With payment fraud expected to cost $40.62 billion by 2027, businesses need to be more vigilant. Anything short of secure payment processing systems poses a risk to their hard-earned revenue. Customer relationships could also be impacted.
But don’t worry, we are here to help. This blog explores the common risks associated with payment processing. Below are some tips to avoid them so you can focus on what matters most – running your business with peace of mind.
Read on to learn more.
Risks Associated With Payment Processing
Some of the most common risks associated with card processing include data breaches, chargebacks, and fraud. Learn more about them below.
Data Breaches
One of the biggest threats to online businesses is data breaches. It refers to unauthorized access or exposure of sensitive information from your system. This includes personal identifying details such as customer names, addresses, credit card numbers, or passwords.
It can have serious consequences for your business, especially when it comes to brand reputation and image. This can lead to the loss of customer trust and loyalty. Businesses also risk facing legal liability and fines for violating data protection laws.
Chargebacks
A chargeback is a reversal of a payment transaction initiated by the cardholder or the card issuer. It can occur for various reasons, including dissatisfaction with a product or service. Other common reasons are disputes over the amount or authorization of the transaction, technical errors or glitches in the payment process, or fraud.
Chargebacks often result in a loss of revenue amounting to as much as two times the original transaction amount. It can also lead to increased fees and penalties from the payment processor, and there’s always a risk of the business being classified as a high-risk merchant.
Payment Fraud
Payment fraud is any type of fraudulent activity involving payment transactions. It can take many forms, such as:
- Card-Not-Present (CNP) Fraud: This occurs when a fraudster uses stolen or fake card details to make online purchases without the physical presence of the card
- Card-Present (CP) Fraud: It occurs when someone uses a fake or replicated card for unauthorized transactions at a physical point-of-sale (POS) terminal
- Friendly Fraud: Takes place when a customer disputes a transaction with their bank for no legitimate reason
- Refund Fraud: This occurs when a fraudster requests a refund for a product or service that they did not purchase or receive OR the refund is requested with intent of keeping the product or service rendered
Payment fraud can cost your business money, time, and reputation. It can also increase your chargeback rate and risk level.
High-Risk Industries
Some industries are considered high-risk by payment processors and card networks due to their nature, history, or regulations. Some examples of high-risk industries are gambling and gaming, adult entertainment, travel and tourism, and CBD and cannabis products.
Due to the increased rate of fraud in these industries, businesses often have to deal with:
- Higher fees and rates for payment processing services
- Stricter terms and conditions for merchant accounts
- Limited options for payment methods and providers
- Higher scrutiny and monitoring from regulators and authorities
Best Practices to Prevent Payment Processing Risks
Payment processing risks are inevitable. However, there are some best practices that can allow you to minimize them and ensure financial stability for your business. Here are a few of them.
Regular Employee Training
Your employees are your first line of defense against payment processing risks. You need to train them on how to handle payment transactions securely and efficiently. They need to know how to spot and report any suspicious or fraudulent activity.
Moreover, keeping them updated on the latest trends and threats in the payment industry and how to respond to them is essential.
Ensure Information Security
Information security is crucial for preventing data breaches and payment fraud. You need to implement strong security measures for your system, such as:
- Firewall and antivirus software
- SSL encryption and HTTPS protocol
- Secure passwords and access control
- Data backup and recovery
- Regular security audits and updates
Use a Secure Payment Gateway
A payment gateway facilitates the authorization and settlement of payment transactions. A secure one can help you prevent payment processing risks by offering features such as:
- Fraud detection and prevention tools
- Data encryption and tokenization
- PCI DSS compliance
- Multiple payment methods and currencies
- Customer support and dispute resolution
When choosing a payment processing partner, consider your business needs, budget, and preferences. Be sure to compare the best options based on their features, fees, security, reliability, and reputation.
Implement 3D Secure or Other Authentication Methods
3D Secure is a security protocol that adds an extra layer of verification to online card transactions. It requires the cardholder to enter a one-time password or a biometric identifier.
3D Secure can help you prevent CNP fraud and chargebacks by ensuring that the cardholder is the legitimate owner of the card. Other authentication methods that you can use are:
- Address Verification Service (AVS) to verify the billing address of the cardholder with the card issuer
- Card Verification Value (CVV) verifies the three- or four-digit code on the back or front of the card
- EMV verifies the chip embedded in the card using a POS terminal
Ensure PCI DSS Compliance
PCI DSS is a set of standards and guidelines that aim to ensure the security of card data and transactions. PCI DSS compliance is mandatory for any business that accepts, processes, stores, or transmits card information. PCI DSS compliance can help you prevent data breaches and payment fraud by requiring you to:
- Protect cardholder data with encryption, tokenization, and masking
- Maintain a secure network with firewall, antivirus, and VPN
- Implement strong access control with passwords, roles, and permissions
- Monitor and test your system regularly with audits, scans, and reports
- Maintain an information security policy with procedures, rules, and responsibilities
Monitor Fraud
Fraud monitoring is the process of tracking and analyzing your payment transactions for any signs of fraud or anomalies. You can implement it by using fraud detection tools and algorithms to:
- Detect suspicious or unusual transactions in real time
- Block or flag high-risk transactions for further verification and investigate fraud cases promptly
- Adjust your fraud prevention strategies accordingly
Payment Processing Designed with You in Mind!
A lot of businesses in today’s digital landscape struggle with the above risks of payment processing. The good news is that you can elevate your brand while strengthening customer relationships. The practices listed above are just a few tips to get you closer to that goal.
At Trinity Payment Solutions, we understand the importance of secure and reliable payment processing. That’s why we strive to deliver easy and secure payment solutions. We prioritize the safety and integrity of your payment transactions so you can focus on running your business.
Contact us today to learn more and take the first step toward secure and efficient payment processes.
