You demand security for your customers’ information. Still, not every customer has the background knowledge to stay safe when it comes to electronic transactions. Even more troubling, the variety of transfers is growing, with novel payment options like Venmo, Facebook P2P, and Snapcash vying for a bigger piece of the transaction pie. As the holiday season plows forward, your customers may be eager to know how to keep their information safe—and if you’re concerned with credit card processing for small business, you yourself may be looking at these new types of payments as options, too.
If your business has an online store, it is true that you cannot do everything alone. There is much that your customers must also take responsibility to keep safe. Here are a few reminders:
It’s been said, but it bears repeating: it’s safest to avoid public Wi-Fi connections if you are purchasing something, or transferring money. That’s because more often than not, the security measures in place for public connections aren’t as robust, and Wi-Fi hotspots have more people logged onto them, meaning more potential for a hacker to be present and waiting for an opportunity to gain your information.
In the event of someone stealing your identity, or otherwise gaining access to your account, it will be less dire if your credit account is compromised, when compared to the checking account that all your monthly expenses are linked to. If it ends up taking a while to reinstate the lost funds, you don’t want to be worrying about making your car payment. It’s smart to simply use the credit card, and pay it off before the interest is charged.
On this note, for transactions that are completed through PayPal, linking up a credit card makes sense, because if, for some reason, the purchased item doesn’t show up or isn’t as described, the buyer is eligible for a refund.
Finally, if you’re out and about in store and online, the simplest precaution may be one of the best—check your balances. Throughout the year, it can be easy to get into the habit of just assuming transactions went through as planned. With the sheer volume of transactions increasing steeply around the holiday shopping season, it may be wise to get in front of your online statements much more regularly to ensure that hiccups, mistakes, and, especially fraud don’t put a wet blanket on all your holiday cheer.
Perhaps you’re a small business retailer that has been relying on Paypal. If you’re interested in taking the next leap in security and convenience for you as well as your customer, look into Moolah as a brilliant option for a dedicated merchant account and credit card processing for your small business.
Thank you for scheduling. If you have any questions, please contact us at 800-625-1670.
A credit card surcharge is an additional fee added to a transaction when a patient chooses to pay with a credit card. The surcharge is intended to help offset the cost of credit card processing and applies only to eligible credit card transactions.
No. Debit card transactions may not be surcharged under any circumstances, even if the debit card is processed as a credit transaction or entered manually.
Yes. Credit card surcharges may not exceed the merchant’s actual cost of accepting credit cards and are capped at a maximum of 3% of the total transaction amount, in accordance with card-network rules and applicable law.
Yes. Card networks require clear and transparent disclosure of any credit card surcharge. Practices must notify patients through appropriate signage at the practice entrance, point of sale, and anywhere payments are accepted. If payments are accepted online, the surcharge must also be clearly disclosed on the practice’s website.
Yes. Some U.S. states and territories prohibit or restrict credit card surcharging. Practices are responsible for understanding and complying with their state’s specific requirements before implementing a surcharge.
No. While Moolah provides tools and general guidance to support credit card surcharging, compliance with all applicable laws and card-network rules is the responsibility of the merchant. Moolah does not provide legal advice and assumes no liability for a merchant’s compliance.
Most major credit card networks permit surcharging when done in accordance with their rules, but additional requirements or restrictions may apply. Practices should ensure they have completed all required network notifications and disclosures prior to enabling surcharging.
Failure to comply with surcharging rules may result in card-network fines, required refunds, or other enforcement actions. Practices should ensure they fully understand all applicable requirements before applying a surcharge.
Flex does not currently offer built-in support for credit card surcharging. If a practice chooses to enroll in a surcharge plan, payments would need to be processed through Moolah’s payment platform, which is designed to support surcharging and integrates directly with Open Dental.
If you are considering introducing a credit card surcharge for your patients, it is important to understand that there are specific rules and regulations that must be followed when enrolling in and operating under a surcharge plan.
This article provides a general overview of common surcharging requirements. This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is the responsibility of each merchant to review, understand, and comply with all applicable laws, card-network rules, and regulatory requirements, including notification timeframes, signage requirements, surcharge percentage limits, and jurisdictions where surcharging is prohibited.
If you are unsure about the laws or regulations applicable to your practice, you should consult with qualified legal counsel. Moolah assumes no liability for a merchant’s compliance or non-compliance with credit card surcharging rules or regulations.
Transparent Communication
Card networks, including Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express, require merchants to clearly and transparently disclose when a credit card surcharge is applied.
Practices must clearly notify patients of a credit card surcharge through appropriate signage placed at the practice entrance, at the point of sale or terminal, and anywhere payments are accepted. If payments are accepted online, surcharge disclosures must also be clearly visible on the practice’s website. All disclosures must inform patients that the surcharge applies only to credit card transactions.
Surcharge Limits
Credit card surcharges must comply with both card-network rules and applicable law. The surcharge amount may not exceed the merchant’s actual cost of accepting credit cards and may not exceed 3% of the total transaction amount.
Card-network rules cap credit card surcharges at 3%, meaning that if a merchant’s processing costs exceed this amount, the excess portion cannot be passed on to the patient.
Network and State Restrictions
The major credit card networks, such as Visa and Mastercard, impose specific requirements related to surcharge limits, advance notification, and disclosure.
In addition, several U.S. states and territories regulate or prohibit credit card surcharging. At the time of writing, credit card surcharging is prohibited in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and Puerto Rico. Other states, including Colorado, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, and New York, impose restrictions on surcharge amounts or require specific disclosures.
If your practice operates in a state that restricts or prohibits credit card surcharging, you must fully understand and comply with those requirements before implementing a surcharge.
Debit card transactions may never be surcharged, even if the debit card is processed as a credit transaction.
Applicability
Credit card surcharges may be applied only to credit card transactions. Other payment types, including debit cards and alternative payment methods, are not eligible for surcharging.
Regulatory Compliance
Merchants are responsible for maintaining ongoing compliance with all applicable card-network and legal requirements. This includes meeting advance notification obligations, using compliant signage and disclosures, adhering to surcharge percentage limits, and respecting jurisdiction-specific restrictions.
By following these guidelines, dental practices can implement credit card surcharging in a way that aligns with card-network rules and promotes transparency with patients. Clear and upfront communication helps maintain patient trust and supports a positive payment experience.