Latest news with #Zelle®
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Meriwest Credit Union Launches Zelle® for Fast, Secure, and Convenient Money Transfers
SILICON VALLEY, Calif., July 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meriwest Credit Union is excited to announce the addition of Zelle® to its suite of digital banking services, enabling members to send and receive money quickly and securely. Zelle is now available through Meriwest's mobile banking app, allowing members to transfer funds to friends, family, or trusted contacts in minutes, directly from their Meriwest accounts to almost any U.S. bank account. Zelle offers a seamless way to split bills, pay rent, or send gifts, with no fees for standard transactions. Members can enroll using their email address or U.S. mobile phone number and start sending money to anyone with a U.S. bank account enrolled with Zelle. The service is designed for convenience, with most transactions completed within minutes when both parties are enrolled, and is backed by strong security measures to protect members' financial information. 'Listening to our members' needs is at the heart of what we do,' said Lisa Pesta, President and CEO of Meriwest Credit Union. 'The introduction of Zelle reflects our commitment to providing innovative, member-focused solutions that make managing money easier and more convenient. We're excited to offer this fast and secure way to move money, enhancing the banking experience for our community.' To use Zelle, members can log into Meriwest's mobile app, navigate to the 'Send Money with Zelle®' option, and enroll with their preferred email address or U.S. mobile number. Members are encouraged to only send money to trusted individuals, as Zelle transactions are instant and typically irreversible. For detailed instructions or to learn more, visit or contact Meriwest's member service team at (877) MERIWEST (637-4937). Zelle® and the Zelle® related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC and are used herein under license. To send or receive money with Zelle®, both parties must have an eligible checking or savings account. About Meriwest Credit UnionFounded in San Jose, California in 1961, Meriwest Credit Union, ($2.1B in assets) is one of Silicon Valley's most established financial institutions. Dedicated to delivering advice-based, personal, convenient, and innovative financial services to over 80,000 families and businesses throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Pima County, Arizona, Meriwest offers a wide array of personal banking, business services, and wealth advisory services. Meriwest has been voted one of the 'Best Credit Unions in Silicon Valley' in the Mercury News' Annual 'Readers' Choice Awards' and a 'Best Place to Work' by the Silicon Valley Business Journal 2020 through 2024. More information can be found at About Zelle®Zelle® is transforming how money moves, with more than five billion digital payments sent since its launch in 2017. The Zelle® network connects over 2,200 banks and credit unions of all sizes, enabling consumers and businesses to send digital payments to people and businesses they know and trust with an eligible bank account in the U.S. Money is available directly in bank accounts generally within minutes when the recipient is already enrolled with Zelle®. To learn more about Zelle® and participating financial institutions in the Zelle® network, visit Media Contact: Jeffrey ZaneMeriwest Credit UnionPublic Relations408-612-1484jzane@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scammers are Targeting PG&E Customers at an Alarming Rate, Here's What You Need to Know to Not Fall Victim
Customers report losses of over $190,000 during 2025 OAKLAND, Calif., June 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Utility scams have continued at an alarming rate during 2025, with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) customers reporting over $190,000 in losses to scammers. To stop this trend, PG&E is committed to helping customers recognize the signs of a scam and avoid falling victim. A typical sign of a scam targeting a utility customer includes a caller claiming to be from PG&E and threatening disconnection if immediate payment is not made via a pre-paid debit card, digital payment mobile application, or other methods of money transfer. As a reminder, PG&E will never send a single notification to a customer within one hour of a service interruption and will never ask customers to make payments with a pre-paid debit card, gift card, any form of cryptocurrency, or instant mobile payment applications, like Zelle® or Venmo. "Scammers seek to create a sense of panic, threatening disconnection of utility services if immediate payment is not made. If a phone call, visit to your home, or email doesn't feel right, don't fall for it. Hang up, shut the door, and do not respond to the email," said PG&E Cybersecurity Risk Manager Amy Lucido. "Remember, PG&E will never ask for your financial information over the phone or via email, nor will we request payment via pre-paid debit cards or other methods of money transfer, including mobile applications." So far this year, PG&E has received over 10,000 reports of scams targeting residential and business customers with customers reporting losses of over $190,000. The average scam victim lost over $900, and over 200 customers have reported falling victim. This number is likely just the tip of the iceberg however, as many scams go unreported. Business customers are also not immune from scam attempts. In fact, PG&E has received 250 reports of scams targeting small and medium-sized businesses this year, and these attempts