Something odd has been happening to some merchants: Disappearing deposits. No one wants to see funds disappear, and it can lead to many conclusions. However, instead of fearing a hacking or payments that simply did not process through, you may consider the Feds. The IRS is making new strides in collecting their debts, and it may be coming from your business accounts. While the IRS has been known to take funds from personal banking accounts, taking it from a business account not only affects the business owner, but also the employees and customers. The scariest thing about the IRS taking […]

 A merchant account is a necessity for an online business. The majority of merchant services providers are reputable organizations, yet for every bushel there can be a bad apple or two. There are big mistakes to be made when choosing your credit card processor. You want to avoid those mistakes, so be sure to check for the following so that you don’t make a crippling mistake in credit card processing. Read the Terms & Conditions! There’s a danger on computers that tends to slip by our radar. Every piece of software and every website you register on, for whatever service, […]

Is your small business suffering from poor sales or a decrease in foot traffic? One effective way to drum up sales and increase visitors to your website is to accept credit cards online; and now it is easier than ever! WHY ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS ONLINE? Credit card payments are a proven method to increase sales revenue. Accepting credit card payments online: Takes advantage of impulse buying behavior. Buyers are much more likely to pay for products when payment processes are quick and simple. It is much more convenient for a customer to whip out a credit card and pay right […]

More details were released this week about the credit card breach of arts-and-crafts retailer Michael’s. The security breach was first reported on January 25, 2014 by Brian Krebs of KrebsonSecurity.com. After several months of investigation, the Irving, Texas based company has confirmed that its POS systems were compromised between May 8, 2013 and January 27, 2014. The company’s systems were hacked by “highly sophisticated malware” that stole card numbers and expiration dates, but did not compromise customer PINs, addresses, or other personal information. Michael’s estimates that the breach affects approximately 2.6 million of its customers, along with 400,000 patrons of […]

Millions of consumers have been exposed to identity theft by recent data breaches at Target and Neiman Marcus, and the debate over how to solve payment security problems in the United States continues. There is an outcry from citizens which is prompting the government to consider regulatory action. The lawmakers at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on breaches have recommended establishing; a federal standard requiring businesses to notify customers immediately when there is a breach in private data. Target’s aim at preventing these incidents from happening will be to upgrade the point of sale terminals at all of its U.S. […]

Millions of customers have been exposed to identity theft from the clients of major retail stores to online hackers and one of the biggest debates in the United States today is how to solve payment security problems. Citizens are very concerned with this ongoing issue to the point it has prompted the government to consider regulatory action. The lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee have recommended establishing federal standard requiring businesses, to notify customers in a timely manner when there has been a breach and customer’s identities have been exposed to identity theft. When Target was faced with a breach […]

The news of digital online currency Bitcoin’s plunge has emerged, sparking lots of attention from users across the globe. The price of the currency fell to its lowest level in almost two months on Monday, dropping to as low as $500. This indicates a significant contrast when compared to Friday’s final price of $692, which is 27% higher. The halt on withdrawals, according to the Tokyo-based Bitcoin digital marketplace Mt. Gox, took place after they detected “unusual activity”. After a few struggles, in the last few months Bitcoin has managed to grab the attention of many and has finally seemed […]

Credit card companies are wonderful at protecting consumers against credit card fraud by taking care of disputes whether they are incorrect amounts, a result of credit card fraud or stolen credit cards, as well as merchant errors. These refunds are called chargebacks. Chargebacks are not only disappointing to the merchant, but also they can be dangerous to your online business, putting your merchant account at risk if you receive too many. Fulfilling an online order can be risky, you face the threat of customers that make a purchase, file a phony dispute with their credit card company and keep the […]

A new app called Cartwheel Register by Tantrum Street LLC is currently undergoing testing as a new POS card-acceptance tool for mobile devices. Expected to be available in early 2014, the Cartwheel Register app aims to eliminate the card reader and thereby speed up the transaction process for customers and merchants. Currently, Cartwheel Register is only available for iOS devices from Apple Inc. The app uses a scanning process in order to register credit cards. To register a card, a customer only needs to hold the card in front of a mobile camera where Cartwheel will then scan the card. […]

When the day comes that you are ready to battle your way back to healthy credit, then you start with your credit report. Generally this will happen after a bad divorce, a health issue or an accident. So, when things start to look up, take the time to get your credit report and attack your issues. Begin by calling the phone numbers listed on the report. Yes, they have those on the credit report. They don’t generally look like a phone number, but they are and you can contact them to make payment arrangements. Along the way Now that you […]