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Embedded Payments: The Strategic Advantage for ISV Growth

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Key Takeaways

  • Embedded payments go beyond basic “integration.” For ISVs, it’s not just about connecting to a gateway—it’s about owning the full money-movement experience from sign-up to settlement, including automated onboarding, split payouts, risk controls and unified reporting.
  • Three capabilities predict whether embedded payments actually pay off. The winners prioritize: (1) fast, compliant onboarding (automated KYC/KYB, clear status updates), (2) tunable risk and fraud controls by vertical and (3) real revenue levers like card-on-file durability, network tokens and smart retries that protect margin and reduce involuntary churn.
  • PFaaS is the fastest path to monetizing payments without new operational risk. Instead of building a full stack (gateway, acquiring, compliance program, settlement ops) from scratch, ISVs can partner with a PFaaS provider like CSG Forte to keep control of the customer experience and revenue strategy while offloading the heavy lift of compliance, risk and day‑to‑day payments operations.

Embedded payments have become a critical growth driver for independent software vendors (ISVs). By building payment capabilities directly into their platforms, ISVs remove friction for payers and merchants, leading to higher conversion rates and stronger retention. Beyond simplifying payment processing, embedded payments allow ISVs to unlock new revenue streams. For ISVs aiming to stand out, increase revenue and retain more merchants, embedding finance solutions within their product is no longer optional—it’s a strategic imperative.

 

What are embedded payments?

Embedded payments refer to payment functions that are built into a non-payment application or software platform. End users pay directly within the app or software interface, without being redirected to an outside payment portal.

Embedded payments are the most common type of embedded finance—financial services built directly into the user experience of a non-financial company’s app or platform. Embedded finance also includes insurance (such as product warranties or travel insurance) and financing at the point of sale (such as buy-now-pay-later or auto financing).

Embedded payment examples, by industry

  • Healthcare: A patient logs into the portal to view medical records. The patient can easily locate an outstanding balance and is able to pay it directly within the portal without being redirected to a separate billing site.
  • Property management: Tenants can pay rent directly within the tenant portal, streamlining the payment process for both residents and property managers. This not only eliminates the hassle of checks and manual payment tracking, but also integrates payment history, late fees and lease renewals into one centralized dashboard—making management more efficient and improving tenant satisfaction.
  • Government services: Residents can pay taxes, fees or permit applications directly within government portals, improving accessibility and streamlining the user experience while enhancing the agency’s operational efficiency.

 

Embedded vs. integrated payments

While the terms “embedded payments” and “integrated payments” are sometimes used interchangeably, they aren’t the same.

The term “integrated payments” is a broad definition to describe any payment functionality that is connected to a business’s core software systems. The payment system exchanges data with these systems to improve accuracy, simplify reconciliation and streamline workflows.

But the payment interface might involve a separate window, clearly distinct module or redirection to a third-party gateway or processor. The payer is aware of entering a payment zone and may feel uncertain about the security measures.

Limitations of integrated payments

Integrated payments don’t meet customer expectations for fast, secure payments. Redirecting users—especially less tech-savvy ones—to an unfamiliar checkout page with different branding can feel disjointed and raise security concerns. Payment integrations don’t meet software vendors’ and merchants’ needs, either.

Integrated payments have several drawbacks:

  • Transaction fees go to the payment processor—not the ISV: ISVs that partner with a third-party gateway only earn small, fixed referral fees for passing merchants to the processor. The processor keeps most of the high-margin revenue from the payment transaction fees.
  • They introduce operational friction: With integrated payments, merchants have two separate relationships—one with the ISV and another with the processor. This means more pain points. Because merchants must complete separate, external application and underwriting processes with the payment processor, onboarding takes longer. Merchants who experience chargebacks or delayed funding contact the ISV, who redirects them to the processor. This fragmented support damages merchant experience and may lead to churn.
  • They offer limited control over the payment experience: The ISV can’t fully control or customize the payment experience. This means they’re unable to design tailored payment plans, integrate unique billing logic or build real-time, consolidated reporting that fuses payment data with business data.
  • They provide less product stickiness: Since the payment processing relationship is external, merchants can more easily switch to another platform and simply migrate their existing processing relationship.

 

Why embed financial services?

By offering purchase, payment and billing software in one place, ISVs eliminate the hassle of managing multiple vendors and resolving disputes between them. Embedded finance differentiates ISVs from their competitors and overcomes the limitations of integrated payments.

It generates a new revenue stream: Embedding payment processing allows ISVs to tap into transaction fees every time a payment is processed within their software solution. This recurring revenue stream can significantly contribute to the ISV’s overall earnings.

It reduces friction for merchants and end users/payers, increasing retention: Embedded payments deliver the smooth, secure experience today’s consumers expect. Fast, easy payments boost conversion rates, on-time payments and payer satisfaction and retention. Happy merchants who experience the benefits of embedded payments are likely to continue using the ISV’s software platform.

It increases stickiness: The deeper the payment integration, the harder it is for a merchant to switch. When payments are embedded, moving to a new software vendor would mean migrating not just historical business data, but also payment processing accounts, terminal setups and reconciliation workflows.

It gives ISVs control over the merchant experience:

  • Onboarding: ISVs can facilitate merchant onboarding by pre-filling information and automating the application process.
  • Customized, industry-specific payment functionality: Software vendors can design custom payment features such as recurring billing, split payments and automated late fees that are tailored to their industry.
  • Cleaner reporting: Embedded payments dramatically simplify reporting by unifying financial and operational data into a single system, eliminating the need for manual reconciliation and data matching across disparate platforms.
  • Simpler support: The ISV handles all payment issues, including chargebacks and funding delays, leading to higher merchant satisfaction.

 

Build a system from scratch or partner with a service provider?

ISVs can assemble their own payment stack—gateway, acquirer relationships, compliance program, risk models, settlement ops—or partner with a payment service provider that provides the infrastructure and handles risk and compliance.

You must weigh the unique challenges and potential benefits of both options to determine the right path for your specific business needs.

Answer these questions

Your answers to the following questions will help you determine if building or partnering makes the most sense for your business.

Readiness:

  • What is the size and maturity of my business?
  • Have I explored all my options related to optimizing payments and reducing processing costs?

Costs:

  • Am I prepared to cover the additional costs required to build and maintain my own payment processing platform?
  • What talent would I need to hire to have the necessary expertise in-house?

Timeline:

  • How long will it take to become a payments processor?
  • Can I afford to wait that long?

Risks:

  • What is my risk tolerance for financial losses and reputational risks?
  • Am I comfortable assuming liability as a payment processor?

 

6 core capabilities your embedded payments partner should have

The right embedded payments partner simplifies the adoption of payment functionality. Here’s what to look for:

  • Industry flexibility: Choose a payments solution that can accommodate the specific requirements of different industries, ranging from property management to government and healthcare.
  • Rapid onboarding: Look for a partner who gets you up and running in days, not weeks.
  • Modularity: You should be able to choose which modules to include in your payment system. Your partner should allow you to embed solutions like recurring payments (autopay), text-to-pay, account verification and automatic updates.
  • Built-in payment card industry (PCI) compliance: Select a payments partner that provides Level 1 PCI-compliant infrastructure, including secure firewalls and network configurations, tokenization and encryption of cardholder data.
  • Fraud prevention tools: Fight fraud with automated account authentication that validates payment information before processing the payment.
  • Responsive customer support: Merchants must have swift, effective help when they encounter payment platform issues. Choose a payments partner who provides quality, consistent and knowledgeable support whenever merchants need it.

