Basic Transaction Guidelines
Reduce your risk of accepting a counterfeit Visa card by being alert at the point of sale. If you know that a card is invalid, don't accept it. These simple steps can help you prevent fraud:

Step 1
When you first obtain the customer's Visa card, be sure to inspect the front of the card. Make sure the Visa account number begins with a "4," and that the first four digits match the first four digits of the embossed account number. If so, proceed to the next step.

If not, call your voice authorization center and request a Code 10, a procedure for suspect cards. During a Code 10 call, keep the card in your hand and follow the operator's instructions. If the operator instructs you to keep the card, do so only if you can do so by peaceful means. (If not, return the card to the customer immediately.) Cut recovered cards in half lengthwise without cutting through the magnetic stripe, the account number, or the hologram. Notify your merchant bank that the card has been recovered and ask for further instructions.

Step 2
Swipe the card only once, in one direction, through the terminal. The last four digits of the account number shown on the terminal or sales draft should match the last four digits of the embossed account number. If they do, go to Step 3. If they don't, make a Code 10 call.

After you swipe the card, you may get a "Call" message, which means you should call your voice authorization center. Tell the operator you are responding to a "Call" message and follow the operator's instructions.

Step 3
Check the back of the Visa card while the customer is signing his or her sales draft. The panel should have the repeated word "Visa" printed at an angle in blue, or blue and yellow, letters on a white background. Also, verify that the signature on the back of the card matches the signature on the sales draft.

If the panel on the card seems suspicious, and/or the signatures do not match, make a Code 10 call.

Step 4
If the signature panel is not signed, ask the customer to sign the card, then ask to see a government ID such as a driver's license or passport. When the customer signs the card, compare the signatures of the card and the ID.

If the signatures match, give the card back to the customer. You've successfully completed a transaction.

If the customer refuses to sign the card or the signatures between the card and sales draft do not match, make a Code 10 call.

Step 5
After you've completed the transaction, be sure to file your sales slips. Follow these additional procedures for added security:

Store Level
Sales drafts stored at an individual store location should be organized into daily, weekly, and monthly packets. You should ensure that a draft is refiled in its original location once a copy is made. Most sales draft requests are delivered and managed via e-mail, a spreadsheet database, or fax.

Close-Out Reports
Daily, at the close of business, management will review and match sales drafts to the register tapes to identify any missing documentation. If a document is absent, you should attempt to find it. If you cannot locate it, that may be an indication that something is wrong.

Audits
You should randomly compare sales drafts to the register tape to ensure they match. This approach is a good way to identify problems associated with a specific register or sales associate. You can change the register ribbon or paper to ensure the legibility of all sales drafts. You can also address any needed education issues with your sales associates.