Canadian online payment provider AlertPay in growth mode to meet increasing global demand, half a million new sign-ups in last four months

                     - Revamped Website with new services
     - Enhanced security protocol with VeriSign Extended Validation(TM)
           - Previously announced New Parking strategic partnership

MONTREAL, Aug. 4 /PRNewswire/ - Montreal-based AlertPay, which offers individuals and businesses around the world with a full range of online payment solutions, officially launched its revamped Website (https://www.alertpay.com) to support increased demand for their services. In the last four months only, the Company handled more than 500,000 new sign-ups and had close to 9,000 new Websites that now use AlertPay services. The enhanced portal, available in English and in French, most notably features the following new functionalities:

    - Visa/MasterCard credit card/debit card withdrawal. AlertPay customers
      can now withdraw money from their AlertPay account directly to their
      Visa/MasterCard credit/debit card. For example, a vendor may decide to
      transfer revenues, generated through their Website, directly into their
      credit card/debit card account. The feature is available in 9
      currencies (USD, CAD, EUR, GBP, SEK, DKK, NOK, CHF, HKD) in all 197
      countries where AlertPay is available.

    - Redesigned checkout process. AlertPay's checkout process has been
      optimized to ensure a faster and smoother buying experience. More
      intuitive, the system will readily identify which account to debit
      within each customer's personal AlertPay profile depending on where the
      funds are located (e.g. bank account, AlertPay account or credit card).

    - Email invoicing. A new and free service that enables vendors to create
      an invoice template and "bill" their customers, directly from within
      their AlertPay account and without having to use any additional
      software. Customers, whether or not they have an AlertPay account,
      receive an email notification from the vendor advising them of their
      outstanding bill including all other relevant details (based on the
      chosen template, e.g. number of articles purchased, colour, price per
      item, etc.). Customers can then pay the vendor either using their
      AlertPay balance or directly by credit card.

Tools for the Developers' Community

In addition, a series of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are made public to third-party developers. This initiative allows AlertPay partners to use the Company's platform with new and innovative payment solutions that are tailored to their particular needs (ex. managing subscriptions, getting account balances, refunding transactions, sending money and conducting mass payments).

"We are proud to support the needs of the growing number of people around the world who use AlertPay's online payment solutions for an easy, safe, convenient and cost-effective way to pay their bills, send money to a loved one or even run their business," said AlertPay's President and CEO, Firoz Patel.

"When my brother Ferhan and I founded AlertPay in 2004 we started off with just six employees. Six years later, AlertPay now has 75 employees and 4.5 million members in 197 countries! And we both have the passion to keep this company moving forward. With the recent strategic partnership signed with New Parking, a Calgary-based company that uses wireless technologies to automate parking industry operations, AlertPay's future looks bright."

As for Ferhan Patel, AlertPay's COO, the new Website launch was of utmost importance. "Security is a top concern for our customers, as it is for us. When it comes to user data we are PCI-compliant (Payment Card Industry) and use SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption; our customers' personal information is protected against interception. In addition to being certified by McAfee SECURE(TM) (against hackers), our new Website is now enabled with world-trusted VeriSign Extended Validation(TM), an additional security measure that goes beyond what is required by the regulatory authorities of the online payment industry. Last but not least, we are proud to be accredited by the Better Business Bureau."

Leading tech expert Marc Saltzman on AlertPay

Leading consumer technology columnist, and AlertPay customer, Marc Saltzman (USA Today, Toronto Star, CanWest, CNN.com) is impressed with the Company's service: "I've spoken or written on several occasions on how online shopping is becoming so mainstream that we sometimes take for granted the need to adopt basic safety tips, like keeping your computer software up to date and never responding to unsolicited requests to update your account info. Another tip is to make sure that payment Websites use encryption. I'm happy to report that AlertPay responds to that criterion.

"I like using AlertPay because it's a fast and secure way to make online payments to friends and colleagues. I have also been referring AlertPay to them mainly because the site is very easy to use - even for those who are not tech-savvy.

"It's great to see a Canadian company do so well - and on a global scale. My geek side is excited to see what AlertPay has in store for mobile payment options."

AlertPay gives back to the community

Firoz Patel added: "We are of course proud of our accomplishments to date, but there is one special project that we are working on right now - a discount initiative for not-for-profit organizations that use AlertPay to process their donations. As a successful and growing company, AlertPay strongly believes that it is also important to think about ways on how to give back to the community in a meaningful way."

About AlertPay

AlertPay is a Montreal-based online payment platform that specializes in making and accepting secure e-wallet and credit card payments. The Company has 4.5 million members and offers its services in 197 countries and in 23 different currencies. More than 15,000 merchants use AlertPay as a one-stop-shop solution to accepting payments. The Company also offers foreign exchange services, localized banking, fraud prevention, email invoicing, mass and single remittances and business management tools. AlertPay complies with the strict rules that regulate the online payment industry, such those of the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada (OSFI), making its services reliable and secure.

About Marc Saltzman

Marc Saltzman is one of North America's most recognized journalists in the fields of consumer technology, interactive entertainment and online trends. Marc currently contributes to nearly 50 high-profile publications, including a syndicated column through Gannett, USA Today, CNN.com, Costco Connection, Yahoo!, MSN, Playboy, Toronto Star, CanWest newspapers and Movie Entertainment. Marc, who has authored 14 books, also hosts CNN's Tech Time, CTV News Channel's Tech Talk and Gear Guide, a video segment that airs before the film begins at Cineplex movie theatres in Canada. In 2008, Marc's technology blog, Sync (www.sync-blog.com), was rated Best Technology Blog in Canada by an independent panel of experts.

    Check out this short video for an overview of AlertPay:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8t0kfxp2jY&feature=player_embedded.

    For additional fact sheets, please visit:
    ftp://alertpay:[email protected]/pubcw/alertpay
    Username: AlertPay
    Password: pubcw-ro2

SOURCE AlertPay