 

Partner with CSG Forte to embed payments easily and quickly

If you’re ready to add embedded payments and don’t want to build a payment stack, CSG Forte’s Payment Facilitation-as-a-Service (PFaaS) partnership option makes it simple and approachable.

You can white label a CSG Forte solution for seamless integration, fast onboarding, reliable payment processing and lowered risk.

Visit CSG Forte or talk to an expert to learn how we can help you boost revenue by embedding payments.

5 Common Types of Payment Fraud—And How to Stop Them Before They Hit Your Business

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Key Takeaways

  • Identifying and understanding various types of payment fraud is essential for businesses to protect their revenue and reputation.
  • Each payment fraud type—such as account takeover, overpayment fraud and card testing—requires tailored prevention strategies and vigilant monitoring.
  • Implementing robust security measures and staying informed on the latest fraud tactics can help businesses stay ahead of evolving threats.

Payment fraud is one of the biggest threats businesses face today. Attacks are evolving fast, becoming harder to detect and even harder to stop. Understanding the different types of payment fraud is the first step to protecting your customers and your bottom line. Each fraud type demands its own tools and defense strategy—generic fraud prevention measures won’t cut it. Keep reading to learn the impact, warning signs and best practices for preventing five common types of payment fraud.

 

5 types of payment fraud

 

1. Account takeover (ATO) fraud

What is it?
Cybercriminals gain unauthorized access to a victim’s accounts to steal money or information. Fraudsters access a victim’s online account through phishing emails and websites, brute force attacks, social engineering, data breaches, malware or SIM card swapping.

Business impacts

  • Financial losses: When account takeover fraudsters make unauthorized purchases or transfer funds, individuals and businesses take a financial hit.
  • Chargebacks: After the account holder discovers the ATO, merchants can expect chargebacks (with fees added to each transaction).
  • Higher operational costs: Fraud teams must investigate account takeovers and invest in more robust security measures. Customer service teams field calls from distressed customers, increasing customer care costs.

Warning signs

  • New or unauthorized transactions
  • Large withdrawals
  • Random and sporadic spikes in traffic
  • Requests to change passwords, address, or payment beneficiary
  • Multiple failed login attempts—especially from an unusual location or time of day
  • New or unrecognized devices accessing an account

Ways to prevent ATO fraud

  • Implement front-door controls to stop fraudsters and bots before they gain unauthorized access to the payment system.
    • Multi-Factor Authentication (e.g., one-time passwords and biometrics)
    • Rate limiting/IP controls (limiting the number of failed login attempts allowed from a single IP address, device, or user account within a short period)
    • CAPTCHA
  • Monitor accounts to detect unusual activity.

 

2. Overpayment fraud

What is it?
A fraudster uses a stolen credit card or counterfeit check to pay significantly more than the agreed-upon price for a good or service. Then the fraudster asks the victim to refund the excess amount using a legitimate, irreversible payment method (like a wire transfer, payment app, gift card or cash). Merchants and rental property managers are common victims of overpayment fraud.

Business impacts
Total financial loss for the business/victim include:

  • The amount of the legitimate refund they sent to the scammer
  • The goods or services they provided to the scammer
  • Fees incurred from the fraudulent overpayment (e.g., chargeback or returned deposit item fees)

Warning signs

  • Sends more money than they should and claims it was a mistake
  • Overpays using a check from a different name or account than the buyer
  • Pushes for quick repayment—often before the original check clears
  • Requests refunds through methods that are difficult to track or reverse, such as gift cards or wire transfers or payment apps
  • Refuses to correct the payment themselves (e.g., by sending the correct payment)

Ways to prevent overpayment fraud

  • Never refund overpayments: Do not accept a payment for more than the selling price. If someone overpays, cancel the transaction and ask for the correct amount.
  • Wait for payments to clear: Don’t ship any item until you are sure the payment is valid. Even when your bank makes the funds available in your account, the money can be withdrawn later if the payer’s bank determines that the check is fraudulent or the true account holder reports unauthorized activity.
  • Only accept secure payment methods: Instead of taking checks, which offer less protection from fraud, accept cash or person-to-person payments through trusted, secure payment systems such as Venmo, Apple Pay or Google Pay. This may dissuade scammers from targeting your business in the first place.

 

3. Card testing

What is it?
Cybercriminals use bots to run small transactions or authorizations across large batches of stolen or generated card numbers to identify which cards are valid. Once verified, those card details are used for larger fraudulent purchases or sold on the dark web.

Business impacts

  • Transaction fees: Every attempted transaction—whether it’s approved or declined—costs merchants money. During card-testing attacks, these fees can escalate quickly, and too many declines may cause processors to label a merchant as “high risk,” triggering higher fees.
  • Chargeback fees: Even small successful test charges lead to chargebacks when cardholders notice unauthorized activity. Each dispute carries a fee, and excessive fraud-related chargebacks may result in higher processing costs or account termination.
  • Wasted staff time: Fraud, security and IT teams must investigate logs, block fraudulent IPs and clean up incident fallout—time that produces no revenue.
  • Lost revenue from false positives: To fight bots, merchants or payment platforms may tighten fraud rules, unintentionally blocking legitimate customers and losing sales.

Warning signs

  • Sudden spikes in authorization attempts
  • Many $1 (or smaller) transactions in rapid succession
  • Multiple card numbers used from the same IP, device or region
  • High decline rates due to large volumes of invalid or expired data
  • Transactions from unfamiliar or high-risk geographic regions
  • Inconsistent or mismatched billing information

Ways to prevent card testing

  • Transaction monitoring and alerts: Implement real-time monitoring of payment activity to detect unusual patterns, such as multiple low-value transactions or repeated declines, and automatically alert fraud teams for quick response.
  • Limit failed attempts and block suspicious accounts: Set thresholds for failed payment attempts and restrict further activity from accounts or IP addresses exceeding those limits to reduce the risk of automated card testing attacks.
  • Strong authentication: Require card verification value (CVV) and address verification service (AVS) checks. Add CAPTCHA to forms that allow card-on-file storage.

 

4. First-party (chargeback) fraud

What is it?
The customer makes a legitimate purchase but later files a chargeback with their bank, falsely claiming they didn’t authorize the purchase or receive the goods, or the product was damaged.

Business impacts

  • Financial losses: The merchant loses the product and revenue from the sale and incurs a chargeback fee from the payment processor.
  • Higher processing fees and scrutiny: Merchants with high chargeback ratios are subject to higher fees and monitoring by the payment processor.
  • Increased operational costs: Investigating chargeback claims, gathering evidence and responding to banks are labor-intensive tasks.

Warning signs
Red flags emerge after the purchase, typically via patterns in the customer’s behavior and dispute history.

  • Frequent chargebacks from the same customer
  • Customer claims they didn’t receive the order, despite delivery confirmation
  • Disputes filed shortly after the transaction (especially for digital goods or subscription services that have already been used)
  • Chargebacks with no prior contact with the merchant (i.e., no attempt to resolve the problem)

Ways to prevent first-party (chargeback) fraud

  • Keep detailed records: Document transactions, shipping/delivery details and customer communications to defend against chargebacks.
  • Use fraud prevention tools to:
    • Track chargeback patterns and flag high-risk customers for manual review.
    • Monitor transaction timelines and flag disputes raised unusually quickly.
    • Detect intent to commit friendly fraud chargeback.

