All posts by flashnewsrelease

Sports

National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Association announces Regional Championships locations and National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Association Rankings

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Winners of Southern Regionals to earn free flight to the National Championships in Long Beach, CA this summer. The National Champions will earn a berth in the final NVL professional event of the year, with $150,000 in prize money. All participants receive the sport’s inaugural NCBVA Collegiate Beach Volleyball Rankings and USA Volleyball collegiate ranking points.

Los Angeles, CA, May 05, 2011 — The Original King of the Beach, Pro Beach Volleyball Star and two-time NCAA Champion UCLA alum Sinjin Smith is spreading royalty to Collegiate Beach Volleyball, with the NCBVA Regional Championships, here at Atlanta Beach and the National Championships in Long Beach, California. The events are open to men and women.

“On May 21 at Clayton County International Park – site of 1996 Olympic Beach Volleyball, the Southern Regional Championships will be hosted – a historic occasion for Collegiate Beach Volleyball ( http://www.collegebeachvolleyball.com ), as access to the NCBVA – (the National Governing Body) and its resources is now available to the athletes, companies wishing to support student athletics, and dedicated regional tournament promoters,” exclaimed Smith, World Champion, Olympian and NCAA MVP.

“Any athlete currently enrolled in a College or University anywhere in the country is eligible to play in the NCBVA Regional Championships, and the winners will receive free airfare to play in the Nationals – broadcast on ION Sports Network.”

Athletes from hundreds of schools participate in over 12 Regionals Championships around the country along with dozens of State Tournaments and Invitationals. Phil Bush, 2011 Regional Championships Director, announced, “We are very proud to have our community and team be selected to host and produce the NCBVA Southern Regional Championships.”

The top four teams in each Regional Qualifier receive an automatic berth in the Championships. The National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championship ( http://www.collegebeachvolleyball.com ) is held in Long Beach, CA on July 16-17, 2011. For entry details about how you can participate in or sponsor the Regionals, please visit collegebeachvolleyball.com.

Please contact Dave Behar at 310.721.7017 or dave@ions.com for more information, photos, video or to schedule interviews with Sinjin Smith or active collegiate athletes. Also refer to the NCBVA Fact Sheet for more information.

Press & Media Contact:
Press Contact Name: Phil Bush
College Beach Volleyball
Atlanta Beach – Clayton County International Park
Atlanta, GA 30319
404-840-4927
psbush@bellsouth.net
http://www.collegebeachvolleyball.com

Technology

Verafin Warns of the Growing Complexity of Organized Money Laundering Activity

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Verafin Inc., today released a white paper that discusses the increasing organization and complexity surrounding human trafficking and organized crime and the money laundering activity that accompanies it.

St. John’s, NL, May 02, 2011 — Verafin Inc., ( http://www.verafin.com ) a leading provider of compliance, anti-money laundering (AML) and fraud detection software, today released a white paper that discusses the increasing organization and complexity surrounding human trafficking and organized crime and the money laundering activity that accompanies it.

The white paper is the latest research by Verafin’s team of analytics researchers, who believe it is essential to keep ahead of emerging financial crime trends in order to better help detect them. In this paper Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) compliance professionals will learn:

* How criminal activities such as human trafficking and organized crime are leading to complex money laundering problems;
* About the increased pressure and substantial fines state and federal regulators are applying to non-compliant financial institutions;
* How next generation, anti-money laundering technology can help uncover complex money laundering scenarios.

Finally, the white paper ( http://information.verafin.com/LP=11?CID=701C0000000cVDc ) outlines three complex money laundering scenarios that offer insight into how criminals involved in complex criminal activities attempt to clean their illegal funds. Each scenario also illustrates how Verafin’s advanced, next generation analytics generate clear and relevant alerts that present information in a visual, easy-to-understand format. All alerts are scored based on their risk to the financial institution and contain evidence indicating the nature of the suspicious activity, letting users act quickly to stop destructive activity.

Verafin is an award-winning and intelligent solution that combines fraud detection and anti-money laundering (AML), while providing complete visibility into customer activity, ensuring comprehensive compliance reporting. Easy to use and implement, it is the only solution in the financial services industry that combines fraud detection, anti-money laundering, and regulatory reporting with behavior-based customer monitoring technology in a single platform.

