Best Practices
Valuable information regarding the best practices to use when accepting cards for payment.
Serve First strives to provide you with valuable information regarding the best practices to use when accepting cards for payment. We provide you with guidelines for situations when the card is present and when the card is not present. We hope you follow these guidelines to minimize the presence of unwanted circumstances.
Processing your Visa and MasterCard sales is easy with Serve First. Follow these steps to ensure that all your transactions proceed smoothly:
Card Present |
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Check the Card For Visa and MasterCard cards, the first four digits of the embossed card number must match the four digits pre-printed above or below that number. Attempt to Swipe Every Card |
If You are Using a Manual Imprinter, Check the Draft for a Clear Impression This will ensure that you have captured the embossed card account number. Complete the draft with the date, description of merchandise/service, sales tax, total dollar amount, authorization number and signature. Obtain a Manual Imprint of the Customer's Card Do this if you are using an electronic printer and the card cannot be magnetic-stripe read. This will ensure that you have captured the embossed card number. Use the manual sales draft to complete the transaction. Obtain the Customer's Signature Match the signature on the draft to the signature on the back of the card. If the customer's card is unsigned, request another form of identification with a photo and signature. Request that the customer signs his card and then compare the signatures. If the customer refuses to sign, inform him that you are unable to accept an unsigned card for payment and request another form of payment. Remember: hold the card until the transaction is completed! Retaining the card throughout the transaction enables you to complete all of the security checks without having to ask the customer to re-present his card for a signature comparison or possible "call center" procedure. You will avoid check-out delays and ensure a smooth transaction. |
Do not accept a card if:
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Card Not PresentIn the mail/telephone order and e-commerce industry, payment by credit card is the preferred method. Unfortunately, it can be risky. When neither the card nor the customer is physically present at the point of sale, the merchant experiences the greatest exposure to disputes, chargebacks and fraud. Serve First has developed guidelines to help reduce this exposure for Internet, mail, and telephone order sales.Remember: Serve First is not responsible for any losses due to sales in which the card is not present - either by mail, telephone or over the Internet. These sales are taken at your own risk. However, reviewing these guidelines may help you make more informed decisions on whether to accept such sales in your business or not. |
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Authorize Every Sale on the Order Date Mail an Order Confirmation Notice to the Cardholder Prior to Shipping |
Use the Address Verification Service (AVS) Do Not Deposit Sales Until the Ship Date Ask for Both a Billing and Shipping Address Request that Your Customer Service Number Appear on the Customer's Credit Card Statement |
Mail/Telephone Order MerchantsThere are special considerations for Mail/Telephone Order and Internet Merchants when accepting transactions because a card is not present. The merchant should be aware of: While it is crucial that all customers are treated with the same courtesy and helpfulness, the following guidelines may be applied to aid in fraud detection without alerting or affecting the customer. |
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| A Hesitant Caller A shaky voice or delayed responses to questions may indicate that the caller is not comfortable with the information he is providing. Rush Orders These are a favorite weapon of the "here today/gone tomorrow" schemes. P.O. Boxes and Mail Receiving Services This may indicate lack of a permanent address. Above-Average Transaction Amounts Merchants often know the amount of an average sale. Be wary of those transactions that greatly exceed the norm. Purchases that can be Easily Converted to Cash Examples include electronics, jewelry and leather goods. 1-800 Return Phone Numbers Be suspicious of toll-free telephone numbers when given as the day or evening phone number. Attempt to get a direct line instead. Multiple Orders in a Short Period of Time Many merchant systems show all orders placed to a certain account or unique customer number. Be especially aware of multiple orders. Fourth Quarter Fraud is always a consideration, but fraudulent activity is particularly widespread around the holidays. Larger-than-"Normal" Orders This is dependent on each merchant's definition of a "normal" sized order. Because criminals are usually using stolen or fictitious credit card numbers that have a limited life span, they need to maximize the size of their purchases. |
Orders Made Up of "Big Ticket" Items Orders Shipped "Rush" or "Overnight" |
