Tailored Tips
Forget Skimmers, Now Shimmers Are The New Threat
Posted on: Tuesday, February 27, 2018
You have probably heard of skimming, a technology that criminals employ to obtain sensitive credit card information for the purpose of making illegal purchases. Although financial institutions and businesses have found ways to thwart these nefarious activities, evil-doers seem to always find another way to wreak havoc. Enter shimming, the new and even more disturbing way to steal consumers credit card information.
» Read moreDoes Your Business Accept GSA SmartPay Cards?
Posted on: Monday, February 19, 2018
We are contacted frequently by businesses and government vendors inquiring about needing the ability to accept GSA SmartPay Ghost Cards. The federal government has its own version of a credit card. The GSA SmartPay Card isn’t really for consumers so much as for federal employees. The General Services Administration SmartPay Card makes purchasing goods and services easier than ever before, and it contains some useful parallels for consumers interested in credit and debit cards.
» Read moreEmerging Trends In Mobile Payments
Posted on: Saturday, February 10, 2018
Shopping, social lives, and bill payments are just some of the many daily tasks that can be completed on a mobile device. Most people bring their devices with them everywhere, which allows them to manage their lives and even make payments on the go. Businesses wisely have started to make use of mobile payments in as many ways as possible for the good of their customers.
» Read moreReviewing Your Merchant Account Could Lead To Big Savings
Posted on: Tuesday, January 30, 2018
These days, accepting credit cards is a virtual necessity for any business, however small or large it may be. Dealing with a merchant services company comes with the territory. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t regularly review your monthly processing statements to be sure you are keeping as much of your money in your pocket as possible. Here are a few helpful tips to consider.
» Read moreWhy Are The Card Brands Dropping The Signature Requirement
Posted on: Wednesday, January 17, 2018
The swipe-and-sign credit card ritual has been a staple of retail shopping for decades. In fact, it’s as American as apple pie. Swiping your plastic initiates the transaction. Signing the receipt authorizes the transaction. Yet retailers don’t employ teams of handwriting experts to verify the authenticity of these signatures. Neither do the major credit card brands. Further, even when fraudulent transactions do occur, checking for forged signatures isn’t realistic or feasible.
» Read moreTips For Managing After-Christmas Gift Returns
Posted on: Wednesday, December 27, 2017
The holiday shopping season — from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31 — is the most lucrative time of year for American retailers. This is especially true between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. In fact, the holiday shopping season is often used as a litmus test to assess the health of America’s economy.
» Read moreProtect Your Business From Gift Card Fraud
Posted on: Tuesday, December 5, 2017
Most retailers love the idea of gift cards — and for good reason. However, the convenience that makes e-gift cards so popular among consumers and merchants alike also attracts criminals. In fact, e-gift card fraud is a nearly $1 billion industry.
» Read moreWhat Is Level 3 Payment Processing?
Posted on: Monday, November 13, 2017
If your business is selling a product or service directly to a customer, then you’re operating a Business to Consumer (B2C) company. This means that when it comes to processing credit card payments, Level 1 processing is sufficient. However, if you’re selling products or services to other businesses (B2B), or to government entities (B2G), then the ideal and most cost-effective solution is Level 3 Payment Processing.
» Read moreUnderstanding Point-To-Point Encryption
Posted on: Monday, November 6, 2017
Whenever a customer’s credit card is swiped, the data is sent to your payment processor for verification. This transmission is instantaneous. But because the information is maybe sent over unsecured Internet connections, it is still vulnerable to hacking. A determined thief can easily get his or her hands on this information and begin racking up fraudulent credit card charges.
» Read moreHow Is The U.S. Adapting To EMV?
Posted on: Thursday, October 5, 2017
EMV, also known as chip-enabled credit and debit cards, are continuing to gain momentum in 2017 among card users and merchants. Despite the responsibility placed on merchants to adopt EMV-compliant solutions since October 2015, not every merchant has complied. Visa has continued to push the date back for complete compliance to give businesses more of a chance to make the changeover.
» Read more