Lighthouse Pt., FL October 20, 2011 – 3D Merchant Services, a payment processing solutions consultancy, today announced Rick Case FIAT in Davie, FL, the nations largest Fiat Dealer, chose CenPOS for their credit card processing gateway. CenPOS is an intelligent payment-processing network that streamlines the payment experience for businesses and consumers by using state-of-the-art technology to replace inefficient, outdated payment systems.
“A significant advantage is the ability to drive pin debit, which reduces risks and costs, “ said Christine Speedy, CEO of 3D Merchant Services and CenPOS agent. “Reconciliation is simplified, and merchants get all the other benefits of CenPOS, including remote access to real time data, real time alerts, remote user management, and least cost routing,” continued Christine.

In a post Durbin Amendment era, CenPOS supports all new legislative and card association initiatives, including offering discounts for certain card types. Because it’s remotely hosted, merchants do not need to download terminal updates as rules and laws change. Additionally, CenPOS dynamically routes transactions on the fly with its proprietary switching technology.

The CenPOS automotive industry solution includes a retail point of sale virtual terminal, ecommerce API, mobile payment app, web pay page, Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment, and electronic invoicing. Seven years of transaction data, with signed customer receipts, is dynamically searchable to maximize business insights and minimize disruption during internal changes. Furthermore, it does not require the user to change their financial services providers. Integrated check and ACH services are also available.

About 3D Merchant Services
3D Merchant Services is engaged in growing CenPOS direct business relationships with ISO’s, banks, resellers and merchants. www.3Dmerchant.com. Sales@3dmerchant.com

About CenPOS

http://www.cenpos.com/

“Creating efficiencies through payment innovation”
CenPOS is an intelligent payment-processing network that streamlines the payment experience for businesses and consumers by using state-of-the-art technology to replace inefficient, outdated payment systems. CenPOS provides solutions to a range of organizations including but not limited to retail, card not present merchants, automotive dealers, professional services and academic institutions; special programs are also available for non-profits. Global Sales Contact: Christine Speedy Call (954) 942-0483, or toll free: (877) 630-7960.
About the Rick Case Automotive Group:
The Rick Case Automotive Group, founded in 1962 will be celebrating its 50th anniversary next year. Located in South Florida since 1986, it is owned and operated by the wife and husband team of Rita and Rick Case, recent winners of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Award. With 15 dealerships in Florida, Georgia and Ohio, The Rick Case Automotive Group offers Acura, Audi, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, FIAT and Honda Cars & Cycles to customers, including the World’s Largest Honda and Hyundai dealerships in Broward County, Florida. With locations on I-75 at Griffin Road and on 441 at Sunrise Blvd., Rick Case Automotive Group’s corporate offices are located at 875 North State Road 7 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. For more information, please call (954) 377-7410 or visit www.rickcase.com.

CenPOS, a fast-growing payment processing technology provider, announced it is now certified with Vantiv and can offer Vantiv payment processing tools to its customers.

Miami, FL (PRWEB) October 25, 2011

CenPOS, a fast-growing payment processing technology provider, announced it is now certified with Vantiv and can offer Vantiv payment processing tools to its customers. CenPOS is an intelligent payment processing network that streamlines the payment experience for businesses and consumers by using state-of-the-art technology to reduce risk and replace inefficient, outdated payment systems. The CenPOS intelligent payment network dynamically routes transactions to assure the least risk exposure and least cost for the merchant.

The certification to Vantiv will provide a rich transactional set that will keep CenPOS ahead of the various requirements mandated by the card association and legislative reforms. Authorization reversals and partial authorizations for debit and prepaid are fully supported.

“Vantiv certification validates CenPOS technology and processes and allows us to focus on delivering to our clients a fully scalable and customized payment processing network that handles all transaction types and processes payments quickly, accurately, and securely,” said Jorge Fernandez, CenPOS President & Founder. “CenPOS provides a robust payment network that helps businesses minimize the risks and costs associated with accepting payments,” added Fernandez.

About CenPOS

http://www.cenpos.com

“Creating efficiencies through payment innovation”

Founded in 2009, Miami-based CenPOS is a payment technology provider. CenPOS is committed to providing its customers and partners with innovative solutions for today’s rapidly evolving consumer payment choices.

CenPOS is an intelligent payment-processing network that streamlines the payment experience for businesses and consumers by using state-of-the-art technology to replace inefficient, outdated payment systems. The network reflects the core values that drive the experienced and innovative CenPOS team: Simplicity, Scalability, Security and a holistic approach to payment processing strategies.

CenPOS provides solutions to a range of organizations including but not limited to retail, card not present merchants, automotive dealers, professional services and academic institutions; special programs are also available for non-profits. CenPOS sales: Christine Speedy direct (954)942-0483, HQ  (305) 630-7960, or toll free: (877) 630-7960.

