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Fraud Prevention Practices
Tips for identifying and preventing fraud
Understand our practices, review card security features and learn how to reduce risk and chargebacks online. Suspect fraud now? Call 1-800-347-1111 (Authorization Code – 10)
Understand our practices, review card security features and learn how to reduce risk and chargebacks online. Suspect fraud now? Call 1-800-347-1111 (Authorization Code – 10)
Security is part of our practice and process
To help protect every transaction, we hold ourselves to a high standard for authorization and offer businesses and issuers fraud prevention support.
100% authorization requirement
To minimize the risk of fraud and protect profits, we require authorization on all card-present and card-not-present transactions.
Code 10: suspicious situations
If a business suspects fraud during a card-present transaction, they can call in a Code—10 authorization request to alert the issuer and protect the cardholder.
Stand-in functionality
If systems are down, we help participating issuers provide authorizations for their merchants.
Detect a fraudulent or altered card
Chip card technology has made card-present transaction more secure. However, it’s still important to understand the security features of Discover® cards, Diners Club International® cards and others on our network to spot signs of tampering.
A credit card could be fraudulent if:
Need to verify a card on the spot?
Call us.
To obtain an authorization or address verification, or to question the validity of a Discover card, call the Discover® Global Network Authorization Center at 1-800-347-1111.
Explore card features that prevent fraud online
Understand the card security features that help validation during card-not-present transactions.
Card Identification Data (CID)
The three-digit CID provides an additional layer of security. It ensures the cardholder possesses the card at the time of purchase.
Card Verification Value (CVV)
A unique value is encoded on the magnetic stripe of the card; the issuer provides it as protection against counterfeit cards.
Address Change Notification (ACN)
Merchants requesting an AVS are also sent an ACN, which indicates whether the cardholder billing address has changed in the last 45 days.
Address Verification Services (AVS)
To limit the risk of fraud on card-not-present transactions, we require any merchants to capture the cardholder's address for verification.
Tips to reduce chargebacks and risk
A few simple practices can help you communicate expectations to customers and protect your business from potentially costly fraud risks and chargebacks. Get a step-by-step guide for providing transparency, security and service.
- Follow these steps before the transaction
- Follow these steps during the transaction
- Follow these steps after the transaction
Security training and resources
We invest time and resources in keeping every transaction safe
Fraud prevention seminars
Discover sponsors a number of seminars and lectures on fraud prevention and protection. Call 1-800-347-6634 to learn more.
Fraud prevention associations
We’re members of several anti-fraud associations, including the International Assoc. of Financial Crimes Investigators and The Fraud Reduction Committee.
Security-based solutions and resources
Secure Digital Payments
Protect your online and in-app transactions with our multi-layered approach to security.
Secure In-Store Transactions
Protect your business with solutions that keep cards and mobile in-store payments secure.
Security and Authentication
Get comprehensive authentication solutions from a suite of security products.