Banks contact the merchant immediately when an account holder contacts them about a suspicious transaction. The merchant can pre-emptively refund the money before a formal chargeback is filed, avoiding the chargeback fee and preventing a hit to the merchant’s chargeback ratio.

 

5. Merchant bust-out fraud

What is it?
Cybercriminals use stolen or synthetic identities to establish fraudulent merchant accounts. After processing small, legitimate transactions for a few months, the fraudulent merchant suddenly “busts out” by processing a massive volume of fraudulent transactions (using stolen credit cards) before quickly disappearing.

Business impacts
Merchant bust-out fraud primarily impacts the acquiring payment processors and banks. When the victims of the fraudulent sales (the cardholders) file chargebacks, the processor is left to absorb the massive financial losses, as the fraudulent merchant has already withdrawn the provisional funds and vanished.

Warning signs

  • Inconsistent data: Missing or inconsistent personal data during the initial merchant account application may signal a synthetic identity.
  • Building a fake profile: The fraudulent merchant may initially make timely payments and normal purchases to build up a credit history.
  • Frequent credit requests: Regular requests for credit limit increases are disproportionate to the business’s financial history.
  • Sudden activity spike: A dramatic, uncharacteristic increase in the volume or dollar value of transactions may signal impending merchant bust-out.

Ways to prevent merchant bust-out fraud
Payment processors and banks should require rigorous checks throughout the merchant lifecycle, including:

  • Comprehensive onboarding checks: Partner with a payment processor that completes thorough merchant onboarding, including verification of business ownership, validation of tax identification numbers and review of corporate documents to ensure each merchant is legitimate and not operating under a synthetic identity.
  • Ongoing transaction and risk monitoring: Ensure your platform continuously monitors merchant activity for unusual patterns, such as sudden spikes in transaction volumes or suspicious payment behaviors. Automated systems flag high-risk accounts for further review, helping to detect and prevent bust-out fraud before losses occur.

 

Fight payment fraud with CSG Forte

The easiest way to safeguard your customers’ financial data and your revenue is to partner with a modern payment services provider who offers a secure payer engagement platform. CSG Forte provides robust tools to defend against multiple types of payment fraud.

Are you ready to take online payments faster and safer? Contact the experts at CSG Forte today to learn more or sign up for a demo.

What You Should Know About E-Commerce Payment Methods

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E-commerce isn’t just growing—it’s becoming a bigger slice of everyday retail, and an increasing share of those purchases happen on a phone. In the U.S., e-commerce accounted for 16.3% of total retail sales in Q2 2025. And mobile continues to pull more weight: U.S. retail m-commerce is forecast at $542.73 billion in 2024, representing 7.4% of all retail sales and about 44.6% of U.S. retail e-commerce.

To reach today’s shoppers, businesses need to support the payment methods customers already prefer online—from cards to digital wallets (and, increasingly, account-to-account options). Here’s what to know about e-commerce payment processing, the key players involved and the payment types to consider if you want to reduce friction at checkout.

 

What is e-commerce payment processing?

E-commerce payment processing is what allows a business to accept electronic payments. The process of paying online is usually over in what seems to be only a few seconds, but payment information actually makes a fairly long and detailed journey from submission to approval.

E-commerce vs. traditional payment processing

E-commerce payment systems differ from traditional payment processing methods in a few ways. With traditional payment processing, a merchant connects a third-party payment gateway to the checkout process. The customer needs to visit a separate page to provide their payment details. They are then redirected back to the checkout page of the merchant.

E-commerce payment processing removes the intermediary, as it integrates payment processing into your website. It’s perceived as more secure and trustworthy by the customer, as they aren’t being taken to an unknown third party. Integrating e-commerce payment processing into your retail website helps build trust with your shoppers, which can lead to more sales.

 

How does e-commerce payment processing work?

Several parties are involved in the online payment process. Most of the work happens behind the scenes and moves quickly, so a customer may not realize their payment information has to go through several steps before it’s approved and the sale is complete.

1. Customer inputs payment information

The e-commerce payment process begins when a shopper inputs their payment information during checkout. They may use a credit or debit card or a digital wallet such as Apple Pay, Google Pay or PayPal. The customer inputs their payment information into the checkout page on your site. The data is then encrypted and sent over a payment gateway to a processor.

2. Information reaches payment processor

Once the processor receives the payment information, it reaches out to the bank connected to the debit or credit card. The bank confirms that the customer has enough funding to cover the transaction. If all is well, the bank approves the transaction. If there isn’t enough money in the account or on the credit line or the bank suspects fraud, it declines the transaction.

3. Transaction is accepted or declined

From there, the payment processor lets the payment gateway know if the transaction was accepted or declined. The payment gateway then shares that information with your website. If the bank approved the transaction, the sale is complete and the customer gets an order confirmation. If the bank declined the transaction, the customer receives an error message and is asked to try again or seek help.

4. Approved transactions go through

After the transaction is approved and complete, the total amount is deducted from the customer’s bank account or credit line and sent to your merchant account.

 

Who’s who in e-commerce payments

There are several participants in the e-commerce process. Take a closer look at what each party does and their roles.

Payment processor

A payment processor is the service provider your business uses to accept credit cards and other digital payment methods. It facilitates the e-commerce transaction by sending payment data to the customer’s credit card or bank and your merchant account.

Payment gateway

A payment gateway is necessary if your business wants to accept payments online. It’s a platform that connects your website to a merchant service provider, enabling data transfer between the payment processor, issuing and receiving banks, and your website. When a customer’s bank or credit card approves or declines a transaction, the information is sent to your website through the payment gateway.

Merchant account

After a customer’s bank or credit card authorizes an e-commerce transaction, the money needs a place to go. The funds are deposited into your merchant account.

A merchant account is separate from your business’s bank account. To get a merchant account, you need to have a relationship with a merchant services provider, which provides software and hardware for e-commerce sales. Some banks offer merchant accounts, but before choosing a provider, you should consider factors like:

  • Hardware and software costs
  • Quality of customer support
  • Contract length and other terms

Once you’ve opened a merchant account, you can link it to your business’s bank accounts. You can transfer any funds in your merchant account to your business checking or savings, usually after a day or two.

 

What are the types of global payment methods?

E-commerce payments take place over the internet, but the payment methods vary considerably. Several e-commerce payment methods exist, and the available options are evolving.

The payment method a customer is likely to choose depends largely on the options available and their preferences. To facilitate the payment process and reduce the chance of turning a customer away, consider accepting as many payment types as possible.

Details from physical cards

Types of e-commerce payment methods with physical cards include:

  • Credit cards: Credit cards have 16-digit numbers assigned to them, plus an expiration date and security code. When a customer uses a credit card to pay, the sale amount is deducted from their credit line. If they have enough remaining on their credit line, the issuing bank typically authorizes the transaction.
  • Debit cards: Like credit cards, debit cards have 16-digit account numbers, an expiration date and a security code. They’re connected to a customer’s bank account, typically their checking account. When a customer pays with their debit card, the funds are pulled from their bank account. 
  • Prepaid cards: Prepaid cards work similarly to debit cards but aren’t connected to a bank account. Instead, a person purchases a card and “loads” a certain amount of money onto it. Every time they use the card, the purchase amount gets deducted from the amount loaded onto it. Some prepaid cards are reloadable, while others aren’t, like gift cards. If there aren’t enough funds on the card, the transaction gets declined.