About Verafin:
Verafin is a leader in anti-money laundering and fraud detection solutions for financial institutions, with over 650 customers that span nearly 60 core processing systems and a broad asset range. Verafin helps financial institutions comply with the Bank Secrecy Act, USA PATRIOT Act, and FACTA regulations, while also helping to protect against fraud. Verafin is the exclusive provider of BSA/AML and fraud detection software for the California Bankers Association ( http://www.calbankers.com ), Massachusetts Bankers Association ( http://www.massbankers.org ), CUNA Strategic Services ( http://www.cunastrategicservices.com ) and 40 credit union leagues and associations in the United States. For more information, visit http://www.verafin.com, email us at FRAML@verafin.com or call 1-866-781-8433.

© 2011 Verafin Inc. All rights reserved.

Press & Media Contact:
Victor Cruz
MediaPR.net, Inc
St. John’s, NL
(401) 349-3369
vcruz@mediapr.net

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Automotive

American Auto Assurance Helps Used Auto Owners Save Even More with Discounted Vehicle Protection Plans

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Now Used Car Owners Can Save on Extended Vehicle Protection Plans after Their Manufacturers’ Warranties Expire

Owings Mills, MD, April 30, 2011 — American Auto Assurance, a leader in providing AM Best’s fully insured, vehicle protection plans nationwide recognizes the need US auto owners have for discounted plans today. Since more owners are holding onto their cars, trucks and SUVs longer as a way to save money, they’re likely to visit their mechanic more frequently fixing more expensive repairs. This creates an increase in demand for quality extended service plans protecting used auto owners beyond the terms of their original manufacturers’ warranties.

“Not only do we believe in giving a discount to consumers who must save by holding onto their cars, trucks and SUVs longer, but we believe in providing honest information to help our customers make the right decision based upon their auto and their budget”, said Brett Hopwood, Sales Manager for American Auto Assurance.

While there are various companies that market extended vehicle protection plans, many use less than reputable tactics including deceptive marketing that makes their policies appear to be an extension of the manufacturers’ warranties, and misleading terms and conditions.

“As one of the few companies that are members of the Vehicle Protection Agency, we believe in a transparent, informative relationship with our customers … as well as providing full-insured vehicle protection plans at a discount. We created new discounted pages where customers can request a free quote based upon where we saw the greatest need,” added Hopwood.

These pages include discounts for:

* active and retired military personnel (http://aaamilitarydiscount.com/)
* students (http://aaastudentdiscount.com/)
* educator (http://aaateacherdiscount.com)
* seniors (http://aaaretirementdiscount.com)
* government employees (http://aaagovdiscount.com)
* emergency service personnel (http://aaaservicediscount.com)
* and those referred by current satisfied customers (http://aaareferraldiscount.com)

For more information about American Auto Assurance and their AM Best A Rated extended vehicle service plans, go to the links above, email info@americanautoassurance.com or call toll free (888) 807-3531.

American Auto Assurance is dedicated to protecting its customers from costly auto repairs after their factory warranties expire. American Auto Assurance provides AM Best’s A Rated, fully-insured, extended vehicle service plans with excellent customer service for coverage on autos, trucks and SUVs.

If you would like more information about this story or would like to schedule an interview, please contact Brett Hopwood by phone at (877) 740-2111 ext 7011 or via email at bhopwood@americanautoassurance.com.

Press & Media Contact:
Brett Hopwood
American Auto Assurance
25 Crossroads Drive, Suite 404
Owings Mills, MD 21117
(877) 740-2111 ext 7011
bhopwood@americanautoassurance.com
http://www.americanautoassurance.com

Entertainment

Fremantlemedia Enterprises and Calvinarye.Com Sponsor Charity Golf Open

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Fairway Charity Golf Open confirms FremantleMedia Enterprises and CalvinAyre.com as strategic sponsors.

London, UK, April 30, 2011 — The Fairway Charity Golf Open has today confirmed that FremantleMedia Enterprises, ( http://www.fremantlemedia.com/enterprises.aspx ) the brand extension arm of FremantleMedia, will play a major role as a lead sponsor in the charity golf open, whilst leading iGaming news portal and industry insider, CalvinAyre.com has been confirmed as Official Video Media sponsor.

