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Use Your Regular Bank Account For Credit Card Deposits

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NEVER

Use Your Regular Bank Account for Credit Card Deposits

Very few merchants realize the substantial risk they are taking by having their credit card sales deposited into their regular bank account.

When you sign up with a credit card processor you give the processor the right to withdraw funds from your bank account. This allows the processor to reverse sales when the customer files a complaint. It also allows the processor to take protective action if they suspect fraud. It is a common practice for processors to withdrawal and hold funds for a substantial period when you terminate your contract. This ensures there will be sufficient funds if any charge-backs occur.

The processor has the right to withdraw funds from your account if fraud is suspected. This can be done with little or no notice. There are case when substantial amounts were withdrawn due to minor errors. What if due to a minor error your processor withdrew $30,000 because they feared fraud? If you were not aware of this, could it cause you to miss a payroll?

Every merchant should be aware of the Cisero’s case. Cisero’s is a restaurant which was accused of mishandling data and opening the door for fraud. I do not know the all the facts and I am not sure where the litigation stands. But this does show that a merchant can wake up one morning and find that they could be liable for over $1 million. This sort of thing could happen to any merchant. The message is clear; MasterCard and VISA have to

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