Payment with account information

In the digital age, customers can also use account details or securely stored card information to make purchases online. These are digital payment options like:

  • Digital wallets: Digital wallets “store” customers’ credit and debit card information. Examples include Apple Pay and Google Pay. The wallets can be used on any device, including a smartphone, laptop or tablet. They’re designed to make paying for purchases more convenient and secure because they encrypt and tokenize payment information.
  • Online payment services: Sites like PayPal or Venmo connect to a customer’s bank account. Shoppers log in to the payment platform at online checkout instead of needing their bank account details.
  • Bank transfers: A bank transfer, or an automated clearinghouse (ACH) transfer, pulls money directly from a customer’s bank account. To perform the transfer, the customer needs to provide their bank’s routing number and account number. They can usually use a checking or savings account.
  • EChecks: EChecks are often confused with ACH payments, but the two methods differ. ECheck is a form of ACH, but it’s not ACH itself. When paying by eCheck, a customer provides information that would be found on a paper check and authorizes the payment. It does take slightly longer to receive funds from an eCheck, but it processes as quickly as ACH.

Other e-commerce payment methods

Other payment methods include:

  • Buy now, pay later: Customers split the cost of purchases into installments with this method. Typically, buy now, pay later programs are offered through a third party, which collects the payments from the customer and may charge them interest.
  • Cash on delivery: Cash on delivery (COD) is a relatively old-school payment method that’s still popular in some parts of the world, often in places with a large unbanked population or where credit or debit card use is uncommon. With COD, a customer orders a product or service and pays in cash when the item arrives at their home or the service is performed.

 

What to look for in an e-commerce payment system

Make it easier to choose among your many e-commerce payment system options by knowing what to look for. Because each business has different needs, a payments platform that’s right for one store or merchant may not be right for you.

Keep an eye out for these qualities when choosing your payment system.

1. Security

The payment solution you choose should be secure. Security can take several forms, so look for the following features:

  • Tokenization: Tokenization turns sensitive credit card and other payment data into randomly generated tokens. On their own, the tokens have no value, so if they are intercepted by a third party, the third party can’t use them elsewhere.
  • Hosted payment pages: Holding on to customers’ sensitive payment information puts you and them at risk. Hosted payment pages mean that your company doesn’t store payment details on its site and that any payment information is kept secure.
  • End-to-end encryption: Encryption transforms data into strings of gibberish, making it worthless if intercepted. Look for a payment system that uses Payment Card Industry (PCI) validated, end-to-end encryption.

2. Ability to accept different payment types

The more payment types you can accept, the wider your customer base. Choose a payment system that lets you accept credit and debit cards, digital wallets, eChecks and other payment methods.

3. Costs and fees

All payment processors charge fees for using their services, but the fees vary. Before deciding to work with a payment system, review the costs associated with it and the fees it charges. Typical fees include:

  • Monthly subscription fee
  • Transaction charges, which can be a flat fee or a percentage of the purchase amount
  • Setup fees

4. International payments

When you sell online, you may have customers from all over. To accommodate people living in countries other than yours, you may want to look for a payment system that lets you accept payments in other currencies.

 

Why work with CSG Forte?

CSG Forte lets you manage your payment operations from a single location. Our complete payments solution lets you accept any payment method, from cards to digital wallets to ACH. Our solution goes beyond online sales, allowing you to accept payments in person and over the phone.

We also have several pricing structures available. Choosing the pricing model that works best for your business, based on your sales volume and transactions.

 

Contact us today to get started

If you sell online, you need a payment system that’s secure, affordable and flexible. Contact CSG Forte to learn more about our complete payment solution or to sign up for an account.

What Are Card Testing Attacks?

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Key Takeaways

  • Card testing attacks are a growing threat to eCommerce merchants, causing financial losses, operational disruption and reputational damage. Recognizing early warning signs is critical for effective detection and prevention.
  • Layered payment security controls are essential to block automated card testing fraud and protect your business from chargebacks and increased processing fees.
  • Partnering with a PCI-compliant payment service provider ensures access to advanced fraud prevention tools, real-time monitoring and tailored security solutions that help safeguard revenue and customer trust.

Imagine opening your payment operations platform to see thousands of small, unexplained charges. By the time you react, it’s too late. Your business, and your customers, have been blindsided. Card testing fraud isn’t just a nuisance; it’s a silent, persistent threat that can drain resources, damage trust and leave even the most vigilant merchants scrambling to recover. That’s why staying a step ahead of these invisible attackers is more essential than ever.

Card testing fraud is rampant and increasing, affecting 33% of global eCommerce merchants. Card testing attacks are stealthy, often escaping detection because the low-value transactions fly under the radar. At that volume, the financial and operational fallout can devastate businesses. Strong payment security measures are essential for effective card testing detection and prevention. Modern payment service providers must implement robust monitoring and authentication controls to keep from getting blindsided.

 

What is a card testing attack?

A card testing attack is a payment fraud scheme where cybercriminals use bots to quickly run small transactions or authorizations through large batches of stolen or generated card numbers, determining which cards are usable. If a transaction succeeds, the card is validated. The fraudster then uses these working card details for larger, unauthorized purchases or sells the validated card information on the dark web.

 

6 signs of a card testing attack

Card testing often escapes detection because cardholders and fraud detection systems don’t notice the small transactions.

Look for these indicators that your business may be under silent attack:

  1. Sudden spikes in transaction volume: An immediate, large increase in the number of attempted authorizations that far exceeds your normal, legitimate payment traffic.
  2. Numerous $1 or smaller transactions, often in quick succession: Many attempts to purchase the cheapest item on the site. Another fishy indicator: $0 authorization holds (used for free trial sign-ups or card-on-file verification).
  3. Use of multiple cards: An actual buyer wouldn’t make several attempts to use different card numbers from the same IP address, device or geographic area.
  4. High rate of declined transactions: Because the fraudster is testing large lists of stolen and often expired data, the ratio of failed transactions to successful transactions is high.
  5. Geographic mismatch: Transactions originating predominantly from countries or regions known for high fraud or are outside the merchant’s usual geographic customer base.
  6. Inconsistent billing information: A mismatch between the billing information provided and the card details on file.

 

The high cost of card testing attacks

Although each fraudulent transaction is small, the damage to businesses can be substantial. The direct financial costs include:

  • Transaction fees: Merchants pay a small processing fee for every transaction attempt—successful or declined. In a card testing attack, these fees can quickly add up to thousands of dollars.
  • Chargeback fees: Successful $1 charges made during the testing phase result in chargebacks when the legitimate cardholder sees the unauthorized charge. The merchant is then hit with chargeback fees (typically $20–$100 per instance).
  • Processing fees: Payment processors may classify merchants with too many fraud-related chargebacks or declines as “high risk,” resulting in higher processing fees or account termination.

