This guidebook provides travel agents with the information they need to make informed decisions regarding credit card acceptance. Today, transactions take place, predominately, via the phone, e-mail or Internet. The processes for accepting credit cards also varies according to situation. When accepting credit cards it is strongly recommended that the travel agent confirm that the card is valid and active, that the cardholder identity can be authenticated, and that the transaction is legitimate.

A rising portion of travel sales are conducted with customers in a non face-to-face environment. Because of this, the risk of accepting credit card transactions that are later identified as fraud has increased. In an attempt to remain competitive, and in a market where customers expect to purchase travel from the comfort of their home, travel agents often accept credit card payment from first-time customers with very little identifying information. By supporting this type of distribution, travel agents take the risk that customers are perpetrating fraud, so weigh the pros and cons.

This guide does not supersede the information contained in the Credit Card Chargeback policy found in Section 8.4 of the ARC Industry Agents’ Handbook or the ARC Travel Agency Service Fee (TASF) Processing Agreement. Section 8.4 provides agents with the procedures the agency must follow in order to be absolved of liability in the event of a fraud-related chargeback from an airline. Agents are fully liable for any and all TASF transactions that result in a chargeback. In general, the policy states that to support a fraud chargeback, within 5 days of the notice, an agent must provide the airline with a signed and imprinted Universal Credit Card Charge Form (UCCCF) for the specific transaction in question, along with a valid approval code. It is important to note that when charging a customer a Travel Agency Service Fee (TASF), a separate UCCCF must be obtained so the dollar amount identified on the UCCCF for each transaction is valid.

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PDF Ebook Credit Card Acceptance & Chargeback Prevention