Linkpoint Secure Payment Gateway

1.	Mail Order/Telephone Order and Internet Transactions
	Due to their inherent risk, it is particularly important for merchants to implement safety precautions when accepting mail order/telephone order (MO/TO) and Internet transactions. The following are MO/TO- or Internet-related chargebacks: Fraudulent mail/telephone order transaction Fraudulent transaction -- no cardholder authorization These chargebacks can be avoided through risk-control measures, such as developing a negative database, using the Address Verification Service (AVS), including your customer service telephone on the receipt and getting to know your customer. One of the major causes of chargebacks is lack of business name recognition. Your business name, which appears on the cardholders statement, should match your company DBA. This name should be consistent with how the public recognizes you through your advertising. Negative Database By developing a negative database, you can identify high-risk transactions and block specific credit card numbers within your system, disallowing future purchases. You can thus control multiple orders and/or use of your service that could later result in a dispute. There are other risk-control tools that may suit your business, including setting customer access controls by limiting the number of transactions per hour, day or week. Address Verification Service The Address Verification Service helps you make a more informed decision about MO/TO transactions by verifying the address the cardholder gave you at the time of sale. After comparing the address against the information in the card issuer database, the authorization system sends back a code telling you if there was a full, partial or no match on the address. This allows you to make a better decision about whether to continue the transaction. Customer Service Number We encourage you to provide us with your customer service telephone number so it can be included along with your merchant name on the customer's billing statement. This enables customers to contact you directly prior to calling the card issuer to initiate a dispute. Call our Merchant Services Department at (800) 456-5989, Extension 4000, to add your customer service phone number to billing statements. Know Your Customer Another risk-control measure is to obtain the customer's telephone number during a transaction and to call to verify the order and the phone number given to you. You can avoid many MO/TO and Internet chargebacks simply by getting to know your customers.
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2.	Did You Get an Imprint?
	If you are unable to swipe a credit card through your point-of-sale terminal, it is imperative that you obtain a manual imprint of the card. Make sure the manual sales slip is completed and contains the customer's signature and note the authorization code and purchase amount on the slip. Failure to follow these instructions can result in the following chargebacks: Fraudulent transaction -- no cardholder authorization Fraudulent transaction -- no imprint obtained Fraudulent transaction -- signature not obtained
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3.	Respond Promptly to Requests for Transaction Copies
	Many times a customer will request a copy of a transaction through his or her credit card company. Such requests are forwarded to Cardservice International by MasterCard/Visa. It is imperative that we receive from you copies of these transactions as quickly as possible. When these transaction requests are not fulfilled, or are fulfilled too slowly, they almost always result in one of the following chargebacks, for which you have no response: Nonreceipt of requested item Requested copy illegible It is in your best interest to respond quickly to such requests. You may fax your copies to us at (818) 878-8350. The following suggestions may also prove helpful: Keep a Record of Your Sales Drafts It is imperative to file all of your sales drafts by date and credit card number. Retrieval requests do not include the cardholder's name; thus, filing sales drafts by name makes it difficult to retrieve a transaction. Cardservice International will always provide you with the credit card number, transaction date and purchase amount. Be Sure Sales Drafts Are Legible Ensure that the information on a sales draft is complete, accurate and legible before completing the transaction. An illegible draft, or a draft which produces an illegible copy, may be returned because it cannot be properly processed. Always check the ink cartridge or ribbon on your printer. If an old ribbon or ink cartridge is causing illegible sales drafts, call our Merchant Services Department at (800) 456-5989, Extension 4000, and ask that new ribbons be shipped to you. Will Your Customer Remember the Transaction? It is important that your customers be able to recognize transactions made at your business. If cardholders do not recognize a transaction on their billing statements, they will complain to their card issuer, who will question or dispute the purchase. This is how a retrieval request gets started, and having a copy to back up each transaction can help customers identify their purchases. If a transaction is not face to face, it is a good idea to send a confirmation directly to the cardholder's address to later help them identify the transaction when it appears on a billing statement. Include the business name that will appear on the cardholder's statement. This will help reduce or eliminate costly retrieval requests and/or chargebacks.
