Sales best practices

Last updated: November 7, 2025

What are card not present best practices?

Card not present transactions are common in ecommerce, mail & telephone orders. Note, card not present transactions have a higher risk of chargeback and fraud. The following are some best practices:

  • Obtain 3 or 4 digit CVV

  • Obtain the expiration date

  • Use and address verification system

  • Provide copy of sales

  • Obtain proof of delivery

  • Do not accept card data through emails

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What are receipt best practices?

For sales and refund receipts, the following are best practices:

  • The cardholder’s truncated account number, displaying no more than the last four digits of the card number

  • Date of the transaction

  • Amount of the transaction, including currency

  • Description of the goods or services

  • Description of the return and refund policy

  • Valid authorization code

  • Doing Business As (DBA) name and location

  • Do not include expiration date of card on receipts

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How can I identify a suspicious transaction?

Industries that sell gift cards, jewelry, electronics, clothing, and accessories are prone to fraud. Use the following list to help identify possible fraud:

  • Purchases substantially greater than your usual customer (e.g., your average transaction is $60, but this transaction is for $360)

  • Customer in a rush to receive the product/service as quickly as possible regardless of your suggestions or options to save on shipping, etc.

  • Purchasing an unusual amount of expensive items or the same items

  • Customer repeatedly comes back in a short amount of time, or right before closing time, to make additional purchases

  • Unusual, sudden increase in the number and average sales transactions over a one to three day perio

  • Previous history of disputed charges

  • Orders shipped to an address other than the billing address, or use of anonymous/free email domains

  • Orders sent to zip codes or countries where you show a history of fraudulent claims

  • A large number of prepaid cards to make purchases

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