The Prepaid Press - July 15, 2008 - (Page 24) PAYMENTS July 15 · 2008 - 24 Summer Youth Job Program Pays with Debit Cards DC Debit Card Program Speeds Payment, Cuts Costs WASHINGTON, DC (June 20, 2008) Youth participants in Washington, D.C.’s summer jobs program will now receive their wages on JPMorgan-issued Visa payroll debit cards. DC’s Department of Employment Services announced that it has deployed the payroll card program to provide young workers with an alternative to payroll checks, and reduce the costs and effort in issuing payroll checks. More than 19,000 youth are enrolled in the 2008 Passport-to-Work Summer Youth Program, according to the release. Through the use of a payroll debit card, participants receive immediate access to their money on pay day. The reloadable card is funded twice a month during the ten-week program. A checking account is not necessary and the card can be used anywhere that Visa is accepted. Each student will be able access their money by using a PIN to access cash. Round-the-clock bilingual customer service support is also available. “The debit cards will let them keep more money in their pocket as this payment method helps eliminate check-cashing and bank account fees,” said Dr. Natwar M. Gandhi, Chief Financial Officer for the District of Columbia. “We hope that the reallife experience gained by using payroll debit cards to budget and purchase items will be a practical tool when these students become responsible for their own finances.” The release said that safeguards are in place in case a card is lost, damaged or stolen. Participants can call a toll-free number so a lost card can be immediately invalidated and a replacement card issued. “Providing youth with enriching, hands-on work and academic experience is key to our nation’s future workforce. JPMorgan is proud to partner with the District of Columbia on its successful summer program,” said Laurie Neill, Managing Director, Public Sector Solutions, JPMorgan. The release referred to Mercator Advisory Group’s “Prepaid Market Forecast 2007-2010” report, showing the popularity of payroll cards will continue to rise over the next several years. In 2006, more than $11.3 billion in spending was placed on payroll cards and this number is expected to grow to $43 billion by 2010. Washington, D.C.’s Department of Employment Services is designed to help District youth make the transition into the workforce. The 2008 Passport-to-Work Summer Youth Program offers 19,000 District youth, ages 14-21, with an opportunity to participate in a ten-week temporary job readiness and academic enrichment program. Source: JPMorgan (www.jpmorgan.com) Smart Cards to be Featured at Olympics Credit and Calling Cards Offered by China’s Banks MUNICH, BEIJING (June 5, 2008) Major financial institutions and mobile telephony operators are getting ready for the 29th Olympic Games in China from August 8-24, 2008. The Bank of China and China Everbright Bank are offering special Visa Olympic edition credit cards. China Mobile is marketing a gift box containing six prepaid telephone cards, which is the fourth set of commemorative cards for 2008 Beijing Olympic Games launched by China Mobile. The Olympic smart cards are supplied by Giesecke & Devrient (G&D), a leading provider of smart card solutions. Over 800,000 cards have been supplied so far, and the card’s primary design element is the official logo of the Beijing Olympic Games. The series features the blue, black, red, yellow and green of the Olympic rings. A special printing technique makes it possible to feel selected patterns and images on the surface of the card. In addition to the usual range of credit card services, the Bank of China’s Olympic cards offer a dual currency function, a revolving credit option, access to the Bank of China’s special customer network, and other services. The China Everbright Bank is issuing its VISA Olympic credit card in a vertical design displaying the five Fuwa mascots. G&D China has already supplied the bank with 200,000 cards, which have been issued to the bank’s customers starting in August 2007. China Mobile has brought out a gift box containing six prepaid telephone cards in a circular arrangement to mark the 2008 Olympic Games. China Mobile is an official Olympic partner and will provide the communication technology, the mobile network and numerous mobile services for the Olympic Games. The cards in the gift box are available with a choice of different nominal values. G&D China won the bid for the design of the China Mobile Olympic prepaid cards in the summer of 2007, thus becoming the prime supplier of the gift box. “Our own local design center succeeded in winning the contracts for the prestigious, artistically designed special Olympic editions. The ideas presented were very much to the liking of our Chinese customers,” Dr. Roland Savoy, Managing Director of G&D China, happily reports. Source: Giesecke & Devrient (www.gi-de.com) Make your plans now for these two must-attend events! Springbok and Visa Sign Agreement Springbok Now Offers Visabranded Prepaid Card Programs ENGLEWOOD, CO and SAN FRANCISCO, CA (June 9, 2008) Springbok Services Inc. and Visa Inc. have forged an agreement that now enables Springbok to offer Visa-branded prepaid card programs. The addition of the Visa brand allows Springbok to pass along Visa-specific advantages to its clients, which use Springbok prepaid cards for reward, incentive, promotion and rebate programs. Springbok prepaid card programs are designed to motivate behavior and enhance loyalty among corporate employees and/or their customers. Springbok prepaid card programs are tailormade to support the business goals of each individual client. By offering Visa-branded prepaid cards, Springbok expands its service offering and now provides clients access to benefits that only Visa provides through Visa-sponsored discounts and promotions. “Adding Visa to our product portfolio extends the features and benefits we are able to pass along to our clients, and underscores our reputation as a highly trusted vendor,” said Taylor Ohlsen, CEO, Springbok Services. “We value our relationship with Visa and each of our clients, and expect this addition to our service offering to be mutually beneficial for everyone.” According to an August 2007 survey conducted by the Network Branded Prepaid Card Association (NBPCA), of which Springbok is a founding member, reloadable prepaid cards are quickly gaining popularity due to the following advantages they provide: • Security - Consumers value safeguards such as funds replacement if their card is lost or stolen, reduced need to carry large amounts of cash, and ability to shop online with less exposure to their lines of credit or funds in their checking accounts. • Convenience - Prepaid cards enable card carriers to pay for purchases almost anywhere. • Control - Prepaid cards offer the ability to budget and track spending, and thus avoid overspending, overdrafts and interest charges. “Visa prepaid cards are an innovative solution for businesses to provide employee and customer incentives, and are an effective tool to help meet rebate and promotional objectives,” said Brian Triplett, global head of prepaid products, Visa Inc. Visa prepaid card programs from Springbok are issued by Meta Payment Systems, a division of MetaBank. Source: Springbok Services (www.springbokservices.com) Visa (www.visa.com) www.selfserviceexpo.com www.thedigitalsignageshow.com October 15 - 16, 2008 Javits Convention Center, New York, NY 2 events, 2 days, one all-access pass! Panel Discussions, Tech Talks, Workshops Hundreds of solutions in the Exhibit Hall Photos courtesy of Digi Awards Discuss and plan for all phases of your deployment from pre-launch to budgeting and measuring ROI, and find all your technology solutions under one roof! Get an in-depth look at how digital signage can bring increased revenue and improved customer experiences for your organization. Register today and save! www.selfserviceexpo.com • www.thedigitalsignageshow.com Platinum Sponsors Media Sponsor http://www.jpmorgan.com http://www.gi-de.com http://www.thedigitalsignageshow.com http://www.selfserviceexpo.com http://www.thedigitalsignageshow.com http://www.selfserviceexpo.com http://www.selfserviceexpo.com http://www.thedigitalsignageshow.com http://www.springbokservices.com http://www.visa.com
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