Address Verification Service

Merchant Guide to the Visa Address Verification Service

Merchant Guide to the Visa Address Verification Service

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents

Merchant Guide to the Visa Address Verification Service (AVS) . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Who Should Read This . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Questions . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Introducing AVS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Addressing Risk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Connecting to AVS. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Using AVS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Requesting an Address Verification. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 AVS Result Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Tips for Reducing Copy Requests and Chargebacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Retailers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Card-Not-Present Merchants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Glossary . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Merchant Guide to the Visa Address Verification Service

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© 2008 Visa U.S.A. Inc., all rights reserved, to be used solely for the purpose of providing Visa Card acceptance services as authorized pursuant to agreement with a Visa member financial institution.

 

TA B LE O F C O N T E N T S

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Merchant Guide to the Visa Address Verification Service

© 2008 Visa U.S.A. Inc., all rights reserved, to be used solely for the purpose of providing Visa Card acceptance services as authorized pursuant to agreement with a Visa member financial institution.

 

MERCHANT GUIDE TO THE VISA ADDRESS VERIFICATION SERVICE

Merchant Guide to the Visa AddressVerification Service
The Visa® Address Verification Service (AVS) is a risk management tool for merchants accepting transactions in which neither the card nor the cardholder are present (e.g., mail, telephone order, Internet transactions), or in which the card is present but its magnetic stripe cannot be read by a terminal at the point of sale. Available to merchants that accept Visa cards, AVS helpsreduce the risk of accepting fraudulent transactions by facilitating verification of the cardholder’s billing address with the card issuer. This address information helps you, the merchant, determine whether to accept a particular transaction or to take further follow-up action. By giving you more options and enhancing your ability to make more informed sales decisions, AVS supports and adds valueto your efforts to reduce fraud and related operating costs. AVS has helped thousands of merchants improve their profitability. Verifying your customer’s billing address for all your Visa card-not-present or key entered transactions makes good business sense and is one of the fastest, easiest, and most important risk management steps you can take.

Who Should Read This

The Merchant Guide tothe Visa Address Verification Service is structured for two merchant audiences: those currently utilizing this significant risk management service, and those considering using it. Introducing AVS – covers topics of interest to merchants unfamiliar with AVS and who want more information about its benefits. Using AVS – covers topics of interest to merchants currently using or about to implement AVS...