More Seniors Are Falling Victim to Impersonation Scams
Over the past four years, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has observed a more than four-fold increase in the number of older adults who have lost $10,000 or more to impersonation scams. According to the FTC, these scams generally fall into three main categories. In the first, a bad actor poses as a representative from […]
Merchants Face Uncertain Consequences in Lifting of Debit Card Swipe Fees
Even though a federal judge has vacated the Federal Reserve’s cap on debit card swipe fees, the issue remains far from settled. If the cap is ultimately suspended, the merchants who brought the suit could end up facing even higher transaction costs. In the case, the judge granted summary judgment in a 2021 federal lawsuit […]
The Quagmire of Avoidable Friction
This is a happy story: I recently bought a travel trailer, a lightweight, 16-foot model I dubbed Tony Roamo, a nod to the quarterback-turned-TV analyst, with a spelling that reflects what I intend to do with my new toy. This is a common story: I threw in a down payment and financed the rest. The […]
WhatsApp Removes Millions of Scammers, but Security Revamp Could Go Further
WhatsApp took down 6.8 million scam-linked accounts—primarily in South Asia—during the first half of 2025 in a major crackdown on cyber fraud. It also announced new protective chat tools designed to combat criminal activity. The next question is whether the extensive fraud rings will be dismantled or simply adapt and find new ways to entrap […]
UK Regulator Tightens Rules on Payment Processors
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has introduced rules stipulating that payments firms must keep company funds separate from customer funds. The FCA cited several instances where fintechs became insolvent, noting that customers were left with an average shortfall of 65% in these cases. The new safeguarding rules are intended to ensure that, if a […]
From Trust to Truth—New Purpose-Built Infrastructure to the Rescue
The correspondent banking model that has enabled cross-border payments for the past 50 years is built on trust; trust that each party in a complex chain will act in good faith and fulfill its obligations. However, the absence of purpose-built technology and the dependence on manual processes at originating institutions and correspondent banks have prevented […]
Authorized Payment Scams: How to Stay Ahead of AI-Powered Fraud
WEBINAR Authorized Payment Scams: How to Stay Ahead of AI-Powered Fraud August 26, 2025 1:00 pm EDT [contact-form-7] APP fraud is rising fast—but are banks and businesses ready to stop scams their customers authorized? Authorized push payment (APP) fraud is one of the fastest-growing threats to corporate and consumer payments, with criminals using social engineering, […]
Tilt Enters Subprime Market with a Different Way of Credit Scoring
A new entrant has emerged in the non-prime credit market, offering cards to consumers who don’t meet the underwriting standards of traditional issuers. While this segment has historically posed challenges for mainstream providers, Tilt uses a proprietary scoring mechanism aimed at identifying creditworthy individuals within this group. The cards are a relaunched version of an […]
Klarna and Afterpay Opt Not to Send BNPL Data to Credit Bureaus
For now, Klarna and Afterpay have declined to participate in the new credit scoring model that incorporates consumers’ buy now, pay later (BNPL) loan information. In contrast, competitor Affirm has been working with FICO to develop two credit score models that include BNPL data. These models aim to give lenders a clearer picture of how […]
What Texans Credit Union Learned from Upgrading its General Ledger
When credit unions look for ways to improve service for their members, accounting systems may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But when Texans Credit Union upgraded its accounting platform, the benefits cascaded throughout the organization—saving money, streamlining operations, and even boosting morale. In a PaymentsJournal Podcast, Tracy Montez, SVP, Controller at […]