Showing posts with label paycheck secure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paycheck secure. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

A Small Backgrounder and a GreenSheet Subscription to boot...




Yesterday I featured Digital Transaction News as a prominent Payments Industry Trade Magazine, I again encourage you to subscribe if you haven't. Today, I'm featuring The Green Sheet...

The Green Sheet has covered Pay By Touch since it's inception (although not as closely as your's truly) and is one of the publications where PBT's Payments Solutions division advertises regularly. (see advertisement on the right)

A Backgrounder on Your's Truly

The Green Sheet also covered, way back in Oct of 2002, (god, I can't believe it's five years already), a product called P.A.I.D, which was an acronym I came up with which stood for: Payment Authorized Instantly Debited. It was the nation's first company to offer a real time check debit program, as our company was the first one allowed to sign on with SafeCheck, a division of SVPCo, which developed it. I simply re-branded it as P.A.I.D. in order to gain a competitive advantage over the slew of other processors/acquirers that would jump on board the SafeCheck bandwagon in the future. After all, first to market, may give you positioning, but branding is for cash cows...




P.A.I.D took a paper check and converted it into a one-time Debit Transaction via the ATM Debit networks. Thus, if someone wrote a check for $100 and the merchant used P.A.I.D. the funds were verified via the debit network, and immediately set aside. This was important because, without it, a consumer (assuming they had $150 in their checking account) could write a check for $100, then go next door and use their debit card, for a $52 purchase. Even though the debit card transaction took place after writing the check, the check would bounce if the merchant didn't have the Payment (Authorized and Instantly Debited).

On the other hand, using the same scenario, if the merchant accepted the check under the P.A.I.D system, when the consumer went next door and tried to use his debit card for the $52 purchase, it would have been declined on the basis of insufficient funds.

Thus, it was as simple a marketing platform as one could possibly imagine...if I remember correctly, the slogan I came up with was something along the line of: Get P.A.I.D.

If you're at all interested, you can take a look at the original P.A.I.D website via "The WayBack Machine" here. Yes, there is a wayback machine, and it's pretty cool. Once at the wayback machine PAIDcheck.com website, you will be able to check out all the links to find out more about both P.A.I.D. and...

CheckElect which were the first two products Solidus started out with before Indivos shareholders voted to merge with Solidus and focused all their attention on Pay By Touch (and rightfully so), I sometimes wish they would have stayed a little more focused on my check processing companies as BioPay did with their PayCheck Secure product. I handed them the foundation to develop it in house. Think of how much money PBT could have saved if they didn't have to essentially buy a biometric check processing company for $82 million. (because that's all BioPay was, albeit a good one) Instead, they could have developed their own in-house biometric check processing program with good starting points in P.A.I.D and CheckElect.

Eyes Wide Shut?

More importantly, they wouldn't have left the biometric check cashing niche wide open for BioPay to develop and gain a competitive marketing advantage on the check processing side, which is why they had to acquire them. I'll bet that Mr. Robinson is real busy these days enjoying his yacht...I wonder if he called that P.A.I.D? (very well)

Any who, I was told that the lack of interest in developing CheckElect or P.A.I.D was the doing's of one Craig Ramsey. But who knows? In fairness, P.A.I.D was based on SVPCo's SafeCheck program which was subsequently sold to Visa and became Visa POS Check, but nonetheless, Pay By Touch was and is well versed in ACH payments, and being a strategic partner with Discover, who owned the Pulse Network, they could certainly have reinvented P.A.I.D in house, using their expertise and connections.

Wow, is that the first thing I've ever said or posted that may be construed as criticism about Pay By Touch? It isn't, (criticism) but then again, it's not Monday morning quarterbacking either as I let them know way back then that check processing was a lucrative segment for payments and biometrics.

Oh...you can also browse through Solidus Networks old site and, in addition, read their Press Release on P.A.I.D here: http://solidus.digit8.com/media/press/121101.html

Editor's Note: That backgrounder is for the "more than a few" people who have e-mailed me and asked either who I am, or what's my background, what's with the cloak of anonymity or, and I'm quoting one here: "What's the impetus behind your being a Pay By Touch evangelist"? Wow...I've been called a lot of things in my day, but that was the first time I have ever been called evangelical. That one made me chuckle...anyway, continuing on...

The Green Sheet has an Advisory Board made up of some pretty heavy hitters in the payments industry including Russ Goebel, from Pay By Touch Payment Solutions:


Russ Goebel, Pay By Touch
Vice President of Sales

Website: www.paybytouch.com

Bio: Russ J. Goebel is Vice President of Sales for Pay By Touch Payment Solutions and has over 13 years of electronic payment processing experience. He has held senior level management positions with Retriever Payment Systems, Heartland Payment Systems and First Data Corp. Goebel was a founding Advisory Board member and has completed the NACHA Payment Institute for Professionals.

