 31

NELSON BURTNICK Canada Ireland 40

PAUL TATE Isle of Man

RYAN LANG Canada Canada 36

BRADLEY FRANZEN United States Illinois

Cost Rica

41

IRA RUBIN United States Costa Rica 52

CHAD ELIE United States Nevada 31

JOHN CAMPOS United States Utah 57

Count Charge Defendants Maximum Penalties

1 Conspiracy to

Violate Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGIEA)

ISAI SCHEINBERG, RAYMOND BITAR, SCOTT TOM, BRENT BECKLEY, NELSON BURTNICK, PAUL TATE, RYAN LANG, BRADLEY FRANZEN, IRA RUBIN, CHAD ELIE, JOHN CAMPOS

5 years in prison; fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss; 3 years supervised release

2 Violation of

Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGIEA) - PokerStars

ISAI SCHEINBERG, NELSON BURTNICK, PAUL TATE, RYAN LANG, BRADLEY FRANZEN, IRA RUBIN, CHAD ELIE, JOHN CAMPOS

5 years in prison; fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss; 3 years supervised release

Count Charge Defendants Maximum Penalties

3 Violation of

Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGIEA) - Full Tilt Poker

RAYMOND BITAR, NELSON BURTNICK, RYAN LANG, BRADLEY FRANZEN, IRA RUBIN, CHAD ELIE, JOHN CAMPOS

5 years in prison; fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss; 3 years supervised release

4 Violation of

Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGIEA) ­ Absolute Poker

SCOTT TOM, BRENT BECKLEY, RYAN LANG, BRADLEY FRANZEN, IRA RUBIN, CHAD ELIE

5 years in prison; fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss; 3 years supervised release

5 Operation of

Illegal Gambling Business - PokerStars

ISAI SCHEINBERG, NELSON BURTNICK, PAUL TATE, RYAN LANG, BRADLEY FRANZEN, IRA RUBIN, CHAD ELIE, JOHN CAMPOS

5 years in prison; fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss; 3 years supervised release; forfeiture of proceeds of offense

6 Operation of

Illegal Gambling Business - Full Tilt Poker

RAYMOND BITAR, NELSON BURTNICK, RYAN LANG, BRADLEY FRANZEN, IRA RUBIN, CHAD ELIE, JOHN CAMPOS

5 years in prison; fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss; 3 years supervised release; forfeiture of proceeds of offense

7 Operation of

Illegal Gambling Business ­ Absolute Poker

SCOTT TOM, BRENT BECKLEY, RYAN LANG, BRADLEY FRANZEN, IRA RUBIN, CHAD ELIE

5 years in prison; fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss; 3 years supervised release; forfeiture of proceeds of offense

________________

Count Charge Defendants Maximum Penalties

8 Conspiracy to

Commit Bank Fraud and Wire Fraud

ISAI SCHEINBERG, RAYMOND BITAR, BRENT BECKLEY, NELSON BURTNICK, PAUL TATE, RYAN LANG, BRADLEY FRANZEN, IRA RUBIN, CHAD ELIE

30 years in prison; fine of $1,000,000 or twice the gross gain or loss; 5 years supervised release; forfeiture of proceeds of offense

9 Money Laundering

Conspiracy

ISAI SCHEINBERG, RAYMOND BITAR, BRENT BECKLEY, NELSON BURTNICK, PAUL TATE, RYAN LANG, BRADLEY FRANZEN, IRA RUBIN, CHAD ELIE, JOHN CAMPOS

20 years in prison; fine of $500,000 or twice the amount laundered; 3 years supervised release; forfeiture of proceeds of offense

Credit Card Class Action Class Action Filed Against Visa, Mastercard, and Leading Banks Over Alleged Price Fixing Conspiracy

VANCOUVER (March 29, 2011) -- Branch MacMaster LLP and Camp Fiorante
Matthews filed a proposed national class action in the British
Columbia Supreme Court against Visa, MasterCard, and several leading
banks. The claim alleges that the credit card giants and banks have
engaged in a multi-billion dollar price fixing conspiracy to increase
or maintain the fees paid by merchants on every credit card
transaction.

When a customer pays with a credit card, Visa and MasterCard take a
percentage fee, along with the card-issuing bank and the company that
processes the payment. That percentage varies depending on what kind
of card is used. Basic cards charge a smaller percentage, while
premium credit cards that offer points and other rewards cost
merchants a much higher fee.

The claim alleges that Visa and MasterCard rules force merchants to
accept every Visa or MasterCard credit card, even if those cards carry
high fees for the merchant. The claim also alleges that these rules
prevent merchants from charging more for payments with premium cards.

Ward Branch, partner at Branch MacMaster LLP said, "The lawsuit
alleges that merchants are forced to raise prices for all customers to
cover the cost of transactions with premium cards. Our research
suggests that these fees cost Canadian merchants $5 billion in 2009
alone. The system is bad for Canadian merchants, Canadian consumers,
and for the Canadian economy as a whole."

The suit follows a filing by the Competition Bureau of Canada, which
seeks to prevent Visa and MasterCard from imposing the rules
preventing surcharges and forcing merchants to honour all cards. This
proposed class action seeks to recover the fees that Visa, MasterCard,
and the banks are alleged to have collected illegally from merchants.

Along with Visa and MasterCard, the suit names BMO Financial Group,
Bank of Nova Scotia, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Desjardins,
National Bank of Canada, Royal Bank of Canada, Toronto-Dominion Bank,
Bank of America, Capital One, and Citygroup Inc. as defendants.

