PAYMENT RISK MANAGEMENT - FAQs

Very easy! A simple, secure data transfer is all that is required. This need not interupt your existing processes. Call 01276 856404 for further information.

Offline systems do not interrupt the flow of the transaction as it happens. They only are used after the event, and as such are less time critical than on-line systems. Multiple on-line systems increase the risk of failure resulting in interruptions in trading.

When a retailer is trying to build business, the last thing that is needed is for fraud screening systems to turn away genuine customers. When business volumes are relatively low, it will appear that this is not an issue, however, as volumes and competition increases, this will be the key focus. Fraud is so easy to perpetrate over CNP channels that on-line systems need to be tuned to reject transactions that ‘may be fraudulent'. Off-line systems have a much greater ability to detect ‘may-be fraud' but similarly off-line systems may use additional checks to ensure that good business is retained. When under attack from fraud, the first x transactions that form a fraudulent pattern, will inevitably be accepted. In an on-line scenario the opportunity to prevent fulfillment for those first few transactions is lost. The 3rd Man solution will enable the retailer to prevent all transactions in any pattern. We screen transactions again and again up until the picking or delivery window of opportunity passes.

Our service is specifically designed for use by CNP retailers. We know that retailers work to tight margins, we know that you want to buy a service that is affordable over the long term, not only when you have a real fraud problem. Long term prevention is our aim.

This is probably not the case. Although the 3rd Man concept is different, the retailer's processes will usually easily accommodate it. At some point in the system, picking or delivery is instructed; this is where we will interface. The real benefit is that the off-line approach ensures that you do not refuse to do business with countless genuine customers who otherwise would have been refused by over-strict on-line systems.

As your business volumes increase, and as you offer a wider selection of product for sale, blanket business rules will begin to limit genuine business as well as attempted fraud. If you relax these rules you will suffer high fraud. If you tighten them you will increase customer service issues.

If we decline a transaction, you will be given the precise reason for doing so. Reasons will be managed with you and will include levels of information appropriate to managing your customer without divulging your methods or ours.

We will happily work with your acquirer as required and should you require, we would generate authorisation or settlement reversals etc on your behalf.

This will depend upon your acquiring banks preference. However we can generate refunds or reversals depending upon requirements.

The fraud you experience in CNP environments should be measured in the number of transaction charged back to you. This figure varies between merchant sectors but should be no more than 0.2% on average.

The data should be provided to us as often as possible (as often as continually, or infrequent as every day), the key factor is when are you planning to deliver or to pick the goods for delivery?

This is up to your own customer treatment policy, however, this transaction will have been declined with reasons, and will have, in all probability resulted in a charge-back. We recommend that you are apologetic, but nevertheless assertive. Where goods have a high value, or a high risk dynamic, saving the sale through the use of additional checks can be included in the core service, or performed by your own customer service operatives.

The 3rd Man is registered under the Data Protection Act. Our registration number is Z6248506