About Vantiv, LLC
Vantiv, LLC is one of the largest providers of payment strategies and technology solutions for financial institutions and businesses worldwide. Formed in 1971 and most recently known as Fifth Third Processing Solutions, LLC, the Company builds strategic partnerships with its customers, helping them become more efficient, more secure and more successful. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Vantiv, LLC is a joint venture between Advent International and Fifth Third Bank, a subsidiary of Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB). For more information, visit http://www.vantiv.com

Currently when the magnetic stripe fails during a face-to-face transaction, the merchant key enters the account number and must manually imprint the card to prove the card was present during the transaction for protection against fraud chargebacks. Effective for new transactions processed on or after October 15, 2011, merchants may include Card Verification Value 2 (CVV2) in the authorization request for Visa U.S. Domestic key entered face-to-face transactions when the magnetic stripe cannot be read by the terminal.
In order to qualify for chargeback protection against reason code 81 “Fraud-Card Present” the transaction must meet the following criteria:

• Authorization Approval
• U.S. Domestic Transaction
• Card Present with magnetic stripe failure only
• Transaction was keyed entered
• CVV2 was included in the authorization request
• Signature obtained on the sales draft and retrieval request properly fulfilled

The following transaction types are excluded from the chargeback protection:

• Quasi Cash
• Cash Back
• Manual Cash Disbursement
• Betting, including lottery tickets
• Casino Gaming Chips
• Off-Track Betting and Wagers at a Race Track
• Visa International transactions

These merchants must continue to obtain an imprint of the card when the magnetic stripe cannot be read by the terminal for the protection against fraud chargebacks.

The Federal Reserve Board on Monday, October 17, 2011, announced the approval of a final rule to implement the resolution plan requirement in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

The final rule requires bank holding companies with assets of $50 billion or more and nonbank financial firms designated by the Financial Stability Oversight Council for supervision by the Board to annually submit resolution plans to the Board and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Each plan will describe the company’s strategy for rapid and orderly resolution in bankruptcy during times of financial distress. A resolution plan must include a strategic analysis of the plan’s components, a description of the range of specific actions the company proposes to take in resolution, and a description of the company’s organizational structure, material entities, interconnections and interdependencies, and management information systems.

Under the final rule, companies will submit their initial resolution plans on a staggered basis. The first group of companies, generally those with $250 billion or more in non-bank assets, must submit their initial plans on or before July 1, 2012; the second group, generally those with $100 billion or more, but less than $250 billion, in total non-bank assets, must submit their initial plans on or before July 1, 2013; and the remaining companies, generally those subject to the rule with less than $100 billion in total non-bank assets, must submit their initial plans on or before December 31, 2013.

CTIA-The Wireless Association® Releases “Guidelines for Mobile Giving”

October 12, 2011

Adherence to the Guidelines provides qualified charities a 60 percent discount for text-to-give campaigns that use dedicated short codes

WASHINGTON, D.C. – CTIA-The Wireless Association® today released its “Guidelines for Mobile Giving” to provide qualified charities a framework and 60 percent discount for mobile giving campaigns that use short codes. Created after months of collaboration among carriers, mobile giving service providers, major non-profits and non-profit accreditation groups, the Guidelines provide charities with “best practices” to help them create successful and reputable mobile donation campaigns.

The use of text message short codes for charitable donations was initially developed after the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, and gained prominence after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

The “Guidelines for Mobile Giving” will provide qualifying charitable organizations greater control over their unique short code. While charities may continue to conduct campaigns on shared short codes, a dedicated code mitigates donor confusion for qualifying organizations.

To qualify to lease a unique code at the discount, a charity must be accredited by the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance or receive three- or four-star rating from Charity Navigator. Accredited charities can mix communications, solicitations and mobile giving with their code as long as they follow the Mobile Marketing Association’s guidelines and provide consumers with a separate opt-in for each type of activity. In addition, a single code may be leased by chapter-based groups and used by all chapters or for unified campaigns.

“After the devastation of Hurricane Katrina to Haiti’s earthquake to Japan’s tsunami, Americans have generously sent millions of dollars in charitable donations via their wireless devices. The ‘Guidelines’ will help provide consumers with peace-of-mind when sending a text donation while ensuring their accredited charities are in accordance to their donors’ intent,” said Steve Largent, President and CEO of CTIA-The Wireless Association.

For more information about CTIA Guidelines for Mobile Giving, please visit: http://files.ctia.org/pdf/CTIA_Charitable_Giving_Guidelines_101211.pdf

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CTIA-The Wireless Association® (www.ctia.org) is an international organization representing the wireless communications industry. Membership in the association includes wireless carriers and their suppliers, as well as providers and manufacturers of wireless data services and products. CTIA advocates on behalf of its members at all levels of government. The association also coordinates the industry’s voluntary best practices and initiatives, and sponsors the industry’s leading wireless tradeshows. CTIA was founded in 1984 and is based in Washington, D.C.