Webinar On Canadian Mobile Payments Compliance and AML

 

When Thursday March 24, 2011, 1:00 PM EST – 2:00 PM EST. Cost Free! ›› RSVP		Free Webinar:  The legal framework for MSBs doing business in Canada What's going on?  What's coming next?  And what's different about doing business in Quebec? New federal and provincial legislation have significant implications for electronic payment companies and other money services businesses (MSBs) operating in Canada or serving clients in Canada.   Your are cordially invited to attend the a free webinar targeted to helping money services businesses (MSBs) build, improve and shape their regulatory compliance programs – particularly with respect to anti money laundering (AML) and counter terrorist financing (CTF).  This session will focus on the existing requirements, industry trends and emerging Quebec legislation that could change the way you do business.  Get the facts that you need to keep your business on the right side of the law in Canada. This event features Matthew McGuire and Adam Atlas. Matthew McGuire is the president of Williams McGuire AML Inc., largest dedicated anti-money laundering consulting practice in Canada.  Matthew and his team have assisted countless MSBs operating in Canada.  Their experience runs the gamut from AML compliance effectiveness reviews to conducting MSB screening on behalf of a financial service provider.  Matthew is widely recognized in financial and academic circles as one of Canada's top experts in AML and CTF.  Find out more about Williams McGuire AML Inc. at www.amlcompliance.ca. Adam Atlas is a lawyer specializing in mobile money companies.  His firm, Adam Atlas Attorney at Law is a boutique commercial law firm dedicated to top-tier personal service to clients. He is licensed to practice law in both the Canadian province of Quebec and New York state.  Adam has a unique specialization in electronic transaction law and has been widely published on related topics.  Find out more about Adam Atlas at www.adamatlas.com. RSVP at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/345803611 Please note, space at this by invitation-only event is limited.  We look forward to (virtually) seeing you there.

                         

 

NXGEN Appoints Randy Tillim as Director of Major Accounts

January 2011, Whitefish, MT – NXGEN Payment Services, a leading Merchant Service Provider (MSP) for Elavon Global Payment Solutions, operating in USA, Canada, UK, and Italy, has appointed Randy Tillim as Director of Major Accounts.  Mr. Tillim will be responsible for all the business development, sales, and marketing targeted at merchants processing more than a billion dollars per year in credit card volume.  In his position, Tillim will report directly to the President, Giuseppe Caltabiano.

 

"Randy has already been instrumental to NXGEN's growth by both helping acquire large businesses as well as helping in the design of the NXGEN's exclusive tool for controllable downgrades, MerchReport.com" said Giuseppe Caltabiano. "I am thrilled to be able to offer Randy's expertise, together with the support of the team he brings, to all of NXGEN's sales force"

 

"I look forward to continuing to build on NXGEN's success in this highly demanding marketplace," states Tillim. "By working with Elavon's National Accounts team, and with the availability of NXGEN's products and tools, we will be able to reduce the costs of processing to our large prospects by an average of 20 to 50 basis points on their Visa, MasterCard and Discover processing per year.  This can translate into millions of dollars of previously unrealized profit."

 

Any ISO or individual sales rep in USA can have access to Mr. Tillim's team, NXGEN's pricing and services, and MerchReport.com; Any ISO or individual sales rep will now

be able to have a team behind when trying to make a bid for very large accounts

 

About NXGEN Payment Services
NXGEN, a global provider of credit card processing in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Italy, is the top MSP for Elavon Global Payment Services through USBank.  NXGEN's mission is to increase the level of professionalism in the Payment Services Industry while providing merchants with the next generation of products at the most competitive prices - Acting locally while thinking globally!

 

MerchReport.com developed by NXGEN provides detailed interchange processing reports for high volume customers (>$1 million/month).  The downgrade reporting provides a valuable tool for customers by identifying quantifiable savings opportunities that they can monitor and control.  It is useful in tracking transactions, training store managers to reduce expenses on their processing costs and saving the organization money.

 

The goal of NXGEN is to set the standard for value and service through timely innovation and a company-wide commitment to each and every merchant. By consistently focusing on these goals, NXGEN continues to pursue our vision to be the global leader in the payment processing industry.

 

Canadian payments industry experiences a year of unprecedented change

(Oakville, Ontario – August 12, 2010) — Contactless debit and credit card payments are rolling out rapidly in Canada and are likely to account for significant transaction volumes and values by 2014, a new study published by Technology Strategies International predicts.  According to the recently released market research report titled "Canadian Payments Forecast - 2010", there is also strong interest in mobile payments, although in the short term this is likely to ride on the back of contactless rollout. 

The study found that consumer payments were remarkably resilient during the recession, with the largest impacts being felt in the value and volume of credit card transactions.  The resilience was a result of growth in personal expenditures, even in the face of declining GDP.

"The industry has been through some very significant changes over the past two years," says Christie Christelis, President of Technology Strategies International.  "The increased regulatory oversight, and in particular, the Code of Conduct, has had, and will continue to have, far-reaching effects on how the key players position themselves in this market, and how they move forward with their growth strategies."

"Interac is particularly vulnerable to competition in the debit space at the moment," he notes, "and the Code has provided breathing space for the organization to ready itself for the onslaught from scheme debit."

Key findings of the study include:

• The impact of the recession was felt in the payments space with cash withdrawal from ABMs, cash purchases, credit card purchases and credit card cash advance volumes declining.
• Online payments, cross-border payments and contactless payments grew rapidly in 2009.  The use of cheques for personal payments continued to decline.
• The intensity of competition is increasing in the Canadian debit payments space. MasterCard and Visa have managed to secure the support of leading issuers to launch alternative debit payment products in Canada – a market currently dominated by Interac.
• The merchant lobby has been highly effective in delaying the launch of scheme debit in Canada. The Credit and Debit Card Industry Code of Conduct has forced would-be issuers of alternative debit products to rethink their launch strategies.
• MasterCard has encroached on Visa's turf as Visa issuers experiment with issuing the more lucrative MasterCard credit cards.
• Contactless payments have extended their reach remarkably quickly over the past year, and issuers and acquirers are undertaking major thrusts to make contactless payments ubiquitous in appropriate payment settings.
• Cross-border payments are expected to grow rapidly, with the entry of scheme debit stimulating growth in both the outbound and inbound cross-border payments segments.
• Mobile payments continue to attract strong interest from payment companies, banks and acquirers, especially in the face of increased smartphone usage in Canada. Over the next five years. growth in mobile payments will occur primarily on the back of developments in the contactless payments space.
• Alternative payment mechanisms for online payments (i.e. non-credit card payments) will account for one third of all online payments made by Canadians by 2014
• Cash will remain the most frequently used form of payment in Canada over the next five years, but will suffer some erosion from contactless debit and credit payments

The 138 page report provides a comprehensive review, analysis and forecast of consumer payments in Canada.  It identifies high growth segments in the Canadian payments market in the context of some important recent developments in the economy and the industry.  Detailed forecasts are presented for credit card payments, debit card payments, cash payments, cheque payments, contactless payments, cross-border payments, online payments, ABM installations and POS terminals.