So, I highly recommend a subscription to this publication. To subscribe to the Green Sheet, either electronically, or the actual paper magazine at no cost to you, simply Click Here

Here is a list of stories run by The Green Sheet on Pay By Touch over the years and their links. Note, if you haven't yet visited the Oct 28th article, that it has Solidus Networks old address at Spear Tower as I was already planning on placing P.A.I.D as one of Solidus' first product offerings.
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Thursday, August 2, 2007

Another Financial Institution Adopts PBT Check Cashing

West Texas National Bank Adopts Pay By Touch Biometric Check Cashing Service

Paycheck Secure™ powered by Pay By Touch speeds transactions and increases fraud protection for consumers in Midland Texas

MIDLAND, TX AND SAN FRANCISCO, CA – West Texas National Bank today announced that it has adopted Pay By Touch's biometric check cashing service. Paycheck Secure™ powered by Pay By Touch lets consumers use a finger scan to quickly and securely identify themselves to cash a government or payroll check.

West Texas National Bank introduced the innovative check cashing service through its branch location adjacent to the new Town and Country Convenience Store at I-20 and Rankin Highway.
Paycheck Secure powered by Pay By Touch is fast and easy to use.

To enroll, customers visit West Texas National Bank, where a bank employee will check their government-issued ID, scan their fingerprint and take a digital photograph. The one-time enrollment takes only minutes, and thereafter the customer need only place his/her finger on a scanner at the branch location to safely and securely cash checks.

"We are thrilled to be the first bank to bring this innovative service to Midland, and are pleased to provide check cashers with a secure environment in order to conveniently and quickly cash their checks," said Jerry Rogers, Chief Operating Officer of West Texas National Bank.

"Pay By Touch's secure and easy check-cashing solution helps West Texas National Bank attract new customers," said John Rogers, Founder and Executive Chairman of Pay By Touch.

"Paycheck Secure powered by Pay By Touch can help banks generate additional non-interest, fee-based revenue while decreasing the risk of fraud and meeting applicable regulatory compliance requirements."

For additional information about the Paycheck Secure service, visit www.paychecksecure.com.

About West Texas National BankWest Texas National Bank (http://www.wtnb.com) is an intrastate bank headquartered in Midland, Texas. The company's mission is to provide outstanding banking services for loyal customers in West Texas while increasing the long-term value of its owners' investment. WTNB was chartered in 2000 and is a result of a merger between three independent banks. The bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of First West Texas Bancshares, Inc. (FWTBS), a one-bank holding company located in Midland, Texas.
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Thursday, July 19, 2007

Fingerprint Identification Moves Mainstream

Supply Chain Digest: Fingerprint Identification Moves Mainstream - Retail News.

Here is an excerpt:

Long a staple of futuristic movies, Biometric identification of consumers has gone from Hollywood to mainstream in just a couple of years, as theme parks and grocery store payment systems sprout from California to Dayton, OH.

Biometrics are automated methods of recognizing a person based on a physiological or behavioral characteristic. Among the features measured are face, fingerprints, hand geometry, handwriting, iris, retinal, vein and voice.

In recent years, theme parks such as Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando have rolled out fingerprint-based systems designed to eliminate the ability of visitors to sell or give away admission tickets to another consumer when their visit is over.

Guests have their fingerprint (generally, the right index finger) scanned when they first enter the park, and that image is tied to the serial number of the admission ticket. If fingerprints don't match on subsequent admissions, admission is refused.

Meanwhile, a growing number of grocers, such as Jewel-Osco, Cub Foods, Piggly Wiggly and Harris Teeter, have rolled out pilot or production systems in at least some parts of their chains. Under a system from Pay by Touch, consumers pay for their groceries simply by having their fingerprint scanned at an in-store kiosk. No credit cards, check, cash or driver's license are required.

Tom Jackson, president and chief executive officer of the Ohio Grocers Association, said the Pay by Touch or similar system is more secure than traditional payment methods.

For the full article click the link above.





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Thursday, April 26, 2007

Pay By Touch Press Release

press release

Pay By Touch Introduces Reward and Gift Card Kiosks for Self-Service Card Creation

New Retail Kiosk Enables Shoppers to Personalize and Purchase Gift Cards in Three Easy Steps

KIOSKCOM SELF-SERVICE EXPO, LAS VEGAS & SAN FRANCISCO – (April 25, 2007)

– Pay By Touch, the leader in biometric payments and personalized marketing, today announced the immediate availability of its Reward and Gift Card Kiosk.* The new self-service kiosks enable retail customers to design, print and purchase personalized gift cards, and obtain loyalty program cards, without merchant personnel assistance.

