HOW CAN I PROTECT MYSELF AGAINST FRAUDSTERS?
Payment service provider Ogone announces a new fraud detection module. Interview with Julian Wallis, Country Manager, Ogone Payment Services
Is fraud prevention still an important issue for online businesses? Can you tell us more about the current trends?
Fraud is one of the main concerns for our 35,000 customers globally. As more and more people shop online, the opportunities for criminals increase. Fraudulent transactions can cause enormous problems for merchants. Only sophisticated security measures and standards can protect against this. We work constantly to develop such solutions.
What are the costs of fraud?
Fraud can impact merchants in many ways, not just in terms of the direct costs where goods are sent but no money is received. Typically there are also costs associated with the in-house management of fraud and dealing with cases as they arise. Another cost, quite often overlooked, relates to the valid orders or bookings that were turned down because some risk rules were set wrongly. Furthermore, the suggestion that a merchant’s security arrangements are weak can cause reputational damage across its entire customer base and affect future sales revenues. Fortunately, Ogone’s cost-effective approach helps to minimise these significantly.
What does Ogone do to help online merchants?
Ogone is well placed when it comes to fraud prevention. Our advanced fraud detection module (FDMA) tool conducts risk analysis for each paid transaction, in real time, for more than 65 criteria that are controlled and defined by the merchant. These include, for example, geolocation, velocity check (frequency verification), blacklists and white lists, maximum amounts, etc. In addition, we offer specific parameters for individual industries, such as the travel industry. By investing in research and development, we aim to be innovative and offer merchants the best fraud detection tools. Consequently we are bringing a new solution to the market in July to help combat the increasingly sophisticated methods deployed by fraudsters. This will include further checks, such as device fingerprinting and outsourced manual review options and will be available not only to existing Ogone users, but also to users of other payment gateways.
What prompted you to offer a new solution?
Online fraudsters are organised and constantly evolving. Fraud detection tools must be up-to-date in order to detect new fraud patterns. Our customers want to minimise the cost of fraud without investing a lot of money to develop their own tools. This is an opportunity for Ogone. We can offer the best, most cost-effective protection and now, we are extending our existing platform with a complementary solution. Whilst our current tools offer comprehensive protection, configuration is carried out by the merchant. This means that the merchant has full control – with all the advantages and disadvantages that brings. The new solution provides merchants with additional expert advice, enabling them to block only the genuine fraudsters and maximise their online revenues.
What will the new expert module offer?
Our advanced fraud detection modules screen transactions in real time, instantaneously providing second opinions. Transactions are then categorised as low-risk, high-risk, or flagged for review. This additional expertise uses predefined templates of rules, combining around 1,000 criteria which are all industry-specific. Device fingerprinting is a significant new parameter that has to be considered by everyone affected by fraud. As fraudsters typically attack more than one website, the Expert module is able to identify the relation between various attacks and to detect global fraudulent patterns as they occur. Finally, using the feedback provided by the Expert module and a manual review by a fraud expert (optional), the merchant can accept, review or block transactions at the touch of a button as needed.
For more information, call 0203 147 4966 or mail us at sales@ogone.com
