September 14th, 2017 by Elma Jane
Payments standards body EMVCo has updated its Payment Tokenisation Technical Framework to introduce the new roles of token programme and token user, refine the roles of token service provider and token requestor and detail their interrelationships within the global payments environment.
EMV Payment Tokenisation Specification — also includes expanded ecommerce use cases and operational management enhancements to support global interoperability and facilitate transaction security.
This latest version offers significant updates and use cases that reflect payment industry input to define how EMV payment tokens are generated, deployed and managed. The level of detail assists in establishing a stable payment environment and delivering a common set of tools to facilitate transaction security.
The technical framework needs to capture these industry requirements and be flexible enough to interoperate with the existing payment ecosystem while supporting ecommerce, new payment methods and regional variations.
EMVCo is calling on the payments community to get involved and provide feedback.
EMVCo was formed by Europay International, MasterCard International, and Visa International to manage, maintain and enhance the EMV specifications for payment systems.
Posted in Best Practices for Merchants Tagged with: ecommerce, EMV, payments, Security, service provider, token, Tokenisation
April 18th, 2017 by Elma Jane
NTC Amex OptBlue Program rate are a lot more competitive, with NTC Amex OptBlue you can find a rate that’s right for your business and a faster, easier way to accept the card.
Amex OptBlue Program allows smaller businesses to accept American Express credit cards without paying excessively higher rates. Those who sign up for this program can automatically bundle American Express along with the other major card brands that they already accepting.
Before Optblue, you had one rate option for American Express Card acceptance. Now, because your Merchant Service Provider sets the rate, you could find a deal that works for you.
In some cases, Amex OptBlue is lower than Visa and MasterCard.
If you’re an existing merchant adding Amex Optblue is easy with NTC. You’ll get paid at the same time as your other card brands. One fast deposit!
All the credit cards you accept in one simple statement.
One Customer Service Contact. We can answer questions for every card you take with us.
Give us a call now 888-996-2273 or fill out the form NationalTransaction.Com and we’ll help you get going with Amex OptBlue.
Posted in Best Practices for Merchants Tagged with: amex, card, MasterCard, merchant, payment processing, service provider, visa
November 29th, 2016 by Elma Jane
GET THE LOWEST CREDIT CARD TRANSACTION RATES & FEES BY DOING THE FOLLOWING:
1. Use newer POS systems to reduce credit card fees.
2. Find out what percentage of your gross sales go toward credit card rates.
3. Perform a statement review at least annually.
Any time a customer uses a credit card to purchase services and goods the merchant pays various rates and fees processing those transactions. Most of these fees go to the bank issuing the credit card as they take on the bulk of the risk in credit card transactions.
Visa, American Express and Discover own the network on which these credit card transactions are processed on and they receive part of the fee and percentage rate as well as establish these rates and fees. Finally the bank that provides merchant account services gets part of these rates and fees.
To a small business 2, 3, or even 4% might not sound like much but when these fees are on the gross total of sales they can be significantly higher than originally thought.
For this reason it’s a great idea to assess your merchant account statement to see if rates are in line and that your most frequently used cards and transaction types are getting the best rate possible. By going over your statement, you can see exactly what you pay per transaction and get details about your most common transaction types and credit card used to get the process going.
If you are unfamiliar with what these rates and fees mean on your statement companies like National Transaction can perform the review for you. Free of charge.
Ultimately the best thing to have is a merchant account service provider that will take the time to go over your business with an eye lowering your rates and fees. The savings can be significant. As a business grows it changes and there should be an ongoing strategy at maintaining the best processing rates and fees possible. Today with so many different credit card types, like rewards cards, airline miles programs and more it can pay off to check once or twice a year.
For FREE Rate Review give us 888-996-2273
Posted in Best Practices for Merchants, Travel Agency Agents Tagged with: bank, credit card, customer, merchant, merchant account, POS, rewards cards, service provider, transaction
October 13th, 2016 by Elma Jane
Code 10 merchants first line of defense!
How to use “Code 10”
- Call the voice authorization phone number provided by your Merchant Provider. This number can be found on the sticker on your terminal or call your Merchant Service provider and ask to be transferred to the Voice Authorization department.