FremantleMedia Enterprises will sponsor the closest to the pin competition on the eighth and twelfth holes of the Palmer Ryder Cup Course at the world renowned K Club Golf Resort. Media mogul CalvinAyre.com ( http://www.calvinayre.com ) will be on hand to film the golfing action as it unfolds, and to capture interviews with key industry influencers.

The charity event will see teams of four teeing off at 11am on the Palmer Ryder Cup Course with event proceeds being donated to the Children First Foundation, ( http://www.childrenfirst.ie ) an outreach charity for families and children all over Ireland.

Charity event organiser Esther Cochrane said, “We’d like to thank both FremantleMedia Enterprises and CalvinAyre.com for their support. A prize presentation will take place in the club house at the end of the day and golfers will be given the opportunity to network with new and existing iGaming colleagues. Sponsorship and team registration is still available so please get in touch and help us make this a hugely successful charity initiative.”

The event will take place on Tuesday 24th May 2011 at the prestigious K Club Golf Resort, which is situated just forty minutes from Dublin City Centre. Teams of four will tee off at 11am on The Palmer Ryder Cup Course, internationally recognised as one of Europe’s finest Championship Courses and transport has been arranged from the Bewleys – Ballsbridge hotel in Dublin.

For further information please contact Esther@GameOn-Marketing.com

About Fairway Casino:
Fairway Casino is an online live dealer casino powered by Visionary iGaming software. Launched in 2010, the casino has quickly gained a reputation as one of the most trusted online casinos as it offers their patrons the opportunity to play roulette, blackjack and baccarat all dealt live, on camera, by professionally trained dealers. http://www.FairwayCasino.com

Press & Media Contact:
Esther Cochrane
GameOn Marketing Limited
London, UK
+44-(0)-7875-961-828
Esther@GameOn-Marketing.com
http://www.FairwayCasino.com
http://www.FremantleMedia.com

Travel

New Tour Gives Motorcyclists an “Introduction to Ecuador”

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Ecuador Freedom Bike Rental announced today the availability of their 12 day “Introduction to Ecuador Tour”.

Quito, Ecuador, April 29, 2011. — Ecuador Freedom Bike Rental announced today the availability of their 12 day “Introduction to Ecuador Tour”. For enthusiasts that have amassed the coveted 2-week vacation, this is the journey creating memories that last a life time.

Based in Quito, Ecuador Freedom Bike Rental serves as the starting point to more than 1600 miles of guided bliss, touring the varied terrain that makes Ecuador a stellar location.

Ecuador Freedom Bike Rental is based in Ecuador, employing local guides who know Ecuador intimately – and are not just visiting. That means you get the exposure to the colonial cities, the rainforests, the mountains, the coastlines, the grasslands and to the deserts that only a local can give.

While Ecuador Freedom Bike Rental continues to expand and offer more tour options, the 12 day “Introduction to Ecuador Tour” remains the most complete, luxurious tour of its kind in Ecuador. It lets riders experience the best motorcycling roads, the best food, and the best accommodations as well as fun and other activities along the way.

Ecuador Freedom Bike Rental also has your safety in mind as they formed this route using mostly paved roads. There are 2 days of rest (and optional adventure. activities) built into the tour, as it traverses over 1600 miles. You will have the privacy of “Single Occupancy” hotels, and the use of a multilingual tour guide. If there is a problem on the road, Ecuador Freedom Bike Rental incorporates the use of a chase vehicle.

More Details and Imagery can be seen at the Tour Page.

About Ecuador Freedom Bike Rental:
Ecuador Freedom Bike Rental is a full-service mountain bike, motor-scooter and motorcycle rental shop located in Ecuador’s magnificent capital city of Quito. We are open 7 days a week and provide rentals at hourly, daily and weekly rates. Working with local, professional tour guides, we provide tours, advice and adventure for motorcycle adventure enthusiasts who want to explore Ecuador on two wheels.

