Well, a good first step is to turn on your AVS (Address Verification Service) and CVV (Card Code) security settings. AVS settings will verify the house number and the zip code entered by the customer against the billing address of the credit card. The CVV is just the three or four digit code located on the back of the card. These fraud prevention measures are important because they help lower the risk of fraudulent transactions and can help lower your rates.

Once logged into NaviGate you will see a list of tabs on top of the page:

You’ll click on the tab marked ‘Profile & Settings’. You are then given a list of options on the left side of the page. Click on ‘Security’. You now have a number of security settings you can edit. Once you choose ‘Edit’ under AVS settings you’re given the following:

Here it is up to you how stringent you’d like to be with your AVS settings. I would advise having one of these boxes or settings turned on.

For CVV settings your security settings look like this:

Again, I would advise have some type of CVV security setting turned on for your account.

Protection against fraud starts with you. Never be afraid to scrutinize transactions! Always carefully consider your business’s level of risk when configuring your CVV and AVS filter settings. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in our Merchant Plus forum or give us a call, 1-800-546-1997.

Have Authorize.net as a gateway? Look at how to turn on AVS and CVV settings here .

Well, a good first step is to turn on your AVS (Address Verification Service) and CVV (Card Code) security settings. AVS settings will verify the house number and the zip code entered by the customer against the billing address of the credit card. The CVV is just the three or four digit code located on the back of the card. These fraud prevention measures are important because they help lower the risk of fraudulent transactions and can help lower your rates.

Once logged into Authorize.net you will see a list of tabs on top of the page:

You’ll click on the tab marked ‘Account’. You are then given a list of settings options on the page. Under ‘Security Settings’ you can click on both ‘Card Code Verification’ and ‘Address Verification Service’. Let’s start with ‘Card Code Verification’:

Step one will be to enable this filter by checking the box at the top of the page:

Step Two will be to choose the settings you would like to activate:

Authorize.net will allow you to hold transactions and review them with your customer in the event the CVV doesn’t match or is excluded from the information. It is also up to you as to how stringent you’d like to be with your CVV settings. I would advise having one of these settings turned on.

For the AVS filter your security settings look like this:

Again, you must enable the filter at the top of the page to turn on the AVS settings. Next, you can set general AVS settings as well as specific AVS settings for address, zip code, and extended zip. With these settings, Authorize.net gives you tips on different response codes and what might be best for you. Again, I would advise have some type of AVS security setting turned on for your account.

Protection against fraud starts with you. Never be afraid to scrutinize transactions! Always carefully consider your business’ level of risk when configuring your CVV and AVS filter settings. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in our Merchant Plus Forum or give us a call, 1-800-324-1997. Authorize.net also has video tutorials to walk you through this setup process here.

Have Navigate as a gateway? Look at how to turn on AVS and CVV settings here .

While I love a good wooden iPhone backing, the case I read about today is potentially far more influential (and worth even more money!).

iCache Geode is an elegant solution to the problem of mobile payments – instead of trying to get merchants, vendors, credit card companies and device makers all into the same ecosystem, this fancy case works flawlessly within the existing system to digitize and secure your wallet.

The iCache Geode Might Change the Digital Wallet Debate

Here’s how it works:

• In short, the Geode is a phone case that allows you to cram all of your credit cards and loyalty cards (think of those CSV and gas station things on your keychain)  into a digital wallet.
• Once you create an account in the Geode iPhone app and load up some basic information, the Geode case can display the barcode of any saved loyalty card on a small e-ink display.
• There is also a rewritable card mounted on the case – once your credit card information has been registered with the Geode, the included magnetic strip can be rewritten on the fly, turning it into any credit card you want it to be.

Not only is this a great way to work through a digital wallet concept into reality, but it’s a huge convenience: imagine losing your “wallet” in this case.  With your data stored in the cloud, simply grab yourself a new Geode and you’re back in business.

Interestingly enough, the company has started a kickstarter campaign to raise money for the prototype to go into production.  A $50,000 goal was set – and so far they’ve raised $250,000!  Not a bad vote of confidence from iPhone users out there that this is a concept to watch.

Fast forward a few years (and a few hundred million smart phone user) to 2012, and the landscape is surprisingly different! Not only are people paying for their cup of coffee at Starbucks with an app, but just the other day I pulled into my local Cumberland Farm gas station / minimart and was presented with an option to pay with PayPal! On top of that, I was tempted with the offer of saving 5 cents per gallon if I kept my cash and credit cards safely tucked in my wallet.

Now, after doing a bit of reading I was able to get a clearer picture of how this initiative came to be, and a sense of the future of it. No doubt, it’s another of many recent and future attempts by online payment methods (PayPal being the most prominent) to integrate themselves into daily offline purchases.

As each retail merchant knows, credit card processing fees can quickly add up – as more and more consumers decide to pay not just with credit cards, but with even more cutting edge replacements (Starbucks apps, paypal, etc), it’ll be even more important that you are working with a merchant provider that keeps pace with technology and pricing innovations, to help mitigate the costs, risks, and challenges of payment methods moving from the online to the offline space!