- Choose the prompt for “Code 10”. Never call a phone number for the card issuing bank provided by a customer; or let the customer call the card issuing bank for you to obtain an authorization code. Do not accept an authorization code given to you by a customer. Authorization code obtained from your Authorization Center can be verified; but not the one from other sources.
- Provide the cardholder name, billing address and shipping address, if the order is a mail order, phone or Internet sale. The representative will attempt to verify the information you provide with the bank that issued the card to the customer.
- The representative will attempt to verify the cardholder information during your call; the data will be forwarded to an investigator for further research and will attempt to contact you within 24 – 72 hours with the current status or results of the investigation.
- Request another form of payment other than a credit card if an authorization request is declined. Do not split a declined transaction into smaller increments to obtain an authorization.
- Obtain an authorization code for the full amount of the sale. Always obtain the authorization code before shipping the merchandise.
Whether you are in a face-to-face environment, or via mail, phone or Internet that sell goods and services you can employ a “Code 10” authorization to verify additional information on a suspicious transaction.
You may be prompted by your processing terminal to call for voice authorization of the charges (CALL AUTH), or you may simply not feel right about the transaction. In either case, you can use “Code 10” to gain additional information before you release your merchandise.
Posted in Best Practices for Merchants, Credit Card Security Tagged with: bank, card, cardholder, customer, internet, merchant provider, merchants, service provider, terminal, transaction
September 16th, 2016 by Elma Jane
National Transaction offer valuable features and benefits, if you want to improve your business’s productivity, you should look for the following features below, that you need from your Electronic Payments provider.
Advanced Security Options – 6 out of 10 small businesses close within six months of a card data breach, it is important that Point-of-Sale devices should have appropriate security measures, particularly EMV, encryption and tokenization. NTC offer Safe-T for Small and Medium Businesses and Safe-T for Large Businesses. The Top-tier security is important on your business’s data especially customer information, consider adding additional authentication procedures.
Fast Payment Processing – first step is having up-to-date technology, because some customers might leave, the sooner you have the money processed by your provider, the bigger and stronger your business can become. NTC is adept at administering payments quickly and efficiently. We can provide regular funding or next day funding.
Feature Flexibility – obtaining the features you need from your payment services provider is very important. Look for a provider that appropriately addresses your payment concerns.
Mobile Payment Processing – NTC offer Virtual Merchant/Converge Mobile that gives you the ability to accept payments using your smartphone or tablet anywhere you go. Furthermore, the app works with most Apple and Android mobile devices. Accept a key-entered transactions or swipe cards using an encryption reader. You can now take chip card payments using Ingenico iCMP PIN Pad or the new RP457c card reader.
Reliable Customer Support – NTC is available 24/7, the phones are answered by humans and not automated systems. You got support with your hardware, answer questions and guide you to better understand the process. Customer support is the most important feature of any business partnership you make. At NTC we are very passionate about that.
Up-to-Date Tech – futuristic features, like mobile payment abilities, EMV/NFC, contactless payments are worth investing. Modern consumers are generally more familiar with up-to-date payment systems. Seeing a payment service provider offer a swipe-only terminal should be a red flag, because the recent regulations require merchants to have EMV to provide better data security.
Posted in Best Practices for Merchants, Credit Card Security, Electronic Payments, EMV EuroPay MasterCard Visa, Mobile Payments, Mobile Point of Sale, Near Field Communication, Point of Sale, Smartphone Tagged with: Breach, card data, card reader, chip card, contactless payments, data, EMV, encryption, merchants, mobile, mobile payment, nfc, payments, Payments provider, point of sale, provider, Security, service provider, smartphone, swipe, tablet, terminal, tokenization, transactions
July 5th, 2016 by Elma Jane
With the ever growing number of financial crimes occurring within the payments industry, initiatives to identify patterns of possible suspicious behavior has been enhanced. The Loss Prevention team recently put into place a new procedure for collecting information pertaining to the Anti-Money Laundering requirements of “Customer Due Diligence” (CDD) and “Customer Identification Program” (CIP).
If a merchant reaches their Processing Limit (Soft Cap), or they request a change to their MCC/SIC, Loss Prevention is required to obtain and validate CDD and CIP information prior to making updates to the account. Loss Prevention representatives will reach out to the customer’s Merchant Service provider (MSP) office first, in an effort to effectively obtain the information without causing potential alarm to the customer.
