Amscot Financial Partners With Holly Hill, Sanford and FGUA to Collect Utility Bill Payments

TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Amscot Financial, a leading provider of convenient, consumer-oriented financial services, said today it will begin collecting utility payments on behalf of the cities of Sanford in Seminole County, Holly Hill in Volusia County and on behalf of the Florida Governmental Utility Authority, which operates utilities in Pasco County.  

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20060316/FLAMSCOTLOGO )

Beginning immediately, individuals served by these cities and utilities who wish to pay bills in person may visit any of Amscot's 174 branches, located in 15 counties. Customers need only to bring in their payments and a record of their bill. Amscot charges a $2 convenience fee for the service. Amscot collects and aggregates the funds and automatically transfers them into the utilities' accounts.

The service allows individuals who prefer to make payments in person to take advantage of Amscot's convenient hours and locations. All Amscot branches are open seven days a week, 365 days a year. Roughly one-third of Amscot's branches are open 24 hours a day; the balance open at 7 a.m. and close at 9 or 10 p.m.

Amscot has two branches in Sanford and seven branches in Seminole County. In Volusia County, Amscot has a total of seven branches, including one in Holly Hill. To serve FGUA customers, Amscot has 11 branches in Pasco County.

Amscot has been collecting bill payments and traffic fines since 2005. Today, Amscot takes traffic fines and court payments for clerks of the court in Orange, Brevard, Hillsborough, Polk, Pinellas and Manatee counties. Amscot also acts as a bill payment agent for utilities and local governments such as the city of Bartow, Lakeland Electric, Kissimmee Utility Authority, Orlando Utilities Commission, TECO, Progress Energy and Bright House.

"We are very proud to be working with Holly Hill, Sanford and with FGUA," said Ian MacKechnie, founder and CEO of Amscot Financial. "We offer this service because consumers want to be able to make their payments on their own time and at a location convenient to them."

Founded in 1989, Amscot Financial employs more than 2,500 associates who work at the company's 174 retail branches and at the company's corporate headquarters in Tampa. The company currently operates retail locations in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Polk, Hardee, Highlands, Manatee, Sarasota, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Volusia and Brevard counties.

Amscot Financial is The Money Superstore™, offering an array of convenience-oriented financial services, including the cashing of personal checks, out-of-state checks and government checks; cash advances; Western Union wire transfers, notary services, pre-paid debit cards, free money orders income tax preparation. Amscot Financial also allows customers to make bill payments to more than 200 different utilities, municipal governments, cable and telephone companies.

About Amscot Financial

Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., Amscot Financial is a leading provider of income tax preparation and electronic filing services, refund anticipation loans, prepaid debit cards, check cashing services, cash advance services, bill payment services, money transfer services and money orders through its wholly owned division, Amscot International Money Order Company.  Amscot also offers the Amscot Card, a pre-paid debit card that allows owners to make purchases from any location that accepts MasterCard™. Amscot Financial currently operates 174 tax preparation offices and 174 retail financial service centers throughout Florida and employs more than 2,000 people. Amscot Financial has been recognized by the Tampa Bay Business Journal as one of Tampa Bay's Best Places to Work for four consecutive years. For additional information, please visit the company's Web site at www.amscot.com.

SOURCE Amscot Financial