The Internet-enabled retail kiosk lets shoppers create customized store-branded and third-party gift cards with personalized "to" and "from" names and single or multiple design full-color graphics. Gift cards can be purchased and dispensed directly from the self-serve kiosk, eliminating the current requirement of purchasing gift cards at the check-out lane or customer service counter.

The kiosks store an unlimited number of graphics, so multiple merchants or brands can be supported on a single kiosk.

Here's how it works:

1. Using a touch-screen, the shopper chooses from multiple designs to match the gift-giving occasion, and chooses the denomination he or she prefers.

2. The shopper then types in both the recipient's and the gift giver's name (likely her own) into the "to" and "from" fields.

3. Using a credit card, the shopper purchases the gift card directly through the kiosk. The shopper presses "print" and a personalized, activated gift card is printed in seconds, along with a receipt.

"The Reward and Gift Card Kiosk enables the shopper to custom-design her own gift cards, turning an ordinary cash gift into something personal and special," said Jeff Grider, vice president, Pay By Touch Personalized Marketing. "Since the cards are printed in the kiosk for each individual order, merchants no longer have to struggle with guessing the correct numbers of specialty gift cards to pre-order – the right gift cards are always in-stock for every occasion, be it a birthday, anniversary or national holiday."

Merchants can also expand the Reward and Gift Card Kiosk to incorporate Rapid Enroll™, powered by Pay By Touch.

Announced last year, Rapid Enroll technology allows for quick and easy loyalty program enrollment, reducing processing time from weeks to minutes. When Rapid Enroll technology is added to the Reward and Gift Card Kiosk, customers can quickly and easily sign-up and print a ready-to-use loyalty card directly from the kiosk without store personnel assistance.

"Pay By Touch provides retailers with smart, flexible solutions that foster loyalty by delivering value to shoppers," said John Rogers, founder, chairman and CEO, Pay By Touch. "The Reward and Gift Card Kiosk simplifies the gift card process while offering quick and easy enrollment in loyalty programs." The Reward and Gift Card Kiosk is currently being piloted by one of the country's most innovative grocers, Green Hills Market of Syracuse, New York.

"The Reward and Gift Card Kiosk from Pay By Touch is a hit with Green Hills' shoppers," said Gary Hawkins, proprietor of Green Hills Market and CEO of Hawkins Strategic. "We love the convenience, and shoppers enjoy being able to add a friend's name as well as their own to each gift card. It brings warmth and personality back into the process."

The Reward and Gift Card Kiosk, powered by Pay By Touch is a stand alone, self-serve kiosk that requires no point of sale (POS) system integration and no merchant intervention. It is available for demonstration at the KioskCom Self-Service Expo in Las Vegas, April 25-26 at the Pay By Touch booth #650, as well as the show's "Self-Service Street" pavilion. For more information, go to
http://www.paybytouch.com/cr

About Pay By Touch
Pay By Touch (www.paybytouch.com) is the global leader in biometric authentication, personalized marketing and payment solutions. Already, more than 3.7 million consumers are using Pay By Touch services to identify themselves, make purchases, cash checks and get personalized savings with the touch of a finger. Pay By Touch services are free for consumers to use and available in more than 2,400 retail locations across 44 states, the UK and Singapore. Pay By Touch also provides robust data management and payment processing solutions for ACH (electronic checking), card-present and card-not-present debit and credit transactions for retail clients. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in San Francisco, Pay By Touch employs 800 professionals and holds more than 60 patents worldwide on secure, convenient and cost-effective transaction solutions.

*Editor's Note: An Image of the Reward and Gift Card Kiosk is available at www.paybytouch.com or by clicking on the link below:
http://www.paybytouch.com/vgn/staticfiles/images/article/giftcard_kiosk_1.jpg

press contacts

Porter Novelli for Pay By Touch
Laura Bakken
(415) 975-3323
laura.bakken@porternovelli.com

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Friday, March 23, 2007

PayCheck Secure Proven To Have Huge Benefits






Using Biometrics To Help Identify Check-Cashing Fraud

A grocery chain rolls out PayCheck Secure, a biometric solution from Pay By Touch, to reduce losses from bad checks and speed up check-cashing transactions.

Integrated Solutions For Retailers, March 2007 Written by: Lisa Kerner

While grocery stores are not necessarily in the banking business, many offer their customers the convenience of payroll check cashing, which in turn encourages customers to stay and shop. However, these same stores lose when customers use false IDs and pass worthless checks.

The BI-LO/Bruno’s chain of 310 grocery stores operating throughout the southeastern United States discovered check cashing to be an expensive problem back in 2003. “The chain was experiencing frequent losses due to bogus or counterfeit payroll checks being passed in our stores,” according to its Manager of Loss Prevention Services, Ray Kessler. “One of the major obstacles for us in preventing these incidents was our inability to prevent identity fraud.”

