Fraud Warning Signs

Card present transactions

These are face-to-face transactions where your customer and their card are with you at the point of sale.

Look out for fraud warning signs

Be aware of how customers normally behave when they are shopping. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, or something that just doesn’t feel right, it could be a sign of potential fraud, so act on your instincts and don’t go ahead if you are suspicious. Look out for…

Random, careless or bulk purchases – Most customers ask questions and, for example, try on clothing, but a fraudster will just buy goods that can be easily re-sold

Rapid repeat visits – A customer who returns to buy more in a short period of time may be making the most of the fact that the card has been accepted already

Nervous or hurried customers – They may be worried about being caught

Cards signed in felt-tip pen – This can be used to disguise the original signature – remember all cards should be signed in ballpoint pen

Interruptions – A customer who tries to distract you during the transaction, and who seems fully conversant with how the authorisation process works, may be trying to prevent you from noticing something suspicious. Never turn your attention away from the terminal once you have started processing the transaction, as you may miss prompts on the screen, or miss a fraudster attempting to interfere with the terminal

Fake authorisation calls – Neither BOIPA nor the card issuing bank will EVER call you during the processing of a transaction to provide you with an authorisation code. If this happens this will be an attempt by fraudsters to force through a transaction, and will result in a loss to your business if the transaction is charged back. If you receive one of these calls please cancel the transaction (if safe to do so) and perform a ‘Code 10’ call

BOIPA, Police or other ‘official’ impersonation – You should never receive a phone call from the BOIPA authorisation centre, the police, your terminal provider or any other official, requesting you to provide any card details over the phone. None of these organisations will ever ask for details over the phone, so these will be an attempt by fraudsters to gain card details from you. If you receive one of these calls, please report it to the BOIPA Helpdesk

View our Customer Operating Instructions