Okay, so you understand, from reading the last installment of this blog, why it’s so important to achieve PCI DSS compliance. But there still may be one or more myths about PCI DSS and data breaches in general that are holding you back from addressing your own operation’s issues with a trusted vendor, such as pcAmerica. Here are a few common assumptions, debunked.

We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) designed to guard against breaches of consumer card data continues to be problem for small merchants. Consider the results of a recent poll by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council, which found that […]

In the last installment of this blog, we at pcAmerica offered three strategies for keeping customers coming back. Here are three more.

Merchandise returns are a way of life in the retail industry, but with the National Retail Federation (NRF) pegging return fraud as costing retailers a collective $9.6 billion annually, it makes sense to take steps to ensure that as many returns as possible are truly legitimate.

What’s more, the survey indicates, organized retail crime is not only an isolated problem in a handful of areas across the country. A staggering 72% of retailers who participated in the survey said they have identified organized retail crime syndicates who are exporting goods outside of the U.S. or across state lines.

But what’s even scarier about these statistics is the increasing sophistication of the perpetrators who are behind them. For example, criminals have recently figured out a way to “hijack” checking account data from point of sale and other systems and use the Automated Clearing House (ACH) system to fund and replenish gift cards.

The release of Version 2.0 of the PCI (Payment Card Industry) Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) on October 28 was by no means an unanticipated event–yet industry buzz indicates that it has stirred up considerable retailer concern about many related issues. If you’re among the crowd, you can stop and take a deep breath—there’s nothing to fear.

Regularly monitor and test networks. All access to network resources and cardholder data must be tracked and monitored, and regular testing of security systems and processes is required.

By now, almost everyone in the retail and hospitality industry has heard rumblings about PCI (Payment Card Industry) compliance and the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). But what exactly is it, and why should you sit up and pay attention? For one thing, if you don’t, your business may be at stake.

When selecting a PC based point of sale (POS) system most restaurant and retail store owners focus on improving the speed of customer checkout or gaining better inventory control. While these functions are important, many businesses often over the look the importance of compliancy issues related to credit card processing. In fact, many businesses fail […]