In the increasingly heated world of mobile payments, score one zinger for VeriFone chief exec Doug Bergeron. American Banker asked Bergeron about rumors of rival Square raising $200 million, to put its valuation at $3.25 billion. Bergeron's response: "Pets.com." 

Pets.com was a late-90s, dot.com-era e-commerce company that burned through $300 million in venture capital on things like branding and Super Bowl commercials. Loved more for its sock puppet spokesdog than for its business plan, Pets.com imploded in 2000. (Rumors at the time said Pets.com sold more sock puppets based on its mascot than any actual pet-related merchandise.)

Bergeron's message couldn't be clearer: Square has raised a ton of money but that doesn't mean it's on a path towards profitability.

There's more than a little history between VeriFone's outspoken CEO and Square. Last year, Bergeron accused Square of potentially facilitating fraud and card skimming by sending out so many unsecured credit card readers. Apparently, relations are still chilly.

For its part, Square didn't respond to the remark.

For more stories like this, visit the POS research center.