A Bit Of History

Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) compliance is a set of security requirements designed to ensure that all companies that process, store or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment. PCI was originally created by Visa and MasterCard. In 2006, they joined with American Express, Discover and JCB to create the PCI Security Standards Council. PCI was created in response to numerous data security breaches and to protect consumers and banks from potential fraud and the costs associated with it. In recent years there have been a number of security breaches including TJX, Stratfor, Sony, and Citigroup.

What are the PCI requirements?

• Maintain A Secure Network

In the case of many online businesses, this means your web server. Most hosting companies take responsibility for ensuring the security of their networks. If you store any customer information on your computer (even just a name), then you need to make sure your network has a firewall installed and reasonable measures are in place to maintain network security.

• Protect Cardholder Data

If you store credit card data, you must protect it. Data should be encrypted with limited personnel access. When customers make a purchase from your website, the cardholder data must be encrypted with at least a 128-bit SSL certificate to meet this standard.

• Maintain a Vulnerability Management Program

Minimize vulnerability by continually updating your computer hardware, operating systems and software. Another requirement is up-to-date anti-virus software and regular virus scans.

• Implement Strong Access Control Measures

Most security breaches are done by employees. Combat this by limiting cardholder data access to those who need to use it. In addition, you must assign a unique identification for each person who does have access.

• Regularly Monitor and Test Networks

A company must undertake regular scans of security measures and processes and monitor and track network access to cardholder data. You can sign up for a security testing and auditing service, such
as McAfee’s PCI Certification software, that helps identify and fix potential security problems as they arise.

• Maintain an Information Security Policy

It’s important to have an information security policy in place to make sure all employees know and understand their responsibilities when it comes to protecting your customer’s credit card data.

Click here for more information about these standards.

What are the requirements for PCI compliance?

Depending on your transaction volume, all merchants fall into one of four levels. For Visa, the levels and requirements are:

Once you figure out your merchant level, you’ll need to determine which Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) to complete depending on how you process credit cards:

SAQ Version A –You are an eCommerce merchant or MOTO (entering into a virtual terminal) merchant and 100% of the processing, transmitting and storing of cardholder data is outsourced to a 3rd party company. For eCommerce merchants, this means that your checkout must also be provided by a 3rd party.
SAQ Version B – You are a Retail merchant that uses only standalone, dial-out terminals connected via a phone line, retain paper reports or receipts and do not store cardholder data in electronic format.
SAQ Version C – You are a MOTO (entering into a virtual terminal) merchant and 100% of the processing, transmitting and storing of cardholder data is outsourced to a 3rd party company. Your computer is isolated in a single location, and is not connected to other locations or systems within your environment. You don’t store cardholder data in electronic form and only retain paper reports or receipt copies.
SAQ Version D – You are an eCommerce merchant that either stores, processes or transmits card holder data at some part of the transaction process.
These SAQs need to be completed annually in order to meet PCI compliance standards. For Merchant Plus clients, we have consolidated the SAQs and you only need to complete sections highlighted in red here.

How do you become PCI compliant?

• Determine your merchant level and your requirements for compliance
• Complete the Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ)
• Use an Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV), like McAfee, for quarterly vulnerability scans of your website/IP addresses
• Make sure you have an Information Security Policy that’s enforced
• Address any vulnerability issues immediately
• Retain all records of your SAQs, scans and security activities

What happens if you’re not compliant?

Failure to comply will incur an additional monthly fee from your credit card processor ranging from $20 to $100 per month. If cardholder data is stolen from you and you’re non-compliant, PCI fines can be as high as $500,000 per incident. Your business can also be given a “death penalty” – preventing it from accepting credit cards again.

It’s vital to keep client information secure. Failure to do so could cost your business.  Merchant Plus will show you how to be PCI compliant.

The Upside of PayPal
Paypal is a good start-up solution – they can get you up and running quickly and have a proven brand name that your customers will trust.  They don’t have any monthly fees, so if you go days, weeks, or months without making a sale, it won’t charge you anything.  For a small business just starting out online, that is a very comfortable feeling!

Also, accepting international payments is a snap and Paypal also handles all security and fraud protection.  Overall, it’s a great product and I’d be silly to say it wans’t.

Downsides of PayPal
The downside to Paypal is, in fact, a product of the very simplicity that is so appealing to small merchants.  As a simple/direct product there is very little flexibility – you can only use the payment system they provide.

• Clients usually have to go to a Paypal hosted page to process the payments.
• Also, you can’t include any coupon codes or real-time shipping costs for your client.
• When you accept a payment, the money is deposited into your Paypal account (controlled by Paypal), not your bank account (controlled by you).
• Also, Paypal won’t give you an account manager to help you when you need support.