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4.	Credits/Refunds
	Refunds and credits can generate "credit not processed" chargebacks. You can prevent such chargebacks by quickly processing refunds to your customers' accounts. If you do not accept merchandise returns or give refunds, or if your return/refund policy is limited (e.g., in-store credits only), this information should be preprinted or handwritten on each sales draft near the signature line. This must be done prior to the customer signing the receipt, and the information must show clearly on all copies of the sales draft. If the customer did not receive your refund policy prior to the transaction, you could be at a disadvantage if he or she later decides to return/credit the purchase. MasterCard/Visa policy dictates that you always process a credit card refund using the same number from the original sale, and that you never give the customer a refund by cash or check.
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5.	Duplicate Transactions
	Duplicate transactions can cause "duplicate processing" chargebacks. Make sure you process only one transaction at a time through your point-of-sale terminal, and always balance your deposits at the end of the day. If your customer makes more than one purchase, or makes two purchases for the same dollar amount within the same day, make sure you create one invoice per transaction to describe each purchase.
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6.	Recurring Transactions
	To avoid "cancelled recurring transaction" chargebacks, take immediate action to stop recurring transactions that a cardholder has asked to be cancelled. By doing so, you can potentially reduce the number of repetitive chargebacks by the same customer.
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7.	Merchandise or Service Not Received by Cardholder
	When a cardholder does not receive his or her purchased merchandise or services, a "nonreceipt of merchandise" chargeback may occur. Sales transactions must not be processed prior to delivery of the purchased product or services. You must obtain the cardholder's signed proof of delivery for every credit card transaction in which the merchandise or service is not delivered immediately at the point of sale. Such proof of delivery may be your only defense if a chargeback occurs. Here are some helpful hints: Installment Transaction Disclose to the customer in writing the terms of the installment transaction, including shipping and handling charges and any applicable tax. Inform your customer that each installment may vary due to fluctuations in the current conversion rate. MasterCard/Visa regulations prohibit merchants from including finance charges in the installments. Interval for Installment Transaction Receipts The first payment installment must not be processed until the shipping date of goods. Use the 30-calendar-day (or more) rule or process installments on the monthly anniversary of the shipping date (must be the same day each month). Delayed Delivery Use the appropriate wording on the transaction receipt, such as "delayed delivery," "deposit" or "balance." You may process delayed delivery transactions before delivery of the goods or service, but you may not process a deposit or balance transaction receipt before delivery of the goods or service. Prepayment You may process a prepayment transaction if you advise your customers that they will be billed immediately. You may process a full prepayment for custom-order merchandise (manufactured to the customer's specifications).
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8.	Declined Authorization Means Declined
	To avoid "declined authorization" chargebacks, do not continue to obtain authorization on a declined transaction by reducing the amount requested or by repeating the request.
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9.	Cardholder Disputes Quality of Merchandise/Service
	Some of the most difficult chargebacks to dispute are those in which the customer challenges the quality of your merchandise or service. Such disputes can result in the following chargebacks: Merchandise/service not as described Cardholder dispute -- not elsewhere classified Defective merchandise To avoid such chargebacks, you must ensure that your customers are aware of your return policy at the time of purchase. Display the policy at the point of sale, and print it on your sales slips directly above the cardholder signature in accordance with MasterCard/Visa regulations. Always follow your return policy. If a customer disputes a transaction, he or she must attempt to resolve the dispute with you. Take this opportunity to rectify the problem. Always keep accurate records of each transaction; you may have to provide documentation to Cardservice International should the customer continue to dispute the transaction. It helps to ensure proper packaging of shipped goods and to see to it that the goods are suitable for the purpose for which they were sold. Also make sure your customer has a clear understanding of how to return the goods. Remember: The primary goal is the customer's satisfaction.
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10.	Account Numbers Do Not Match
	If, after swiping a card, the number displayed does not match the number embossed on the face of the card, ask the customer for a different form of payment. Always print the account number on all telephone and mail orders, and double-check by asking the customer to read back the card number. Accepting nonmatching transactions will leave you vulnerable to the following chargebacks: Account number not on file Nonmatching account number
Merchant Services \| Automated Information Service