Keeping payment card transactions secure is a shared responsibility. Merchants, credit card processors, card-issuing banks and the major card brands all have a role to play.

Visa provides the following suggestions for actions merchants can take to help make payments as secure as possible on their end.

Make the switch to EMV terminals.
EMV technology encrypts each transaction so the data cannot be stolen and duplicated on counterfeit cards, effectively reducing fraud at the point of sale. EMV terminals authenticate the card using the dynamic information contained in the embedded microchip. The cardholder validates that they are the owner of the card while the card is still in the EMV terminal, completing the dual verification process.

If you haven’t already made the switch to EMV at your business, you’re not doing everything you can to protect yourself and your customers from card fraud. Work with Bevel to identify which EMV terminals best suit your needs and budget. As an added bonus, many of these terminals are also NFC capable to accommodate your mobile wallet customers.

Merchants that choose a dual-interface terminal that handles both contact and contactless transactions can potentially qualify for Visa’s Technology Innovation Program (TIP) to reduce their annual PCI DSS validation requirements and associated costs.

Implement Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE).
P2PE technology eliminates account data from the merchant environment and encrypts sensitive cardholder data until it reaches an end point of secure decryption. Like EMV, this process makes the data useless to criminals.

Merchants should consult with their processors to determine the best solution for their business. Adopting a P2PE solution may also qualify them for TIP and provide a PCI DSS scope reduction.

Outsource the handling of e-Commerce cardholder data to a PCI DSS validated service provider.
Taking this step reduces risk exposure and costs associated with securing the merchant environment. It can also significantly reduce PCI DSS applicability for merchants who do not store, process or transmit cardholder data. Visa’s Global Registry of Service Providers provides a list of PCI DSS validated and registered service providers.

Bevel Payment Solutions consolidates a number of security solutions to help protect your business not only from fraud but from the crippling costs of a data breach. Protect your revenue, your customers and your reputation by taking a proactive stance to keep payment processing as safe as possible.