Card testing attacks also create operational disruption and costs, such as:

  • Blocked traffic and increased downtime: The massive, sudden influx of authorization requests can overload the merchant’s payment gateway or e-commerce servers, potentially slowing down the website or causing temporary denial of service (DoS). This prevents legitimate customers from completing purchases, damaging customer experience and decreasing revenue.
  • Wasted staff hours: Security, fraud and IT teams must spend valuable, non-revenue-generating time analyzing transaction logs, blocking fraudulent IP addresses and manually cleaning up the aftermath of the attack.
  • Lost revenue due to false positives: One way to combat bots is to tighten fraud warnings, causing some legitimate customer transactions to be mistakenly declined. This results in lost sales and customer frustration.
  • Reputational damage: Customers expect businesses to protect their payment information. Frequent fraud incidents damage the brand’s reputation and customer trust, leading to reduced sales—or churn.

 

Why are some sites more attractive to card testers?

Some websites and platforms are more attractive to card testers because operational characteristics or poor security practices simplify card validation on those sites. Card testers look for platforms where transactions can be approved for the lowest possible amount, to avoid raising alarms with merchants or cardholders.

Card testers choose platforms with these payment security limitations:

  • Weak bot detection: Websites with minimal or ineffective CAPTCHA, behavioral biometrics or bot detection tools allow automated scripts to run unchecked and rapidly.
  • No CVV requirement: Sites that don’t require the Card Verification Value for small transactions make it easier to test cards that only have the number and expiration date (the details stolen in data breaches).
  • Tolerant velocity limits: Platforms that fail to set strict rate limits on the number of transactions allowed from a single IP address, device or user account within a short period allow bots to test hundreds of cards in minutes. Without velocity limits, bots can rapidly guess CVVs or other card details using brute-force methods.

While PCI compliance is essential, effective card testing prevention requires layered security controls. Here’s how PSPs defend your business against card testing fraud.

 

Detecting and preventing card testing attacks

Since card testing is an automated attack, defending against it requires identifying and stopping the bots. PSPs do this by implementing IP and device controls that monitor transactions, blocking suspicious ones.

  • Implement bot and velocity detection: Since card testing is an automated attack, defending against it requires identifying and stopping the bots. PSPs do this by implementing IP and device controls that monitor transactions, blocking suspicious ones.
  • Velocity limits (also called checks or rules): Sites that don’t require the Card Verification Value for small transactions make it easier to test cards that only have the number and expiration date (the details stolen in data breaches).

Make card testing harder through stricter authentication. Payment platforms should introduce friction to deter unauthorized users (who often lack complete card data), without alienating legitimate customers who experience security fatigue.

  • Mandatory CVV: Require the card verification value (CVV) for transactions to deter automated testing bots. Because the Payment Card Industry (PCI) rules prohibit storing CVVs, credentials stolen from data breaches rarely contain the security code. Bots try to guess the CVV, but repeated attempts trigger velocity limits, locking the card or blocking the IP address.
  • AVS (address verification service) checks: Compare the billing address provided by the user with the one on file with the credit card company to uncover inconsistencies that may indicate fraud.
  • CAPTCHA: Place robust, modern CAPTCHA challenges (harder for bots than simple checkboxes) on forms that allow users to save a new card-on-file, as this is a common attack vector for testing.

 

Why CSG Forte?

Card testing is one of the top five payment fraud threats facing eCommerce merchants. Although fraudulent $1 charges may seem insignificant, ignoring them can lead to substantial financial and operational damage. As with any payment fraud, the strongest defense is partnering with a payment services provider that offers modern, robust security.

CSG Forte helps organizations minimize the risk and operational impact of card testing attacks with a unified, PCI-compliant platform and layered security controls tailored to your business. Are you ready to protect your business from card testing fraud? Contact one of our security experts at CSG Forte today.

 

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

How can I detect a card testing attack?
Look for patterns such as a sudden spike in low-value transactions, repeated declines from the same IP or device or unusual transaction velocity. CSG Forte’s platform provides real-time monitoring and alerts to help you spot these signs quickly.

What are the best practices for preventing card testing fraud?
Implement bot and velocity detection, device/IP fingerprinting, tokenization and real-time monitoring. Regularly review your security settings and stay up to date with compliance requirements.

How does CSG Forte help protect against card testing attacks?
CSG Forte delivers advanced security features—including bot/velocity detection, device fingerprinting, tokenization and automated account verification—to detect and prevent card testing before it impacts your business.

What are the operational and financial risks of card testing?
Risks include increased chargebacks, higher processing fees, reputational damage and potential placement on card network monitoring programs.

Can I purchase CSG Forte’s security tools as standalone solutions?
Yes. Many of CSG Forte’s value-added services can be purchased as standalone modules, allowing you to tailor your security stack to your business needs.

Defending Payments in an AI Fraud Era

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Key Takeaways:

  • Payment fraud is accelerating and evolving. Losses are projected to reach $91 billion in 2028, and nearly 80% of organizations reported attacks or attempts in 2024. Fraud is no longer occasional; it’s global, complex and relentless.
  • AI is a double-edged sword. Businesses use AI to fight fraud, but bad actors also leverage AI to automate fraud, create synthetic identities and launch sophisticated phishing campaigns that evade traditional detection.
  • Modern fraud protection requires agility and intelligence. Businesses need solutions that deploy quickly, adapt to unique transaction patterns and provide full visibility with customizable controls—backed by expert support to stay ahead of evolving threats.

The payments industry is under siege. Fraud is no longer an occasional nuisance. It’s accelerating at unprecedented speeds, becoming increasingly sophisticated and harder to detect. For businesses that accept online payments, it often feels like playing a relentless game of whack-a-mole. As soon they address one threat, another emerges.

 

The cost of payment fraud is growing

Scams, account takeovers and fake identities drive most payment fraud schemes. Recent industry research underscores the scale of the problem:

  • $362 billion: Projected global losses from online payment fraud between 2023–2028, with $91 billion expected in 2028 alone.
  • 79% of organizations reported being victims of payment fraud attacks or attempts in 2024.
  • $534 billion: Average amount forfeited in 2024 among business leaders surveyed. This is equal to 7.7% of annual revenue.

The bottom line: Fraud is not just costly, it is evolving, complex and global in scope.

 

Even fraudsters are using AI

Businesses are increasingly seeking partners who are leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) in their fraud protection tools.

Unfortunately, bad actors are also tapping AI to steal billions of dollars. Fraudsters employ machine learning algorithms to identify patterns in transaction data, initiate account takeovers and automate fraud schemes. They can also generate synthetic identities that are difficult to detect, even with newer fraud protection tools.

AI tools also enable fraudsters to launch sophisticated phishing campaigns that optimize the timing and volume of fraudulent transactions. These tools even evade traditional rule-based detection systems that cannot effectively respond to novel attack patterns. This means that fraud is no longer just opportunistic; it’s intelligent. That’s why having proper security mechanisms in place is paramount for businesses. Fraudsters are calculated and adaptive, and they are scaling at the same speed as legitimate digital payments.

 

Prominent payment fraud types

The types of payment fraud emerging today are highly diverse, targeting businesses of every size and across all industries. Businesses, merchants and independent software vendors must understand common attack methods fraudsters use. This is a key first step to integrating fraud protection capabilities.

