Imprinter: A device used by merchants to imprint embossed card information onto the sales drafts for bankcard transactions.

Independent Sales Organization (ISO): Also called a member service provider. An outside company (not MasterCard or VISA member) which is contracted by members to administer merchant and/or cardholder servicing.

Industry Server: A computer that facilitates electronic financial transactions and information flows. Servers function either via private (Intranet) or public (Internet) communication networks. Servers can have three potentially complementary sets of capabilities: 'The gateway/switch function manages the connection between consumers and their financial institution(s). It also facilitates transfer of information between consumers and institutions. 'The transaction processor executes consumer requests for transactions by assembling information in an appropriate form or actually conducting transactions. Electronic bill payment is a good example of a transaction facilitated by servers. 'The settlement facilitator enables banks to settle transactions between themselves. Servers can prepare information for settlement as well as conduct settlement activities. The facilitator may use existing payment networks (e.g., Fedwire, ACH and ATM) or develop a new settlement approach.

Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN): A faster digital phone service that operates at speeds as high as 128-256 kilobits per second.

Interactive Financial Exchange (IFX): A standard for the exchange of financial data and instructions independent of a particular network technology or computing platform. It builds upon previous industry experience, including OFX and GOLD, two standards currently implemented by major financial institutions and service providers to enable electronic exchange of financial data between themselves and their consumers.

Interactive Voice Response (IVR): The process in which the voice processing system prompts the caller for information which can then be used as a search key to a database. The result of the search is subsequently reported back to the caller. A typical and most common application of IVR is in the banking system. A caller calls the bank's IVR lines, enters an account number, and receives information such as account balance, last check cleared, etc.

Interbank CardAssociation Number (ICA): A four-digit number assigned by MasterCard to a financial institution, third party processor, or other member to identify the member in transactions.

Interchange: The domestic and international systems operated by VISA and MasterCard for authorization, settlement and the passing through of interchange and other fees, as well as other monetary and non-monetary information related to bankcard activities.

Interchange Fee: Fees paid by the acquirer to the issuer to compensate for transaction-related costs. VISA and MasterCard establish interchange fee rates.

Internet: A system by which all the computers in the world talk to each other.

Internet Bill Delivery and Payment (IBDP): An Internet-based service that securely and reliably delivers richly formatted bills, statements, invoices, notices and associated advertising to any online consumer or business, and returns payment, remittance instructions and related information to the biller and/or designated payee.

Internet Check Acceptance: A payment system that allows consumers to enter their checking information on-line; electronic items are created and processed through the Automated Clearing House network.

Internet Service Provider (ISP): A commercial provider of a connection to the Internet, i.e., AOL, CompuServe, GBR, Earthlink, etc.

Intranet: A private version of the Internet that lets people within an organization exchange data using popular Internet tools, such as browsers.

Issuer / Issuing Bank: The financial institution (a licensed member of MasterCard or VISA) which holds contractual agreements with and issues cards to cardholders.