About Technology Strategies International 
Technology Strategies International is a leading Canadian technology market research firm based in Oakville, Ontario.  Established in 1995, the company has been tracking developments in Canadian payment industry for the past fifteen years.  For more information please seewww.tsiglobalnet.com/reports.html. 

NXGEN Payment Services Appoints Two Key Executives

NXGEN Payment Services Appoints Two Key Executives.

(Adam Montague as COO, Dowe Kaufman as National Sales manager)

 

October 2009, Whitefish, MT – Calgary Alberta – NXGEN Payment Services, a leading Merchant Service Provider (MSP) for Elavon Global Payment Solutions, operating in USA and Canada, has promoted Adam Montague as its COO and Dowe Kaufman as its National Sales Manager.  Mr. Montague will be responsible for all the group’s companies’ operations, and Mr. Kaufman will be responsible for managing and developing NXGEN’s domestic sales channels.  In their positions, both Montague and Kaufman will report directly to the President, Giuseppe Caltabiano.

 

“Adam has been NXGEN’s Director of Boarding, Underwriting, and Support teams, redesigning each department’s organization with a key focus on quality of service, accuracy when we pay commissions, and attention to merchant needs. Dowe has worked in sales for us over the last year and brings an amount of valuable sales experience, having previously managed his own group of agents, and having grown portfolios over the past 7 years” said Giuseppe Caltabiano. “The exciting part for all of us is that we are constantly managing to grow even in a period where the markets have faced challenges.  We are able to further fuel growth with these appointments, confirming NXGEN’s commitment to its customers, sales forces and partners.”

 

“I look forward to continuing to build on NXGEN’s core competencies,” states Kaufman. “Deepening our footprint, growing our Agent Bank and National Referral Program, and continuing to expand our different Sales Channels will be our main focus. We also have great opportunities for growth in Vertical Markets, and now, thanks to our own MerchReports.com, into very large, national accounts.”

 

“NXGEN’s capability of servicing all our merchants, all our sales forces, referral partners, etc. while boarding new businesses both in USA and Canada is produced by the combination of a team of highly skilled and dedicated individuals and state of the art technology.  These skill sets and technical abilities allow us to be fast and accurate in any phase of our processes” explains Montague. “In the last year, we have achieved the ambitious objective of becoming fully paperless in our operations.”

 

About NXGEN
NXGEN is a multi-national provider of credit card processing in the United States and Canada.  NXGEN is one of the top MSPs for Elavon Global Payment Services through USBank.

 

NXGEN has been awarded MasterCard’s highest level of RAMP Compliance rating for their Fraud Prevention and Risk Management policies, and VISA certified NXGEN as one of only a few companies able to participate in their Tax Payment Pilot program. 

 

For more information, please contact NXGEN Payment Services at: 1-866-863-9977

E-mail: mjaffe@nxgen.com, Internet: www.nxgen.com, www.nxgencanada.com

Three indicted in largest U.S. identity theft scheme

Mon Aug 17, 2009 6:29pm EDT By Daniel Trotta

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Three men were indicted on Monday for allegedly stealing more than 130 million credit and debit card numbers in what U.S. authorities said they believe is the largest hacking and identity theft case ever prosecuted.

Albert Gonzalez, a former government informant already in jail in connection with hacking cases, and two unnamed Russians were indicted on charges related to five corporate data breaches from 2006 to 2008.

Card numbers were stolen in those breaches from credit-card processor Heartland Payment Systems and retail chains 7-Eleven Inc and Hannaford Brothers Co, prosecutors said.

The men targeted two other corporations, the U.S. attorney's office in New Jersey said in the statement, without naming those companies.

Heartland Payment Systems and Hannaford Brothers had previously and separately acknowledged the breaches, but the scope of the fraud had not been known.

Authorities also for the first time tied those cases to Gonzalez, who was arrested last year on suspicion of hacking into a restaurant chain's payment system.

Attorneys for Gonzalez were not available for comment.

Prosecutors said Gonzalez and the Russians, identified as "Hacker 1" and "Hacker 2", targeted large corporations by scanning the list of Fortune 500 companies and exploring corporate websites before setting out to identify

vulnerabilities.

A year ago, Gonzalez was indicted along with 10 others from five countries on accusations of stealing 41 million credit and debit card numbers from major retailers, including TJX Cos Inc, owner of the TJ Maxx and Marshall's retail chains. Prosecutors said that ring caused more than $400 million in damages.

Prosecutors said Gonzalez and the other two men used numerous techniques to penetrate the computer systems.

Gonzalez was being held in a Brooklyn jail. Prosecutors would not comment on the whereabouts of the two Russians.

All three were charged with conspiracy to gain unauthorized access to computers, to commit fraud in connection with computers and to damage computers, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Each faces up to 35 years in prison and large fines if convicted.

Prosecutors said in the statement that the suspects would seek to sell the data to others who would use it to make fraudulent purchases.

They cited one example in which they said the suspects went to retail locations to identify the type of checkout machines, and after further investigation into the computer systems they uploaded information onto servers that worked as hacking platforms. 

 

PayLogec and NXGEN Canada Join Forces

August 4, 2009: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – PayLogec Merchant Solutions (www.paylogec.com), a Canadian leading payment service provider registered with Elavon Canada (previously known as Nova Information Systems), and NXGEN Canada (www.nxgencanada.com), a North American leading payment services provider, today announced the creation of a Partnership which will accelerate the availability of new payment services options to Canadian Financial Institutions, Trade Associations, Businesses and Non-profit Organizations in Canada.

 

Both PayLogec and NXGEN Canada (a company of the NXGEN Group) have been authorized resellers of Elavon Canada since 2005, and together they process approximately $2 Billion annually for merchants in North America.

 

By joining forces, they will synergize on resources and will be able to bring to market the most advanced payment options for both brick-and-mortar and Internet-based business, as well as the most advanced reporting tools that allow merchants, agents, Financial Institutions and Trade Associations, to monitor on-line their financial performances.