For more information visit: FreedomBikeRental.com ( http://www.freedombikerental.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=144&Itemid=1 )

Press & Media Contact:
Kurt Von Ahnen
Von Ahnen Design & PR
Ecuador Freedom Bike Rental
Juan León Mera N22-37 y Carrión
Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador
1-505-217-2497
press@freedombikerental.com
http://www.FreedomBikeRental.com

Internet & Online

Contract Talk Launches Niche Social Network for Professional Contractors

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Contractor Talk 2.0 is an enhanced social network for professional contractors. Contractors can join the site free, ask questions, get feedback, leave reviews and get product recommendations from their peers.

Houston, TX, April 29, 2011 — Contractor Talk 2.0 ( http://www.contractortalk.com ) is an enhanced social network for professional contractors. Contractors can join the site free, ask questions, get feedback, leave reviews and get product recommendations from their peers.

With over 700,000 absolute unique visitors a month, ContractorTalk.com is the most active community for professional contractors. Nathan Wingate, founder of ContractorTalk.com has expanded the site and made it more interactive. “We have launched a new version of ContractorTalk.com that builds upon the already successful forum-only model and adds many new features transforming the site into a niche social network.”

The new site launches Tuesday, April 26th 2011 at: http://www.contractortalk.com

Features include:

* Forums – to discuss business and get advice from other professionals
* Blogs – to share stories and experiences
* Projects – to show off completed projects with photos
* Reviews – to find and rate tools of the trade
* Customizable Toolbox – show off your toolbox and see what other contractors are using

Roofing contractors, landscaping contractors, plumbers, electricians, and even solar energy contractors can find and share valuable information in this online community.

“We have created a niche social network platform that will offer product reviews, customizable toolboxes, an area for showcasing projects, and many other engaging tools. With all of the new tools made available to our already engaged membership, we will see continued growth and expansion in the B2B sector, serving professional contractors,” says Wingate.

About Contractor Talk:
Contractor Talk™ is owned and operated by Escalate Media LP.

Escalate Media is a media company serving the construction, home and garden, shopping, and technology verticals. Our unique network includes some of the most visited websites in the industry including ContractorTalk.com, DIYChatroom.com, ElectricianTalk.com, PaintTalk.com and many others.

If you’re a professional contractor please take some time and browse through our site. We have worked hard to bring together a number of resources to help you in your business and trade.

If you are interested in promoting a product or service to professional contractors or do it yourself homeowners then Escalate Media can help you meet your goals. Every month our sites reach hundreds of thousands of professional contractors and homeowners and we offer targeted advertising.

Press & Media Contact:
Lee Dodd
Contractor Talk
PO Box 591928
Houston, TX 77259
(800) 888-8151
press@escalatemedia.com
http://www.contractortalk.com

Technology

GuardTime Identified as Top Emerging Cloud Security Vendor

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GuardTime is the creator of the patented Keyless Signatures™ technology used to validate the world’s data for applications such as secure cloud archiving.

Singapore, April 28, 2011 — Industry trade journal Datamation today published an article listing “7 Cloud Computing Security Emerging Vendors” and citing GuardTime as one of the “emerging vendors attempting to make the cloud every bit as secure – or more so – than on-premise computing.”

GuardTime ( http://www.guardtime.com ) is the creator of the patented Keyless Signatures™ technology used to validate the world’s data for applications such as secure cloud archiving.

Reporter Jeff Vance wrote, “What VeriSign has done for website trust; GuardTime seeks to do for cloud-based trust. GuardTime has created a keyless signature technology that secures critical data in the cloud and maintains extensive mathematical proof that data integrity is intact. GuardTime’s Keyless Signature is a system of software-generated, automated verification based on mathematics, which frees IT from the burdens of key management.”

Vance continued, “Why [is GuardTime] an up-and-comer? Regulatory requirements centered on privacy and data integrity are issues for nearly every industry now, and verifiably clean data goes a long way towards ensuring compliance. This is a big horizontal market, and GuardTime is already cashing in with such customers as Brother Industries, which manufactures multi-function printers using GuardTime integration. GuardTime has partnered with Joyent to deliver the first cloud stack with keyless signature integration.”

In summary, Vance wrote, “GuardTime also earned some cyber-security street cred through adventures in Estonia, a country where 97% of banking transactions are done online and there’s plenty to learn about next-generation security.”

GuardTime’s Keyless Signatures help organizations convert the trust relationship between their business operations and their data to one based on proof. Around the globe, hardware manufacturers, Telco operators, cloud service providers, banks, legal entities, and insurance companies are using the GuardTime service to make the electronic world a safer place.

