What to do when a customer presents a Visa card:

1. Check the front of the Visa card.
Does the Visa account number begin with a "4"? Do the first four digits match the first four digits of the embossed account number?
If yes, go to step 2.
If no, make a "Code 10" call.

2. Swipe card through terminal.
Swipe the card once in one direction only. Do the last four digits of the account number shown on the terminal or sales draft match the last four digits of the embossed account number?
If yes, go to step 3.
If no, make a "Code 10" call.

3. Respond to "Call" message.
Did you get a "Call" message after swiping card?
If no, go to step 4.
If yes, call your voice authorization center. Tell the operator you are responding to a "Call" message and follow the operator's instructions.

4. Check the back of the Visa card.
Is the word "Visa" repeated at an angle across the signature panel? Does the signature on the back of the card match the signature on the sales draft?
If yes, go to step 5.
If no, make a "Code 10" call.

5. Look at the signature panel.
Is the signature panel signed? If not, ask the customer to sign the card. Ask to see government ID - a driver's license or passport. When the customer signs the card, compare signatures on the card and ID.
If signatures match, proceed with the transaction.
If the customer refuses to sign or the signatures do not match, make a "Code 10" call.

• Makes indiscriminate purchases without regard to size, style, color, or price.
• Makes purchases, leaves the establishment, and returns to make additional purchases.
• Hurries you to complete the sale at closing time.
• Refuses free delivery for large items.

1. Look at the dove hologram. It should appear to be three-dimensional and to move when you tilt the card.
2. Check the four-digit printed number above or below the first four embossed numbers. They must match.
3. Check the embossing on the Visa card for clarity and evenness.
4. Check the "Valid From" date and/or "Good Thru" date.
5. Look for the special embossed "V."
6. Look at the signature panel. The panel should have the repeated word "Visa" printed at an angle in blue or blue and yellow letters on a white background.

1. Train associates, on a regular basis, how to properly swipe a card.
2. Develop a register prompt to remind associates to imprint the draft.
3. Implement a register change that does not allow the manual entry of an account number unless the magnetic stripe reader has been activated.
4. Require manager approval of all key-entered transactions.
5. Look at the Visa card security features more closely.

Here are some more best practices for reducing key entry:

• Check magnetic stripe readers regularly at each register to be sure they are turned on and operating properly.
• Clean reader heads periodically.
• Calculate the percentage of key-entered transactions to total transactions for each magnetic stripe reader. If the percentage of key-entered transactions is greater than 3.0 percent, try to find out why.
• Conduct regular training and review sessions on the importance of swiping the card with sales associates.
• Remove any obstructions that could prevent a card from being swiped straight through the reader in one easy movement.
• Swipe the card once in one direction, using a quick smooth motion. Never swipe a card back and forth through the reader.
• Remove any items that could soil or damage magnetic stripe readers - particularly food or beverages.
• Place pads that deactivate magnetic anti-theft devices where cardholders can't place their cards on them. These pads can erase the card's magnetic stripe.

Procedures for storage, retrieval, and audit of sales drafts:
Current methods of draft storage include:

Store level
Sales drafts stored at an individual store location should be organized into daily, weekly, and monthly packets. You should ensure that a draft is refiled in its original location once a copy is made.

To ensure that merchants have copies of all drafts at the close of business each day, merchants should follow these procedures:

Close-out reports
Management reviews and matches sales drafts to the register tapes each night at closing to identify any missing documentation. If a document is missing, you should attempt to find the missing draft.

Audits
Merchants should randomly compare sales drafts to the register tape to ensure they match. This approach is a good way to identify problems associated with a specific register or sales associate. Merchants can change the register ribbon or paper to ensure the legibility of all sales drafts. Merchants can also address any needed education issues with their sales associates.

Merchant Education Program Materials:
Understanding the "basics" of card acceptance can mean the difference between good customer service, increased sales, and enhanced profits, or poor service, chargebacks, and fraud losses. As a service, Visa offers a Merchant Education Program with materials written expressly for merchants to provide important information about Visa policies, procedures, programs, and services. Contact your Visa merchant bank for materials related to the following areas: Point-of-Sale Training; Magnetic Stripes/Key Entry (including the Visa ReaderCleaner^TM); Fraud/Code 10/Unsigned Cards; industry-specific information; and card-specific information.

Visa Merchant Fraud Awareness Downloads:
Click on the files below to download the Visa Merchant Fraud Awareness Seminar presentation and Awareness Training Script.

Visa Merchant Fraud Awareness Seminar (ZIP file, PowerPoint format, 220KB)

Visa merchant Fraud Awareness Training Script (Word .rtf file, 48KB)

Note: The presentation above requires Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer (for .ppt files), which is available for download. Files ending with .zip will also require WinZip to unzip.

To install either the MicroSoft PowerPoint Viewer or WinZip:

Download the respective file onto your hard drive
Click on 'Start'
Click on 'Run', browse to the file, then click 'OK'
Follow the installation instructions displayed on your screen