 

Don Andrews, President of PayLogec (now President PayLogec/NXGEN Canada), will manage this Partnership.

 

“The competitive environment is causing many processing providers to initiate a lower quality of service. At PayLogec/NXGEN, we are committed to the needs of our merchants, while operating with full integrity, respect, and excellence,” states Mr. Andrews. “This relationship with NXGEN Canada will allow us to focus on what we do best; selling ’Best in Class‘ payment services and supporting our merchants and partners. Furthermore, by making full use of NXGEN’s operations and IT infrastructure, we will automate processes and offer unique on-line data access to our valued partners.”

 

Thomas Nitopi, CEO of the NXGEN group and co-Chair of Elavon’s MSP Advisory Board, comments “NXGEN is one of the top partners of Elavon in North America. We have performed extremely well in Canada over the last 4 years, and now we are looking toward more accelerated growth by providing the marketplace comprehensive solutions through the relationship and network of the PayLogec/NXGEN team.”  He continues, “The last few months of preparation for this venture have been amazingly exciting.  NXGEN’s credibility in the payment industry is unblemished.  When we began talking with PayLogec, we realized that the core values by which we execute business were the same (especially their focus on long-term relationships with customers and partners) and were achieved only by offering true win-win propositions.”

 

PayLogec and NXGEN Canada are processing the payment transactions through Elavon, a top ten global acquirer, processing transactions over its secure, reliable and fully redundant network.

 

“I am thrilled at this alliance and its ability to address the specific needs of Financial Institutions and Trade Associations across Canada,” says Cory Taylor, Managing Director of Elavon Canada.  “By combining industry experience with Elavon’s robust network, customer service and pricing structure, PayLogec and NXGEN Canada have created an irresistible offer for every business, bank, credit union, and association.”

 

About PayLogec:         

PayLogec Merchant Solutions Canada is a registered payments partner with Elavon Canada and is a member in good standing of the Visa and MasterCard International Associations. PayLogec delivers Solutions, Service and Expertise in all areas of the payments industry and brings that to each and every merchant.

 

Expertise: Every merchant and business can be assured that its individual processing situation will be treated with complete respect and privacy.

 

Service: All merchants will be assigned a PayLogec/NXGEN account executive to not only present a processing program, but to be there to install, train and be available at anytime to assist with questions, technical issues and overall support. We value your business.

 

Solutions:  PayLogec/NXGEN, in partnership with Elavon, provide the most comprehensive processing solution choices to the merchant. From “Chip and Pin” ready POS Terminals with dual dial-up/Internet connectivity, Wireless options and a complete Virtual Suite of products, you can be assured PayLogec has the right solution for your needs at the lowest cost. Furthermore, when you choose one of our solutions they are completely supported and serviced by both PayLogec/NXGEN and Elavon. You never have to deal with the Manufacturer.

 

About Elavon

Elavon's Global Acquiring Solutions organization is a part of U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB) and provides end-to-end payment processing services and solutions to more than one million merchants in the United States, Europe, Canada and Puerto Rico. Elavon represents the former brands of NOVA Information Systems and its affiliates FHMS and euroConex. For more information, visit http://www.elavon.com.

 

About NXGEN Canada

NXGEN Canada is a fully-owned subsidiary of NXGEN International, a multi-national provider of credit card processing, e-commerce and comprehensive payment services. NXGEN International’s mission is “To increase the level of professionalism in the Payment Services Industry while providing merchants with the next generation of products at the most competitive prices—acting locally while thinking globally!”  The goal of NXGEN Canada is to set the standard for value and service through timely innovation and a company-wide commitment to each and every one of our merchants.”

 

For more information, please contact

PayLogec Merchant Solutions: by Phone 604-541-8781, e-mail ghowes@paylogec.com

NXGEN Canada: by Phone +1-888-866-9436, e-mail: klamothe@nxgeninternational.com, or on the Internet: www.nxgencanada.com and www.paylogec.com

 

 

MasterCard welcomes rejection of price controls, support of debit competition

Toronto, July 1, 2009 -- MasterCard Canada welcomes today's decision by the Senate Standing Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce to reject retail lobbyists' calls for price regulation on credit card payment systems-an approach that would have resulted in consumers' paying the price for merchants' credit card acceptance.

MasterCard also welcomes the Committee's support of competition in Canadian debit. Both recommendations will serve the best interests of consumers and merchants.

"The Senate Committee clearly recognized that price controls are inappropriate and would harm consumers," said Kevin Stanton, president, MasterCard Canada. "Australia continues to provide an excellent example of how such price controls reduce consumer credit card program benefits, and result in no appreciable decrease in the price of goods and services."

When Australia regulated the fees merchants pay for credit card acceptance in 2003, retailers simply pocketed the windfall. Other consequences of these price controls included:

• Consumers' credit card fees and interest rates went up;
• Some credit card issuers had to stop doing business, so competition and consumer choice was reduced;
• Merchants charged consumers extra for using credit and debit cards, even though merchants' fees went down; and
• Consumers' credit card benefits and rewards had to be reduced or disappeared entirely.

MasterCard also applauds the Senate Committee for recognizing the benefits to consumers and merchants of introducing competition in the Canadian debit market.

The Senate's recommendation of a flat-fee pricing model aligns with how MasterCard's Maestro debit product is already priced.

"MasterCard's Maestro debit solution is flat-fee based and is less expensive to merchants than Interac and will provide significant benefits for consumers, not the least of which is the ability to pay by debit in countries around the world," said Stanton. "It is time for a new era in Canadian debit."

MasterCard cautions that some other Committee recommendations will result in unintended negative consequences for consumers and small merchants in particular.

The recommendation on surcharging-allowing merchants to charge consumers extra for purchases made on a credit or debit card-essentially asks consumers to bear the merchant's operational costs, and could lead to the type of opportunistic surcharging being levied by merchants at the point of sale in Australia.

Similarly, the Committee's recommendation on honour-all-cards practices will create risk, confusion, delay and difficulty for both consumers and merchants at the point-of-sale.

