Novera Payment Solutions

Accepting credit cards for your business is critical in today's marketplace. The challenge is understanding all the fees associated with this necessity. Many credit card processing companies take advantage of business owners' lack of knowledge and overcharge them ... by a lot!

Novera Payment Solutions is pleased to offer our popular "Understanding Credit Card Processing" webinar again. This webinar will take a short 40 minutes of your time, but will arm you with the information you need to ensure you do not overpay for credit card processing.

If any of these questions apply to you, this webinar will be an excellent use of your time.

1. Is your statement from your merchant processing company complicated and confusing?
   
2. Do you fully understand the difference between "Qualified", "Mid-Qualified", "Non-Qualified", and how these terms determine what you are charged for each transaction?
   
3. Are you PCI compliant?
4. Are you surprised by the credit card processing fees you incur each month?
5. Do you have to wait several days to see the payments deposited in your account?

REGISTER TODAY!

Join us in an educational webinar on July 23, 2015 @ 2:00 PM EST designed to help you understand the in's and out's of credit card processing. This FREE webinar will be 45 minutes or less and we guarantee you will take away practical information to help you make smart choices when shopping around for credit card processing services. There's a good chance this webinar will save your business money too!

As an attendee of this webinar you will gain the following:

• Ability to understand Visa/MC/Disc true underlying cost which in turn will help you negotiate better pricing for your own merchant account
  
• Knowledge on how to make sure you are getting a truly fair deal for payment processing services (you'd be surprised the percentage of companies who are being taken advantage of -- make sure yours isn't one of them!)
  
• Awareness of the latest in technology available in the market place today, including mobile payments
  
• Practical tips that you can implement right now to keep your processing costs down
• Best practices for keeping your customers' cardholder data secure, including EMV and maintaining PCI compliance.

With the liability shift quickly approaching in October of 2015, it is a good idea for merchants to have the EMV security measure in place. While compliance is not mandatory for merchants, those who don’t upgrade to EMV-compliant terminals face a liability shift for fraudulent transactions. Integrated payment solutions that combine software with the latest payment processing systems (including EMV capabilities) are the best choice for merchants.

As an ISV, Novera's WorldPay Link Gateway provides the opportunity for you to easily integrate EMV-compliant  payments into mobile, P.O.S., and even QuickBooks® processing solutions, it can even utilize multiple processor platforms. This new gateway makes it easy for merchants to accept payments anywhere they do business.

For ISV's the benefits are many, including:

• Customized Merchant Boarding
• Dedicated ISV Team
• Flexible Merchant Pricing
• Revenue Sharing
• No Risk
• Reporting Portal
• Branded Referral Portal
• Complete Marketing Support
• Increased User Adoption
• World Class platform
• 24 X 7 US Based Support

Our robust API includes:

• Oracle Database with 99.999% Uptime
• Debit, Credit, Check, ACH
• Gift & Loyalty
• Retail Finance Cards
• Auth.net emulation
• QuickBooks® Integration
• Processor Neutral

With the WorldPay Link Gateway API, you can :

Enjoy Peace of Mind with the EMV Transition

The Novera Payment Solutions team understands that protecting your business and your customers is very important. You will be provided the tools and support you need to help simplify your PCI obligations and EMV integration to reduce the risk of fraud.


Our customers span local retailers, restaurants and corner stores to dentists, plumbers and eCommerce merchants—and every one of them can rely on the 24/7 live, US-based support staff who are highly trained to answer questions and resolve any issues that may arise.

A Company You Can Trust

Novera Payment Solutions, LLC (Novera) based in Atlanta is a registered Member Service Provider (MSP) of WorldPay. and a registered Independent Sales Organization (ISO) with Visa & MasterCard.   WorldPay acquires transactions coast to coast and around the globe ranging from brand name companies you already know to independent businesses in your own community. Point of sale authorization through settlement of funds, WorldPay provides the highest standard of payment processing to businesses ...businesses just like yours. WorldPay also offers seamless support and integration with industry-leading point-of-sale platforms and middleware providers, and it works with POS providers to certify new systems to their network on a ongoing basis.

