Credit card fraud is a serious issue, and affects millions of people over their lifetime. The information on a credit card can be stolen in a number of ways, but the biggest problems with credit card fraud usually come from major data breaches. When these breaches happen, thousands or even millions of card numbers and stolen by hackers.

Those hackers then use the account numbers to make charges that the account holder did not authorize. They may also use the personal information collected in the data breach to steal identities, apply for new credit cards, and cause other problems for unsuspecting victims. To make sure your company doesn’t have a data breach, and to avoid allowing the use of fraudulent credit cards at your business, secure payment processes are vitally important.

 

Where the Problem Lies

The main problem with credit card fraud lies in the lack of security that some companies have. Customers trust these businesses, and give them their personal and payment information when they make purchases. Then suddenly they get a notification that there has been a breach, they see odd charges on their credit card bill, or they start receiving collection notices for accounts that are not theirs. There are other ways to steal credit card information, but data breaches of companies that don’t have good security in their payment processes can allow for huge amounts of personal information to be collected all in one place. That makes businesses prime targets for hackers and others interested in committing credit card fraud.

 

What Companies Can Do

The best thing companies can do to minimize credit fraud and keep their customers happy is to have secure payment processes. Those processes should involve everything from the minute a customer starts to provide information all the way through the storage of the customer’s information when a customer creates an account. A business that wants to succeed must protect the credit data and other information of its customers. By focusing on the most secure payment processes available, companies have a much better chance of avoiding data breaches and making sure all of their customers feel safe when they buy from them.

 

The Future is Improving

With the advent of EMV technology and chip cards, along with upgraded security measures for online and offline payment, the future is bright for companies that are willing to take proper care of their customer data. By keeping up with the latest technology, companies can make sure their customers are getting what they need out of their buying experience. Not only will customer credit card information and other data be kept safe, but customers who have good experiences with a particular business will be back, and they will encourage others to shop there, as well.

By paying close attention to the needed upgrades in payment processing and listening to what customers really want, any company can build up its customer base and keep moving forward toward a higher level of success and customer data protection.