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Thread: How do we protect ourselves from credit card fraud?

  1. #1

    Default How do we protect ourselves from credit card fraud?

    I'm really needing some advice here on what to do. Around mid June I recieved a letter from merchant services saying someone is disputing a transaction. Luckily for me I remember the customer very well (as a small business you remember customers that spend over $400) He came in with a regular customer (also a big spender) and she said this is her friend they live in the same apartment block and she's helping him to get healthy ( my business is a health store)

    They had their dogs and we're in the store for over 2 hours my husband even went and took the dogs for a walk! When they were finally ready to pay he gave me his card and ID and the card was declined he then gave me another card and that went through straight away . He is now saying he was never in the store!

    I faxed over the receipt and a letter to merchant services and never heard anything untill this morning I looked at my banking and they took the money out. I called merchant services again and they now given me a new case number and I have to fax all the information again. So I called my own mechant service provider and emailed over all the information and they have a record that he first used a diffrent card that was declined.

    I don't know if they can do anything . I'm just in shock this can happen I feel I did everything right I saw his ID and they still take his side even though he used another card first that was declined .How do you protect yourself from dishonest customers . I spoke to the regular customer he was with and she was like omg thats terrible I will talk to him but she hasn't been in since. All advice/thoughts would be greatly appriciated

  2. #2
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    The truth is that you can't really do anything to prevent people from disputing charges. Sounds like you're doing what you're supposed to and it seems like the evidence you have is good enough. But you never know what credit card companies are going to do. They are almost always going to side with their customer, although I can't see how in this instance with the evidence you've presented.

    As another fail safe, may consider a camera over the register area. It's pretty hard to dispute that you were in a store when there's video of you in the store.


    For the most part you try and prevent charge backs and disputes by giving great service and making everyone as happy as possible. Unfortunately there is no magic button that prevents anyone from ever charging back or disputing. That's just kind of the way it is. We all get them from time to time and it doesn't always have anything to do with you. Sometimes people get in jams and look for someone to screw over, or they're just plain nuts. It happens.

    Typically you're going to get a few. Now if you're getting a lot, then I'd look internally at your sales process, and customer service. But that doesn't sound like the case here.

    In the future, try and refrain from talking to other customers about internal issues like that. You may have now lost 2 customers because you've made the other one feel uncomfortable and somewhat responsible for bringing in a flake.

    JMO of course.

  3. #3

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    Harold is right. You did everything correctly. Having a signed receipt is important, however if the customer used a stolen credit card - the original owner wouldn't be responsible. Video footage helps, but doesn't prevent usage of fraudulent cards. Although financially problematic, chargebacks really become a huge problem until they reach over 10% of your sales.

    Mariana

  4. #4

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    The processors are real PITA to deal with. They rarely side with the business even if sometimes you provide evidences. In your case since it was physical instead of online transaction -hopefully they won't give much issues.

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