How to Avoid PCI Non-Compliance Fees

It’s become incredibly important for businesses to start accepting credit card payments online to keep in step with the competition. But such capability also comes with great responsibility, especially since online transactions are prone to a lot of risks. 

That is why most payment processors impose PCI non-compliance fees on merchants that don’t follow the rules in place for secure credit card acceptance. 

Being slapped with a PCI non-compliance fee is a bitter reminder that you need to comply with standards that protect you and your consumers from breaches and potential lawsuits in the future. 

Now if you don’t want to go through the hassle and expense of paying such a fine, here are some ways for you to avoid PCI non-compliance fees.

Determine Your PCI Compliance Status

PCI non-compliance fees will vary depending on the merchant provider that will typically charge you monthly fees until you become compliant. So, if you want to avoid these costly fees, you have to determine where you stand in terms of compliance. 

Find out your merchant level first so you can easily determine the PCI validation requirements for your type of business. High-risk merchant accounts will likely have more stringent requirements due to the nature of the business. In general, the PCI Security Standards Council recommends that you take some important measures in becoming PCI-compliant:

• Use validated payment software and approved PIN entry devices
• Regularly check and update computers, networks, and PIN entry devices to make sure that no rogue software or malware are installed in them
• Train your employees on the proper way of processing payments and being more vigilant about possible scams and security breaches
• Always follow the PCI Data Security Standard

Find a PCI-Compliant Merchant Service Provider

Since your merchant will determine if you are compliant or not, it’s also important to know their own level of PCI compliance. By teaming up with a compliant merchant provider, it will be a lot easier for you to also stay compliant and avoid PCI non-compliance fees. 

Invest In a Hosted Payment Page

If you’re doing most, if not all of your transactions online, it would be a smart move to invest in a separate hosted payment page. This way you can keep any credit card information from remaining on your website, which is more prone to risks. 

It will also be easier for you to level up your security when it comes to processing online payments. Of course, you need to scan this page and all other portals at least every quarter to ensure that no breaches are left undetected.

At the end of the day, PCI non-compliance fees are expensive but very preventable. No matter how small your business is, you should take the time and make the effort to invest in measures that don’t only make you PCI-compliant but also protect your customers from fraud, scams, and other risks. 

This way, you are also investing in your own credibility as a business. So don’t wait for something bad to happen or keep paying for non-compliance fees just because you don’t want to invest in the right security measures. 

 

As a reputable credit card processor, our experts can help you set up a high-risk merchant account and walk you through the PCI validation requirements for your business so you can avoid PCI non-compliance fees.

 

Related Reading:

5 Tips on How To Become PCI Compliant