“Friendly Fraud” Surges in Wake of Target, Neiman Marcus Security Breaches: Chargebacks911 Encourages Offensive eCommerce Strategies
Clearwater, FL (PRWEB) March 24, 2014 -- Ecommerce has been growing at a rate of about 15 percent annually, with B2C ecommerce sales expected to reach $482.6 billion in North America (1)—and with that, a direct parallel of “friendly fraud” chargebacks, which Visa estimates cost merchants nearly $12 billion in 2012 alone (2). Recent data breaches experienced at large-scale retailers such as Target, Neiman Marcus and Michaels have raised consumer awareness on protecting financial identity, but have also opened the door to an increasing number of friendly fraud chargebacks by consumers who use the mishap as an opportunity to obtain a refund for valid purchases, according dispute mitigation company Chargebacks911. Chargebacks911 says merchants need to take stronger precautions to prevent false chargebacks, as they threaten the viability of ecommerce.
A friendly fraud chargeback occurs when a consumer makes an online purchase with his/her own credit card, and then instigates a chargeback through the card provider after receiving the goods or services, effectively canceling the transaction and receiving a refund of the money. If the merchant fails to dispute this chargeback (which is often the case), the consumer ends up getting the goods or services for free. The merchant is charged a fine for each chargeback, and if the chargeback relates to an online transaction, the merchant is automatically adjudicated as guilty and must dispute the consumer’s accusation by filing its own case to attempt to win back the transaction value that was temporarily provided as a refund.
According to Chargebacks911 co-founder Monica Eaton-Cardone, her company sees this type of fraud spike during large-scale security breaches, which she attributes to two things: consumers’ increasing education about identity theft; and using that knowledge to initiate a chargeback, claiming that someone stole their identity to make a purchase, rather than admitting to buyer’s remorse or attempting to get a product or service for free.
“When there are no costs or risks associated with filing a chargeback, compounded by well-publicized high-profile security breaches and many issuing banks providing a hyperlink to its online banking statements whereby a consumer may file a dispute with merely the click of a button, it’s not rocket science to understand why friendly fraud has become so pervasive,” Eaton-Cardone stated.
When merchants fail to dispute chargebacks, they incur fines of up to $50 for each instance. This is coupled with the fact that processors do not make money on merchants fighting chargebacks (some have even added fees when a dispute is defended, on top of the advertised chargeback fee), but remain to profit from merchants receiving chargebacks. In fact, hefty mark ups are made by middlemen and the processors—sometimes upward of 200 percent of their actual cost from their acquirer.
A high number of chargebacks results in the merchant losing his/her merchant-processing account, thus effectively putting an Internet-based company out of business (4). Eaton-Cardone maintains that consumers are inadvertently threatening ecommerce by failing to understand the ramifications of “friendly fraud.”
Eaton-Cardone advises merchants on the proven offensive tactics that they can take in order to protect themselves:
1.Handle customers in a more personal manner, and attempt to resolve account issues timely. This increases consumer satisfaction, lessening the chances of consumers seeking help from their banks.
2.Require a signature upon delivery of goods. The signature, in addition to information gathered online, helps clear merchants of any wrongdoing in the resolution of friendly fraud disputes.
3.Keep customer records and account histories. Doing so helps to track suspicious activity, and lowers the risk of accumulating chargebacks.
For merchants currently struggling with increasing chargeback issues, Eaton-Cardone suggests seeking the help of an expert in the field who can:
1.Analyze the real cost to the merchants business;
2.Obtain competitive and diversified high-quality processing;
3.Mitigate losses from friendly fraud;
4.Establish fraud and risk management tools to detect fraud and abusive consumers; and
5.Reduce merchant errors and develop best practices.
While eliminating “friendly fraud” entirely is not absolute, the above industry best practices will limit merchant risk and help to curb future chargebacks.
Chargebacks911 has expanded their gross processing dollars to over $50 million per month for a variety of industries, including cosmetics and skin care, insurance and educational programs, private and public entities, healthcare companies, online dating sites, insurance, retail merchandise, and bid sites. Chargebacks911’s management team is also considering opening offices in Ireland and London for international expansion.
Chargebacks911 specializes in servicing merchants and the majority of banking institutions. For more information about Chargebacks911 and its services, visit http://www.chargebacks911.com.
About Chargebacks911:
Co-founder Monica Eaton-Cardone established Chargebacks911 in September, 2012, out of necessity after many years as a merchant struggling to find a solution to chargeback issues. Chargebacks911 was developed specifically for merchants to offer immediate aid through proprietary technology and provide the necessary function that gives merchants the freedom to focus on their core competency and optimize their in-house skill set. Chargebacks911 specializes in servicing Internet merchants, and offers both response and resolution services for chargebacks and cardholder disputes. The company works with merchant clients to help them keep their dispute rates down and retain their ability to accept credit cards. Chargebacks911 provides a unique exception to standard dispute processing for dissatisfied consumers who wish to remedy transactional disputes, without the requirement of additional intermediaries or lengthy correspondence requirements. For more information, visit http://www.chargebacks911.com.
1.“Global B2C Ecommerce Sales to Hit $1.5 Trillion This Year Driven by Growth in Emerging Markets.” EMarketer.com. N.p., 3 Jan. 2014. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. emarketer.com/Article/Global-B2C-Ecommerce-Sales-Hit-15-Trillion-This-Year-Driven-by-Growth-Emerging-Markets/1010575#12XqCYXBYp5sApgH.99.
2.Harper, Elizabeth. “Friendly Fraud? Yes It Exists.” Csmonitor.com. The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Mar. 2014. Web. 11 Mar. 2014. csmonitor.com/Business/Saving-Money/2014/0311/Friendly-fraud-Yes-it-exists.
Karla Jo Helms, JoTo PR, +1 (888) 202-4614 Ext: 802, [email protected]
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