Payments/Credit/Debit

Consumer and retail groups are praising the U.S. Department of Justice's actions against major credit card brands, but analysts are split about whether the moves will result in real lower prices for consumers.

In 2005, the $5.2 billion American Airlines Federal Credit Union was one of the last large-asset credit unions to start a card program. Now the five year old program has topped $100 million in assets.

Midwest credit unions might celebrate while Southern ones rue the news that seven of the ten U.S. cities whose populations have the best credit scores are in the Midwest, according to Experian.

The U.S. Justice Department announced today that it has filed an antitrust case against the three major card brands but that Visa and MasterCard have already settled with the government.

Authorities in New York said they have charged 37 people with using a computer virus to steal more than $3 million from dozens of individuals, banks and other businesses.

The Fair Isaac Corp., the parent of the widely used FICO credit score, is emphasizing the ways some of its analytical tools can help credit unions and other card issuers better target their card offers.