Credit Card Tracker

With the advent of e-commerce and the fact that so much holiday shopping was transacted over the Internet, much of the security discussions have focused on protecting Web merchants. While Web security is an important issue, we have to be careful not to overlook POS security. Chargebacks due to stolen, lost, and counterfeit credit cards are still a real problem for merchants—a problem that can cost the credit card industry billions of dollars.

Here’s a Solution

One company, Data-Plane, Inc., has come up with a solution to reduce losses due to lost and stolen credit cards. The solution is Credit Card Tracker^™, a program that processes credit card and check approvals on a personal computer using existing technology, which reduces costs. The program is targeted at the retail, direct marketing, hotel, auto rental, and restaurant industries, depending on the network processor.

The solution has become feasible due to the recent advances in storage and speed of data transmission technologies, such as DSL lines that can transmit at speeds in excess of 115k baud. But, Data-Plane feels that even a 56k baud rate, which is pretty much the standard today, is sufficient to make the plan effective.

Here’s how it works: credit card holders have their “full face” photo taken at an authorized photo station set up expressly for this purpose, such as a bankcard issuer. The photo is taken with a camera that is able to digitize images. The digitized images are tagged with the credit card account numbers and archived into files that can be sent by data-link to the various host processors. (The photo can also be accompanied by a text file with information about physical characteristics.) The host processor tags the file for proper association with the cardholder’s records and the host processor maintains the files.

When the processor receives a transaction, they send an approval/decline response but they can also send the image. The image is downloaded and displayed instantaneously on the merchant’s POS PC screen so he can confirm the customer’s ID. The ability to download the photo is optional and not required for every transaction.

Does it Need Some Special Equipment or Other Contraption?

No special equipment is needed to use Credit Card Tracker. A merchant can use an off-the-shelf PC and monitor. The program interfaces with any reader that does not otherwise require programming. Credit Card Tracker operates on Windows 3.xx, Windows 95 and 98, NT, Unix, main frame, and OS-2. Even if you have a merchant who does not have a PC that doesn’t mean he cannot use the Credit Card Tracker. According to Jim Harris, President of Data-Plane, “A PC is required, or some other programmable device. Even a VeriFone Tranz 330/380 is programmable.”

What’s My Obligation?

If this sounds good to you but you are wondering about the maintenance, rest easy. We asked Harris to explain who is in charge of updating the files and whose responsibility it is to make sure the files are current. He told us, “Under today’s protocol, the files are set up and maintained by the bank that issues the credit card account. Nothing changes in this respect.”

So, that covers the cardholder. What if the merchant moves, changes his DBA name, or phone number? Harris continued, “If the merchant changes his phone number or re-locates, etc., Credit Card Tracker allows the merchant to update his own Header Block. This obviates the need to re-program...and the merchant is therefore always current, “ Harris said.

The Certification

Credit Card Tracker has been certified for AVS, authorization-only, batch and administrative functions including batch purge and auto-close detection, sales, credits, voids, returns, partial reversals, incrementals, purchases, and corporate and business commercial cards. They have successfully tested Visa, MC, Amex, Discover, Diners, and JCB. The program also supports Equifax, EtcScan, NPC, and TeleCheck check guarantee programs and has been certified with MAPP, NDC, First Data Corp., NOVA, Paymentech, and Visanet processors.

Other Features Worthy of Mention

Credit Card Tracker can handle two modems on two separate lines into the same PC. This means that a merchant can dedicate a modem for uploading transactions while conducting business calls or faxes on the second modem, all through the same PC.

The program has an automatic invoicing feature and a scheduler that will enter the basic mode and start transmitting pending transactions at the appointed time. The program can also replicate a previous customer transaction so that a recurring transaction is entered with the press of just one button. It also offers rollovers, which allows for approvals issued on one day to be carried forward for capture at a future date.

Credit Card Tracker takes the pain out of credits and voids. If the transaction was captured in the current batch, the “void” button is presented and the merchant need only click it. If the transaction was in a previous batch, the “credit” button is presented and the merchant need only click that button. That‘s it.

A permanent record of all transactions and activity is constantly maintained in various databases, which can be accessed for hard copy report and display. A variety of reports are available in several graphic styles. The databases can be sorted, collated, searched, and filtered. There is a pop-up window that allows a merchant to view the entire database while also viewing a particular record, without having to switch from screen to screen.

Any Privacy Precautions?

For those of you who are worried about privacy, I know what you’re thinking, “Can the images/data be stored on the merchant’s PC? Is that a violation of someone’s privacy?” Here’s your answer: The data, history of transactions, etc., is stored on the merchant’s computer, under password protection, and kept in perpetuity. As far as the images themselves, Harris states, “The images are stored on a host server. There is no impact on privacy. It’s about the same as a driver’s license.” Harris continued to explain that no sensitive data is required in this linked database. “The image and data databases are two separate entities linked by encryption, which could be changed daily. A hacker would have to know the encryption scheme....that is, if he could capture both databases at the same time. Impossible!”

For More Information

For more information about Credit Card Tracker, including pricing, call Jim Harris, Data-Plane President at (253) 946-3737 or e-mail jharris332@aol.com. The software is available starting as $28.80 a month, zero down, all approved. Card readers are extra depending on the model needed. Anywhere from $5 to $15 is usually enough to cover the cost of such equipment.

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The Green Sheet, Inc.