My name is Michael Matfess and I am a relationship manager with Heartland Payment Systems. Heartland is a direct processor of credit cards that focuses on the needs of the business owner. I decided to start this blog as I have seen a lot of confusion in the marketplace regarding your rights as a merchant who accepts cards as well as your responsibilities. Right now, data security is the hot topic for any business that accepts credit cards. You can pick up any newspaper in any city in the country and see another story about identity theft or stolen data from retailers and restaurants.
One reason I started this blog is that many small to medium sized business owners seem to feel they don’t need to worry about this. They think that the ‘bad’ guys will only target the large chains. Well, if you count yourself in this group, you couldn’t be more wrong. Ask yourself this question: “Is it easier to break into Fort Knox or a local jewelry store?” Sure, the prize is larger at Fort Knox but so is the work. Now, if you break into a jewelry store the most valuable pieces are probably in a safe that is fairly difficult to get into. But, what is sitting on the desk in the back office? The day’s credit card slips or the batch report or a scribbled note that Mr. Smith called in his credit card number so his son could pop in and pick up the lovely necklace he wanted for his wife.
So, here is rule #1 for the business owner:
DO NOT LEAVE ANY CREDIT CARD SLIPS/RECEIPTS/REPORTS THAT SHOW CREDIT CARD NUMBERS AND EXPIRATIONS IN AN UNLOCKED DRAWER OR CABINET!!!!!
Now, let me tell you what one of my customers said to me when I suggested this. He told me that they have a great security system and his office was secure. I then asked about when the building was occupied and he told me he trusts all his employees completely. I then complimented him on how clean the offices were and asked if they did it during the day. “Don’t be silly, the vacuum would be too loud to get any work done. We have a service that comes in every night.”
I smiled, leaned forward, and said in a very soft voice “And I assume the cleaning crew is also above reproach, too?”
Fortunately, he laughed and agreed that he needed to re-think his data security.
That is my suggestion to all of you for today. Take a moment and ask yourself what you are doing with your customers’ credit card numbers when you aren’t personally there to watch over them.
Tags: credit cards, identity theft, merchant services, pci compliance, privacy
