Wrestling with Executives

04/11/24 • 20 min

Episode Summary

In this episode of Wrestling Payments, host Joe Casali dives into the complexities of the modern banking sector, focusing on the dynamic between risk management and innovation. Joe, an expert in the field, shares insights on how banks are adapting to regulatory changes and the increasing importance of cybersecurity.

The conversation shifts towards the challenges and opportunities presented by digital payments and consumer protection. Joe emphasizes the need for banks to evolve while ensuring customer safety in an increasingly digital world.

The episode concludes with a look ahead, as Joe discusses the future of financial services. He highlights the balance between embracing technological advancements and maintaining robust security measures to protect both banks and their customers. This episode provides a comprehensive overview of the current state and future direction of banking and payments.

Guest-at-a-Glance
Joseph Casali
NEACH
LinkedIn

Key Insights
The Risk of Complacency in Banking

Governor Michelle Bowman's speech highlighted the inherent risks of complacency within the banking sector, emphasizing the large regulatory burden faced by financial institutions. Bowman articulated the dual challenge banks encounter in balancing risk management and compliance efforts while striving for innovation and growth. This insight underlines the need for constant vigilance and adaptability in the face of evolving financial landscapes and regulatory expectations.

Innovating Consumer Protection in Digital Payments

The episode discusses a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta on credit push fraud, underscoring the necessity for banks to update their approach to consumer protection. This includes adapting mitigation techniques to counteract authorized push payment fraud more effectively. It points to the importance of shifting strategies in consumer protection to keep pace with the changing nature of digital payments and the innovative tactics employed by fraudsters.

The Call for Regulation in Payment Apps

District Attorney Alvin Bragg's letter to payment apps like Venmo, Zelle, and Cash App, following a series of fraudulent scams, calls for immediate actions to enhance consumer protection. Bragg's recommendations, including multi-factor authentication and setting default lower limits on transactions, emphasize the urgent need for regulatory measures to address vulnerabilities in digital payment platforms. This insight reflects the ongoing challenges in balancing the convenience of instant payments with the security measures necessary to protect consumers from fraud.

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Episode Summary

Guest-at-a-Glance
Joseph Casali
NEACH
LinkedIn

Key Insights
The Risk of Complacency in Banking

Innovating Consumer Protection in Digital Payments

The Call for Regulation in Payment Apps

Previous Episode

Critical Nacha Rule Changes

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Episode Summary

In this episode of Wrestling Payments, host Joe Casali talks with Sean Carter, President & CEO at NEACH, about the significant changes in ACH rules. They dive into the recent ballots passed with over 93% approval, focusing on the new risk management framework. This framework aims to protect the payment network from fraud, a challenge all payment systems currently face. Carter emphasizes the collective effort required to combat fraud, highlighting that the changes affect not just one party but all involved in the ACH network.

The conversation then shifts to specific rule changes, particularly the ACH credit monitoring by RDFIs. This new concept asks receiving financial institutions to do more in spotting and preventing fraud, marking a departure from the traditional focus on originators and ODFIs. Examples of past fraud incidents are discussed to illustrate the potential impact of these rules in preventing future fraud. Carter points out the importance of collaboration between RDFIs, ODFIs, and originators to effectively use these rules.

Finally, Carter stresses the urgency of implementing these changes well before the 2026 deadline. He suggests that financial institutions should not wait to adapt, given the serious implications of fraud on society, including funding for trafficking, drugs, and terrorism. The discussion concludes with the importance of keeping information up to date in the NACHA registry and leveraging technology like AI to enhance fraud detection efforts.

Guest-at-a-Glance
Sean Carter
President & CEO
NEACH

Key Insights
A United Front Against ACH Fraud

Sean Carter emphasizes the importance of a collective effort in combating fraud within the ACH network. The new ACH rules, passed with overwhelming approval, reflect this approach by not singling out any one party but rather distributing the responsibility across RDFIs, ODFIs, originators, and third-party senders. This strategy acknowledges that fraud is a complex issue that no single entity can address alone. By mandating contributions from all sides, the aim is to fortify the entire payment system against fraudulent activities, demonstrating a shift towards a more inclusive and collaborative defense mechanism within the financial ecosystem.

