Credit Information

How To Prevent Fraudulent Credit Card Transactions


What Are Possible Signs of Fraudulent Transactions see at Web Hosting Companies?

  • Customer wants to pre-pay for a year

  • Domain Name Registration for 5 years or more

  • Orders using free email address providers like Hotmail, Yahoo, etc.

  • Usage of multiple cards to complete order.

  • International address. AVS can not validate those international addresses.

  • Multiple purchases in a short time period.

  • The customer and billing addresses are different.

AMEX, VISA, and MasterCard implemented a security feature known as "CVV2" and "CVC2". These are the three-digit or four-digit numbers printed on the back side or front side (depending on card company) of the card (signature panel) to the far right. The three/four-digit code helps to validate that the cardholder has the card in his possession. You can include the code in your transaction processing and need to receive a match to successfully complete the transaction. If you are using a shopping cart for your hosting sign-up process, make sure that it is capable of collecting and processing these numbers. IMPORTANT: The ToS of the credit companies state that you are not allowed to store these numbers.

Use Address Verification Service (AVS) on all US transactions to verify the billing information provided in the order with what is on file with the card issuing bank. As a bare minimum, the zip code should successfully match before the transaction is approved and you hand out the account information. You should retain the response information for some time in case of a chargeback.

The possible AVS messages are:

Y - Exact match on street address and 5 or 9 digit zip code.

A - Address matches, zip code does not

Z - zip code matches, address does not

N - No match.

U - Address information is unavailable or Issuer does not support AVS. These transactions are only applicable for Visa and the merchant isn't responsible for chargeback liability.

R - Issuer authorization system is unavailable, retry later

E - Error in address data - unable to complete check.

G - non-US Issuer not participating in AVS - Visa only. The error messages will vary from one provider to the next. Contact your provider for more information.

S - Address information is unavailable or Issuer does not support AVS - MasterCard only.

The most important warning sign of fraudulent transaction are international orders. It is very sad to be so generic with this statement but the percentage of having a fraudulent orders goes up immediately if the order comes from a non-US location. Be aware of cities or countries with high rates of fraudulent transactions. Malaysia, Indonesia, and most countries of the former Soviet Union tend to be source of many fraudulent orders.

The most effective way to help eliminate fraud or chargeback's is to simply call the customer. A confirmation over the phone is most definitely advised for any large transactions. If you process a fraudulent transaction, not only do you lose the funds, but the product/service as well. A phone - even if it is international will save you a lot of hassle in the long run.

What if you find a transaction to be suspicious? Contact your authorization center and let them know you are concerned about the transaction. They will look at the transaction and may give you advice. You should also call the customer to request additional information (copy of drivers license or Passport as an example). Check the IP address of the sign-up and see where it is globally. Does it matches the customers address at least by country? Send a confirmation email to the customer verifying their order.

It may be a good policy to only accept orders with identical Customer and billing addresses.

Maybe you want to scrutinize international orders as your protection against these consumers is very minimal and not accepting them could be a wise choice for your web hosting business.

Placing fraudulent notices, buttons and images on your web site and order forms will help discourage any person trying to place a fraudulent order. Make sure that the customer will se upfront that you are recoding the IP address and that you will notify the law enforcement agencies if needed. It might not protect you in every case but eventually it will help to cut down the number of fraudulent orders.

This article can be published by anyone as long as a live back link to http://www.webhostingresourcekit.com is provided.

About The Author

Christoph Puetz is a successful small business owner (Net Services USA LLC) and international author.