"Consumers expect to be able to pay with their card of choice wherever the brand is displayed," Stanton said. "Arbitrary acceptance by merchants will create significant risk, unpredictability and confusion at the point-of-sale for both retail staff and consumers, and could lead to the possibility that some credit cardholders will be unable to pay for their purchases."

The recommendation on priority routing of debit payments will take the technical routing decision out of the hands of the parties-merchants and issuing banks-paying for the transaction. Specifically, the Senate's recommendations on priority routing will favour the incumbent debit monopolist and will in effect reduce competition in debit. It will also inject the very operational complications and costs the retail lobby was seeking to avoid in a competitive debit market. It will also result in no benefits and unnecessary confusion for consumers, who do not pay for debit transactions.

MasterCard Canada appreciates the opportunity provided by the Senate committee to participate in the comprehensive examination of Canada's credit and debit payments system and recognizes it has a role to play in promoting greater transparency and education to Canadian merchants. It has a number of initiatives underway to meet this need, including developing model disclosures, and small merchant education materials.

About MasterCard Worldwide

MasterCard Worldwide advances global commerce by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, businesses, cardholders and merchants worldwide. As a franchisor, processor and advisor, MasterCard develops and markets payment solutions, processes approximately 21 billion transactions each year, and provides industry-leading analysis and consulting services to financial institution customers and merchants. Through its family of brands, including MasterCard(R), Maestro(R) and Cirrus(R), MasterCard serves consumers and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. For more information go to www.mastercard.com .

Half a million Canadians are delinquent - Equifax Canada data reveals 19% jump

TORONTO, July 3 /CNW/ - Equifax Canada today released the latest
consumer credit delinquency data which shows that Canadians continue
to fall behind on their credit payments at an ever-increasing rate.
The average delinquency rate for Canada rose by approximately 19% over
a one-year span from May 31, 2008 to May 31, 2009. In April, the same
rate was increasing at 13%. The average delinquency rate for all of
Canada as of May 31, 2009 was 1.52%. This means that over a half a
million Canadians are now more than 90 days behind on their credit
payments.

Provincially, Nova Scotia had the highest average delinquency rate in
May at 2.07% and Saskatchewan had the lowest rate at 1.22%. Ontario's
rate was 1.74%.

Equifax Canada defines delinquent accounts as credit facilities that
have not received a payment for at least 90 days. The average
delinquency rate is calculated by comparing the number of delinquent
credit facilities to the total number of credit facilities. Equifax
Canada's experienced team of consultants and analysts compute
delinquency rates by analyzing data from Canadian lenders who report
to it on a daily basis.

Delinquencies - Their Alarming Rise

On a yearly basis, the average delinquency rates have been rising
dramatically in Alberta (26%) and British Columbia (27%), and, on the
east coast, Prince Edward Island experienced a 26% increase. The
national yearly average rate of increase is 18.8%.

It is important to note that these provinces continue to have average
delinquency rates that are lower than the national average with
British Columbia at 1.31% and Alberta at 1.42%. In Prince Edward
Island (2.05%), however, average delinquency rates were higher than
the national rate.

Calgary sees sharpest jump

Urban areas experienced some of the largest jumps in delinquency
rates. Five out of the ten cities monitored by Equifax Canada have
annual increases in delinquency rates that are higher than the
national average:

May 2009 Year over Year

Delinquency Rate Increase (%)
---------------- ------------
Calgary 1.32% 29%
Montreal 1.41% 18%
Vancouver 1.18% 22%
Quebec City 0.83% 17%
Edmonton 1.40% 23%
London 1.66% 20%
Hamilton 1.70% 20%
Toronto 1.98% 14%
Canada 1.52% 19%

With the exception of Quebec City, all provinces and cities monitored
by Equifax Canada from April 2009 to May 2009 experienced an increase
in their average delinquency rate.

Toronto continues to have the highest delinquency rate at 1.98%, even
though its yearly increase rate is 14.45%, which is below the national
average.

"While we have seen delinquencies increase steadily since the
beginning of the year, the rate of increase in the past 3 months has
been significantly higher," said Nadim Abdo, Vice President of Equifax
Canada Consulting Solutions. "The sharpest increase has resulted from
Credit Card and Sales Finance purchases, which have increased by 38%
and 58%, respectively, since May 2008. Such transactions typically
represent the purchase of durable goods, such as furniture or
electronics, and consumers appear to be willing to fall behind on them
first before they miss payments on their Bank Loans and Lines of
Credit."

This is another in a series of news releases that will feature Equifax
Canada's financial and demographic data, which can help businesses
target opportunities and make informed decisions. If you would like to
find out how Equifax Canada can use their unique insights to help you
make better decisions for your business, please contact us at
1-800-278-0278 or visit our website at www.equifax.ca.

About Equifax Inc. (www.equifax.com)

Equifax empowers businesses and consumers with information they can
trust. A global leader in information solutions, we leverage one of
the largest sources of consumer and commercial data, along with
advanced analytics and proprietary technology, to create customized
insights that enrich both the performance of businesses and the lives
of consumers.

Customers have trusted Equifax for over 100 years to deliver
innovative solutions with the highest integrity and reliability.
Businesses - large and small - rely on us for consumer and business
credit intelligence, portfolio management, fraud detection,
decisioning technology, marketing tools, and much more. We empower
individual consumers to manage their personal credit information,
protect their identity, and maximize their financial well-being.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Equifax Inc. operates throughout
the U.S., Canada and 13 other countries in North America, Latin
America, and Europe. Equifax is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P)
500 Index. Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange
under the symbol EFX.

For further information: Craig Hillyer, AVP, Product Management &
Innovation, at (416) 227-5290 or visit our website at www.equifax.ca

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SecureKey Technologies Inc. Wins ACT Canada 2009 Canadian Innovation Award

TORONTO, June 23 /CNW/ - SecureKey Technologies Inc., a provider of
next generation authentication solutions, has been awarded the ACT
Canada 2009 Canadian Innovation Award in Banking and Finance.

"It is extremely gratifying to be recognized by ACT Canada given the
organization's 20 year history of promoting the awareness,
understanding and use of advanced card technologies" says Greg
Wolfond, Chairman and CEO of SecureKey.

