Where applicable, you will see below each section
of advice steps we take to help combat online fraud
and criminal behaviour from the off.
Security checks
Make sure you use a secure website to enter credit
card information. Secure websites will use a padlock
symbol in the bottom right of the browser and the
website address begins with ‘https; rather than
'http'. Don’t be fooled either by a simple padlock
image in the body of the website itself. You need
to look for one that is in the browser itself. Click
on the padlock to check that the seller is who they
say they are and that their certificate is current
and registered to the right address.
As part of the technical
integration and 'Go Live' process we always make
sure and confirm that a merchant has a 100% secure
connection if using an API. If they are using our
secure checkout integration payment page then this
is secure at our end as standard - more
>>>
On top of this we impose
mandatory requirements on all our merchants when
it comes to their website. If one of these requirements
is not met then the account does not go live. We
also periodically check that they are keeping to
the rules - read
more >>>
Background checks
When on a website looks for a physical address and
telephone number. A PO Box doesn't mean anything dodgy
is going on, however these can be harder to trace
if the worst happened.
Check privacy policies and terms and conditions.
As a merchant it's part of the Visa and MasterCard
rules to have these on a sellers website. If they
are not on there ask yourself why not?
Do some digging and Google the company to see if
anyone else has had problems. What do people say about
them? Do remember that the person who said "the
customer's always right" was mostly likely a
customer. Therefore be careful of reviews from people
who could simply have an axe to grind when in fact
they were in the wrong. Also it's not only customers
who can leave feedback, so can competitors.
When setting up a merchant
account for a customer we spend a lot of time on
due diligence, investigating the business, their
terms and conditions, privacy policies and also
the person(s) running it. We also use one of our
greatest tools - Google. This helps us see what
people are saying about a company.
If everything is ok we provide
an account. If not then we cancel their application.
Depending on what we discover we may even report
them to the relevant governing bodies and pre-warn
other PSP's - read
more >>>
Virus Protection
Always make sure you have the right virus, spyware
and malware protection on your computer and always
keep it up-to-date. This give you the best level or
protection. You don't have to pay a small fortune
for them either. Many free anti-virus programmes such
as AVG are very good.
Keep your browser updated
Use the latest version of your chosen browser and
set the security settings to high. Also never miss
an update. These can be a pain but they will make
you safe. Some browsers, such as Firefox, have virus
protection built in - however this should not be substituted
for proper virus protection.
Be aware of scams and dodgy links
Be very wary of anything that is offered in spam
or unsolicited email. Especially the ones from banks.
Never navigate to sites by clicking links in an email.
Whenever possible, enter the url (web address) manually.
If you think you're being redirected somewhere you
shouldn't be close the browser straight away and run
a virus and malware scan. Finally if a price looks
too good to be true, it probably is.
We will NEVER send a merchant
an email or a link direct to a website asking them
to enter their banking or card details.
We DO NOT hold any card details
whatsoever. Therefore if a customer who has recently
made a purchase on a website that uses our merchant
account system is experiencing problems, we will
not provide ANY merchant details.
Use a credit card instead of a debit card
Using a credit card for online payments can be a
good idea. You are offered a higher level of protection
if anything goes wrong and it is easier to trace a
merchant. This doesn't just mean for fraud but if
you have not received your item or it is damaged.
You can also do a 'Chargeback' if all else fails.
However regardless of whether or not you use a credit
or debit card you do have the protection of the Consumer
Credit Act 1974.
Did you know that you can
now Chargeback if you have paid on your debit card?
The banks who issue debit cards have only recently
agreed to this, and there is still confusion over
how it all works. Therefore if your bank refuses
to recognise this new facility keep going.
Know your rights
When shopping online it can be easy to make a mistake,
and sometimes what you receive isn't what you expected.
When this happens there are laws and regulations that
give you extra protection.
Under the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling Regulations)
2000, you can cancel your order anytime from the moment
you place it up to 7 working days from the day after
you receive it. However there are certain items you
can't return if you simply change your mind - Personalised
or tailor-made items, perishable goods such as food
and flowers etc. and also CDs and DVDs if you've broken
the seal.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2000/2334/contents/made
All merchants are made aware
of the rules, regulations and laws that they must
follow when setting up an online business.
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