Guides, Tutorials, and Articles for small businesses - http://www.webhostingresourcekit.com


MORE RESOURCES:

US consumer credit worsens in December: Fitch
Reuters - 2 hours ago
NEW YORK, Jan 7 (Reuters) - US consumer credit deteriorated in December as credit card defaults rose and cardholder payment rates suffered the largest one ...
Credit card defaults rise again in December Forbes
Credit-Card Charge Offs Jump Wall Street Journal Blogs
Fitch: US Credit Card Defaults Rise, Payments Slow as Consumers ... Earthtimes (press release)
all 16 news articles


Lear Trying To Amend Credit Pact On Poor Industry Conditions
CNNMoney.com - 22 hours ago
(LEA) is seeking an amendment and waiver under its primary credit facility, citing current and longer-term industry conditions, after fully borrowing ...
Lear Corp. seeks to amend credit agreement Forbes
Lear seeks to amend credit facility Reuters
Lear seeks credit facility waiver urethanes-technology-international (subscription)
PR Newswire (press release) - Automotive World (subscription)
all 35 news articles


Fair Isaac inks deal with Romanian credit bureau
Bizjournals.com, NC - 3 hours ago
Fair Isaac Corp. has reached a deal that will take its FICO credit score into the Romanian market. The Minneapolis-based analytics company said Wednesday it ...
Biroul de Credit Brings FICO Credit Score to Romania WELT ONLINE
Fair Isaac joins 'green' IT organization MinnPost.com
Fair Isaac Joins The Green Grid WELT ONLINE
all 37 news articles


Carbon Credit for Reprocessed Coal Ash?
New York Times, United States - 1 hour ago
The group also argues that Dominion would be reprocessing fly-ash anyway because it makes business sense — and therefore allowing this as a carbon credit ...


Globe and Mail

Canada Budget Will Seek to Ease Credit, Flaherty Says
Bloomberg - Jan 6, 2009
6 (Bloomberg) -- Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said he may use his budget later this month to help ease tight credit markets and reverse a slowdown ...
Canada budget to address credit access: minister Reuters Canada
Canada to work with banks to provide credit Reuters
Credit availability key economic issue: Flaherty CTV.ca
Toronto Star - Globe and Mail
all 486 news articles


Credit Scores: What You Need to Know
New York Times, United States - 22 hours ago
By JENNIFER BARRETT You may not have checked your credit score lately, but there’sa good chance someone else has. If you have applied for a mortgage or a ...
Local credit scores sliding Cincinnati.com
Local credit scores dropping Cincinnati.com
all 3 news articles


Toll Brothers' January 14 Presentation At The Credit Suisse ...
MSNBC - 4 hours ago
Click on the "Conferences" box and follow the link for the webcast under "Credit Suisse Homebuilder Conference". Participants are encouraged to log on at ...
DR Horton, Inc. Presentation at the 2009 Credit Suisse Homebuilder ... WELT ONLINE
Hovnanian Enterprises Presentation at the 2009 Credit Suisse ... PR Newswire (press release)
all 23 news articles


Mortgage applications down, home-equity credit delinquencies up
Los Angeles Times, CA - 3 hours ago
Surveys released today showed that fewer Americans applied for mortgages last week and more were missing payments on their home equity lines of credit. ...


GM, Chrysler, credit unions expand low rate plan nationwide
DetNews.com, MI - 57 minutes ago
General Motors Corp. is expanding its initiative to offer credit union members access to lower loan rates on top of discounts on new vehicles. ...
GM To Expand Credit Union Discounts Nationwide CNNMoney.com
GM expands credit union program nationally Automotive News
Chrysler LLC Launches Nationwide Participation in Michigan Credit ... PR Newswire (press release)
all 12 news articles


Jaunted

Airport Officials Lose Credit Card Use
MSNBC - 22 hours ago
(AP) - Six top officials at the Blue Grass Airport will no longer have credit cards issued by the board after it was revealed that three employees racked up ...
Auditors 'appalled' by spending Kentucky.com
6 top airport officials won't be issued credit cards after racking ... WHAS 11.com (subscription)
Council Asks Airport Chairman To Resign kypost.com
Jaunted - Kentucky.com
all 40 news articles

Credit - Google News

Good Credit Loans | home | site map | School Bus Clothing | Florida Pool Heating
© 2006