What is a chargeback? How does one happen?

Manual key entered transactions present a high risk for chargebacks. Always capture an imprint of the credit card. Use chip and PIN or tap whenever possible.

Register for all available fraud-reduction tools, including 3D Secure (3DS), Secure Address Verification Service (AVS) and Card Verification Value (CVV2); For additional information contact your Payment Solutions Advisor.

Be clear about return, refund, and cancellation policies. State them clearly at the time of purchase: pre-printed on your receipts, with written/electronic agreement from the customer. 

Pictures of the credit or debit card and/or customer identification are not accepted as evidence by the payment card networks, regardless of whether a valid authorization was obtained.

If authorization is declined for the full amount of the sale, do not attempt subsequent authorizations by "splitting" the transaction. Ask for a different method of payment.

For proper disclosure, refund and credit policies may be mailed, emailed, or texted to the cardholder, or for e-commerce transactions, "click to accept" conditions before final checkout.

Obtain a customer signature to demonstrate proof of delivery of goods, that a service was provided, and that disclosure statements are agreed to, when applicable.

Keep customers informed on the status of their transactions, allowing for cancellation if delivery is delayed.

Ensure your business name is recognizable to your customers. A cardholder may initiate a chargeback if they do not recognize the business name that appears on their statement.

Be wary if a sale is "too good to be true" or if a customer provides many different credit or debit card numbers for multiple declined authorizations.