9.11 verification services
9.11.2 additional services
9.11.2 additional services (U.S.)
In addition to our electronic verification services, we also offer verification services that can be utilized by telephone. These services allow you to compare information provided by the customer with information about the Cardmember not available on the Card, thereby allowing you to make a more informed decision about the validity of the Charge prior to completion of the purchase.
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This document contains sensitive, confidential, and trade secret information, and must not be disclosed to third parties without the express prior written consent of American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
9.11.2.1 name and address verification (NAV)
(U.S.) description The Name and Address Verification (NAV) tool helps you validate
the billing name, street address, zip code and telephone number provided by the customer with that on file with the Issuer. The validation takes place when you call the American Express
Authorization Department.
purpose The NAV tool helps you evaluate the validity of a Charge by comparing information provided by the customer at the point of sale with information about the Cardmember not available on the Card.
how it works You request information from the customer at the point of sale, including all or any of the following:
name
billing address
zip code
telephone number
You supply this information to American Express by calling the American Express Authorization Department and following the prompts on the automated system. You will be advised whether or not the information provided by the customer matches the Cardmember Information on file with the Issuer. You should use the responses to help assess the level of risk and determine whether to proceed with the Charge.
industry Appropriate for all Card Not Present Charges.
implementation To use this tool, call the American Express Authorization Department and request a name and address verification.
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9.11.2.2 charge verification program (U.S.)description When you accept orders over the telephone, internet, or through mail order, you can call the American Express Charge Verification Group for additional verification when an order more than $200 with an Approval appears to be risky.
purpose The Charge Verification Program offer you additional validation on orders you feel are risky, helping you make decisions on whether or not to fulfill orders that they perceive as potentially fraudulent.
how it works Following an Authorization Approval, if you suspect a high fraud risk on an order and the Charge is greater than $200, you call for Charge Verification.
We will ask you for information about the Charge. Based on that information we will request the Issuer to contact the Cardmember within three (3) calendar days to verify the Charge.
We will notify you of the Cardmember’s response received from the Issuer. If you provide your email address when opening a Charge Verification case, we can notify you of the case outcome via email instead of telephone.
If the Issuer is unable to contact the Cardmember (within the three calendar day timeframe), you will need to determine whether or not to fulfill the order.
industry Appropriate for all Card Not Present Charges.
implementation To use this tool, simply contact the American Express Charge Verification Group.
contents
risk evalu
ation
10
10.1
introduction
10.2
prohibited merchants
10.3
monitoring
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10.1 introduction As a Merchant, you understand the hard work and dedication it takes to keep a business running. At American Express, we also work hard to maintain our business and uphold our reputation as a world-class global payments and network company. Part of our regimen is to evaluate Merchants to ensure compliance with our policies and procedures, in addition to assessing any potential risk to our business.
10.2 prohibited merchants
Some Merchants are not eligible (or may become ineligible) to accept the Card. We may terminate the Agreement (including immediate termination without prior notice to you) if we determine or have reason to believe, in our sole discretion, that you meet any of the following criteria:
Your participation as a Merchant on our Network or acceptance of Cards (or both) may cause us not to be in compliance with Applicable Laws, regulations, or rules.
You do not have a verifiable physical address and can only be reached by telephone.
You are involved (or knowingly participate or have participated) in a fraudulent or illegal activity.
You are identified as a sponsor of international terrorism as warranting special measures due to money laundering concerns, or as noncooperative with international anti-money laundering principles or procedures.
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10.2 prohibited merchants (U.S.)
Additionally, we may terminate the Agreement if:
You are listed on the U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control, Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (available at www.treas.gov/ofac).
You are listed on the U.S. Department of State’s Terrorist Exclusion List (available at www.state.gov).
You are located in or operating under license issued by a jurisdiction identified by the U.S. Department of State as a sponsor of international terrorism, by the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury as warranting special measures due to money laundering concerns, or as noncooperative with international anti-money laundering principles or procedures by an intergovernmental group or organization of which the United States is a member.
Your verifiable physical address is not located in the United States, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, or other U.S. territories or possessions.
You fall into one of the following categories and/or accept Transactions for the prohibited activities displayed in the following table:
business types description
Adult entertainment Internet adult digital content sites. Check cashing/
guarantee and Bureau de Change Merchants
Cardmember cashes a check using the Card as a check guarantee.
child pornography Any written or visual depiction of a minor engaged in obscene or sexually explicit conduct.
Debt collection Collection agencies, payday lenders, factoring companies, liquidators, bailiffs, bail bondsmen, credit restoration services and bankruptcy lawyers.
Exceptions: outside agency collection fees and bail bondsmen fees (i.e., you must not accept our Cards to pay for a bail bond but you may accept the Card to pay the fee to the bail bondsman. You must not accept our Cards to pay the amount of a Cardmember’s collection debt, but you may accept the Card to pay the fee to the collection agency).
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10.2 prohibited merchants (U.S.) (continued)business types description
Escort services and massage parlors
Payment of potentially sexually related services.
Exceptions: licensed massage therapists.
Financial services Banks, credit unions, savings and loan associations, equities (defined as an instrument that signifies an ownership position, or equity, in a corporation, and represents a claim on its proportionate share in the corporation’s assets and profits, e.g., stocks, bonds, and securities), unit trusts, mutual funds, foreign exchange, Bureau de Change, and payday lenders.
Exceptions: taxation, brokerage fees, leasing merchants, mortgage payments, condo down payments and financial advisor fees.
Future services Merchants that provide investment on future maturity goods/services (greater than four (4) months for delivery) with an intention of gaining return on investment (e.g., wines/spirits or timber investment).
Exceptions: travel related services, membership services (e.g., magazine subscriptions), ticket sales to future events or real estate deposits.
Gambling Casino chips, bookmaker, federal, state and local lotteries, bingo, internet gambling and casino sites.
Exceptions: lodging, restaurant, bar or gift shop facilities within a casino complex.
Marijuana dispensaries
Sellers of marijuana, whether sold for recreational or medicinal purposes.
Multi-level pyramid sales
Multi-level marketing system using one or more of the following practices:
Participants pay for the right to receive compensation for recruiting new participants
Participants are required to buy a specific quantity of products, other than at cost, for the purpose of advertising before participants are allowed to join the plan or advance within the plan
Participants are sold unreasonable quantities of the product or products (also known as inventory loading)
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10.2 prohibited merchants (U.S.) (continued)
Mixed Business
If any segment of your Charge volume is submitted from the aforementioned business types, you must not accept the Card for those Transactions. If you accept our Card for these Transactions, we will exercise Chargeback. We may also place you in one of our Chargeback programs or we may terminate the Agreement (or both).
10.3 monitoring After you become a Merchant on the Network, we monitor to identify potential risks,