A common misconception by many small businesses is that they are too small to have to worry about PCI compliance. This couldn't be further from the truth. If you accept credit cards online, you are required to be PCI compliant. If you are not, your business can face very steep fines.

You are solely responsible for securing your customer cardholder data to meet Payment Card Industry rules.

Small merchants are prime targets for data thieves ... in fact, they are some of the biggest targets because they are the easiest targets. It’s your job to protect cardholder data at the point-of-sale. If cardholder data is stolen (and it’s your fault) you could incur fines, penalties, even termination of the right to accept payment cards, which could be catastrophic for your business.

Why Does PCI Compliance Matter for a Small Business?

According to the PCI Security Standards websute, more than 340 million computer records containing sensitive personal information have been involved in security breaches in the U.S. since 2005. Criminals target small merchants because most have minimal security for cardholder data. More than 80% of attacks target small merchants.

If you are at fault for a card holder security breach, your small business can face:

• Fines and penalties
• Loss of the ability to accept payment cards
• Cost of reissuing new payment cards
• Legal costs
• Fraud losses
• Loss of the business

What to Secure

Focus first on protecting the cardholder data under your control.

You are responsible for protecting cardholder data at the point of sale, and as it flows into your credit card payment system. The single best step you can take is to not store any cardholder data.

PCI compliance includes protecting:

• Card readers
• Point of sale systems
• Store networks & wireless access routers
• Payment card data storage and transmission
• Payment card data stored in paper-based records

Small Businesses May Evaluate with a Self-Assessment Questionnaire

Most small merchants can use a self-validation tool to assess their security for cardholder data, which includes a short list of yes-or-no questions for compliance. You can access self-assessment questionnaires on the PCI Security Standards website.

How to Meet the PCI Security Standards

The PCI Security Standards website is an invaluable resource for small businesses working to be PCI compliant. Their suggestions include:

• Buy and use only approved PIN entry devices at your points-of-sale. 
• Buy and use only validated payment software at your POS or website shopping cart. 
• Do not store any sensitive cardholder data in computers or on paper.
• Use a firewall on your network and PCs.
• Make sure your wireless router is password-protected and uses encryption.
• Use strong passwords.
• Regularly check PIN entry devices and PCs to make sure no one has installed rogue software or “skimming” devices.
• Teach your employees about security and protecting cardholder data.
• Follow the PCI standard ongoing 3-step process (below)

PCI Compliance: Ongoing 3-step process

• Assess
  This includes identifying cardholder data, taking an inventory of your IT assets and business processes for payment card processing, and analyzing them for vulnerabilities.
• Remediate
  Includes fixing vulnerabilities and not storing cardholder data unless you need it.
• Report
  Includes compiling and submitting required reports to the acquiring bank and card brands you do business with.

The bottom line is that PCI compliance DOES MATTER no matter what the size of your business. We understand that it can seem cumberson for small businesses, but that's no reason to put it off or ignore it. The livelihood of your business may be at stake if you suffer a data breach.

The Novera Payment Solutions team works with small businesses to help alleviate the burden of meeting the PCI compliance standards. Our PIN entry devices and POS systems are PCI compliant, so you don't have to worry. We can also assist you with the PCI compliance self-evaluation and answer an questions you might have.

Don't take the risk. Find out if you are PCI compliant TODAY, and let us help you take the necessary steps to get there if you are not.

CONTACT NOVERA PAYMENT SOLUTIONS for a no obligation PCI compliance review.

Cybercrime is a serious and ongoing threat to businesses. Your business files may be at great risk if a hacker gains access to your PC or network. Keeping a computer free of viruses and your network protected should be a number one priority. Not only is it important to protect your personal and business data, it's essential for PCI compliance.

Here are 11 ways that you can protect yourself and business data stored on your computer:

1. It is critical you have an up-to-date antivirus software and anti-malware software. While this will not protect you from everything, it's better than having nothing at all.
    
2. Make sure you have all of the latest updates for your computer's operating system. You can set Windows to automatically download and install updates.
   
   
3. Be mindful of the websites you are browsing. Generally, if it looks suspicious, it is.
   
   
4. Do not save your passwords list as a file on your computer. Keep this handy elsewhere. Also, do not use the same password for each website. For very important accounts, create a randomly generated password as this greatly increases its security.
   
