--- begin forwarded text Mime-Version: 1.0 Date: Tue, 16 Dec 1997 16:05:08 -0800 From: jmuller@brobeck.com (John D. Muller) Subject: Biometrics for the Masses To: dcsb@ai.mit.edu Sender: bounce-dcsb@ai.mit.edu Precedence: bulk Reply-To: jmuller@brobeck.com (John D. Muller) December 13, 1997 Bank of America, Kroger, Mr. Payroll Agree To Test Automated Check Cashing Consumers and Retailers Benefit From Facial Biometric Technology <Picture> (Fort Worth, Texas) - Fort Worth-based Mr. Payroll Corporation , a wholly owned subsidiary of Cash America International (NYSE:PWN), along with Bank of America and The Kroger Company announced today they have entered into an agreement to test the Mr. Payroll automated check-cashing machine. The machines will be installed on December 16 in three Dallas area Kroger locations. Mr. Payroll, the world's first self-service check-cashing and automated teller machine, uses facial biometrics (the same technology now used to authenticate identity in the Pentagon) to identify users. This technology allows people with and without a bank account or photo identification to cash their payroll, government or personal check. "We're excited to have Bank of America and Kroger join us in providing consumers with 24-hour access to check-cashing services. This is a milestone for Mr. Payroll," said Mr. Payroll President Mike Stinson. "We're looking forward to testing this new check cashing technology in these Kroger locations," said Bank of America Vice President David McCary. "Providing financial services at popular retail locations enhances convenience for consumers." According to Manager, Store Services and Technology Jim Gehling, Kroger expects automated check cashing provided by Mr. Payroll to set a new standard in customer service in select stores. "To help introduce our shoppers to the machine, we're going to offer free check cashing through January 31, 1998," Gehling said. Consumers can look for the new machines in Texas at the Kroger stores located at 536 Centennial in Richardson, 235 E. FM 1382 in Cedar Hill, and 4142 Cedar Springs in Dallas. Mr. Payroll, which guarantees 100 percent of every check, has successfully cashed more than 25,000 checks since June 1997, when the first machine was installed at a convenience store in Fort Worth, Texas. To date, Mr. Payroll machines are operating in 18 convenience store locations in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas. Bank of America Texas is a subsidiary of BankAmerica Corporation (NYSE:BAC), which has nearly 2,000 branches in 11 states. At September 30, 1197, BankAmerica had assets of $258 billion and deposits of $171 billion. Mr. Payroll is a registered trademark of Mr. Payroll Corp. All products or service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective owners. For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "dcsb-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". --- end forwarded text ----------------- Robert Hettinga (rah@shipwright.com), Philodox e$, 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire' The e$ Home Page: http://www.shipwright.com/ Ask me about FC98 in Anguilla!: <http://www.fc98.ai/>