SecureKey's solution enables online service providers to accept
contactless cards or NFC devices as a second factor of authentication
by their customers to increase the security and convenience of
transacting online.

"The ability to leverage all forms of CHIP cards carried by customers
as a strong second factor of authentication will significantly thwart
online fraud. This is the most innovative solution I've seen in a long
time" says Catherine Johnston, President and CEO of ACT Canada.

While contactless technology was initially implemented in credit and
debit cards to facilitate small, in-person retail purchases,
SecureKey's solution leverages these same cards to provide stronger
authentication for online financial services, online payments and
network access.

About SecureKey Technologies Inc.

SecureKey Technologies Inc. is a privately held company based in
Toronto, Canada. SecureKey's innovative, patent-pending authentication
technology enables service providers to enhance their clients' online
experience while seamlessly increasing security and reducing fraud.

About ACT Canada

ACT Canada is the stakeholder association, focussed on secure payment,
secure identity management and other advanced applications. Now in
their 20th year, they are the authority on the Canadian market,
supporting members through working with key stakeholders.

ACT Canada helps members understand the market, public and private
sector applications and potential barriers. They facilitate knowledge
transfer and thought leadership through a neutral forum, while
expanding members' networks. Founded in 1989, ACT Canada is a
non-profit membership association.

For further information: Greg Wolfond, Info@SecurKey.com, (416) 226-4220

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Minister of Finance Launches Task Force on Financial Literacy

Toronto, June 26, 2009 - The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of
Finance, today announced the establishment of Canada's Task Force on
Financial Literacy to help create a cohesive national strategy to
support initiatives across Canada aimed at improving financial
education.

"Our economy is built on millions of everyday financial decisions by
Canadians," said Minister Flaherty. "Recent events have shown us that
there are major risks and that financial literacy is an important life
skill. Whether it is a question of saving for retirement, financing a
new home or balancing the family chequebook, improving the financial
literacy of Canadians will add to the stability of our financial
system and make our economy stronger."

The task force fulfills a commitment made in Canada's Economic Action
Plan to outline objectives, including a concrete plan of action and a
framework for collaboration among stakeholders, for moving forward and
measuring progress on financial literacy in Canada. Members of the
task force are drawn from the business and education sectors,
community organizations and academia. The task force will be chaired
by Donald A. Stewart, Chief Executive Officer of Sun Life Financial
Inc. L. Jacques Ménard, Chairman of BMO Nesbitt Burns, will be the
Vice-Chair.

"I am honoured to undertake this role and I look forward to working
with such a strong and diverse task force to carry out our ambitious
mandate," said Mr. Stewart. "Valuable insights can be found
internationally and I hope to bring that perspective forward to help
Canadians make informed decisions to improve their lives."

"A great deal of fine work is going on across Canada on financial
literacy, be it in schools, in volunteer groups, through provincial
programs or through the federal Financial Consumer Agency of Canada,"
said Minister Flaherty. "This task force will develop a strategic plan
to build on this collective effort to help make all Canadians more
knowledgeable consumers, investors and savers."

Minister Flaherty said the task force complements other elements in
Canada's Economic Action Plan to strengthen consumer protection, such
as the recently announced improvements to credit card regulations,
which included improved disclosure of interest rate changes.

For more information on Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit
www.actionplan.gc.ca.

Biographical notes are attached.

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Shopster.com Unveils Free Merchant Network

CALGARY, June 30 /CNW/ - Shopster.com announced today the launch of
the world's largest online Merchant Network. The Shopster Merchant
Network is a one-stop shop for online sellers and suppliers to manage
all aspects of their business. Users of the network are empowered with
tools to manage their buying and selling relationships. In an industry
first, it is free to join.

"Shopster.com is introducing social networking for your products,"
says Sarath Samarasekera, CEO and co-founder of Shopster.com. "Sites
like Facebook and LinkedIn struggle to monetize, but the Shopster
network is about making money for our users which aligns our
interests. Your success is our success, and it's free to join, so
there really is no risk."

According to Paul McCluskey, Shopster's EVP Research and Development,
the Network is the product of five years of e-commerce development and
extensive research with Shopster's large existing user base.

"We wanted to release something that not only met, but exceeded the
expectations of the market," says McCluskey. "The Merchant Network
takes traditional software as a service (SaaS) and pushes it farther
than ever before, growing more powerful and more useful with each new
user. You don't use Shopster to run your business, Shopster is your
business. Cheaper, faster, more powerful. What every network and every
platform has been striving for."

In addition to providing a proven, stable platform for building online
stores, the new Shopster Merchant Network will allow you to:

- Dramatically reduce inventory costs
- Connect with suppliers and sellers immediately and manage those
relationships
- Integrate online commerce activities under one portal
- Enhance search engine discoverability ("search engine optimization"
or SEO)

Merchants and suppliers are encouraged to sign up at
http://www.shopster.com at no charge.

About Shopster.com:

Founded in 2004, Shopster.com is an official eBay Solutions Partner
that offers a suite of eCommerce solutions for small to medium sized
business. Thousands of online merchants rely on Shopster from around
the world. Shopster simplifies the complexities of online retail,
allowing merchants to manage their store, transactions, and supply
chain relationships in one easy to use place. Joining the Network is
free, so merchants can focus on growth and relationships, not on
costs.

For further information: demonstration accounts, or media interviews,
view our multimedia presentation at http://pitch.pe/16159 or contact:
Suzy Vadori, EVP Operations, Shopster e-Commerce, (403) 366-3713,
svadori@shopster.com

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NCR announces new French Canadian President to leverage mulit-channel self-service market in Canada

Focus will be helping Canadian businesses optimize self-service solutions

 

June 30, 2009 MISSISSAUGA, Ontario - NCR Corporation (NYSE:NCR) announced today the appointment of Luc Villeneuve as President of NCR Canada   

 

An accomplished information technology professional with over 20 years of experience, Villeneuve will be responsible for sales, client services, marketing, and the management of all aspects of NCR Canada’s financial and retail businesses, as well as the emerging vertical industries of travel, gaming, entertainment and healthcare. He will be based in the company’s Canadian head office in Mississauga, Ontario.