Thank you for being a partner with NTC, and helping to prevent financial crimes in our industry.
Posted in Best Practices for Merchants Tagged with: customer, financial, merchant, payments, payments industry, service provider
April 11th, 2016 by Elma Jane
Card-not-present fraud is projected to worsen. However, 3D secure technology has made progress and is gaining more and more adoption.
How can e-Commerce merchants avoid CNP fraud?
Here are other ways to make card-not-present transaction safe:
Biometrics – Using Fingerprint Scans and Facial Recognition or Selfie. To validate the identity of the consumer.
Challenge Questions – Such as listing your father’s middle name or a fact known only to the consumer is an effectively added layer of security.
Location Data – Another way to fight against fraud is location data and the use of IP addresses to certify the location and identity of the consumer making the transaction.
Outsource Your Payment Platform – Payments pages hosted by a reputable payment service provider are much more secure.
One-time Passwords – During the checkout process, there will be a window to enter a one-time password which the consumer receives a text message on his/her mobile phone. The consumer enters the password within a short time frame to authenticate the transaction. This solution is especially effective against cyber criminals who steal credentials.
For your payment services needs, give us a call at 888-996-2273
Posted in Best Practices for Merchants, Credit Card Security, e-commerce & m-commerce Tagged with: 3D Secure, biometrics, card-not-present, cnp, consumer, data, e-commerce, fraud, merchants, payment, Security, service provider, technology, transaction
June 5th, 2015 by Elma Jane
Traditionally, travel-related merchants have a difficult time obtaining merchant accounts. National Transaction Corporation (NTC) is a full service merchant account provider with extensive experience in the travel arena and related markets, servicing thousands of travel-related merchant accounts by specializing in non-cash electronic transactions. Our services include processing credit card transactions, gift card transactions, and e-commerce transactions, among others. We offer a full line of products including credit card terminals, cellular devices, supplies, and accessories for each model sold. We offer aggressive rates and pricing for mail/telephone order, retail/restaurant, wireless, and online transactions while specializing in the travel and high volume sectors of merchant processing, and we are proud to be the preferred merchant provider for ASTA.
NTC is dedicated to providing the highest caliber of service and solutions in the merchant processing industry. We actually answer the phone when you need assistance! NTC has a team of dedicated employees providing personalized service to each account holder and are available directly through their toll free number, never hidden behind a menu system. Our excellent service truly separates us from everyone else in the industry. The principals of NTC have extensive experience in the processing arena for over 25 years, with experience in all facets of operation, including credit cards, credit initiation, credit investigation, loss prevention, deployment, and customer and terminal support. We employ internal sales associates as well as independent sales agents who offer many opportunities through their referral reward services and Independent Sales Organization (ISO) programs.
NTC’s online gateway allows for processing transactions, reviewing account history, and interacting with various shopping cart and accounting applications such as QuickBooks, Peachtree, and many other titles. Reservation software such as Trams are compatible and integrate well with all National Transaction merchant accounts. Whether you are a travel agency or an independent agent, we offer many solutions that cater to the travel industry and will increase your revenue with quicker deposits into your bank account.
Travel environments are unique in that your transactions are usually keyed; there is almost always a delayed delivery period, and large ticket transactions are not uncommon since one card holder may be paying for multiple tickets. They also tend to be seasonal, with peak season months generating an unusual spike in their “average” monthly volume, and charge-back’s pose a potential threat by travelers who are unable to complete their trip. Combine even a few of these factors together and you have cause for a reserve, or even account termination. National Transaction Corp specializes in understanding what makes your transactions unique, as a travel agent, and how they affect your merchant account.
The importance of customer service is something that is over looked when merchants compare the overall cost of monthly fees with their merchant account. That is, until the moment they need assistance with their account. Whether searching for missing deposits, having problems processing transactions, issuing refunds, processing voids, or questioning their billing statement, a merchant should always remember you get what you pay for. If you wonder why they can offer you no monthly fee, they are offering you no LIVE customer support. Customer support for them will come via means of email. You will wait hours for answers, and even days for a simple confirmation or general email, let alone a resolution.
