Point of Sale Fraud Prevention Procedures
- Check the security features on the card to ensure that the card is legitimate and has not been visibly altered. If a card security feature is not genuine or has been tampered with it may mean that you have been given a counterfeit or invalid card.
- If you are satisfied that the card has not been altered then proceed to swipe the card through the POS machine provided. If the POS is unable to read the magnetic strip of the card, it could be that the card has been damaged accidentally; however, it could also be an indication that the card is fraudulent or has been altered.
- Compare card information (e.g. Last four digits of account number, expiration date and cardholder’s name) against information printed in the POS sales receipt. If the numbers or name does not match it could be a fraudulent card.
- Check the cardholder’s signature on the POS sales slip against the signature on the card closely for any obvious inconsistencies in spelling or handwriting. Ensure that the cardholder is within your full view when signing the receipt. If you don’t feel comfortable then request an official government issued identification and verify the information including the signature.
- If the card is not signed or has the words ‘See Id’ then you need to explain to the cardholder that the card is not a valid substitute for a signature. Request a valid government issued identification and have customer sign in your presence. If signature matches then proceed with the transaction if not then it could be a possible stolen, lost or fraudulent card.
- If the transaction was approved but you still suspect fraud, make a call to your service provider.