Common threats

  • Excessive payment fraud/refund fraud
    • What it is: Customers deliberately or accidentally submit payments exceeding owed amounts, later requesting refunds.
    • Why it matters: It creates significant financial losses through credit card and Automated Clearing House (ACH) chargebacks. It also damages processors’ and merchant networks’ credibility.
  • Merchant bust‑out fraud
    • What it is: Fraudulent merchants or impersonators rapidly process a high volume of irregular transactions before disappearing.
    • Why it matters: Merchants risk chargebacks, inflated fees and refund abuse. This disrupts cash flow and causes financial distress. It is especially problematic when high-dollar amounts funnel to unauthorized accounts.
  • Merchant credit events/defaults
    • What it is: Intended or unintended payment defaults by a merchant. Causes include disputes, chargebacks, returns, mismanaged cash flow and weak financial positioning.
    • Why it matters: Defaults lead to financial instability, credit events, missed payments and bankruptcies.
  • Customer payment fraud
    • What it is: Fraudulent merchants or impersonators rapidly process a high volume of irregular transactions before disappearing.
    • Why it matters: Merchants risk chargebacks, inflated fees and refund abuse. This disrupts cash flow and causes financial distress. It is especially problematic when high-dollar amounts funnel to unauthorized accounts.

More advanced fraud

  • Account takeover (ATO) fraud
    • What it is: Fraudsters steal credentials or run phishing scams to access merchant or customer accounts.
    • Why it matters: Causes direct financial theft, reputational damage, financial losses, potential bankruptcies and regulatory exposure.
  • Anti-money laundering (AML) violations
    • What it is: Illegally obtained funds move through legitimate payment channels to obscure their origins.
    • Why it matters: Brings serious compliance and regulatory consequences, including mandatory reporting, penalties, closures and reputational damage.
  • Card testing fraud
    • What it is: Fraudsters test stolen or generated card numbers with small transactions to identify valid working accounts.
    • Why it matters: It increases payment declines and makes processing more expensive. It also opens doors to bigger attacks that can lead to serious financial problems.

 

Where today’s solutions fall short

Many businesses rely on established fraud prevention tools. They often fall behind increasingly sophisticated fraud attacks. The biggest gaps in traditional systems include:

  • Slow response times: Older systems cannot keep up with fast-growing payment volumes. Without real-time detection, threats slip through and cause losses.
  • Poor customer experience: Outdated models often flag legitimate transactions as fraud. This leads to delays, declined payments and frustrated customers who expect smooth, secure payments.
  • Generic tools: One-size-fits-all solutions do not match the unique risks of different industries. Without customizable rules and thresholds, businesses either block good payments or miss high-risk ones.
  • Rigid systems and long deployments: Many “customizable” tools take months to implement, cost a lot to maintain and require internal teams for every update. Adapting to new fraud patterns becomes slow and expensive.
  • Costly in-house builds: Some businesses try building their own solution. They quickly discover that it demands constant investment, specialized skills and resources that pull focus from core operations.
  • Fragmented protection: Digital payments span multiple channels and regions, but many tools only cover part of the fraud landscape. Disconnected systems create blind spots, delays and inconsistent results.

 

What businesses need in modern fraud protection solutions

Risk management has transformed from a back-office function to strategic necessity and businesses need better support. Fortunately, new providers are challenging the status quo. They are taking a different technological and process approach to fight payment fraud. Key capabilities to look for in a fraud tech partner include:

  • Ever-learning technology: AI-powered platforms that continuously adapt to emerging risks. These platforms learn from new, diverse data without requiring heavy technical overhauls. This significantly reduces false positives, improving customer experience and driving stronger return on investment for businesses.
  • Implementation efficiency: In fraud prevention, speed is critical. Fraudsters exploit any delay. It is important to set up quickly with little effort required from the client. After implementation, ongoing support and expert guidance help businesses stay ahead of fraud.
  • Nimble customization: Customizable systems that adapt to unique transaction patterns and industry needs give businesses detailed, optimized protection.
  • Comprehensive coverage: Robust protection across fraud vectors, payment types, channels and geographics with processor-agnostic deployment gives businesses maximum flexibility as their priorities evolve.
  • Transparency and control: Clear decision logic, adjustable risk thresholds, detailed reporting and API integration deliver actionable insights for effective payment fraud prevention.

 

Partnering for protection

The payments landscape will only grow more complex. Businesses should look for a partner that offers intelligent technology with these key attributes. They should also look for consultative risk management that improves their tools and processes without the outsized price tag.

CSG Forte is on the forefront of addressing payment fraud schemes. Our payment fraud protection tools can help your business stay ahead of bad actors. Learn how to keep legitimate payments flowing smoothly while stopping fraudulent activity in its tracks. Explore the CSG Forte website and sign up for a demo.

How to Improve the Customer Payment Experience

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Key Takeaways:

  • Simplify payment processes without sacrificing security. Modern solutions streamline transactions while maintaining robust fraud protection.
  • Flexibility drives better customer experiences. Tailored tools and consultative support help organizations adapt quickly to changing needs.
  • Efficiency impacts the bottom line. Faster deployment and integrated insights reduce costs and improve operational performance.

Customers today have more ways to pay than ever. Credit and debit cards, ACH, digital wallets and pay-by-text continue to gain popularity. But that doesn’t mean interactive voice response (IVR), cash or paper checks have become obsolete (yet). That abundance of choices comes with higher expectations. Your customers don’t just compare you to your competitors; they compare you to the best digital payment experiences they use every day.

One of the most powerful ways to set your company apart is to make paying you simple, secure and stress-free. That’s what a modern payment solution does.

 

What is the payment experience?

The payment experience is the part of the customer journey where intent becomes revenue.

It’s everything that happens from the moment a customer decides to pay—whether that’s checking out online or paying a bill—to the instant they receive a confirmation. A strong customer payment experience feels almost invisible: customers glide from “I owe a payment” to “I’m done” without friction, confusion or worry.

A complete customer payment experience includes:

  • Accepted payment methods: Cards, ACH, digital wallets and other flexible payment options that match how your customers prefer to pay.
  • Saved payment preferences: The ability to securely store cards or bank accounts, set defaults and avoid retyping information every time.
  • Automation and flexibility: Options like autopay, recurring payments, payment plans and installments that reduce effort and late payments.
  • Security and trust signals: Visible assurances that payment data is protected—PCI compliance, encryption, recognizable payment brands and clear privacy messaging.
  • Notifications and transparency: Proactive reminders, real-time confirmations and easy access to payment history so customers always know what’s due and what’s been paid.

When these components work together, paying becomes a natural extension of the customer relationship instead of a stumbling block at the finish line.

 

Why optimize the payment experience?

Picture this: you’re shopping online and you’ve built a cart you’re excited about. At checkout, you look for your preferred payment method—a digital wallet you use everywhere else. But the only option available is a physical card you left in another room.

You could get up and grab it. But there’s a good chance you’ll tell yourself you’ll “come back later” and abandon the purchase instead.

The same thing happens in bill pay. If customers need to dig up an account number, remember a login or call a number between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. just to pay, many will delay—or not pay at all.

That’s why optimizing the customer payment experience has a direct impact on your business.

Build security and trust into every transaction

Customers are more cautious about sharing payment information than ever. They want to know:

  • Who is processing their payment
  • How their data is being protected
  • Whether your site or portal is legitimate and trustworthy

If your payment flow looks outdated, redirects to unfamiliar domains or fails to clearly communicate security measures, customers may hesitate or abandon the process altogether.

