Valid Systems announced today that Advance America, Cash Advance Centers has used Valid's TLR100 check verification solution to enhance Advance America's new Check-To-Card program in 2,474 of its Centers in 28 states from coast to coast.
This program, an alternative to check cashing, enables participants to load payroll or government-issued checks onto a full-featured NetSpend prepaid debit card.
"VALID gave us the edge that we need to make the program a success," said Ron Ingram, Advance America's Director of Product Management. "After one of the quickest, smoothest implementations Advance America has ever completed, VALID's product has exceeded our expectations on execution. Responses are under 20 seconds, approval rates are much higher than with other solutions, and the intuitive interface minimizes operational overhead and requires no additional training for our staff."
Advance America, the nation's leading provider of cash advance services, designed the Check-To-Card program to deliver speed, convenience and safety for consumers wanting a better alternative than traditional check cashing services. The prepaid card - issued by MetaBank and serviced by NetSpend - is accepted anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. Cardholder benefits include access to more than one million ATMs as well as a free cash-back feature at thousands of financial institutions. Additional benefits of the prepaid card include Zero Liability protection1, online bill payment and account access, no overdraft charges and access to the NetSpend National Savings Program that currently offers a promotional 5.00 percent APY. Accounts in the NetSpend National Savings program are held by Inter National Bank, member FDIC in McAllen, Texas.
"Check-To-Card is the first large-scale program of its kind in the country," said Advance America's Chief Executive Officer, Ken Compton. "We believe consumers will find this an attractive alternative to check cashing, offering the advantages of a debit card account with none of the hassles of a credit card."
John Templer, Jr., VALID's CEO, commented, "We're pleased to be partnering with Advance America on this dynamic new approach to cash access for underbanked consumers. At VALID, we pride ourselves on our ability to meet each company's unique needs. We are constantly working on ways to keep our products on the cutting edge of identification and verification delivery, while continuing to deliver the speed, safety, reliability and flexibility our customers from coast to coast have come to expect."