Typically, to cash a check, a customer presented a valid government-issued form of ID, such as a driver’s license, to a store clerk at the service desk. The clerk could cash the check, ask for additional ID if needed, or seek manager approval for the transaction. A manual system such as this made it easy for customers to use different IDs at different stores. In addition, BI-LO/Bruno’s lacked the ability to look up a customer’s check-cashing history or to easily flag bad checks.

Measuring Customer Acceptance

BI-LO/Bruno’s worked with Pay By Touch to pilot a biometric check-cashing verification system, including Paycheck Secure, at 12 of its stores in Charlotte, NC.

“Our intent was to measure the reduction or prevention value of the technology, as well as measuring the customers’ acceptance of the use of the technology in the stores,” Kessler said.

Pay By Touch installed Paycheck Secure — which consists of a PC, software, cameras, an ID scanner, and biometric and check readers — at the Charlotte stores, using telephone lines for connectivity with the new system.

Check-cashing customers were photographed and their IDs scanned, as were their left and right index fingers. All this information was used to enroll the customers and create a historical database of check-cashing customers. Once enrolled, these customers simply place their fingers in a biometric reader to confirm their identity prior to presenting a payroll check for cashing.

The check reader verifies standard MICR (magnetic ink character recognition) information and formatting of information on each check, according to Pay By Touch Product Market Manager Leslie Connelly. Because the system can populate and store a “bad check list,” fraudulent checks are caught before they are cashed. Store clerks can add notes on customers and look up past check-cashing information, while managers have the flexibility of manual overrides. Connelly said the system pays for itself by stopping one or two bad checks.

“After the test pilot, we installed the system through our existing network,” Kessler noted. The chain rolled out an additional 177 units to its stores two weeks before the Thanksgiving holiday. Today, BI-LO/Bruno’s boasts a total of 226 Paycheck Secure systems and noticeably shorter check-cashing transaction times.

Information stored in the Pay By Touch system, such as photos and driver’s license information, is given to law enforcement to investigate bad checks. “We’ve been very successful in seeing arrests made on the local, state, and federal levels based on information provided by the technology,” Kessler explained.

“The customers supported our efforts to protect them from identity theft, but more so from the convenience of not having to show ID after their initial enrollment,” offered Kessler. “The fact that a customer can be recognized in any of our retail locations using the technology has proven to be a huge benefit.”


For More Information on PayCheck Secure go to http://paychecksecure.com/
For More Information On Pay By Touch go To www.paybytouch.com

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Thursday, March 8, 2007

Pay By Touch Has Reseller Agreement with eBank Systems

Pay By Touch Engages eBank Systems to Bring Its Biometric Check-Cashing Service to Community Financial Institutions

Leading Banking Software and Services Provider to Offer Paycheck Secure, Powered By Pay By Touch

LUBBOCK, Texas and SAN FRANCISCO, March 8, 2007 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/

 Pay By Touch, the leader in biometric payments and personalized marketing, and eBank Systems, Inc., a leading provider of software and core services to community banks, today announced the formation of a reseller agreement. Under the alliance, eBank will market and sell Pay By Touch's Paycheck Secure(R) service -- a popular biometric check-cashing system -- to its existing customer base of more than 30 community banks and financial institutions as well as new prospects.

Paycheck Secure, powered by Pay By Touch(R), lets people cash checks using a simple finger scan to authenticate their identity. Already, more than 3 million consumers are using Paycheck Secure in 2,000 retail locations across 41 states.

"We are very excited to be working with eBank to provide their customers with a secure and easy-to-use check-cashing solution that can help them attract new customers," said John Rogers, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Pay By Touch.

"Paycheck Secure, powered by Pay By Touch, can help banks generate additional non-interest, fee-based revenue while decreasing the risk of fraud and meeting applicable regulatory compliance requirements."

"At eBank, we are committed to helping community financial institutions realize their full potential," said Dave Boren, CEO, eBank. "Reducing fraud is a major issue for banks and credit unions alike.

We are pleased to offer Paycheck Secure, an efficient and secure way for financial service providers to serve more customers."

The one-time sign-up for the Paycheck Secure service is quick and easy to complete.

To enroll new customers, banks digitally scan the consumer's government-issued photo I.D., take an electronic photograph and capture two fingerprints, creating a unique customer profile for each individual. At subsequent visits to the bank, the customer need only place his/her finger on the scanner to safely and securely cash payroll and government checks.

eBank offers a full suite of technology and core service products for community banks including data processing, item processing, teller applications, check imaging, telephone and internet banking, document imaging, and loan processing platforms.