A full copy of the Datamation article can be found at:http://bit.ly/flCDTM.

About GuardTime:
A Red Herring Global 100 Winner and Frost & Sullivan Product Innovation Award Winner, GuardTime was founded with the goal of solving one of the biggest problems in computing: trust. GuardTime’s Keyless Signatures™ provide proof of data integrity, signing authority, and time. The verification of the signature can be done offline and does not rely on keys, secrets, or the existence of a trusted third party. GuardTime’s mission is to change the world to one where keyless signatures are ubiquitous and a natural part of the everyday data lifecycle, whether on disk, in transit or in the cloud.

Visit http://www.guardtime.com for more information about using Keyless Signatures for signing data.

Press & Media Contact:
Victor Cruz
MediaPR.net Inc
Singapore
+1 401.349.3369
vcruz@mediapr.net
http://www.guardtime.com

Travel

Ludus Tours Named The Official Tour Operator of USA Canoe/Kayak

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Canoe/Kayak Fan Packages Soon Available for the 2012 Summer Games in London.

San Diego, CA, April 28, 2011 — Today USA Canoe/Kayak announced its selection of Ludus Tours, a travel company that focuses on major global sporting and cultural events, as its Official Tour Operator and Hospitality Partner. Through the partnership, Ludus Tours will produce ‘Follow USA Canoe/Kayak’ branded fan packages to major events, including the 2012 Summer Games in London. USA Canoe/Kayak members are now eligible for discounted rates on all Ludus Tours packages.

“We are excited to welcome Ludus Tours ( http://www.ludustours.com ) to the USA Canoe/Kayak family. They are optimal travel partners to have and we look forward to offering their invaluable services to our community,” said Joe Jacobi, CEO of USA Canoe/Kayak.

“With regards to Olympic sports, USA Canoe/Kayak is sometimes seen as the little guy. We’re also the little guy in our industry, so we share a lot of the same dreams and values,” said Adam Dailey, Founder and Managing Director at Ludus Tours. “We want to help as many people as possible make the trip to London next summer to cheer on the National Teams.”

Ludus Tours is the Official Hospitality and Accommodations Provider for several other USA National Governing Bodies, including USA Swimming, USA Volleyball, and USA Water Polo, among others. For more information on Ludus Tours and their tour packages, please visit http://www.summergames.travel.

About Ludus Tours:
Ludus Tours provides complete travel, tour and hospitality packages to the world’s premiere sporting and cultural events, including the 2011 Pan Ams in Guadalajara, the 2012 Summer Games in London, the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, and more. In addition to their travel services, Ludus Sports offers corporate branding, marketing and retail opportunities within each of their events. Ludus Tours is based in San Diego, CA with offices in London, UK. For more information, please visit http://www.summergames.travel.

Media Contact:
Larkin Geyer
Account Manager
Ludus Tours
P.O. Box 50251
Austin, TX 78763
619-202-0065
larkin@ludustours.com
http://www.summergames.travel
http://www.ludustours.com

Automotive

Consumers Are Holding onto Their Cars 14% Longer than They Did at the End of 2008

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American Auto Assurance Now Gives Better Customer Service through Blogging.

Owings Mills, MD, April 28, 2011 — According to a recent survey performed by Polk, the recognized expert for automotive intelligence, new car owners are now holding onto their vehicles for a record 63.9 months – 14% longer than they did at the end of 2008.

With most factory warranties lasting only 36 months, many car, truck and SUV owners are unprotected for over 2 years. And it is during this period of time that their vehicles will break down more frequently and the repairs will be more costly. Today, the average visit to the auto mechanic costs $1,200. A new transmission could cost $3,500 while a new engine could cost as much as $5,000.

What options do auto owners have for protecting themselves during this extended period of ownership?

Proper planning and preventative maintenance are critical to avoid surprise bills on a tight budget. American Auto Assurance, a provider of fully insured, extended vehicle service plans, launched a new blog to help car, truck and SUV owners with information about how they can best protect themselves and their vehicles from these costly surprise repairs.