   
5. You can set your computer to password lock itself when it goes to sleep. This is important to keep others from accessing your account if you step away.
   
   
6. Backup your data often. There are many ways you can backup data whether it be on a thumb drive, an external hard drive, or a cloud based solution such as Dropbox or Google Drive.
   
   
7. Keep your personal data off of your work computer. If you want to have access to these files, leave them on a thumb drive or external hard drive.
   
   
8. If using a laptop, never leave it in a location where it’s easily visible. This increases the risk for it to be stolen. 
   
   
9. When browsing email, be careful of the links and attachments you open. Unless they are from a known source, it's better to not open them until you are able to scan the email for threats.
   
   
10. Clear your internet cookies regularly. These files are generally where web-based viruses are stored. This can be done weekly or monthly and will typically prevent any malicious files or programs from infecting your computer.
    
    
11. Limit access to files to ONLY those who need it. This can prevent unauthorized access and keep your data safe.

How PCI Compliance Fits In

Merchants who are PCI Compliant have security controls to prevent, detect, and react to breaches. PCI Compliance is not optional for merchants ... it's a requirement for all businesses who accept credit cards. Failure to meet the requirements can be extremely costly for business owners if they ever fall victim to a breach on their system.

The standards are set by PCI Security Standard Council. Their website is extensive and has more information than you could ever want to know about becoming PCI Compliant and maintaining the standard for your business.  https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/

At Novera Payment Solutions we work hard to take to take the headache out of PCI Compliance for you.  Give us a call ... not only can we possibly save you money over your current credit card processing solution with our flat fee merchant account, but we will guide you through PCI Compliance maze and make it simple to get up and running!

As a business owner, you know it's essential in this day and age that you not only accept credit cards, but that you also accept debit cards, e-checks, and mobile payments. It's simply expected by your consumers.

Unfortunately, there is a wealth of bad and misleading information online today. Business owners can easily comparison shop for the best merchant account rates using Google, however there are so many nefarious companies pitching credit card processing solutions with bait and switch tactics, it's easy to be lured into a merchant processing contract that ends up costing you more than you ever expected and doesn't deliver all the service promised.

Novera Payment Solution Offers a Refreshing Approach to Credit Card Processing

Novera Solutions takes a completely different approach to merchant processing solutions. You won't get a bait and switch scheme here. Some of the things that make us different, heads and shoulders above the rest, in fact, include:

• We offer straight talk about why a merchant account including our “flat fee advantage” can be one of the best business decisions you’ll ever make.
• We offer complete payment integration with major accounting software applications (including QuickBooks credit card payment integration). Our API will allow you to support every type of transaction you could ask for.
• We take the mystery out of PCI compliance, and help ensure that you meet all requirements to keep your customer card holder data secure.
• We offer many levels of reporting for your convenience. If you are looking for drill down reporting on a specific merchant transaction or high level residual reporting for your agent or reseller business, we have got you covered.
• Our marketing department designs and delivers high quality marketing slicks so you can inform your customers about payment options.
• We provide complete support and guidance from merchant account conversion and boarding all the way through 24/7 365 WorldPay customer support.
• Novera can provide you with the ability to accept credit card payments online. Our Virtual terminal can allow you to set up recurring payments, one time charges... this even includes check or ACH.
• We have a programs that make sure your profits really are going to the bottom line. Including our Gift & Loyalty program that can be used to cross brand and promote additional locations. 

Learn Everything You Need to Know About In's & Out's of Credit Card Processing

Please join us in a FREE educational webinar  designed to help you understand the in's and out's of the credit card processing industry. We offer these webinars quarterly! This valuable free webinar will be 45 minutes or less and we guarantee you will learn practical information to help you make better choices when shopping around for processing services.

As an attendee of this webinar you will gain the following:

• Ability to understand Visa/MC/Disc. true underlying cost which in turn will help you negotiate better pricing
• Knowledge on how to make sure you are getting a truly fair deal for payment processing services
• Awareness of the latest in technology available in the market place today
• Tips for keeping processing costs down
• Best practices for keeping cardholder data secure and maintaining PCI compliance

Get the Date of Our Next FREE Webinar and Register Online

What is Malware?