About eBank Systems, Inc.

eBank Systems, Inc. is a Lubbock, TX based technology and core service provider for financial institutions in the Southwestern United States. eBank offers a full suite of products for community banks including core data processing, item processing, teller applications, check imaging, telephone and internet banking, document imaging, and loan processing platforms. eBank's signature product, Trinisys, is a state of the art core data processing system designed to streamline the operations of financial institutions. eBank was founded in 1997 by Mr. Dave Boren, the current CEO of eBank.
You may learn more by visiting our website at www.ebanksystems.com.

About Pay By Touch

Pay By Touch ( www.paybytouch.com) is the global leader in biometric authentication, personalized marketing and payment solutions. Already, more than 3.6 million consumers are using Pay By Touch services to identify themselves, make purchases, cash checks and get personalized savings with the touch of a finger. Pay By Touch services are free for consumers to use and available in more than 3,000 retail locations across 44 states, the UK and Singapore. Pay By Touch also provides robust data management and payment processing solutions for ACH (electronic checking), card-present and card-not-present debit and credit transactions for retail clients. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in San Francisco, Pay By Touch employs 800 professionals and holds more than 60 patents worldwide on secure, convenient and cost-effective transaction solutions.

SOURCE Pay By Touch
Laura Bakken of Porter Novelli, +1-415-975-3323, or laura.bakken@porternovelli.com, for Pay By Touch http://www.paybytouch.com Copyright (C) 2007 PR Newswire. All rights reserved End of Story
Comtex
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Thursday, February 8, 2007

Pay By Touch & Sage Partner



Pay By Touch Teams with Global eTelecom

Destin, Florida - February 9, 2007

Global eTelecom, Inc (GETI), announced today that Pay By Touch has chosen to offer their partners and merchants GETI's Check conversion & guarantee products.

Integrating Global eTelecom's customized technology into Pay By Touch Payment Solutions' existing programs will enable merchants to accept and process paper checks electronically, thus adding increased value and efficiencies. GETI is raising the bar in the Check processing industries by providing exceptional support and service combined with flexible and scaleable solutions to meet the needs of small, medium and large merchants nationwide.

"Pay By Touch has continually demonstrated their leadership as an innovator in the payments industry," said Chris Brundage, COO / EVP of Global eTelecom. "By selecting our service, they reinforce the importance of providing total payment solutions to their merchant base. We are honored to be a part of Pay By Touch's solution, and to be working with the company's highly respected team."

"GETI is a proven leader in the check processing arena," said Ron Carter, President of Pay By Touch Payment Solutions. "Teaming with GETI enables us to offer complete and robust payment processing solutions to our partners and merchants."

Note: Ron Carter was also President and COO of Verus Financial Management, which acquired Global eTelecom. Verus, which processed $10 Billion annually with 100,000 merchants, was an intended target acquistion for Pay By Touch. Instead, it was acquired last February by Sage, whom outbid Pay By Touch with a $325 million "cash" offer.

About Global eTelecom, Inc.:
Global eTelecom provides proprietary electronic check processing and Gift/Loyalty services to over 35,000 merchants nationwide. Global eTelecom's products are marketed through a sales channel of banks, independent sales offices and credit card processors. Global eTelecom's value added solutions include: Electronic Check Conversion, Traditional Paper Guarantee, ARC Lockbox Conversion, Recurring ACH Debit and Gift/Loyalty Card Processing. GETI is part of Sage Payment Solutions, a division of Sage Software, Inc. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.globaletelecom.com.

About Sage Software
Sage Software supports the needs, challenges, and dreams of more than 2.7 million small and mid-sized business customers in North America through easy-to-use, scalable and customizable software and services. Our products support accounting, operations, customer relationship management, human resources, time tracking, merchant services and the specialized needs of the construction, distribution, healthcare, manufacturing, nonprofit and real estate industries. Sage Software is a subsidiary of The Sage Group plc, a leading international supplier of accounting and business management software solutions and related products and services for small and mid-sized businesses. Formed in 1981, Sage was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 and the Group now has 5.2 million customers and employs over 13,000 people worldwide. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.sagesoftware.com/moreinfo or call (866) 308-2378.

About Pay By Touch
Pay By Touch (http://www.paybytouch.com/) is wowing the world one touch at a time as the global leader in biometric authentication, personalized marketing and payment solutions. To date, patented Pay By TouchTM biometric services enable 3.5 million shoppers to quickly and securely access personal accounts using a finger scan to identify themselves, make purchases and cash checks at 3,000 locations nationwide. The company also provides robust payment processing solutions for ACH (electronic checking), card-present and card-not-present debit and credit transactions for retail clients. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in San Francisco, Pay By Touch employs 800 professionals and holds more than 50 patents worldwide on secure, convenient and cost-effective transaction solutions.

Source: Company press release
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Monday, November 27, 2006

Scott’s is cashing in on finger scans

Remaining 14 Stores Up and Running After Positive Results from 4 Store Pilot



It’s no money, no plastic, no problem at Scott’s Food & Pharmacy locations for those who have arranged to debit their checking accounts with a fingerprint scan.