 

“Luc’s primary objective will be to help businesses in the Canadian financial and retail industries, as well as the travel, healthcare and entertainment industries,” said John Di Leo, region vice president North America, sales and marketing. “Luc will work with business to adopt and optimize self-service solutions to help lower their costs and open new channels of revenue.  There is tremendous growth of the self-service market in Canada. Luc will have close contact with our customers in Canada, helping them to be successful with their self service strategies.”

 

Prior to joining NCR, Villeneuve spent five years at Sun Microsystems Canada as the vice president of sales. During his career he has held senior executive sales and marketing positions at BCE, GE Capital ITS and CNC Global Limited.

 

Villeneuve is bilingual and holds a business administration degree from Algonquin College. He is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario's Marketing Management Executive Program and is a certified Six Sigma practitioner.

 

About NCR Corporation

 

NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) is a global technology company leading how the world connects, interacts and transacts with business. NCR’s assisted- and self-service solutions and comprehensive support services address the needs of retail, financial, travel, healthcare, hospitality, entertainment, gaming and public sector organizations in more than 100 countries.  NCR (www.ncr.com) is headquartered in Duluth, Georgia.

 

# # #

 

NCR is a trademark of NCR Corporation in the United States and other countries.

 

News Media Contact

 

Alix Edmiston, ABC*
Corporate Communications Consultant, NCR Canada
6865 Century Avenue  |   Mississauga, ON  |    L5N 2E2
905.819.4031 (office)  |   416.698.7760 (home office) |  416 809-9996 (cell)
www.ncr.com
*Accredited Business Communicator

 

 

 

Precidia: New TransNet Version Expands POS System Support and Achieves PA-DSS

Version 2.11 supports more POS systems, achieves early PA-DSS
validation and introduces e-commerce capability.

Ottawa, Canada, June 17, 2009 - Precidia Technologies Inc., a global
leader in the design and manufacture of Internet Protocol (IP) payment
and networking products, announced today that Version 2.11 of its
TransNet payment engine software on the POSLynx220 has been released.
This latest version expands support for the hospitality industry's
most popular POS systems, and is among the first such applications to
receive PA-DSS (Payment Application Data Security Standards)
validation. In addition, version 2.11 introduces TransNet's e-commerce
capability, which allows businesses to avoid gateway fees and meet
security mandates when accepting transactions online.

TransNet is payment engine software that resides on a secure router or
terminal. Integrating easily with any ECR, POS System, PC, payment
terminal or application, TransNet is a full featured payment
application that easily and cost effectively routes credit, debit,
gift or loyalty transactions to any processor. TransNet also features
the industry's most comprehensive approach to cardholder data
security, with its secure POSLynx220 hardware platform acting as a
'fortress' for cardholder data. The POSLynx220 features SSL encryption
and field tested firewalling. Version 2.11 of TransNet on the
POSLynx220 has received PA-DSS validation from the PCI Council, making
it among the first such applications to be validated as meeting these
stringent cardholder data security standards.

This latest version of the TransNet solution is the most comprehensive
to date, with support for multiple POS systems, including Maitre'D and
PixelPoint, ECR models from Sharp and TEC, as well as open source POS
systems such as OpenBravo. It also includes a growing list of
pre-certified transaction processors, including gift and loyalty.
Developers can look to this version of TransNet to integrate payment
functionality with an application or website, helping them to simplify
or avoid cardholder data security compliance requirements and
processor certifications. TransNet's new e-commerce functionality
allows businesses to eliminate costly gateway fees and meet the
necessary cardholder data security compliance requirements for
businesses accepting transactions online.

"TransNet is gaining traction in the payment industry, leading to more
certifications and support for processors, equipment and
applications", said Deepak Wanner, President of Precidia Technologies
Inc. "TransNet is increasingly being viewed as the industry's best
integrated payments alternative, and this latest version offers all
the features and functionality of previous versions, while including a
new e-commerce capability that developers can take advantage of".

TransNet is used in a variety of retail payment applications, and
integrates easily with ECRs, PC Systems, IP/Dial payment terminals,
POS applications and e-commerce websites. For more information on
Precidia's Payment solutions, visit www.precidia.com/payments.

About Precidia Technologies
Precidia Technologies is a global leader in the design and manufacture
of Internet Protocol (IP) payment and networking products. With
customers in over 85 countries, Precidia offers unique products
designed for simple serial networking, as well as a suite which
manages the complexity of IP based payments in the retail industry.
All of Precidia's products have been designed to maximize the
potential of existing equipment, with deployment, monitoring, security
and management tools. For more information, visit Precidia on the Web
at http://www.precidia.com

Media Contact
Precidia Technologies
Tracy King
Marketing Communications Manager
tking@precidia.com

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Zoompass - A Revolutionary New Mobile Payment Service Launched in Canada - Service Provides Canadians with a New Way to Send and Receive Money Instantly Using a Mobile Phone

TORONTO, June 15 /CNW Telbec/ - EnStream LP, a mobile commerce joint
venture company owned by Bell Mobility, Rogers and TELUS -- Canada's
three leading wireless operators, today launched Zoompass(TM), a
breakthrough mobile money transfer and payment service. Zoompass gives
Canadians a fast and convenient way to send and receive money securely
using their mobile phone. The service is enabled through the Zoompass
application on the mobile phone which combines an easy-to-use
interface with an integrated contact manager that redefines how users
send and receive money. Zoompass is a better way to pay than cash,
cheque, or wire transfer.

"The launch of Zoompass represents an important milestone in financial
services that makes the mobile phone the central device consumers use
to transfer money and make purchases," said Robin Dua, President of
EnStream. "The Zoompass mobile service ushers in a new era in
electronic payments that addresses a growing desire to move money
quickly and easily between friends, family, and merchants."

Zoompass makes it easy to split a lunch bill, request money from
parents, collect sports team fees, solicit money for a co-worker's
gift, or even pay a babysitter - right from a mobile phone. With the
groundbreaking launch of Zoompass, Canadians nationwide can expect to
hear more people ask one another "Do you want me to Zoom you the
money?"

