Address Verification Service (AVS)

When is AVS used? Address Verification is used in all kinds of credit card scenarios. It’s most common in ecommerce and other “card-not-present” transactions, as those transactions have fewer alternative means of verifying a cardholder’s identity. But AVS can be used in person, too. AVS is also one component in qualifying for enhanced data (level …

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The Rise of Friendly Fraud – and What You Can Do to Prevent It

While credit card theft and other common types of fraud are decreasing because of EMV chip cards and new security technology, low-tech friendly fraud is on the rise. Remember, EMV cards don’t provide any additional protection for you or customers in ecommerce transactions. If you run an ecommerce website, it’s worth knowing about the tools …

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Can I Reprogram My Credit Card Machine For Different Processors?

If you’re curious whether your credit card machine can be reprogrammed, here’s the scoop: Some credit card machines can be reprogrammed to work with virtually any credit card processing service, while other machines will only work with a specific processor. But there are a few caveats, including what we mean by “processor.” Older credit card …

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Is Interchange Plus Still the Gold Standard in 2025?

Over the last couple decades, I’ve fielded thousands of questions about pricing models and written countless blog posts to help clear up confusion about processing fees. But payment processing is a constantly-changing landscape. Over the years new models have joined the fray, such as flat-rate pricing and subscription-based pricing. So it’s worth revisiting a classic …

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