Fraud defense

How 100 data points help
protect against online fraud

Holiday prep

Order gift cards
now to beat the rush

Payment trend

Debit card use is rising
thanks to digital capabilities

Outreach

Community involvement
is one of our main priorities

'Tis the season for authenticity: 100 data points help protect against online fraud

Holidays present cybercriminals with enhanced opportunities to avoid detection since businesses are less likely to notice fraudulent transactions due to the increased volume of sales and purchases.

TransUnion research shows that the average number of suspected digital fraud attempts between October and December is 82% higher globally than during the rest of the year, and 127% greater than during the rest of the year for transactions originating in the U.S.¹

You can do something to reduce the risk.

As a leader in the fight against fraud, our EMV 3D Secure solution for Converge uses more than 100 data points to instantly evaluate a transaction’s authenticity and assess the risk level of an online payment, without slowing the transaction authorization.  The authenticated cardholders are directed straight to the purchase confirmation page without even knowing their transaction was screened. It is a nearly frictionless experience for both the cardholder and you, and transactions flagged as non-legit don’t get authorized by the card issuer.

Because EMV 3D Secure transaction authentication contains so much data, it:

• Shifts e-commerce-only liability for fraudulent payment card transactions from you to the card-issuing bank.
• Can help reduce chargebacks without changing the existing cardholder payment experience.

If you are currently using Converge and you want to add EMV 3D Secure to your account, contact your Customer Account Manager. This Converge Support page gives a little more detail about the solution. 

Order those gift cards now to be ready for the holiday rush

Early projections show that digital and physical gift cards will make up a significant part of consumers’ holidays spend, consistent with the 6% year-over-year growth in gift card purchases over the last four years.¹

Now is when you should reorder your stock of gift cards, so you are ready to tap into this revenue stream in time for the holiday shopping season.

Prepaid gift cards can also be a way for your retail operation to incentivize shoppers and build repeat business. They are more than a last-minute gift option, according to a report by Javelin Strategy & Research outlined by Payments Journal.* Retailers can offer them as a reward when a customer purchases a high-value item, for example.

Give yourself the gift of time
Don’t delay placing your gift card reorder, as production timeframes become longer during peak seasons. For those with an existing gift card program with Elavon, please follow your usual gift card reordering process. If you don’t offer gift cards but would like to begin, contact your Customer Account Manager to get started. 

Growing use of debit cards is an opportunity for businesses

For years, credit card payments dominated, and debit cards were mostly reserved for ATM transactions. The balance has shifted, and debit card payments have now become a key payment method of choice. A recent Payments Journal article* highlights the importance of a business strategy that accounts for new transaction methods, such as mobile wallets and interconnected digital services that are surging in adoption by young adults.

A 2022 Mercator Advisory Group study reports that 55% of consumers used debit cards more than the previous year. And two-thirds of respondents said their debit card was the default payment method in their digital wallet. E-commerce digital wallet volume is expected to continue to grow.

Most consumers have at least one fintech-provided financial service app on their smartphone, and more people are making payments with at least one app, the Payment Journal article says.

Why now?
This growing use of debit for payment is in large part thanks to new digital payment capabilities developed by financial technology companies and strengthened through alignments with financial institutions and partnerships with card brand networks like American Express, Discover, Mastercard and Visa.

While a generation of consumers is driving adoption, it’s up to small- and medium-sized businesses to keep pace if they want to remain competitive. Elavon can help, and your Customer Account Manager can advise on what’s supported by your payments system.

Savings through debit card management
Not only are debit cards convenient for the consumer, but businesses that accept them can minimize debit card payment acceptance costs.

When customers paying with a debit card at the point of sale choose to authorize the transaction by entering a PIN instead of a signature, Elavon can help you lower your overall cost of payment acceptance by securing a lower PIN debit processing rate. Additionally, use of a PIN with debit payment offers cardholder authorization that can help stop unauthorized use before the debit transaction is authorized or settled. PIN debit authorization also helps reduce improper chargebacks. Your Customer Account Manager can tell you more about our Debit Optimization program.

Ways we strive to make a meaningful community impact

As a global industry leader, we have a responsibility to support the health and well-being of the communities we serve, and we work hard to make a meaningful and lasting impact.

Our commitment is demonstrated by our company and employees throughout the year, ranging from hands-on involvement in activities to investing in strategic relationships to advance economic and racial equity. Here are just a few of the many efforts we’ve participated in over the past few months.

• In August, we were one of the sponsors of the 2023 Black in eCommerce* conference in Atlanta, which supports Black-owned businesses growing in the digital world. We hosted a fireside chat with Beautiful Curly Me* founders Evana Oli and Zoe Oli.
• We were proud to sponsor Black Restaurant Week* in Atlanta and Latin Restaurant Week in Miami to help celebrate small-business owners who bring the flavors of these cultures into the spotlight in their communities.

• For Pride Month in June, we joined forces with partners PFLAG* and Black Girls Guide to Atlanta* for a day of service in support of Lost-n-Found,* a community partner whose mission is to find safety and shelter for Atlanta’s LGBTQ+ youth.
• To commemorate National Volunteer Week and Earth Day in April, our employees pitched in at community cleanup events to spruce up parks and other public spaces in support of our partnership with the Student Conservation Association (SCA).*

• Year-round, we are proud to support Spouse-ly* and its mission to champion the veteran-owned and military-connected small business community.

Our community outreach is never finished, as we continually seek to meet the needs of the businesses and people we serve.

Helpful webinar on managing digital disputes

American Express will host a free webinar, titled “Digital Payment Disputes: Process & Prevention,” on Wednesday, Oct. 11 at 1 p.m. ET. During the interactive webinar, participants will hear from leaders in the payments industry as well as from American Express dispute experts on how to help prevent and manage disputes in this current digital landscape.

Register here.

Who do you call?
Call Customer Care at 800-725-1243 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with questions about:

• Daily account activity and funding
• Point-of-sale terminal or PC product issues
• Your monthly billing statement

Contact your Customer Account Manager with questions about:

• Managing card processing for your business
• Product and equipment information and training
• Other payment solutions or services that may be available to you

For help setting up your talech solution, visit talech PaymentStart or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Manage all aspects of your payments online
Payments Insider

• View statements, reports, file downloads and more
• Securely view your account information anytime, anywhere