Which merchants will receive the new low debit fee rates? This video provides a detailed look at rate differences and how to examine your merchant agreement schedule A and statement. While all merchants qualify for them, only a fraction will actually have debit discounts passed down from their processor. Will you be one of them? Pull out your merchant statement, then watch the video so you can compare data.

On October 1, 2011, new debit interchange rates go into effect as a result of the Durbin Amendment, part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act.

For new Visa card transactions processed on or after October 14, 2011, Visa will increase the transaction receipt retention period of U.S. Merchant from 12 months to 13 months to align with the Visa International Operating Regulations. For merchants processing healthcare transactions, the transaction receipt retention period of 5 years remains unchanged.

This does not require any internal procedure change for CenPOS customers, who have 7 years of receipt storage, coinciding with IRS rules. With the average merchant account changing at least twice in 7 years, CenPOS provides a valuable single source retention and receipt research tool for merchants.

There are multiple bills pending regarding data breach responsbilities and summaries are below. With PCI Compliance never achieving the goal of 100%, can we really expect any better with theses other issues. Government regulation is increasing due to the failure of businesses to self police and protect data they collect.

S. 1535: Personal Data Protection and Breach Accountability Act of 2011

6/7/2011–Introduced.
Personal Data Privacy and Security Act of 2011 – Amends the federal criminal code to: (1) make fraud in connection with the unauthorized access of personally identifiable information (in electronic or digital form) a predicate for racketeering charges, and (2) prohibit concealment of security breaches involving sensitive personally identifiable information. Sets penalties for attempts and conspiracies to commit fraud and related activity in connection with computers. Requires a data broker to: (1) disclose to an individual, upon request, personal electronic records pertaining to such individual maintained or accessed for disclosure to third parties; (2) disclose adverse actions by third parties against an individual; and (3) maintain procedures for correcting inaccuracies and incompleteness in such records. Defines a “data broker” as a business entity that collects, transmits, or provides access to sensitive personally identifiable information on more than 5,000 individuals who are not the customers or employees of that business entity for purposes of providing such information to non-affiliated third parties on an interstate basis. Establishes standards for developing and implementing safeguards to protect the security of sensitive personally identifiable information. Imposes upon data brokers and business entities civil penalties for violations of such standards. Requires business entities to notify: (1) any individual whose information has been, or is reasonably believed to have been, accessed or acquired, (2) all nationwide consumer reporting agencies if an agency or entity is required to notify more than 5,000 such individuals, and (3) the United States Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) if the number of individuals involved exceeds 10,000.
Authorizes the Attorney General and state attorneys general to bring civil actions against business entities for violations of this Act. Requires the Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA), in considering contract awards totaling more than $500,000, to evaluate: (1) the data privacy and security program of a data broker, (2) program compliance, (3) the extent to which databases and systems have been compromised by security breaches, and (4) data broker responses to such breaches. Requires federal agency information security programs to include procedures for evaluating and auditing the information security practices of contractors or third party business entities supporting the agency information systems or operations involving personally identifiable information and for ensuring remedial action to address any significant deficiencies. Requires federal agencies to conduct a privacy impact assessment before purchasing personally identifiable information from a data broker.

7/22/2011–Introduced.
Data Breach Notification Act of 2011 - Requires any federal agency or business entity engaged in interstate commerce that uses, accesses, or collects sensitive personally identifiable information, following the discovery of a security breach, to notify: (1) any U.S. resident whose information may have been accessed or acquired, and (2) the owner or licensee of any such information that the agency or business does not own or license. Exempts: (1) agencies and business entities from notification requirements for national security and law enforcement purposes and for security breaches that a risk assessment concludes do not have a significant risk of resulting in harm if specified certification or notice is provided, subject to review by the Secret Service; and (2) business entities which utilize a security program that blocks the use of sensitive personally identifiable information and provide notice of a breach to affected individuals. Requires notifications regarding security breaches under specified circumstances to the Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Postal Inspection Service, and state attorneys general. Authorizes the Attorney General to bring a civil action in U.S. district court against any business entity that violates this Act. Sets civil penalties for violations. Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to require agencies to include a fraud alert in the file of a consumer that submits evidence of compromised financial information to a consumer reporting agency. Authorizes: (1) civil actions by state attorneys general to enforce this Act, and (2) appropriations for costs incurred by the Secret Service to investigate and conduct risk assessments of security breaches.

You can follow these bills here:  Data Breach Protection US Congress (official list of bills and links)