Fraud Screening Procedures

rchants can benefit from using a number ofand AVS (available only for U.K. addresses outside
fraud-screening services that are available to helpof the U.S.)
them verify the validity of a payment card usedRequire that billing addresses match shipping
in a card-not-present transaction. Fraud preventionaddresses for high-risk transactions. Such
tools can be developed internally or obtained fromtransactions can include big-ticket transactions and
third-party vendors. When implementing fraudtransactions for specific merchandise types.
screening procedures within your organization, youScreen for high-risk shipping addresses. There are
should consider the following:third-party databases of high-risk shipping
- Implement mechanisms to identify high-riskaddresses which you can use to compare to
transactions. Once you identify a high-riskshipping addresses provided by your customers.
transaction, you should:Special attention should be placed on P.O. boxes,
- Suspend processing a transaction with high-riskprisons, hospitals and addresses with documented
attributes. High-risk transaction attributes canfraudulent activity.
include: match data stored in internal negative files;Treat international transactions as high-risk. You
exceeded velocity limits and controls; an Addressshould require greater scrutiny and verification for
Verification Service (AVS) mismatch; a high-riskinternational transactions. You should consider
profile match.tighter transaction controls and velocity limits on
- Develop effective review procedures tointernational orders. Also you should consider using
investigate high-risk transactions. The goal shouldthird-party scoring services for non-U.S.
be to reduce the percentage of fraudulenttransactions. Your payment processing provider
transactions while minimizing the impact of thisshould be able to suggest such services to you.
effort on legitimate transactions.The type of products or services purchased, the
Identify international IP addresses as high-risk.transaction amount and the country where the
Historical data show that international IP addressescard was issued can further influence your risk
have a substantially higher fraud rate thanassessment. Prior to shipping goods in a high-risk
domestic addresses, particularly when merchantstransaction, you should contact the card issuer to
require a U.S. billing address. Be sure to checkverify the cardholder information.
international transactions for a positive match onPrevious cardholder purchases should factor
their Card Security Codes (CVV2, CVC2 and CID)positively in your fraud assessment procedures.