frequently occur during busy business hours when scammers hope to catch unsuspecting victims while they are distracted or stressed. Scammers can be convincing and often target those who are most vulnerable, including senior citizens and low-income communities. They also aim their scams at small business owners during busy customer service hours. However, with the right information, customers can learn to detect and report these predatory scams by visiting or by calling 1-833-500-SCAM. Signs of a potential scam Threat to disconnect: Scammers may aggressively demand immediate payment for an alleged past due bill. Request for immediate payment: Scammers may instruct the customer to purchase a prepaid card, then call them back supposedly to make a bill payment. Request for prepaid card: When the customer calls back, the caller asks the customer for the prepaid card's number, which grants the scammer instant access to the card's funds. Refund or rebate offers: Scammers may say that your utility company overbilled you and owes you a refund, or that you are entitled to a rebate, and ask you for your personal financial information. Scammers Impersonating Trusted Phone Numbers: Scammers are now able to create authentic-looking 800 numbers which appear on your phone display. The numbers don't lead back to PG&E if called back, however, so if you have doubts, hang up and either log into your account at to confirm your bill details or call PG&E at 1-833-500-SCAM. If customers ever feel that they are in physical danger, they should call 911. How customers can protect themselves Customers should never purchase a prepaid card to avoid service disconnection or shutoff. PG&E does not specify how customers should make a bill payment and offers a variety of ways to pay a bill, including accepting payments online, by phone, automatic bank draft, mail or in person. If a scammer threatens immediate disconnection or shutoff of service without prior notification, customers should hang up the phone, delete the email, or shut the door. Customers with delinquent accounts receive an advance disconnection notification, typically by mail and included with their regular monthly bill. Signing up for an online account at is another safeguard. Not only can customers log in to check their balance and payment history, they can also sign up for recurring payments, paperless billing and helpful alerts. Customers can also call PG&E Customer Service at 800-743-5000 to confirm their bill details and current amount due. Customers who suspect that they have been victims of fraud, or who feel threatened during contact with one of these scammers, should contact local law enforcement. The Federal Trade Commission's website is also a good source of information about how to protect personal information. For more information about scams, visit or About PG&EPacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit and View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Wire
17-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Fiserv and Early Warning Services Collaborate on Paze to Provide Financial Institutions and Merchants of All Sizes with a Convenient Digital Checkout Solution for Consumers
MILWAUKEE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE: FI), a leading global provider of payments and financial services technology, today announced a new collaboration with Early Warning Services to offer the digital wallet, Paze SM to financial institutions, providing their customers and members with a convenient online checkout experience via the banks and credit unions those consumers already trust with their money. Fiserv and Early Warning Services have announced a collaboration to offer the digital wallet, Paze to financial institutions, providing their customers and members with a convenient online checkout experience via their banks and credit unions. Share Banks and credit unions can now enable the Paze wallet with added security provided by payment tokens. Card account numbers are replaced with a unique number through tokenization, and card numbers are not shared with merchants. Providing a fast, easy, and convenient online checkout experience just like other digital wallets, the Paze solution has a built-in advantage within the thousands of financial institutions powered by Fiserv. 'This strategic offering of Paze provides our clients a new digital checkout solution, one in which their consumers can have full confidence when they check out online,' said Matt Wilcox, Deputy Head, Financial Solutions and President of Digital Payments at Fiserv. 'We are excited to enable our clients with a future-forward approach to commerce and with Paze, a convenient online checkout experience for their customers.' Additionally, Fiserv will enable merchants to accept Paze at checkout, enhancing the payment options available to their customers. Paze will be supported across the Fiserv ecommerce payments suite. Fiserv and Early Warning Services have forged a long-standing strategic alliance, with Fiserv offering a turnkey service for Zelle®, meeting consumer expectations for fast and reliable person-to-person (P2P) payments. The expanded relationship enables the two companies to explore ways to enhance payment solutions for consumers and streamline the checkout experience for merchants. 