Using a safe and secure Zoompass account, customers can link their
personal bank account or credit card to make loading and transferring
money simple and convenient. Customers can access Zoompass on their
computer via the Internet, from the mobile web, or by downloading the
Zoompass application right to their wireless phone. No matter how they
choose to access Zoompass, customers can manage their account 24/7,
anytime, anywhere and transfer money, request money, check their
balance, review their transaction history and more, all in real-time.

Canada's three largest wireless phone companies decided to collaborate
and launch the Zoompass service together with the vision that a common
standard and interoperability for mobile money transfers across all
networks would result in unprecedented convenience for consumers. The
Zoompass service is available to mobile users on the Bell Mobility,
Rogers, and TELUS networks as well as customers of their respective
sub-brands and affiliates including Fido, PC Mobile, and Solo Mobile.
Consumers can visit www.zoompass.com to enroll and start using the
revolutionary money transfer service on their mobile device.

Zoompass transactions run on a highly secure payment system and are
safeguarded by cutting-edge encryption technologies. During the
registration process, users must choose a secure Personal
Identification Number (PIN). Every Zoompass transaction is
PIN-protected, making Zoompass a more secure payment method than cash
or cheque. Customer financial information is stored on secure servers,
not on the mobile phone, so even if the phone is lost or stolen, the
user's Zoompass account remains secure.

The Zoompass mobile application combines a powerful user interface
design and sophisticated features that allow users to send or request
money with just a few keystrokes. The Zoompass application interfaces
with the address book on select phones, allowing users to quickly send
or request money from their contact list.

Another unique feature of the service is the ability for customers to
make secure purchases in stores and on the Internet using the balance
in their Zoompass account with the optional Zoompass Prepaid
MasterCard(R) Card, issued by Peoples Trust. The Zoompass Prepaid
MasterCard is enabled with PayPass(TM) technology which allows for
contactless payments. To pay, customers simply tap their Zoompass
Prepaid MasterCard at PayPass-enabled terminals across Canada. The
Zoompass Prepaid MasterCard can be used at millions of locations
worldwide wherever MasterCard cards are accepted, including
approximately 1.5 million ATMs.

"We are thrilled to deliver on Canadians' increasing desire to
transfer money quickly and securely, and from anywhere, anytime,"
added Mr. Dua. "The launch of Zoompass represents an important
milestone towards developing a mobile commerce ecosystem in Canada
that provides users a convenient mode of doing everyday transactions
with their phone."

About EnStream LP

EnStream LP is a mobile commerce company working to bring
transformational wireless payment solutions to market together with
its carrier partners. With anytime-anywhere money transfers and
payments representing a new frontier of wireless services, EnStream's
mandate is to develop standardized, secure, and easy-to-use mobile
commerce services that work across Canadian wireless carriers and with
existing credit, debit, and prepaid capabilities offered by financial
institutions. EnStream is a joint venture company owned by Canada's
three leading national wireless operators - Bell Mobility, Rogers
Communications Inc., and TELUS Corporation. The company is
headquartered in Toronto, Canada. For further information, please
visit www.enstream.com.

EnStream and Zoompass are trademarks of EnStream LP. All other marks
contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

MasterCard is a registered trademark of MasterCard International
Incorporated. PayPass is a registered trademark of MasterCard
International Incorporated.

The Zoompass Prepaid MasterCard(R) Card is issued by Peoples Trust
pursuant to license from MasterCard International Incorporated.

For further information: Elayne Miles, EnStream LP, (416) 365-9000
ext. 223, Mobile: (416) 617-4506, elayne.miles@enstream.com; LeeEllen
Carroll, Thornley Fallis Communications, Mobile: (613) 794-6868,
carroll@thornleyfallis.com

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Paradigm Quest announces their successful implementation of Filogix multi-lender solutions for their BPO business model

TORONTO, June 10 /CNW/ - Paradigm Quest Inc., Canada's leading mortgage
outsourcing company, announced today their successful implementation of
Filogix multi-lender solutions for their unique Business Process Outsourcing
(BPO) business model. Filogix (a subsidiary of Davis + Henderson) is a leading
provider of credit solutions for the retail lending, small business,
commercial lending, equipment finance, mortgage and real estate industries.
"Being the first organization in the Canadian mortgage industry with a
pure BPO business model, came with unique mortgage processing hurdles we
needed to overcome," said Chris Mariani, CIO, Paradigm Quest Inc. "Filogix
understood our business and through continuous advancements to their lending
offerings, the solution significantly increases our efficiencies and improves
the overall underwriting experience."
Filogix mortgage lending solutions now have multi-lender capabilities,
meaning Underwriters are able to log in once and process deals for multiple
lenders; while only being able to view and edit the Lending institution's data
they have been granted access. It is a highly secure solution that not only
benefits the BPO model, but also large Lending institutions with consolidated
underwriting centres, supporting several different mortgage businesses.
"We were excited to deliver these added efficiencies to Paradigm Quest,
as we understood their pain points and wanted to improve their situation,"
said Lori Ker, EVP Lender Services, Filogix. "Our client's experience is our
primary focus and we will continue to find ways to enrich our solutions and to
meet the unique needs of all our clients."
Paradigm Quest has been using Filogix solutions since their inception in
2005.

About Filogix Limited Partnership:

Filogix Limited Partnership is a leading provider of lending solutions.
With clients in the United States and Canada, Filogix technologies are used by
industry leaders in retail lending, small business, commercial lending,
equipment finance, mortgage and real estate.
For more information about Filogix, please visit www.filogix.com.

About Paradigm Quest:

Paradigm Quest is a strategic partner for Canadian financial institutions
allowing them the ability to focus on their core competencies while having
confidence that their operations, and most importantly their customers, are
being managed by passionate professionals who exceed client expectations. By
leveraging best practices and our core cultural focus on innovating,
processing & technology we bring solutions to our strategic partners that
dynamically redefine efficiencies, excellence and quality in the market place.
For more information about Paradigm Quest, please visit
www.paradigmquest.com.

For further information: Judy Dinn, EVP Product Solutions of Filogix Limited
Partnership, (416) 360-1777 ext. 3394, judy.dinn@filogix.com; Tracy
McLaughlin of Paradigm Quest, (416) 366-8606 ext. 2295,
info@paradigmquest.com

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