ALHAMBRA, California - Today InterBusiness Bank, N.A. aka Tomatobank announced its Merchant Account Challenge 2006. The Merchant Account Challenge is intended to inform small business owners of the role that credit card interchange fees play in determining the profitability of small businesses and to provide small business owners with a merchant account alternative that enhances profits by lowering the overall fees associated with credit card acceptance.

Interchange fees are the fees that businesses pay to credit card companies for the privilege of allowing their customers to use a credit card to pay for goods and services. The interchange rates can vary significantly based upon the type of card and the type of transaction. For many small businesses the interchange fees commonly range from 3.5% to 4.0% of the transaction amount. In many cases, due to the complex nature of interchange fee calculations, the average cost per transaction significantly exceeds the amount a business thinks they are paying. Some owners who find interchange fees too high elect not to accept credit cards. This decision adversely affects their business by eliminating customers who prefer to buy with a credit card.

Through discussions with our small business customers we have determined that credit card interchange affects not only the profitability of our customers but their ability to compete. In response, we have developed a program that provides superior service and functionality at an extremely competitive price,¡± said Tomatobank Vice President Peter Eason. ¡°We are so confident in our ability to deliver that we will pay small businesses $100 if we are unable to provide better pricing than they are currently receiving from another provider. It's our way of putting our money where our mouth is.

All we are asking small business owners to do is to provide us with billing statements. Armed with that information we will be able to determine where business owners are overpaying. In most cases we will be able to provide a cheaper alternative that puts more money in the business owner's pocket. And if we can't do it, we'll pay $100, stated Mr. Eason.

Business owners can call (626) 759-9216 to get details about the Merchant Account Challenge 2006.

Tomatobank (www.tomatobank.com) is Los Angeles' dynamic, leading multi-ethnic bank.