NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Dec. 20, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Trycera Financial, Inc. is pleased to announce a partnership agreement with Catwalk Distribution, paving the way for the development and launch of a flagship industry product, the Model Prepaid MasterCard(r) card. This innovative prepaid card will be deployed in conjunction with Catwalk's industry partner, ESB Productions and the "So You Want To Be A Model" Contest with CosmoGIRL! magazine and supermodel Niki Taylor. The card is issued through a relationship with the Meta Payment Systems division of MetaBank.
The contest is an educational program that encourages young women to explore their dreams to be a model, while teaching them what it takes to be successful. Contest officials are searching for twelve young women with an All-American look, between the ages of 13 to 24 years old. Finalists will be flown to beautiful South Beach Miami to be photographed for an upcoming issue of CosmoGIRL! magazine and to compete for a $50,000 modeling contract with the New York agency, Planit m.
The Trycera card platform enables a cardholder to pre-fund money on the card for shopping at millions of merchant locations worldwide where Debit MasterCard is accepted, and for withdrawing cash via ATMs. Cardholders may reload the card through over 46,000 Western Union Money Transfer Agent locations, direct payroll deposit, bank or parent initiated transfer, or at participating retail locations nationwide. Additionally, the integrated bill payment feature allows cardholders to conveniently pay bills via the Internet and phone.
Through Catwalk Distribution, Trycera will reach out and deliver a flexible and multi-functional financial tool to individuals learning important principles about fiscal management. "The Model Prepaid MasterCard Program provides a convenient platform for banking contest prize money coupled with the flexibility to learn about managing the individual account. The features and functionalities make the card ideal for consumers participating in an increasingly cashless transaction society," said Matt Kerper, CEO of Trycera Financial.
The Model Prepaid MasterCard will be available online by registering for the modeling contest at www.soyouwanttobeamodel.com.
About Trycera Financial, Inc.
Trycera Financial is a publicly reporting financial services company specializing in customized and turnkey prepaid programs and partnerships that serve the needs of self-banked consumers. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.trycera.com.
About ESB Productions, Inc.
ESB Productions is an event production company that focuses on educational programs for the entertainment industry. Established in 2001, the company is based in Delray Beach, Florida and has worked with such companies as CosmoGIRL!, ELLEgirl, Rampage, Cosmo Television and has helped launch many successful careers for aspiring talent, including rising star, Shelby Keeton.
About CosmoGIRL!
CosmoGIRL! is published by Hearst Magazines, a unit of The Hearst Corporation (www.hearst.com), and one of the world's largest publishers of monthly magazines, with a total of 19 U.S. titles and 144 international editions. Hearst reaches more adults than any other publisher of monthly magazines (76.3 million according to MRI, spring 2005). The company also publishes 19 magazines in the United Kingdom through its wholly owned subsidiary, The National Magazine Company Limited.
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: With the exception of historical information, the statements set forth above include forward-looking statements that involve risk and uncertainties. The company wishes to caution readers that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Those factors include but are not limited to the risk factors noted in the company's filings with the Securities & Exchange Commission, such as the changes in federal, state or municipal laws governing the distribution and performance of financial services; a general economic downturn; our startup phase of operations; reliance on third-party processors and product suppliers; the inability to locate suitable acquisition targets; and other risks and uncertainties. Should any of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this report as anticipated, estimated or expected.