A strong customer payment experience:

  • Keeps sensitive data out of your environment using tokenization and secure vaults.
  • Displays clear security indicators and recognizable payment brands.
  • Uses trusted, PCI-compliant providers behind the scenes.

When customers trust your payment experience, they’re more willing to store credentials, set up autopay and come back again.

Increase customer satisfaction (and reduce frustration)

Customers rarely separate “the payment part” from “the rest” of their experience with you. If the checkout or bill pay process feels hard, that frustration colors their view of your entire brand. And it could lead to cart abandonment.

Common pain points include:

  • Having to re-enter the same information over and over
  • Long, confusing forms and multiple steps
  • Poor mobile experiences
  • Limited payment options that don’t match how they normally pay

On the other hand, when the payment experience is fast, intuitive and available wherever they are—on their phone, laptop or via text—customers remember it as a brand that is easy to do business with. That directly influences satisfaction scores and future purchasing decisions.

Reduce late payments and abandoned carts

Friction causes delay. Every additional step, login or channel switch becomes another reason for a customer not to finish the payment right now.

A better payment experience:

  • Stores payment methods securely for one-click checkout or bill pay.
  • Offers autopay for recurring obligations so customers don’t have to remember due dates.
  • Makes it easy to pay from a reminder—click a link in a text or email and complete payment in seconds.

That translates into fewer abandoned carts, fewer late or missed payments and more predictable cash flow for your business.

Accelerate cash flow and reduce operational cost

When it’s easy to pay online, fewer customers rely on paper checks, call centers or in-person visits. That:

  • Speeds up the time from invoice to cash.
  • Reduces manual processing and reconciliation.
  • Lowers the volume of “how do I pay this?” calls to your team.

In short, a seamless payment experience supports both top-line growth and operational efficiency.

 

How to create a seamless payment experience

Building a better payment experience isn’t about adding a long list of features. It’s about designing a simple, flexible journey that matches how your customers already live and pay.

Here are key steps to get there.

Accept the payment methods your customers expect

Don’t lose customers at the last step because you only accept one or two ways to pay. The right mix depends on your industry and audience, but often includes:

  • Credit and debit cards
  • Automated Clearing House (ACH)/bank transfers
  • Digital wallets (like Apple Pay or Google Pay)
  • Pay-by-text or pay-by-link options

Give customers the ability to choose what fits their needs today, and change it later as their preferences evolve.

Make paying effortless with stored credentials and autopay

Every time a customer has to find a card, type long numbers on a mobile screen, or look up a routing number, you introduce friction.

You can reduce that friction by:

  • Letting customers securely store their preferred payment methods
  • Offering autopay for recurring bills or subscriptions
  • Supporting installment or partial payments where appropriate
  • Allowing customers to switch between payment methods when cards expire or accounts change

Customers get convenience and control. You get more on-time, completed payments.

Put security and compliance front and center

Security isn’t just a behind-the-scenes requirement—it’s a visible part of the experience that shapes customer confidence.

A modern payment platform should:

  • Use tokenization so your systems never store raw card or bank data
  • Maintain PCI compliance and other required certifications
  • Support strong customer authentication where needed
  • Provide tools to detect and mitigate fraud without adding unnecessary friction

Communicate this clearly in your payment experience with reassuring copy, recognizable trust marks and consistent branding across all payment pages.

Meet customers on their preferred channels

Your customers don’t live in a single channel, and your payment experience shouldn’t either.

Look for a solution that supports:

  • Online payments through your website or portal
  • Mobile-friendly checkout on phones and tablets
  • Pay-by-text (SMS) with secure links that go straight to a hosted payment page
  • IVR and phone payments for customers who prefer to call in
  • Agent-assisted payments where staff can send secure links without ever seeing card data

When customers can move from a reminder in their inbox or text messages directly to a secure payment screen, you eliminate extra steps and excuses.

Keep customers informed with clear notifications

Communication is a core part of the payment experience. Customers should always know:

  • When a bill is due
  • When a payment is successful or fails
  • What their current balance and history look like

Use automated notifications to send reminders, confirmations and alerts across channels. Make it easy for customers to view their history and update preferences without contacting support.

 

Payment experience in action

Organizations that move from fragmented tools to an integrated payment platform see tangible results:

  • A financial services company that introduced coordinated text and email reminders with secure payment links saw millions of dollars in additional collected revenue from previously past-due accounts.
  • A security services provider that expanded its digital payment options and streamlined its checkout flow recorded an 85% reduction in payment arrears in just one month, simply by making it easier for customers to pay on time.

While every business is different, the pattern is consistent: when you reduce friction and increase choice, customers respond.

 

Choose CSG Forte to modernize your payment experience

Modernizing the payment experience doesn’t have to mean rebuilding everything from scratch. With the right partner, you can add powerful capabilities while keeping your existing systems in place.

CSG Forte Engage, our payer engagement platform, is built to help you:

  • Offer any-time, any-way payments—online, via SMS, by phone and through IVR
  • Manage invoices, notifications and payments from a single secure platform
  • Reduce friction with stored payment methods, autopay and email experiences
  • Protect sensitive data with PCI-compliant, tokenized processing
  • Deliver a consistent, branded payment experience across every channel your customers use

A great payment experience doesn’t just help you get paid faster. It’s a powerful way to differentiate your business, deepen customer loyalty and make every interaction feel easier.

Ready to make paying your business the easiest part of your customers’ day?

Contact CSG Forte to see how we can help you streamline your payment processes and deliver a seamless payment experience from the very first transaction.

How to Make ACH Payments Online: A Complete Guide for Businesses and Consumers

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Are you ready to simplify how you move money? Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments make it easy to transfer funds directly between bank accounts—securely, quickly, and without the hassle of paper checks or card fees. The ACH Network backs these transactions, and it’s becoming the go-to choice for businesses and consumers alike.

In this guide, we’ll break down what ACH payments are, why they matter, and how you can start using them with CSG Forte.

 

How to make an ACH payment online

To make an ACH payment, you typically need the following information:

  • Bank account details: You will need the bank account number and the routing number of the account from which the funds will be debited.
  • Authorization: Depending on the nature of the ACH payment, you may need the recipient’s authorization to initiate the transaction. This is common for recurring payments or when debiting funds from another individual or business account.
  • Payment amount: You must specify the amount of money you wish to transfer through the ACH payment.
  • Payment purpose: Indicate the purpose of the transaction, whether it is for a bill payment, payroll, business transaction or another appropriate category.
  • Payment processing method: Determine the method through which you will initiate the ACH payment—this can be done through online banking platforms, payment processors or specialized ACH service providers.
  • ACH processing information: If you are initiating the ACH payment through a third-party service provider or a payment gateway, you may need to provide additional information such as the provider’s name, account details and any required authentication credentials.

 

Options for making an ACH payment

When it comes to making ACH payments, there are two primary methods—ACH debit and ACH credit:

  • ACH debit: ACH debit involves initiating a payment by granting authorization to a recipient to pull funds from your bank account. This method is commonly used for recurring payments or one-time payments where you provide your bank account information to the recipient. Examples of ACH debit transactions include utility bill payments, mortgage payments and subscription fees.
  • ACH credit: ACH credit involves pushing funds from your bank account to the recipient’s bank account. In this case, you are the one initiating the payment and providing the recipient’s bank account information. ACH credit payments are commonly used for various purposes such as payroll direct deposits, vendor payments and tax refunds.