Many people believe that malware is used to hack a computer system, but this in inaccurate.  Malware is a tool that hackers use to steal data from a system that has already been compromised.  In other words, the system has to be hacked first, then malware is installed and data from that system is collected and removed.

When a system is compromised, hackers typically get in through a security misconfiguration or by exploiting a securty bug in an application installed on the system. This is why it's important to stay current on security updates and patches for all software that you run on your system.

Malware comes in several forms:

1. It can be installed on a payment server to collect cardholder data
2. It can be run as a piece of software that crawls files on the system to detect, locate, and steal card holder data
3. It can capture keystrokes from computer keyboard or register and capture account numbers

There are several tools available that can prevent and detect malware, including local anti-virus and anti-malware programs, file integrity monitoring (FIM), and outbound internet filtering.

File integrity monitoring tools, do just that ... they monitor sensitive systems and look for irregularities and changes. This could signify a system breach or a malware install and action can immediately be taken.

Outbound internet filtering has to do with firewalls and proxies that can be setup on systems to monitor activity between the system and Internet. Merchant use outbound internet filtering to restrict access to only authorized sites.

Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware programs scan the local system looking for suspicious downloads, trojans, and other malware that may have been injected on the system. It important to have these tools installed on every system and to run virus definition updates daily.

How PCI Compliance Fits In

Merchants who are PCI Compliant have layered security controls to prevent, detect, and react to breaches. PCI Compliance is not optional for merchants ... it's a requirement for all businesses who accept credit cards. Failure to meet the requirements can be catastrophic for business owners if they ever fall victim to a breach on their system.

The standards are set by PCI Security Standard Council. The council is an open global forum, launched in 2006, responsible for the development, management, education, and awareness of the PCI Security Standards, including the Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS), and PIN Transaction Security (PTS) requirements.

Their website is extensive and has more information than you could ever want to know about becoming PCI Compliant and maintaining the standard. Full PCI requirements are detailed and outlined here: https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/

Granted, most merchants who read through these requirements have their eyes crossed within minutes. It can be complicated, but it's essential that you don't ignore it.

At Novera Payment Solutions we work hard to take to take the headache out of PCI Compliance for you.  Give us a call ... not only will we save you money over your current credit card processing solution with our flat fee merchant account, but we will guide you through PCI Compliance maze and make it simple to get up and running!

According to the PCI Security Standards Council, more than 340 million computer records containing sensitive personal information have been involved in security breaches in the U.S. since 2005, and more than 80% of the attacks targeted small merchants.

Why do thieves target small merchants?

Because small businesses tend to have more lax security standards when it comes to protecting card holder data.

Back in June 2013, we wrote a blog about PCI Compliance for Auto Dealerships. That fact is, the information in that blog post applies to all merchants. READ IT HERE

If you are at fault for a security breach involving card holder data, the fallout and penalties can be severe for your business.

If you accept credit cards, here are 7 reasons why you should care about protecting card holder data:

1. At minimum, loss of consumer confidence. If your business is involved in a data breach, consumers may go somewhere else.
2. Lost sales. When the news hits that your business has had a data breach, sales can decline dramatically as a result of lost consumer trust.
3. Termination of your ability to accept credit cards. The ability to accept credit cards at your business can be revoked by your provider.
4. Fines and penalties. The payment brands may, at their discretion, fine an acquiring bank $5,000 to $100,000 per month for PCI compliance violations. The banks will most likely pass this fine on downstream until it eventually hits the business owner.
5. Legal costs, settlements and judgments. Needless to say, in the event of a data breach, your busineses may be subject to legal action.
6. Cost of reissuing new payment cards and subsequent costs of compliance. It is important to be familiar with your merchant account agreement, which should outline your financial exposure.
7. Going out of business. Simply by reviewing items one through six in this list, it's easy to see why this can be catastrophic for a small business.

As a merchant, you are at the center of credit card payment transactions so it is imperative that you use standard security procedures and technologies to thwart theft of cardholder data.

If you need help navigating the PCI Compliance maze for your business, Novera Payment Solutions can help.

We take the mystery out of the process and requirements, as well as help ensure that your business is fully compliant.