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Merchant Account
Tips
Once you have your merchant account you will
need to take necessary precautions to avoid chargebacks and
fraud. Here are some tips to follow:
1. Collect CVC2 and CVV2 Verification
Numbers
This tactic alone can not only reduce instances of chargebacks
by 26%, according to Visa, but also reduce any pass-through fees
that may be charged when a credit card order is conducted. On
the back of MasterCard, most Visa and Discover credit cards is a
3-digit security code located right after your credit card
number. Requiring customers to give the 3-digit code acts as an
additional verification measure. American Express cards also
have a similar security code that is located on the front of the
card right above the cardholder's account number and is usually
4-digits long. Most online payment processors support entering
the security codes when processing credit card orders. Check
with your payment gateway provider (i.e. Verisign, Authorize.Net,
NexCommerce, ECHO Inc., etc) for details.
2. Use Address Verification System (AVS)
AVS checks to ensure the address entered on the order form
matches the address to where the cardholder's billing statements
are mailed to. People ordering products and/or services using a
stolen card number will never use the real cardholder's billing
address, so this is your chance to stop the order before it's
too late. AVS only works with orders conducted in the US.
Failure to use AVS when processing
credit card transactions will always result in paying higher
credit card processing fees.
3. Scrutinize orders from developing foreign countries
A large percentage of fraudulent Internet purchases are made
from Indonesia, Russia, and other eastern block or developing
countries. Accept orders from such countries at your own risk
until a worldwide AVS system is developed.
4. Let customers know what name will appear on statements
Many merchants who use 3rd Party Processing companies have run
into problems because the company name that appears on
cardholder's monthly statements is usually the name of the 3rd
party processing company and not the company name of the site
the cardholder made their purchase from. This isn't always the
case, but in many cases it is. If you use a 3rd party processor,
and even if you don't, make sure the customer knows what name
will appear on their credit card statement at the end of the
month. This will help to reduce any confusion that might would
otherwise occur.
5. Handle suspicious orders accordingly
If an order seems suspicious the best way to handle the
situation is to either call or e-mail the customer and attempt
to verify that they placed the order. As a rule of thumb, if in
doubt, check things out. It may be a good idea that if a
customer makes an unusually large volume purchase from your site
to follow-up with a verification call.
6. Watch out for orders using free e-mail addresses
Be wary of accepting orders from people who used a free e-mail
address when ordering (i.e. Hotmail, Yahoo, etc.). Tracking
people who used a free e-mail address is almost impossible, it's
much easier for them to get away then if they used their
Internet Service Provider (ISP) or their own company web site
e-mail address. To check whether an e-mail address is a freebie
or not just take the part of the
address after the "@" symbol, add "www" to the front of it and
see what website it brings up (i.e. joe@yahoo.com =
www.yahoo.com).
7. Signatures on delivery
If your business delivers products use a carrier that requires a
signature on delivery, and allows you to have a copy of the
signature. Retain these for your records.
8. Request fax copies of ID and credit card
You may want to request your customer to fax a copy of both
sides of their credit card and driver's license. This tactic
usually works best in a B-to-B (business to business) sales
environment. While this is not a defense under Visa or
MasterCard rules, it is yet another way to deter fraud.
9. Posting a warning message
Taking the time to post a warning message on your order page to
those who may attempt to make a fraudulent order will greatly
deter the number of instances of fraud. Be sure to mention that
IP (Internet Protocol) addresses are being logged. IP addresses
can come in handy when locating people about fraudulent orders.
Another article you may find informative:
Merchant Account Warning
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Contact us, if you have any
questions about merchant accounts. |
Need a merchant account provider
recommendation? We highly recommend Thompson
Merchant Services, Inc.,
click the link in the ad below for pricing and other details.
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