Blog

3 High-Risk Ecommerce Markets to Keep Tabs On

As new high-risk merchants establish a presence in ecommerce, weak points in the payments system are exposed Last week, Dan Frechtling, president at Verisk Financial G2 discussed the growing presence of three high-risk ecommerce markets during a panel discussion at the annual ETA TRANSACT conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Adult-oriented websites, online pharmacies, and virtual… read more

Post Date: Posted on May 9, 2019April 22, 2021 Post Categories: High-risk Merchants, Merchant Fraud

3 MAC Conference Highlights for Payment Players

Recently, payment industry experts gathered at the Merchant Acquirers’ Committee (MAC) Level Up conference to discuss hot topics, industry news, and exciting solutions. In its 11th year, the MAC conference — which has now extended to four days — showcased educational sessions led by 55 speakers representing all corners of the payments industry. Below are… read more

Post Date: Posted on April 29, 2019April 22, 2021 Post Categories: Merchant Fraud, Merchant Risk

Shifting Online Gambling Landscape Requires Better Merchant Monitoring

It has been almost a year since the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), a federal law that had prohibited most states from authorizing online gambling. Almost immediately, Delaware and New Jersey legalized sports betting (joining Nevada, where sports betting has long been legal) – followed in quick succession… read more

Post Date: Posted on April 10, 2019June 11, 2021 Post Categories: Merchant Risk, Online Gambling

Keep an Eye on Illegal Contact Lens Merchants… They Could Pose a Risk

Did you know that all contact lenses – even decorative non-corrective contact lenses – are considered prescription-only medical devices in the US? That’s right! If a merchant is shipping contact lenses (even crazy vampire-eye lenses!) to the United States without properly requiring a prescription, then that merchant is violating US law and at risk of breaking card… read more

Post Date: Posted on April 4, 2019April 22, 2021 Post Categories: Merchant Boarding, Merchant Fraud

Fake Reviews, Negative News, Real Fines

Federal Trade Commission Fines Herbal Company $12.8MM Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced its first case challenging an independent retail website in the use of fake paid reviews (See Figure 1). Cure Encapsulations, Inc., and its owner, Naftula Jacobowitz confirmed allegations that they had indeed made false and unsubstantiated claims for their so-called “fat… read more

Post Date: Posted on April 3, 2019February 26, 2020 Post Categories: Deceptive Marketing, False Claims, Merchant Fraud, Merchant Risk

Merchant Risk Management: What Was and
What Will Be

The evolution of merchant compliance and risk management are themes that stemmed across all topics covered last month at the 10th annual Risk Summit Series in Riga and London. Payment industry professionals that represented organizations such as, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), Alliance for Safe Online… read more

Post Date: Posted on March 28, 2019June 11, 2021 Post Categories: Merchant Fraud, Merchant Risk

Online Gambling in the US Becomes Less Predictable

Recently, the Justice Department made public a legal opinion that has re-interpreted the federal Wire Act to include all forms of online gambling, not just sports betting. In doing so, it reversed a 2011 opinion on the Act, which established the law as applicable to only sports betting (See Figure 1). At this point, the… read more

Post Date: Posted on January 29, 2019April 22, 2021 Post Categories: High-risk Merchants, Online Gambling

Social Media Inadvertently Drives Illegal Online Drug Sales

Instagram, the social media giant that now boasts 1 billion users, has inadvertently allowed the advertisement of illegal…

Post Date: Posted on October 3, 2018February 26, 2020 Post Categories: Blog, Illegal Drugs, Transaction Laundering

The War on Child-Marketed Nicotine Products Continues

In a recent press release, the FDA ordered the top five e-cigarette manufacturers to reverse the recent trends of child-marketed nicotine…

Post Date: Posted on September 18, 2018June 11, 2021 Post Categories: Blog, FDA, High-risk Merchants, Merchant Risk, Misleading Business Models

5 Opportunities You Don’t Want to Miss!

The G2 Risk Summit Series returns as one of the premier payment events of 2019. Though it seems like yesterday, 10 years have passed and it’s time we celebrated. Together we have witnessed the transformation of…

Post Date: Posted on September 13, 2018June 11, 2021 Post Categories: High-risk Merchants, Merchant Fraud, Merchant Risk