Enhanced Role of RDFIs in Monitoring ACH Credits

The episode dives into one of the major changes in the ACH rules: the requirement for RDFIs to monitor ACH credits more closely. This significant shift tasks RDFIs with identifying and addressing potential fraud more proactively. Previously, the focus was predominantly on the originators and ODFIs. By extending this responsibility, the new rules aim to leverage the unique position of RDFIs to spot unusual activities, such as unexpected large deposits, that might indicate fraud. This change underscores a holistic approach to fraud prevention, recognizing that effective detection requires insights from all parties involved in the transaction process.

Immediate Action Required to Combat Fraud

Despite a 2026 deadline for implementing the new ACH rule changes, Sean Carter stresses the importance of starting now. He highlights the critical nature of fraud prevention, not just for the integrity of the payment system but also for societal concerns, as fraud often funds illegal activities. By encouraging financial institutions to adopt new measures promptly, Carter underscores the notion that waiting is not an option when it comes to safeguarding against fraud. This urgency is a call to action for all entities involved in ACH transactions to review and update their processes, utilize new technologies, and ensure compliance with the evolving landscape of fin

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Patty Presta Talks Payments and Protecting the Vulnerable

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Episode Summary
Welcome to our 25 Episode. Before we get to the official description, this was such an enjoyable episode to record and catch up with an old "Ring" veteran. What started out as a catch-up session, turned into an amazing valuable episode, check below for some resource links.

In this episode of Wrestling Payments, host Joe Casali welcomes Patty Presta, AAP, NCP, the Director of Education at NEACH. Patty shares her unique journey from aspiring to be a nurse to becoming a pivotal figure in the payments industry. Her transition highlights the unexpected paths that lead to rewarding careers in finance.

Patty and Joe discuss critical topics like elder abuse and human trafficking. They emphasize the importance of education and vigilance within financial institutions to prevent exploitation. Patty’s experiences from teaching to working on the front lines against financial crimes offer invaluable insights into the evolving challenges in payments.

The conversation also covers the evolution of payment systems, from direct deposits to modern AI and P2P technologies. Patty's return to NEACH marks a full circle, bringing her expertise back to where her journey in payments began. This episode sheds light on the ongoing fight against financial crime and the importance of continuous learning in the payments industry.

Guest-at-a-Glance
Patty Presta, AAP, NCP, Director of Education NEACH
Over 20 years in payments, passionate about elder and financial abuse education.
LinkedIn

Key Insights
The Unplanned Journey into Payments

Patty’s career path serves as a fascinating example of how life can take unexpected turns. Originally aspiring to be a nurse, Patty’s journey into the payments industry began with a temporary job that unexpectedly evolved into a significant role in education within NEACH. This story highlights the unpredictable nature of career paths and the importance of being open to new opportunities. Patty's transition from a secretary tasked with web development to becoming a pivotal figure in payments training underscores the role of adaptability and learning on the job in achieving professional success.

Addressing Elder Abuse and Human Trafficking in the Financial Sector

Patty brings to light the critical issues of elder abuse and human trafficking, underscoring the financial industry's role in combating these problems. With a deep-seated passion for protecting the vulnerable, she has dedicated a significant part of her career to educating financial institutions on recognizing and preventing financial exploitation. Patty’s work in creating awareness and training materials for detecting signs of abuse and trafficking within financial transactions reveals the power of education and vigilance in making a difference. This insight underscores the importance of the financial sector's proactive engagement in societal issues.

Links
https://polarisproject.org/
https://www.thorn.org/

Wrestling Payments - Wrestling with Executives

Transcript

NEACH - Wrestling Payments – Wrestling with Executives

[00:00:00] banks have to continue supporting their communities.

They're there as a resource, as the go to organization for their community. And, , there's no doubt that you do a, great job at that. And I think that needs to be said, because I think it gets forgotten sometimes that a bank isn't, when you hear about banks failing and the banks are taking advantage.

You're forgetting that the banks, they serve the communit