At the Fourth Annual Global Risk Management Symposium, MasterCard International focuses on the future of security, and launches international summits and seminars to fight payment card fraud.

Professionals in law enforcement, financial services and other related industries convened at MasterCard International's fourth annual Global Risk Management Symposium, for 'Innovation through Collaboration', to focus on the future of security techniques, technologies and best practices for countering payment card fraud.

The symposium featured international experts discussing a broad range of security issues.

The concept of moving to a 'unique transaction environment' as a way forward for all the different delivery channels where cards are used was a primary focus. Other areas covered at the conference included fraud reduction strategies, anti-counterfeiting measures, emerging technologies and global efforts to improve payment card security.

According to Pablo Martinez (Assistant to the Special Agent in Charge, New York Field Office, United States Secret Service): 'The MasterCard Global Risk Management Symposium is a conference that fosters collaboration and provides a platform for the Secret Service and the payment industry to continue to work together to combat fraud. Critical to the development of comprehensive fraud prevention strategies, this forum brings the industry together to discuss best practices and initiatives that enable us to collectively address the challenges of the continually evolving fraud landscape.'

'The Global Risk Management Symposium is a highlight of the industry's fight against fraud, and a hallmark of MasterCard's collaborative approach to security issues,' stated Chris Thom, Chief Risk Officer, MasterCard International. 'Now in its fourth year, this event continues to attract industry luminaries to share the latest breakthroughs, accelerate the pace of innovation and advance a more secure transaction environment.'

During the symposium, MasterCard revealed additional initiatives to help secure the payment system through a global, industry wide effort, which includes a series of fraud conferences and the extension of its highly successful Academy of Risk Management (ARM) Seminars.

ARM Seminars, developed through MasterCard's Academy of Risk Management, trains security professionals in the payment sector to recognize and stop emerging types of fraud. Seminar participants gain first-hand knowledge from security experts of how to spot unusual activity, mitigate fraud and collaborate with law enforcement professionals. ARM courses are primarily taught by MasterCard professionals who have in-depth experience and knowledge in banking, law enforcement and fraud and risk sectors.