Scott’s is the first grocery-store chain in Indiana to implement the biometric payment service. Executives with the chain tested it in four stores early this month then rolled it out to the remaining 14 after they were satisfied with the results.

The new Pay By Touch technology is running now in every lane at all 18 locations of the area supermarket chain, and “people signing up have been very positive about it because it’s going to save them a lot of hassle,” said Rick Zahm, vice president for merchandising and operations.

Pay By Touch developed the system Scott’s is using to debit a shopper’s checking account via a secure finger scan, in the same way that swiping a debit or check card provides account access. The company says finger scans are more secure than paper checks or debit cards because the account numbers are not visible to anyone at the checkout lane, even store associates.

And it is the kind of technology that disappoints pickpockets, said Rod LaFleur, a Pay By Touch regional sales representative.“If you’re not carrying a purse or wallet, there’s nothing to be stolen,” he said.

Scott’s is the first grocery-store chain in Indiana to implement the biometric payment service. Executives with the chain tested it in four stores early this month then rolled it out to the remaining 14 after they were satisfied with the results.

Signing up for the free service requires a canceled check, a driver’s license or electronic benefits transfer card, and an initial finger scan.“If you took a fingerprint, there are certain points unique to each individual. That’s what is kept on file,” Zahm said. “The sign-up only takes about two minutes.”

The transaction generates a receipt without an account number and is quicker than a standard debit-card transaction, he said. The technology is in most major cities but hasn’t made it to Indianapolis yet.

LaFleur said Pay By Touch is operating at 2,400 locations in 44 states. A retailer pays between 8 cents and 10 cents per transaction, but that is less expensive than the cost of an average debit-card transaction, he said. The service usually boosts sales enough to more than cover its cost, he said. Pay By Touch drives sales because customers shop more when the line at the checkout lane moves faster and when spending isn’t limited by the amount of cash they’re carrying, LaFleur said.

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Tuesday, November 21, 2006

IBM Fortifies Pay By Touch Relationship

RALEIGH, NC, Nov 21, 2006 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- IBM (IBM)

IBM today announced that Thriftway Supermarket in Seattle, Washington is the first retailer to install a new point-of-sale application that provides a turnkey solution for Pay By Touch(TM), a popular biometric payment service that lets shoppers make purchases with the touch of a finger.

IBM SurePOS ACE, starting with release 4.0 and higher, will offer Pay By Touch as an option. With this option in IBM ACE, a supermarket can quickly deploy Pay By Touch to support the growing demand for reduced costs and increased security in electronic payment transactions. The new IBM SurePOS(TM) ACE application was implemented in 13 checkout lanes in a matter of hours. It enables Thriftway to handle biometric payments faster, enhancing customer service.

For simplicity and added security, Thriftway is using IBM e-business Hosting Services. As part of an IBM Software as Services solution, shoppers' Pay By Touch digital wallet information is securely stored off-site at IBM data centers. IBM Software as Services offers clients lower costs that are aligned with usage, minimal upfront expense, rapid implementation and reduced risk.

"Thanks to IBM, we have very little hardware and software to worry about," said Paul Kapioski, President and Owner of Thriftway Supermarkets, which, in 2002, installed the first retail grocery Pay By Touch biometric payment system. "We've seen many operational improvements from using the Pay By Touch system, including fraud reduction and increased transaction speed. With the new IBM ACE underpinning, we look forward to integrating additional Pay By Touch capabilities into our IBM in-store technology."

Using IBM's new SurePOS 700 Series point-of-sale systems running IBM SurePOS ACE software, shoppers at Thriftway Supermarket can now purchase groceries by providing a simple fingerprint image that is linked to their financial accounts and loyalty programs. The shopper selects which account they want to use, the transaction is processed as if a card or check has been presented, and rewards points are automatically recognized and awarded. The checkout routine is faster, helps protect customers from identity theft and eliminates the need for shoppers to carry cash, multiple credit cards, or bring their checkbook.

"As Thriftway shoppers know, Pay By Touch enables consumers to transact with no cash, no cards and no checks. There is nothing to carry, so there is nothing to be lost or stolen," said Ryan Ross, Vice President of Business Development at Pay By Touch. "Our relationship with IBM makes it easy for retailers to bring unprecedented ease, speed and convenience to shoppers everywhere."

"For more than 60 years, Thriftway has offered a wide selection of high quality products and innovative customer services," said Steve Ladwig, General Manager, IBM Retail Store Solutions. "This implementation of Pay By Touch's biometric payment service on the IBM ACE platform is the latest example of how new technologies can make shopping easier and more secure. It's also a great example of how IBM can work with a partner like Pay By Touch on a solution that can be successfully rolled out by a medium-sized retailer."

