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SMALL BUSINESS : Avoid Fraud Charges in Small BusinessFraud credit card charges in small business is a big concern with Merchants especially online credit card fraud and it is rising at a significant rate. Below are some ways you can greatly reduce the amount of chargebacks and fraud, possibly even eliminate the risk altogether: Avoiding credit card fraud and chargebacks #1 Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Terminals IVR Terminals, developed by VoiceStamps http://www.voicestamps.com, are a relatively new solution that greatly reduces chargebacks and fraud by collecting a “voice stamp” or voice authorization and verification from the customer before the merchant ships the order. The voice recorded order verification is then automatically e-mailed to the merchant for filing in the event the customer tries to dispute the charge on their account. Avoiding credit card fraud and chargebacks #2 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, ECHO Inc., etc) for details. Avoiding credit card fraud and chargebacks #3 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. Avoiding credit card fraud and chargebacks #4 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 o wn risk until a worldwide AVS system is developed. Avoiding credit card fraud and chargebacks #5 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. Avoiding credit card fraud and chargebacks #6 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 thi ngs 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. This is where a system like IVR terminals, previously mentioned above, can come in very handy. Avoiding credit card fraud and chargebacks #7 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 Avoiding credit card fraud and chargebacks #8 Signatures on delivery If your business delivers products use a carrier that requires a s ignature on delivery, and allows you to have a copy of the signature. Retain these for your records. Avoiding credit card fraud and chargebacks #9 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. Avoiding credit card fraud and chargebacks #10 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. source : http://blog.vici.ro/2010/02/11/10-ways-to-reduce-chargebacks-fraud-jim-conley-ii/ Information to pick the best Small Business Credit CardFinding the best small business credit card means doing a little information research. For entrepreneurs seeking a small business credit card, the shopping list includes more than just APRs and airline miles...Starting a Small Business IdeaYou have thought out an angle for starting a small business idea that is going to revolutionize the industry. Are you willing...Good Small Business PracticesGood small business practices require good business etiquette. 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