National Transaction Corporation has over 17 years of dedication and experience in providing quality solutions in the credit card processing arena. From internet e-commerce applications to food stamp processing, from small start up businesses to fortune 500 companies, NTC has a complete product selection to customize a solution to grow with your business. We at NTC pride ourselves on being a full service, member service provider. It is our mission to provide the same dedication and service in maintaining your business as you experience in us earning your business. NTC will provide service after the sale. It is that service that sets us apart! For more information, contact NTC for world class service and solutions.
Contact National Transaction Corporation today at 888-996-2273 to see how we can help you with your travel merchant account, or visit us online at www.nationaltransaction.com for more information.
by Elizabeth Cody (Travel Research Online)
Posted in Best Practices for Merchants, Credit card Processing, e-commerce & m-commerce, Gift & Loyalty Card Processing, Merchant Account Services News Articles, Merchant Cash Advance, Travel Agency Agents Tagged with: ASTA, bank account, billing statement, credit card terminals, credit card transactions, credit cards, customer service, deposits, e-commerce, e-commerce transactions, electronic transactions, gift card transactions, Independent Sales Organization, ISO, merchant account provider, merchant accounts, merchants, service provider, travel, travel agency, travel agent, travel industry
May 9th, 2014 by Elma Jane
Facebook is apparently ready to become a person-to-person (P2P) money transfer network. The clear decision to launch a money transfer service in the region can be seen as a test bed for Facebook’s larger ambitions of becoming a payments hub for its 1 billion user base. Facebook was only weeks away from gaining regulatory approval in Ireland for its remittance platform FT quoted unnamed sources. Facebook’s P2P platform will be geared to facilitating migrant remittances, with the goal of expanding its payment presence in emerging markets such as India. Facebook makes the bulk of its revenue from advertising, but 10 percent of its profits reportedly come from in-game payments for online and mobile games, such as Zynga’s popular FarmVille.
From WhatsApp to what’s next
Facebook’s February 2014 acquisition of mobile messaging service WhatsApp for $19 billion clarified the social network’s strategy. The WhatsApp acquisition and the expected P2P network launch as part of the first phase of Facebook’s deeper immersion into payments.
Tech giants face up to payments
When comparing the payment strategies of tech giants Google Inc., Apple Inc. and Facebook, the latter two competitors as having bigger potential upsides than Google. Facebook and Apple (via iTunes) already have established financial relationships with millions of users who have attached funding mechanisms – debit and credit cards – to their social media accounts. As primarily a search engine, Google is playing catch up to persuade its users to set up Google Wallet accounts.
In May 2013, Google launched its own P2P network by integrating Google Wallet with Gmail accounts, so that wallet users can facilitate money transfers via email. More recently, reports have surfaced indicating Google plans to extend Google Wallet to its wearable technology solution Google Glass. But the success of such ventures rests on users’ confidence with Google as a financial service provider.
Facebook as having a brighter financial services future than Apple. Apple’s reach is limited to consumers who have iPhones and iPads, whereas Facebook is not tied to any branded mobile devices, it is a very ubiquitous offering. It could apply to anybody with any type of phone or tablet.
Eventually, tech companies like Facebook will need to partner with payment businesses in order to expand into the merchant-centric brick-and-mortar world. The mobile POS solution provider, a business unit of global POS terminal manufacturer Ingenico SA, would be an ideal partner for Facebook. If they extend what they do from P2P payments to more of a wallet purchasing capability for their users, then the next step could very easily be an extension of that into servicing the merchant side.
Posted in Financial Services, Mobile Payments, Smartphone Tagged with: Apple Inc.Facebook, consumers, credit cards, debit, device, financial service, financial service provider, Gmail accounts, Google Glass, Google Inc., Google Wallet accounts, ingenico, iPads, iPhones, iTunes, merchant-centric brick-and-mortar, migrant remittances, mobile, Mobile Devices, mobile games, mobile messaging service, mobile pos, mobile POS solution, mobile POS solution provider, money transfer, money transfer network, money transfer service, network, online, p2p, P2P network, P2P payments, P2P platform, payment businesses, payments, payments hub, phone, POS terminal, remittance, remittance platform, search engine, service provider, social media, social media accounts, social networks, tablet, wearable technology