IBM's Versatile Point-of-Sale Solutions

IBM SurePOS(TM) ACE for 4690 OS is a powerful, versatile point-of-sale (POS) application designed to help retailers improve service and reliability in a flexible environment. It combines checkout support, electronic marketing, data maintenance and account management, and supports the IBM Store Integration Framework -- which enables clients to prepare to integrate an in-store pharmacy, photo kiosks or a personal shopping assistant.

The SurePOS 700 is the most powerful POS solution in the IBM portfolio, and is specifically designed to deliver the speed, availability and on-demand reliability that retailers require to transform the customer experience and increase employee productivity. SurePOS(TM) 700 models deliver fast transactions and personalized service, while providing investment production through a rugged, retail-hardened design.

About Thriftway Supermarkets

Founded in 1945, Thriftway has established a reputation for providing customers with only the highest quality products and services. With 14 supermarkets in the Seattle area, their commitment to the community sets them apart from other retailers. Each year, Thriftway stores donate thousands of dollars and thousands of volunteer hours to local causes: area food banks, little league teams, community fund-raisers, charities, civic events and other worthwhile causes.

About IBM

For more information on IBM Retail Solutions, please visit www.ibm.com/retail

With IBM SurePOS™ ACE for 4690 OS, supermarket, hypermarket and chain drug retailers can deploy a single point-of-sale (POS) application that helps enhance customer service, increase reliability and support an on demand business model.

SurePOS ACE combines checkout support, electronic marketing, data maintenance, account management and many other processes to deliver superior POS performance. It also offers outstanding operational reliability and a built-in customer loyalty program to help increase profitability. Plus, it positions retailers to take advantage of the IBM Store Integration Framework, a key component of on demand business. It also offers:

Terminal offline feature records transactions without a server connection
Supports a wide range of integrated fuel pump transactions
Now offers Pay By Touch™ integration and full check image capture
Integrated management tools and security features
Built on the proven IBM 4690 OS platform
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Monday, November 13, 2006

BAI Press Announcement






Biometric Check Cashing Service Offers Fraud Prevention and Regulatory Compliance

The Pay By Touch Paycheck Secure Service to Help Banks and Credit Unions Build a Bridge to 45 Million Underbanked Consumers,

Pay By Touch, the leader in biometric authentication, personalized marketing and payment solutions, today announced that its Paycheck Secure(R) service is being offered to financial institutions. Paycheck Secure is a biometric check-cashing service that can help banks and credit unions generate additional non-interest fee-based income while decreasing the risk of fraud and meeting regulatory compliance requirements.

The Pay By Touch(R) Paycheck Secure service lets people cash checks using a simple finger scan to authenticate their identity. Already used by more than three million consumers in 1,700 retail locations nationwide, Paycheck Secure is a popular and widely adopted biometric check cashing service.

The Paycheck Secure service has been proven to drive an increase in check cashing volume in retail settings, while decreasing write-offs by 75 percent(1) as compared to other check management solutions. It has the power to help financial institutions streamline branch handling of 'on us' and 'non- bank' checks, reduce the risk of fraud and support regulatory compliance through OFAC screening and SAR and CTR reporting.

The Paycheck Secure service can also help banks and credit unions reach the more than 45 million 'underbanked' consumers(2) who are presently underserved by financial institutions. According to the Center for Financial Services Information (CFSI), this group represents 40 million households and spends $10.9 billion per year on 324 million alternative financial transactions. A 2006 study by BearingPoint and Visa reveals that the underbanked generate $1.1 trillion in income.

"There is no better way to protect the security and privacy of your customer than with our Paycheck Secure Service. Through biometrics, we can help banks to more securely address large and growing opportunities. For instance, the historically underbanked Hispanic community will drive 50 percent of the growth in retail banking in the decade to come(3)," said John Rogers, founder, Chairman, and CEO of Pay By Touch. "The Paycheck Secure service can help banks protect themselves while building a bridge to 45 million underbanked consumers."

The Paycheck Secure service is easy to use and easy to implement. Early adopter Zions First National Bank has rolled it out across 12 branch locations in Utah and Idaho. "The service is proving popular with customers because it makes the process of cashing checks quick and hassle-free," said Rob Brough, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications of Zions Bank. "Customers gain additional peace of mind knowing that no one else can fraudulently cash their paychecks."

"Banks and credit unions have proven far less successful than alternative financial services providers at using check cashing to build deeper relationships with the unbanked and underbanked," said Gwenn Bezard, Research Director with Aite Group. "Biometric check cashing represents a unique opportunity for banks and credit unions to turn around a commoditized product and differentiate on speed, quality and security of service to address those segments. It also offers them an efficient and secure way to expand the service to non-customers by mitigating traffic issues."

