The payments & online selling stories our desk judged worth your time, written so anyone can follow them.
A Tungsten Automation executive says companies can automate routine bills while keeping people in charge of large or unusual payments.
Read more: Companies can automate routine bills but keep people on big paymentsBanks are testing AI that spots fraud rings by how accounts and devices connect, but people still make the final call on cases. Here is what that means for you.
Read more: Banks Turn to AI That Spots Fraud Gangs by Their PatternsA new industry report says stolen logins and talked-into-it payments now drive about half of fraud dollars, even as banks adopt more detection tools.
Read more: Half of fraud losses now involve stolen logins or tricked customersA student's complaint about a ₹799 kurta led Delhi police to three shell companies and about ₹30 crore in suspected fraud. Her story shows the scam's pattern.
Read more: A $75 Online Shopping Scam Led Police to a Huge Fraud RingChecks became a running joke at a Federal Reserve payments meeting, a sign that small businesses still rely on paper despite rising check fraud.
Read more: Paper checks keep coming up at a top US payments meetingVirginia's governor ordered a statewide plan to defend against AI-powered cyberattacks, after an AI agent filed false public records requests on a state website.
Read more: Virginia orders a statewide plan to defend against AI-powered cyberattacksRalph Lauren can now adjust executive bonuses based on AI results, but few other retailers do this yet. Here is why, and what it means for business owners.
Read more: Ralph Lauren now links executive bonuses to how well it uses AIEuropean payment firms formed a council to write rules for AI shopping agents, which could shape how you approve purchases, get refunds and pay.
Read more: European payment firms team up to set rules for AI shopping agentsA student lost ₹6,450 chasing a ₹799 kurti from an Instagram ad. Police say the trail led to a network moving more than ₹30 crore, and seven people are arrested.
Read more: A $10 online dress order led police to a $3.6 million fraud ringChargebacks911 says it will cover certain merchant losses when AI shopping agents make purchases, a sign that AI-made orders are becoming a real business risk.
Read more: A payments firm now backs merchants when AI shopping agents buyMastercard and MrBeast's Beast Industries plan new cards and money tools for fans and creators, but the companies have not said when or what they will cost.
Read more: Mastercard and MrBeast team up on new cards for creatorsThe OCC, a top US bank regulator, wants small local banks to consider issuing digital dollar coins, which could change how you pay and what you earn.
Read more: US bank regulator urges small local banks to issue digital dollar coinsCiti's new Premium Boost savings rates went live Oct. 26, paying up to 4.35% to clients with larger balances, versus 0.05% on standard savings.
Read more: Citi now pays up to 4.35% on savings for its bigger customersOnline sales across borders are projected to top $8 trillion by 2027, but local taxes, payment habits and shipping rules decide who actually profits.
Read more: Selling to shoppers in other countries takes more than a websiteA Louisiana woman lost more than $10,000 to an impostor using AI videos of Jon Bon Jovi. A video that looks real no longer proves anyone is who they say.
Read more: Woman loses $10,000 to fake Jon Bon Jovi made with AI videosShopify now lets AI shopping assistants complete checkout on its stores, though the buyer still approves the order. Store owners should check how they handle it.
Read more: Shopify lets AI shopping assistants finish checkout for youWalmart plans to let outside AI assistants buy for you, with spending caps and purchase approval, starting with a feature due in November.
Read more: Walmart will let outside AI assistants shop for you, with limitsSidekick, Shopify's built-in AI assistant, can now make images with transparent backgrounds. Sellers should still check marketplace rules on AI images.
Read more: Shopify's AI helper can now make images with see-through backgroundsA federal appeals court threw out the Fed's cap on debit card swipe fees, a win for stores. Banks warn shoppers could end up paying elsewhere.
Read more: Court strikes down the Fed's limit on debit card swipe feesOpenAI, Anthropic and a wave of startups are chasing the routine work junior bankers do overnight, and the money is already flowing to those who own the data.
Read more: AI Firms Are Racing to Take Over Wall Street's Late-Night Grunt WorkA writer at Android Police says a few minutes of cleanup in Google Wallet cut the fumbling at checkout. The steps are simple and free.
Read more: A few minutes of tidying makes phone payments much quickerRetail Insider reports American Express is moving past payments to influence which stores you pick, so card perks may soon point you somewhere.
Read more: American Express wants to steer where you shop, not just how you payOpenAI pulled ChatGPT's checkout feature after six months, and a study shows AI shoppers can miss the lowest price. Here is what that means for you.
Read more: AI Shopping Helpers Are Already in the Price Fight, and They ErrWalmart is letting Meta's AI shopping agent into its store while Amazon blocks the same kind of tool, so where you shop may decide what your AI helper can do.
Read more: Walmart welcomes Meta's AI shopping helper while Amazon shuts it out
