PayPoint Romania, one of the main cash payment operators in Romania, and Patria Credit IFN, the largest non-bank micro-finance institution in Romania, have announced that they have signed a new agreement for payment collection.

From September 2010, consumers can make loan repayments in cash instalments to Patria Credit at any neighbourhood store with a PayPoint branded terminal. Patria Credit provides its customers with a free bar-coded voucher or card containing unique identification information. Every time they make a payment, the customer hands the card or e-voucher, along with the payment, to the retailer at PayPoint, who scans the barcode and issues a receipt for the payment.

“This contract extends PayPoint’s client portfolio in the financial services/insurance sector, with Patria Credit customers now able to make repayments for their credit in instalments at more than 4,800 PayPoint branded stores nationwide, at no additional cost. When making payments for financial services, customers must be able to trust the method of payment and expect it to be processed safely and transparently; PayPoint meets all these requirements,” said Mugur Dogariu, Managing Director of PayPoint Romania.

”This new payment system is a free service, which meets our customers’ needs for flexibility, efficiency and the most up-to-date systems. Entering areas without a strong banking services presence is a new departure for Patria Credit and presents a significant challenge for us as we continue Patria Credit’s development by finding the best solutions in order to reach our strategic objectives of facilitating access to financial services for people in all parts of the country," said Bogdan Merfea, Managing Director of Patria Credit.

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CONTACTS:
S.C. PayPoint Services S.R.L.
Mara Popescu
PR Specialist
Tel: 021/409.14.00
Fax: 021/409.14.01
Mobil: +40723/860661
marapopescu@paypoint.com

Patria Credit IFN S.A
Camelia Raileanu
Manager Marketing & PR
Tel: 021/304.00.72
Fax: 021/222.11.38
Mobil: + 40722/677291
camelia_raileanu@patriacredit.ro

ABOUT PAYPOINT
The company officially launched its bill payment service under the PayPoint brand in August 2008 and has since expanded its client portfolio by signing partnerships with a range of companies across several service sectors. Currently, PayPoint has signed contracts with 33 major customers in telecommunications, utilities and financial services, of which 26 are contracts for payment collection services. Current clients include:

• Payments for utilities sector: GDF SUEZ Energy Romania, E. ON Gas Distribution, E. ON Gaz Romania, Petrom Gas Distribution, Congaz, E. ON Moldova Supply, Enel Energy, Enel Energy Wallachia, Electrica Transilvania Nord, Electrica Transilvania Sud, Electrica Muntenia Nord, Apa Nova Bucharest, ApaVital Iasi, Aquatim.

• The telecommunications sector and cable communication: Cosmote Romania, Vodafone Romania, Romtelecom, UPC Romania, Zapp, Boom TV, Akta TV.

• Banking sector: Patria Credit, Allianz-Tiriac, Citibank Romania, EOS KSI Romania, GE Money.
PayPoint also offers top-up services for all mobile operators (Cosmote, Orange, Vodafone, Zapp), for landline operators providing international calls and Internet Service Providers. PayPoint clients include Nobel and Worldtelecom (Number One). For Focus Sat, PayPoint provides recharge vouchers for DTH service users.

ABOUT PATRIA CREDIT IFN
The main shareholders of the company are the Romanian American Enterprise Fund (RAEF) and the Balkan Accession Fund (BAF).

Patria Credit (former CAPA Finance) is the largest non-bank micro-finance institution in Romania, providing loans to micro and small companies. At the end of August 2010, the company was serving more than 8600 customers through a network of 35 branches in large cities as well as in rural areas.

Patria Credit targets rural households, micro-farms and micro-companies. The products are adapted to the specific market segments and areas of the country. Most activities related to the rural areas are specific to microfinance and serious efforts are made in order to ensure an effective presence in these areas by increasing the diversity of the products and providing more diversified services.