FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Joe Boyle
Chief Executive Officer
803-758-2528

AFFINITY RECEIVES AN INITIAL OFFICE ACTION ON THE REEXAMINATION OF ONE OF ITS PATENTS

Columbia, SC, March 17, 2000 - Affinity Technology Group, Inc. [NASDAQ: AFFI] which previously announced that it was in a reexamination proceeding with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office on its first issued patent, today announced that the Company has received an initial office action from the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office which is a preliminary rejection of the previously issued claims covering automated loan processing. Such action relates solely to the first patent covering automated loan processing and is not a final decision by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. The Company now has its first opportunity to respond and expects to respond in the next 45 days.

"Given the broad scope of our patents, we expected a challenge and we are prepared to engage in a vigorous defense of the previously issued claims. We understand that it is not unusual in a reexamination proceeding for the first office action to reject the previously issued claims, and we are just now at a point where we have our first opportunity to respond to the patent examiner's review and interpretation of the prior art. Although we certainly hope that an appeal will not be necessary, we will appeal any final decision that attempts to substantially limit our rights granted under the patent," said Joe Boyle, Affinity's President and Chief Executive Officer.

Mr. Boyle also stated that the Company, which has two other patents covering automated loan processing and the issuance of insurance from a kiosk, was recently issued a notice of allowance for its fourth patent covering a method for the automated establishment of a financial account. In addition, the Company continues to seek additional patent protection for its products and services. "Since third party challenges are always a possibility, and since any challenge can result in a limitation or loss of claims, we have continued to expand our patent portfolio to afford us the broadest protection possible," said Mr. Boyle.


About Affinity Technology Group, Inc.

Affinity's technology enables financial institutions to link their branches, call centers, Internet customers, and indirect agents electronically to their credit departments, providing fully automated lending - and, if necessary, connectivity to a loan officer - through every channel. For financial institutions, Affinity's solutions expedite loan decisioning and processing and increase productivity and capacity of branch personnel, call center agents, loan officers, and indirect agents, while improving the overall customer experience. Affinity is located on the World Wide Web at www.affi.net.

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Forward-looking statements in this news release, including statements regarding the Company’s patents, both those granted and pending, and the coverage of any patents that have been or may be issued to the Company, are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including those related to the proprietary and other rights of third parties who may challenge the Company's patents, general economic conditions, delays and risks associated with the development of new technologies, consumer and industry acceptance of automated delivery channels, and regulatory risks, that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Further, although the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued patents for certain claims covered by the Company's patent applications, such action is subject to challenge by third parties, and no assurance can be given that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will not take action to reject any or all previously issued or pending patent claims by the Company, or that any patents that have been or may be issued to the Company will have any commercial value.

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