EXHIBIT 99.1

ELECTRONIC  CLEARING  HOUSE INC.  ANNOUNCES  $3.0 MILLION  PRIVATE  PLACEMENT OF
COMMON STOCK
Friday October 24, 9:03 am ET

CAMARILLO,  Calif.--(BUSINESS  WIRE)--Oct.  24, 2003--Electronic  Clearing House
Inc.  (Nasdaq:ECHO  - News),  a  leading  provider  of  electronic  payment  and
transaction  processing  services,  announced  today  that it has  entered  into
definitive  agreements  to sell 437,957  shares of its common stock in a private
placement  at $6.85  per share to  institutional  investors  resulting  in gross
proceeds to Electronic Clearing House Inc. of approximately $3.0 million.  After
commissions and expenses,  the net proceeds to the Company will be approximately
$2.8 million.

The  transaction is scheduled to close the week of October 27, 2003. The closing
is  subject  to  standard  closing  conditions.  The  Common  Stock has not been
registered  under The  Securities  Act of 1933 and may not be offered or sold in
the  United  States  absent   registration  or  an  applicable   exemption  from
registration  requirements.  The  company  has  agreed  to  file a  registration
statement to register future resales of the shares.

About Electronic Clearing House, Inc. (ECHO)

ECHO  (www.echo-inc.com)  provides a complete solution to the payment processing
needs of merchants, banks and collection agencies. ECHO's services include debit
and  credit  card  processing,   check  guarantee,  check  verification,   check
conversion, check re-presentment, check collection, and inventory tracking.


SAFE HARBOR  STATEMENT  UNDER THE PRIVATE  SECURITIES  LITIGATION  REFORM ACT OF
1995:  ANY  STATEMENTS  SET  FORTH  ABOVE  THAT  ARE NOT  HISTORICAL  FACTS  ARE
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS THAT INVOLVE RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES THAT COULD CAUSE
ACTUAL  RESULTS  TO  DIFFER   MATERIALLY  FROM  THOSE  IN  THE   FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS.  POTENTIAL RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES  INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO,
SUCH FACTORS AS FLUCTUATIONS IN DEMAND FOR THE COMPANY'S  PRODUCTS AND SERVICES,
THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, THE COMPANY'S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN
CUSTOMER  AND  STRATEGIC  BUSINESS  RELATIONSHIPS,  TECHNOLOGICAL  ADVANCEMENTS,
IMPACT OF  COMPETITIVE  PRODUCTS AND  SERVICES  AND PRICING,  GROWTH IN TARGETED
MARKETS,  THE ADEQUACY OF THE  COMPANY'S  LIQUIDITY  AND  FINANCIAL  STRENGTH TO
SUPPORT  ITS GROWTH,  AND OTHER  INFORMATION  DETAILED  FROM TIME TO TIME IN THE
COMPANY'S FILINGS WITH THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION.



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CONTACT:
     Electronic Clearing House, Inc., Camarillo
     Donna Rehman, 805-419-8700
     corp@echo-inc.com
     http://www.echo-inc.com
     or
     CCG Investor Relations
     Crocker Coulson, 818-789-0100
     crocker.coulson@ccgir.com