Security Is High Priority For Online Credit Card Merchant Processing Set-up

By Author: Eric Hannelius
Total Articles: 13
Comment this article

Security is top priority when considering which Credit Card Merchant Processing system to use. Whether the online transaction system is paid or free, the top level of encryption is recommended.

Knowing the standard of protection needed today and having it installed properly will eliminate a majority of the problems. Furthermore, careful selection of the right solutions will saves online retailers and wholesalers endless amounts of time and money. It will also provide the greatest peace of mind for customers.

The Standard Today
Nowadays, a 256-bit level of encryption is recommended. This will ensure that vital information on forms such as credit card numbers, bank account information, or social security number is kept hidden. Certain settings for card merchant processing allow the vendor to set his or her own security level, but generally no more than the last four numbers of a consumer card are shown.

For extra protection and privacy, usually credit card processing and merchant accounts require a user login and password. Registration is usually required and proof of identity of a consumer is needed ...
... to ensure that the person is really the owner of a specific method of payment. Requiring membership helps better track fraudulent activity during Merchant Processing sessions.

However, even in this case, it is very important that all vital information is hidden. Therefore, every time Credit Card Merchant Processing takes place between a customer and vendor, passwords and/or usernames are even hidden. This is yet one more way to prevent online hacking when payment transactions take place.

Precautions to Take

Mistakes in card merchant processing could cause serious security breaches. This can be both costly to consumers and vendors. Therefore, it always is wise to ensure that the encryption technology used comes from a trusted source. Otherwise, users could end up with a virus on their computer that could lead to identity theft.

Furthermore, online retailers and business-to-business sites should provide users with as thorough of instructions as possible when making a payment. Prompts after each step of the transaction are recommended, as this will result in less customer error. That way, chargeback to the client may be less likely to happen if the purchase is successful the first time.