The one-time signup for the Paycheck Secure service is quick and easy to complete. To enroll new customers, banks digitally scan the consumer's I.D., take an electronic photograph and capture two fingerprints, creating a unique customer profile for that individual. At subsequent visits to the bank, the customer need only place his/her finger on the scanner to safely and securely cash payroll and government checks.

For additional information about the Paycheck Secure service, visit Pay By Touch in Booth #2370 at the BAI Retail Delivery Conference & Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, November 14 - 17, 2006 or go to www.paychecksecure.com

About Pay By Touch

Pay By Touch ( www.paybytouch.com) is wowing the world one touch at a time as the leader in biometric authentication, personalized marketing and payment solutions. To date, the company's patented biometric services enable 3.3 million shoppers to quickly and securely access personal accounts using a finger scan to identify themselves, make purchases and cash checks at 2,400 locations nationwide. It also provides robust payment processing solutions for ACH (electronic checking), card-present and card-not-present debit and credit transactions for 138,000 retail clients. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in San Francisco, Pay By Touch employs 700 professionals and holds more than 50 patents worldwide on secure, convenient and cost-effective transaction solutions.

(1) Pay By Touch implementation analysis of Paycheck Secure within retail settings.
(2) A 2006 study by BearingPoint and Visa reveals that 28 million consumers are entirely unbanked, lacking a transactional savings or checking account, and another 17 million consumers are presently underserved by financial institutions, amounting to a total of 45 million underbanked consumers.
(3) Source FDIC

SOURCE Pay By Touch Krista Thomas of Pay By Touch, +1-415-728-2142, or krista.thomas@paybytouch.com; or Laura Bakken of Porter Novelli, +1-408-369-4667, or laura.bakken@porternovelli.com, for Pay By Touch http://www.paybytouch.com Copyright (C) 2006 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

BAI - Retail Delivery Conference & Expo
Michael D. Eisner, former Chief Executive Officer of the Walt Disney Co., will lead the first general session of the banking industry's annual meeting. He will illustrate how a focus on innovation is essential, because significant financial success is nearly always the consequence of creative breakthroughs.

Paul Kapioski, President of Thriftway, and Drew Hyatt, Senior Vice President of Pay By Touch, will present the conference session: "Biometrics: It’s Happening Today at a Store Near You!"

November 14 - 16, 2006
Mandalay Bay Resort, Las Vegas
Visit www.bai.org, e-mail: go2retail@bai.org or call 888-284-4076
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Thursday, October 26, 2006

Atlanta Retailer Adopts Bio-Pay By Touch

Crook's Marketplace & Hit N' Run Embrace Popular Biometric Payment System to Offer Faster, Safer, More Private Transactions

Georgia residents now can conveniently and securely pay for groceries, snacks and gasoline with the touch of a finger at Crook's Marketplace and Hit N' Run in Senoia. Powered by Pay By Touch(TM), the leader in integrated biometric authentication, personalized marketing and payment solutions, the new finger scan payment system is the first of its kind in the Atlanta metro area.

"The finger scan system debits a shopper's checking account just like writing a check or using a debit card. The difference is that finger scans are more secure than paper checks, and there is no need to fumble with a wallet or purse," said Greg Crook, Owner of Crook's. "Since account numbers are not exposed, the service gives shoppers greater privacy and offers faster checkouts."

As a special introductory offer, shoppers who enroll in the 'BioPay'- branded* finger scan system at Crook's will receive a free half gallon of Mayfield ice cream and get $5 off their next purchase when they spend $25 or more using the system. Those that enroll at the Hit N' Run will get a free fountain drink and candy bar at enrollment and, after their third use, a free 12-pack of Coke or Pepsi products. Customers also will receive a 3-cent off discount on each gallon of gas purchased using the system through the end of November.

Signing up is easy with a picture ID, voided check and simple finger scan. The system is free, and customer information is never sold. Once enrolled, shoppers can immediately make purchases with the touch of a finger at any retailer offering the BioPay-branded service.

In addition to increased speed and convenience, finger-scan payments provide the ultimate in privacy and security. No one -- not even the store associate -- sees shoppers' account numbers, or which payment method they used to make purchases.

"Paying with the touch of a finger is a win-win for consumers and merchants alike," said John Rogers, founder, chairman, and CEO of Pay By Touch. "Shoppers can make faster, more private purchases with full confidence that their personal information remains secure before, during, and after the transaction."

About Crook's
Crook's is family owned and has proudly supported the local community since 1913 years. Crook's operates the Marketplace Supermarket and the Hit N Run convenience store in Senoia, GA.

*Editor's Note: Pay By Touch, which recently acquired substantially all assets of BioPay, operates the BioPay-branded biometric payment network throughout the country.
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