'Our collaboration with Fiserv marks a significant step in expanding the reach of Paze. Together, we're making it easy for merchants of all sizes to deliver a fast, convenient, and seamless online checkout experience, unlocking access to our solution for thousands of financial institutions and merchants nationwide,' said Eric Hoffman, Chief Partnerships Officer, Early Warning Services. About Paze Paze is a reimagined online checkout solution that banks and credit unions offer to consumers and merchants, combining all eligible credit and debit cards into a single wallet and eliminating manual card entry. Solving long-standing challenges in e-commerce, Paze provides an easy experience for consumers and merchants alike. More than 150 million credit and debit cards have been added to the Paze checkout solution. To learn more about Paze, visit Paze is operated by Early Warning Services, LLC, an innovator in financial and risk management solutions. About Fiserv, Inc. Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE: FI), a Fortune 500 company, moves more than money. As a global leader in payments and financial technology, the company helps clients achieve best-in-class results through a commitment to innovation and excellence in areas including account processing and digital banking solutions; card issuer processing and network services; payments; e-commerce; merchant acquiring and processing; and Clover®, the world's smartest point-of-sale system and business management platform. Fiserv is a member of the S&P 500® Index and one of Fortune® World's Most Admired Companies™. FI-G
Business Journals
02-05-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
How community banks partner with small businesses to keep local economies strong
The impact small businesses bring to their communities extends beyond sourcing local or increasing foot traffic — though we love those benefits, too. Often, small businesses partner with community banks — amplifying the positive effects on the area. Talk to anyone at Southern Bank and we'll be quick to underscore our pride for community banking. Yes, we provide top-tier customer service and innovative technology, but most importantly, we view ourselves as part of the community we serve — which means we invest in it, too. A bank that's aligned with your interests We're just going to come out and say it: Community banking is good for business. One of the biggest advantages to working with a community bank is having local insight to banking decisions. In other words, when we discuss your business vision or consider local market factors, we're not doing it from a skyscraper 1,000 miles away. We're having a face-to-face conversation in your community. We know the area and can make strategic decisions to benefit your business. Oh, and did we mention that local banks can make those decisions faster than banks with multiple layers of bureaucracy, speeding up how fast your business can get down to business? See the impact in your bottom line The business model of a community bank like Southern Bank is also good for your business model. Local banking supports lower fees and balance requirements, so you keep more money in your accounts and can invest in growth. But just because community banks have cost-effective benefits doesn't mean you won't get access to the same premium technology bigger institutions offer. Southern Bank's modern banking tools, like mobile apps and versatile forms of payment, do the heavy lifting behind the scenes so that business owners can spend their time building relationships. This convenience is a cornerstone of the Southern Bank business app, which ensures small businesses can address banking needs any time, any place. Features like easy-to-download reports and consolidated account details are ideal for organizations that need quick access to important insights. Even though small businesses often operate in a brick-and-mortar space, they recognize the importance — and convenience — of digital banking. Southern continually optimizes the app, adding new features to simplify all aspects of managing money. For instance, the app allows small businesses to request or send money via Zelle®, expanding the payment options for customers. A community bank: Where everyone knows your name You care about building relationships with your customers. So do local banks. They don't just offer friendly customer service; they offer a personal touch, like customized banking solutions based on your unique business. These tailored solutions are representative of Southern's commitment to our customers' long-term success. Our relationship-driven approach allows us to meet individually with our customers and truly understand their businesses' challenges. If we don't have a relationship or partner that meets a need, we go out and find one. This customization is also reflected in how we back your vision. Like many community banks, Southern Bank extends loans to local businesses. Just as your business needs are unique, so is the loan program we'll design. Southern's business loans support operational expenses, market expansion, credit lines, and leasing — creating jobs, fortifying the economy, and expanding opportunities for residents in the area. Your banking partner matters You put everything into your small business. (Seriously — your savings, your stress levels, and your sleep are all impacted.) Choosing the right bank can help set you on the path to success, while also mirroring your goal of investing in your community. Contact us to learn more about how Southern Bank can best serve your business's needs.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Deep Dive Data Drop: Zelle® Unveils First-Ever Small Business Report - Here's What it Reveals