In their blog posts, American Auto Assurance will discuss a variety of topics including:

* helpful information about extended vehicle service plans
* tips used car owners can do at home to help extend the life of their vehicle
* the difference between manufacturers’ auto warranties or extended auto warranties and extended vehicle service plans so consumers can make educated decisions about the right plan for their needs
* customer experience stories
* … and more

“We are committed to providing used auto owners with the best customer service through fully insured, extended service plans. Now, we’ve improved our commitment to them with blog posts of helpful preventative maintenance tips they can perform on their own to extend the life of their autos,” said Brett Hopwood, Sales Manager for American Auto Assurance.

Interested used auto owners can access the American Auto Assurance blog by going to: http://americanautoassurance.com/category/blog

For more information about American Auto Assurance and their AM Best A Rated extended vehicle service plans, email info@americanautoassurance.com or call toll free (888) 807-3531.

American Auto Assurance ( http://www.americanautoassurance.com ) is dedicated to protecting its customers from costly auto repairs after their factory warranties expire. American Auto Assurance provides AM Best’s A Rated, fully-insured, extended vehicle service plans with excellent customer service for coverage on autos, trucks and SUVs.

If you would like more information about this story or would like to schedule an interview, please contact Brett Hopwood by phone at (877) 740-2111 ext 7011 or via email at bhopwood@americanautoassurance.com.

Press & Media Contact:
Brett Hopwood
American Auto Assurance
25 Crossroads Drive, Suite 404
Owings Mills, MD 21117
(877) 740-2111 ext 7011
bhopwood@americanautoassurance.com
http://www.americanautoassurance.com

Technology

Currency Transaction Reporting for Dummies® Book Launched

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Verafin offers banks and credit unions a step-by-step guide to filing, automating, and simplifying CTRs.

St. John’s, NL, April 27, 2011 — Verafin Inc. ( http://www.verafin.com ), a leading provider of compliance, anti-money laundering (AML) and fraud detection software, today announced the release of Currency Transaction Reporting for Dummies®, Verafin Limited Edition. This complimentary pocketbook was created for BSA/AML compliance and risk management professionals, offering detailed instructions on how to complete the form and guidance on how an automated system can improve what is arguably one of the most important regulatory tasks required by the federal government. A currency transaction report is filed by financial institutions to FinCEN to report currency (cash or coin) transactions over $10,000 conducted by, or on behalf of, one person, as well as multiple currency transactions that aggregate to be over $10,000 in a single day.

“One of the things Verafin strives to achieve is to provide valuable information to our BSA compliance professional community. From our product, to services like our Dummies series of pocketbooks, we are committed to helping people not only work more efficiently, but gain insight through new channels,” said Joe Cordo, Vice President of Marketing at Verafin. “CTR for Dummies is the first in our series, and it has already seen hundreds of downloads. We look forward to continuing this new learning initiative with our future books, including FRAML for Dummies, due out later this summer.”

Currency Transaction Reporting for Dummies®, Verafin Limited Edition provides people involved in a financial institution’s day-to-day compliance operations with a handy reference guide that not only helps answer any questions about CTR filing, but also allows them to gain a better understanding of FinCEN form 104. The book is divided into five parts, taking the reader from a better understanding of anti-money laundering regulations, the CTR form, and how to recognize tricky situations, on to the benefits of automations and best practices when evaluating automated solutions. Complimentary copies are available for a limited time online: http://www.verafin.com/ctr-dummies-pr

About Verafin:
Verafin is a North American leader in anti-money laundering and fraud detection solutions for financial institutions, with over 650 customers that span nearly 60core processing systems and a broad asset range. Verafin helps financial institutions comply with the Bank Secrecy Act, USA PATRIOT Act, and FACTA regulations, while also helping to protect against fraud. Verafin is the exclusive provider of BSA/AML and fraud detection software for the California Bankers Association, ( http://www.calbankers.com ) Massachusetts Bankers Association, ( http://www.massbankers.org ) CUNA Strategic Services ( http://www.cunastrategicservices.com ) and 40 credit union leagues and associations in the United States. For more information, visit http://www.verafin.com, email us at FRAML@verafin.com or call 1-866-781-8433.

© 2011 Verafin Inc. All rights reserved.

Press & Media Contact:
Victor Cruz
MediaPR.net, Inc
St. John’s, NL
(401) 349-3369
vcruz@mediapr.net

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