Fraud-Proof Your Business: The Biggest Myths Holding You Back
Here are some of the common myths about fraud prevention along with solutions to protect your business.
Every year, small business owners lose millions of dollars to fraud. Between online, in-store, mail and phone scams, there are several ways fraudsters can target your business. Fret not! We’ve got you. Here are common signs to look out for and some easy steps you can take to prevent fraud on all fronts.
With retail sales moving online in record numbers due to the pandemic, the physical checkout is no longer the main destination for payments fraud. Payments processed online, over the phone, or through the mail, known as card-not-present (CNP) transactions, are occupying a growing share of the total fraud reported in Canada each year.
The 3 E’s of card-not-present fraud prevention:
Remember to watch out for these three signs when processing transactions online, through the mail, or over the phone:
While credit card fraud is one of the most ubiquitous online threats for retailers, there are other online scams to look out for as well. If you’re not vigilant about protecting yourself as an individual, you could leave your business vulnerable.
Malicious software, or “malware,” has been around for a long time and involves a scammer trying to install software to infect your computer and access your personal information. It could come in the form of a link or pop-up message in a spam email or a fake website.
How to protect yourself against malware
The first and most obvious way to avoid malware is to install a trustworthy virus scanner to protect your computer. Make sure you keep upgrading to the latest version.
Here are some additional precautions you can take to protect yourself:
“Phishing” and “smishing” use two different media to carry out the same scam. Phishing uses unsolicited emails that appear to be from a legitimate organization, like a bank, business, or government agency. Usually, they try to get you to provide your personal information, such as credit card data, passwords, or your social insurance number, by clicking a link. Smishing uses SMS messages to do the same thing.
How to protect yourself against phishing:
The messages in these scams often appear legitimate at first glance, using sender addresses, logos, and language that mimic the organizations they’re impersonating. It’s essential to keep some things in mind to avoid falling for these types of scams:
While you can’t stop scammers from taking advantage, you can stay informed and take every preventative measure you can to keep your business safe. Having multiple tools that prevent fraudulent actions is great, but what if you could detect the fraud before it actually happens? Today, there are many predictive fraud prevention tools like Kount Essential, which monitor your
ecommerce site for suspicious activity (multiple transactions from a single card, unusual order sizes, etc.) and notify you directly so you can intervene early. These tools can also make fully automated order decisioning on your behalf.
Do you know how to spot potential credit card fraud when it’s happening in front of you? You often don’t know you have been a target until it’s too late. Follow these best practices and share them with your front-line staff to safeguard your business against fraudulent transactions before it’s too late.
Look for the three C’s when you’re presented with a credit card: customer behaviour, card entry and handling, and card acceptance best practices.
1. Customer behaviour- Be aware of suspicious customer behaviours. Keep an eye on customers who appear nervous or are making an unusual purchase from your business, such as several high-priced electronic items at a convenience store. Watch out for individuals loitering near an unattended device or individuals attempting to block an employee’s ability to see the device by placing large items on the counter, for example. Any of the following taking place could be an indicator of a customer attempting to make a fraudulent transaction:
2. Card entry and handling- If customers have Chip & PIN on their card, be aware of the number of times they are attempting to enter their PIN or re-inserting their card to try again. If they do not have Chip & PIN on their card, be sure to look for all the card security features. All cards are designed with special security features to deter counterfeiting and alteration. When you are presented with a card, look for the following elements:
On the front:
On the back:
3. Card acceptance best practices- Always follow proper card acceptance procedures and use secure tap or Chip & PIN payments whenever possible, even curbside or on delivery. It can be all too easy to let procedures fall by the wayside when you’re processing so many in-store transactions a day. However, it’s more important than ever to ensure you and your employees are treating each transaction with attention and care to prevent fraud. Remember to never leave your payment terminal unattended and follow proper card acceptance procedures for all types of transactions to prevent fraud-related chargebacks. Avoid manually entering credit card numbers, which puts you at major risk for friendly fraud and use any of the following instead:
Contactless transactions
Chip & PIN transactions
Swiped transactions
As a business owner, you should be aware of the many types of fraud targeting small businesses. These scams can involve any of the following, which may seem legitimate at first glance:
How to prevent mail and phone scams:
Manually entered transactions—whether card numbers are given over the phone or in person—are high-risk with zero protection from disputes. That’s why, whenever possible, businesses should either take tap or PIN & chip payment in-person at pickup or if they have a secure online payment portal. Here are a few tips to help prevent getting scammed:
You’ve worked hard to build your business, and you shouldn’t have to take a financial hit because someone has found a way to take advantage of you. Being aware of the types of scams that businesses can be targeted by can go a long way in keeping you protected. Taking the time to create a fraud prevention strategy can help protect your business from being a target for fraud and ensure you’re making the most out of every sale.
Here are some of the common myths about fraud prevention along with solutions to protect your business.
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Mastercard's complementary Cybersecurity Assessment Tool for small and medium-sized businesses helps you to evaluate your current cybersecurity knowledge and familiarity with best practices, providing you with a report including valuable insights and actionable recommendations to help strengthen your defenses against emerging cyber threats.
Global market research firm the Harris Poll, in partnership with Mastercard®, conducted two large-scale surveys into the state of cybercrime in North America.