New data demonstrates how small business use of Zelle is growing, helping small businesses across the country do more, faster NEW YORK, April 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Main Street makes the American economy move, and Zelle® today released never-before published data that provides new insight into when, where, and how U.S. small businesses rely on the payment tool's unique features to help boost growth and unlock opportunities. The new data, released ahead of National Small Business Month in May, underscores the growing role Zelle plays in helping reduce uncertainty for America's Main Street economy: Almost seven million small businesses are enrolled to use Zelle and use of Zelle to pay small businesses has tripled in the past three years. Zelle also plays a meaningful role in the financial lives of an additional estimated 3-4 million individuals who use it to receive payments tied to independent or self-directed work. Zelle is most popular with small businesses in critical commercial markets across the country. In these areas, small businesses are getting paid with Zelle in ways as unique as the cities they're in — like surf lessons in Los Angeles, local souvenirs in Orlando, livestock grooming during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, or grabbing a hot dog from a cart in New York City. On average, small businesses received about $465 per transaction in 2024. Zelle is used by small businesses owners to send payments in key moments when speed and reliability matter most — like ensuring payroll is met and vendors are paid. In fact, the average payment sent by a small business was around $630 in 2024 — that's about the monthly cost of vendor space at the Ft. Myers Beach Market in Florida or a bi-weekly space at the Union Square Farmers Market in Massachusetts. What They're Saying: "Small businesses power the U.S. economy — and Zelle helps them thrive," said Denise Leonhard, general manager of Zelle. "By enabling fast, reliable payments, Zelle helps lower costs and builds confidence. It's a game-changer for how small businesses run and stimulate growth in local economies nationwide." "I've been using Zelle for about seven years to accept payments from clients on a weekly and monthly basis. I find it's pretty seamless—easier than some of the other services out there," said Michael B., who owns a dog walking service in New York. "It's just really easy to set up. Payments go right into my bank account. I don't have to go through a third party. I have access to the money immediately." Where Small Businesses Rely on Zelle1 Zelle is available from financial institutions in all 50 states — from South Carolina to Michigan, from New Hampshire to Iowa, and from Wisconsin to Nevada. In fact, 95% of the banks and credit unions that offer Zelle are community financial institutions — and according to a recent survey of Zelle users, 3 out of 5 small businesses say Zelle helps them build a deeper and more trusted relationship with their bank or credit union.2 Small businesses in economic centers across the country are also relying on Zelle to help them succeed. Below are the top areas of the country where small businesses are using Zelle: Los Angeles, Calif. Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Fla. New York, N.Y. Chicago, Ill. Houston, Texas Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas Atlanta, Ga. Washington, D.C. Phoenix, Ariz. Orlando, Fla. When Small Businesses Use Zelle3 Whether paying contractors, managing overhead, or receiving customer payments, Zelle supports economic empowerment and enables real-time cash flow. The Zelle network is built for reliability around the clock — and while small businesses count on it every day, the data reveals key moments when speed and dependability matter most: March Momentum: March is the busiest month for payments received by small businesses on Zelle. Why? March is typically tied to increased consumer spending from bonuses and tax refunds. Summer Surge: May through August have a high volume of payments sent by small businesses. This is typically when seasonal industries ramp up staffing and there is an increase in tourism, food service, recreation, landscaping, and construction. From Payday to Rent Pay: Fridays and the first of each month are consistently the busiest days for transactions. Both are days where businesses are often paying their employees and sending rent payments to landlords. These patterns reflect the real-time nature of small business operations and the growing reliance on trusted payment tools like Zelle. The benefits of Zelle to small businesses are clear and the increasing use of Zelle by small business owners reflects a broader digital shift as entrepreneurs seek payment tools that are more flexible and immediate. Zelle helps reduce uncertainty and helps small business owners focus on what matters most: running and growing their business. About Zelle® Zelle® is transforming how money moves, with more than five billion digital payments sent since its launch in 2017. The Zelle® network connects over 2,200 banks and credit unions of all sizes, enabling consumers and businesses to send digital payments to people and businesses they know and trust with an eligible bank account in the U.S. Money is available directly in bank accounts generally within minutes when the recipient is already enrolled with Zelle®. To learn more about Zelle® and participating financial institutions in the Zelle® network, visit 1Based on 2024 enrollment and 90-day use data. 2This consumer research was conducted by Nonfiction Research in partnership with Early Warning Services, LLC and Pereira O'Dell. The data and quotes featured were obtained via Qualitative Interviews (N=24) and Quantitative Surveys (N=1007) from July 2024 through August 2024. Participants were compensated for their time. 3Based on limited available and self-reported 2024 memo field data. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Early Warning Services, LLC
