Typically credit card processors will give you information on certain tests - the results will come through as pass/fail/unknown. CVV2, zip code, address, etc. It's common for a credit card to come through as "authorized" and fail one or more tests (and yes, some of my experience is with FDMS Nashville, but they're not atypical). As a result, I use a two step process instead of a one step process and then never do delayed captures on ones that don't meet our criteria - which are stricter than the credit card processor's criteria.

Thank you for your quick reply.

So even if the Amex authorization gets approved I should receive a response from FDMS Nashville telling me if AVS/CID did not match and then I can use this information to base my decision if I should capture the authorization, right?

However, I see that from the PCCharge platform matrix that FDMS Nashville isn't capable of handling CID for Amex cards. That stinks.

If you don't mind me asking how do you handle Amex transactions throught FDMS Nashville? What is your 2 step process?

Thank you, again.

olimits7

I use Verisign's PayFlow Pro. They can either charge the credit card in a one or two step process. In the two step process you get an authorization and then when you've shipped the product you're supposed to do a "delayed capture". I sell electronic products, so I do delayed captures immediately, but just shelve the ones that don't pass all our criteria. Our criteria are a little complicated, but there are certain tests that I don't accept failures on and others I do, but at least one of the tests has to pass for me to accept the card (they can't all be neutral or "acceptable failures").

One thing I could never figure out, however, was how to cancel the authorizations I reject... So far it hasn't been an issue, but technically it ties up the money on the customer's card for 30 days...

One thing I could never figure out, however, was how to cancel the authorizations I reject... So far it hasn't been an issue,

i had to manually telephone my card processor and ask for an authorisation to be cancelled...

this because i authorised a payment twice (but only commited once) and had the customer on the phone mad that they had been contacted by their card issuer wondering if there card was being used fraudulantly because there were two large payments stacked up from overseas (i'm foreign to them, though of course they were foreign to me :) )

When you do an authorization on an Amex transaction does it always get approved through Payment Pro? Or do you receive declined authoriztions as well?

What kind of response do you receive from Payment Pro?

Thanks again,

olimits7

Amex wanted me to sign a "Full Recourse Addendum" to the contract that stated "you agree that we will have the absolute right to be reimbursed by you for any charges purchased which are not collectable due to fraud, regardless of whether we had notice of such defect at the time of authorization".

Doesn't that sound fraudulent?! I crossed it out before signing.

If you signed it as is then you may be liable for transactions made without the correct info. Be careful! You can cross-reference telephone numbers in the whitepages to check billing address.