check orders

Clarke American, a leading provider of checks and check-related services, has signed an agreement with Chex Systems, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of eFunds Corporation, that expands Clarke American's automated check-ordering platform clarkeamerican@branch(R).

Clarke American's more than 4,000 nationwide financial institution partners will have electronic access to eFunds' ChexSystems(SM) account-opening services. According to the agreement, Clarke American's financial institution partners that are currently making ChexSystems inquiries via phone can now access ChexSystems services via clarkeamerican@branch. eFunds Corporation, based in Scottsdale, Ariz., is a leading provider of electronic payment, risk management and related professional services.

Clarkeamerican@branch is now powered with eFunds' ChexSystems account-opening capabilities, which help combat deposit account abuse and fraud by helping financial institutions identify applicants whose deposit accounts have been closed for cause. Clarkeamerican@branch also reduces cycle time by enabling financial institution partners to facilitate real-time automated order entry via the Clarke American Web site. In addition to order entry, clarkeamerican@branch allows branch employees to inquire about order status and review a history of previous orders.

"Our new partnership with eFunds reflects Clarke American's customer-focused business strategy and enables us to continue offering customized solutions to our financial institution partners," said Charles Korbell, Clarke American's President and CEO.

"Web-based access to ChexSystems services will allow Clarke American's financial institution partners to perform faster and more complete background checks on new-account applicants, creating a more customer-friendly environment," said Adam Elliott, vice president, Decision Solutions for eFunds. "We're excited to partner with Clarke American to provide this new service."

About Clarke American

Clarke American Checks, Inc. provides checks and check-related services, contact center services and direct marketing solutions for the financial services industry. Clarke American, a recipient of the 2001 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award given by the U.S. Department of Commerce, is a subsidiary of Novar plc of Weybridge, Surrey, England. For more information, visit clarkeamerican.com.

About eFunds

eFunds delivers innovative, reliable and cost-effective technology solutions to meet its customers' payment and risk management, e-commerce and business-process-improvement needs. eFunds provides its services to financial institutions, financial services companies, electronic funds networks, retailers, government agencies, e-commerce providers and other companies around the world. For more information, visit efunds.com