Why Choose a “True” Merchant Account?
So if you are an established merchant or ready to take your ecommerce website and business to the next level, my experience is that you need the customization and business tools offered by an Internet Merchant account with Merchant Plus.  Luckily, like Paypal, we have no start-up costs.  Also:

1. We offer our clients the option of using our gateway, NaviGate, free with our service or  Authorize.net (a modest monthly fee).
2.  We can help you integrate with virtually any shopping cart solution (See for yourself!), and typically get you up and running in 2 days.
3.  Clients will make purchases directly on your site, and you have the flexibility to customize your payment solution as much as you want.
4. With Merchant Plus, you will also have a dedicated Account Manager ready to help with any questions you might have.

If you’re ready to make the move to a formal merchant account, we suggest that you find a provider (like us!) that has clear rates, years of experience, and a real person on the other end of the phone line.   We have 10 years experience helping merchants of all shapes and sizes accept payments online, and we’re eager to help you succeed as you grow.

Have any questions?  Give us a call, chat live, browse our merchant forum, or email support@merchantplus.com.

While security is a critical component of accepting credit cards online, it’s not always easy to perform at a high level – especially if you are active on your website adding new features, pages, and tools to attract and enrich your audience.

A Few Tricks for WordPress Users
The most popular CMS on the internet happens to be WordPress, and with good reason!   It’s easy to install, quick to learn, and through the help of thousands of theme developers and marketplaces like ThemeForest.net, you can have a pretty great looking website in a matter of days.  With the addition of popular plugins, like WooCommerce, Shopp, or WP Ecommerce you can even be running a powerful online store in minutes.  In fact, we run our website on WordPress!

So, how do you secure your website?  And how do you convey to users that you are secure? Here are some simple and practical tips:

1. Get an SSL Certificate!
2. Choose a webhost that offers some level of security baked into their platform and has expertise in WordPress.  Check out WP Engine and Page.ly for two popular choices.
3. Augment your SSL certificate and hosting with a service like CloudFlare, which protects your site from attacks at the network level – literally blocking bad traffic before it even gets to your website.  They offer a seamless WordPress plugin to help implementation, and it works with common caching plugins like W3 Total Cache.
4. Test your website for security.  A great free options is WP Security Scan.
5. Utilize a plugin to direct site content like images and scripts on key pages through to HTTPS.  This ensures your visitors don’t get that annoying “some items on this page are insecure” notice.  We recommend the ubiquitious and WordPress HTTPS plugin.

The most common sense tip is also the one that is easily forgotten: test your website regularly.  Pretend that you are a “common” visitor by first taking a look at your analytics to see what kind of platform the largest percentage of your visitors use – then go find or mimic that setup (Windows + IE7 could be more common than you think!) and see how secure your WordPress website feels.

• Are there warnings or errors?
• Are you missing HTTPS on any sensitive pages, such as the checkout or “My Account” areas?

Take a look, you’ll be glad you did!

A discount rate is a small percentage of each transaction that is paid in order to accept credit card transactions. You pay this small percentage to the credit card processor. Many merchant account providers base this percentage on variables such as your evaluated risk, types of transactions, or your overall sales volume. The industry standard discount rate for processing z credit cards on the Internet or as a “keyed in” sale is between 2.29 and 2.99 percent. MerchantPlus, a leading merchant account services provider offers a rate of 2.15 percent, quite competitive with the industry standard.

When determining if a particular discount rate will benefit your business, consider the price of your average sale and your transaction fee. Take your per transaction fee and divide it by your average sale price plus your discount rate. You’ll end up with an approximation for what you’ll pay per each transaction.

When you are ordering food with someone and cannot seem to find the change in your wallet to settle the split, Clover is a great solution. Its a very simple app that can completely change the payment game. Create an account and very simply add money to your account from your credit card or your bank or PayPal account and easily withdraw money via your bank or PayPal accounts, Amazon gift cards, or even by check. You can then easily transfer funds between your friends and family.

Security is also not an issue with Clover because Clover protects your information with 256-bit encryption and stores it in a PCI-DSS compliant server environment, not on your phone. You can also secure your Clover app with a 4-digit PIN and your Clover funds are FDIC-insured.

1. Maximize your time by knowing what you have to do and when.
2. Keep track of payments from all of your clients.
3. Effectively communicate with your clients.
4. Completely manage your website.

Features of Freelancer Panel:

• Send Online Invoice to your Clients
• Online Freelance Client Management Software
• Fully Featured Project Management Software for Business & Freelancers
• Full Helpdesk with Knowledgebase
• Selling your Products through a Shopping Cart
• Bill For your Time, and Track Your Time!

“Freelancer Panel has been in business since 2006, and for the vast majority of that time, all of our credit card processing has been through MerchantPlus. We have customers in over 50 countries across the world now, and MerchantPlus has been with us through all of that. I am so pleased with MerchantPlus that Freelancer Panel is offering a 10% discount code to all of their customers. You will now be able to enjoy our software at a discounted rate. Our software does everything from managing invoices & projects, to helping you sell your products or services through your website. Many features, now at a much lower rate.”

Use the coupon code “mp” or “merchantplus” for 10% off any service paid monthly above the basic freelancer plan.

Freelancer Panel offers plans starting at $1.99 a month. For more information on Freelancer Panel and the specific plans they offer, head over to www.freelancerpanel.com.