 

How do I make an ACH payment?

You can send ACH payments online via an ACH debit payment or an ACH credit payment.

How to make an ACH debit payment

Follow these steps regarding how to do an ACH transfer via debit payment:

  1. Gather recipient information: Collect the necessary recipient information, including the recipient’s name, bank account number and bank routing number.
  2. Verify sufficient funds: Confirm that you have sufficient funds in your bank account to cover the ACH debit payment amount. Insufficient funds can result in declined transactions and potential fees.
  3. Choose an ACH debit method: Determine the method you will use to initiate the ACH debit payment—you can do so through online banking, a payment processor or specialized ACH service providers. Check with your bank or chosen service provider to understand the specific process for initiating ACH debit payments.
  4. Provide authorization details: Depending on your chosen method, you may need to provide the recipient’s bank account and routing numbers, along with the payment amount and any additional information required by the service provider or platform.
  5. Initiate the payment: Follow the instructions provided by your bank or payment provider to initiate the ACH debit payment. This may involve logging into your online banking account, accessing the payment section and entering the necessary payment details.
  6. Confirm and review: Before finalizing the transaction, review the payment details to ensure accuracy. Verify the payment amount, recipient information and any additional information required for the transaction.
  7. Submit the payment: Once you have reviewed and confirmed the payment details, submit the ACH debit payment. The transaction will be processed, and the funds will be electronically debited from your bank account and transferred to the recipient’s account.
  8. Record and retain documentation: Keep a record of the ACH debit payment, such as transaction confirmations, receipts or any other documentation provided by your bank or payment service provider.

 

How to make an ACH credit payment

Follow these steps to make an ACH payment via credit:

  1. Collect recipient information: Obtain the necessary information from the recipient to initiate the ACH credit payment. This data includes the recipient’s name, bank account number and bank routing number.
  2. Verify your bank’s ACH credit service: Ensure that your bank supports ACH credit transactions. Not all banks offer this service to their customers, so it’s important to confirm beforehand.
  3. Set up online banking or ACH service: If you haven’t already, enroll in online banking or an ACH service provided by your bank. This measure will allow you to initiate ACH credit payments conveniently.
  4. Access the payment section: Log in to your online banking account or ACH service provider’s platform and navigate to the payment section or ACH transfer section.
  5. Provide payment details: Enter the recipient’s bank account number, routing number, payment amount and any additional information required by your bank or service provider. Double-check the accuracy of the information to ensure the funds are directed to the correct account.
  6. Review and confirm: Review the payment details before finalizing the transaction. Verify the payment amount, recipient information and any additional details you enter.
  7. Initiate the payment: Once you have confirmed the payment details, submit the ACH credit payment request. Your bank or service provider will process the transaction and transfer the funds from your account to the recipient’s account.
  8. Retain documentation: Keep documentation of the ACH credit payment for your records.
  9. Follow up: If necessary, follow up with the recipient to confirm that they have received the ACH credit payment successfully.

 

ACH payments vs. direct deposits

ACH payments and direct deposits are both electronic methods of transferring funds between bank accounts, but they differ in their purpose and the direction of the transaction.

Direct deposits are a specific type of ACH payment that refers to funds being electronically deposited into a recipient’s bank account, typically for the purpose of receiving income or funds owed. Direct deposits are commonly used for payroll deposits, government benefit payments, tax refunds, pension payments, and other regular or recurring income streams.

Direct deposits are always initiated as ACH credits, with funds pushed into the recipient’s account. The payer, such as an employer or government agency, initiates direct deposits to the recipient’s designated bank account. Recipients often need to provide their bank account and routing numbers to the payer to set up direct deposit.

Key differences between ACH payments and direct deposits include:

  • Purpose: ACH payments encompass a broader range of electronic fund transfers, including both payments and receipts, while direct deposits specifically refer to receiving funds into an account.
  • Direction: ACH payments can be either ACH debit, which involves pulling funds from the payer’s account, or ACH credit, which involves pushing funds to the recipient’s account, whereas direct deposits are always ACH credit payments.
  • Usage: ACH payments are more versatile and can be used for various purposes, while direct deposits are primarily used for recurring income or benefit payments.

 

Accepting ACH payments from customers

Accepting ACH payments from customers can provide convenience and flexibility for your business. Here’s an overview of the steps involved in setting up and accepting ACH payments:

  1. Verify ACH payment support: Ensure that your business has the capability to accept ACH payments. Contact your bank or payment service provider to confirm if they offer ACH payment processing services. If not, explore alternative solutions such as third-party payment processors or specialized ACH service providers.
  2. Obtain authorization: Before initiating ACH payments from customers, you need to obtain proper authorization. This can be done by having customers sign an authorization agreement or including authorization clauses in your terms and conditions.
  3. Collect customer information: Gather the necessary information from your customers to process ACH payments. This typically includes their bank account number, routing number and authorization to debit their account. Consider using secure methods to collect and store this sensitive information.
  4. Set up payment processing system: Set up a payment processing system that supports ACH payments. You can complete this step using your bank’s online banking platform, a payment gateway or a specialized ACH payment processing service.
  5. Integrate the ACH payment option: If you have an online store or payment portal, integrate the ACH payment option to provide customers with the choice to pay via ACH. Work with your web developer or payment service provider to enable ACH as a payment method.
  6. Educate customers: Clearly communicate to your customers that you accept ACH payments. Update your website, invoices and other communication channels to inform customers of this payment option. Provide instructions on how they can provide their bank account information and authorize ACH payments.
  7. Process ACH payments: Once customers provide their authorization and necessary payment information, initiate the ACH payments through your chosen payment processing system. Follow the instructions provided by your bank or service provider for initiating ACH debit transactions securely.
  8. Monitor and reconcile payments: Regularly monitor your ACH payment transactions and reconcile them with your records. Keep track of successful payments, failed transactions and any necessary follow-up actions, such as resolving insufficient funds or other payment issues.
  9. Ensure security and compliance: Protect customer data and maintain compliance with applicable regulations. Implement security measures such as encryption and access controls to safeguard customer information.

By offering ACH payment options to your customers, you can streamline payment processes, reduce reliance on paper checks and make it easier for people to do business with you.

 

Choose CSG Forte to start making ACH payments

ACH payments have revolutionized the way businesses and individuals handle their financial transactions. Offering convenience, cost savings and enhanced security, ACH payments have become a preferred method for many individuals and organizations. As technology continues to advance, ACH payments are likely to play an increasingly significant role in our digital economy.

Contact the team at CSG Forte to learn more about how to make an ACH transfer.

Embedded Payments for ISVs: How to Monetize Payments Without the Risk

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If you’re an independent software vendor (ISV), payments are no longer a bolt-on feature. Customers expect to onboard, accept and reconcile payments without leaving your website or application. That’s why “embedded payments” has replaced simple gateway integrations: you’re not just processing transactions—you’re designing the entire money-movement experience, from sign-up to settlement.

 

Integrated vs. embedded: what ISVs really mean by “embedded payments”

Embedded payments are native payment experiences inside your software. Beyond taking a card, they often include automated onboarding (know your customer or KYC, and know your buyer or KYB), split payouts for service fees, risk controls and dashboards your customers actually use.

“Integrated” usually means you connect your app to a processor or gateway and offload the rest. “Embedded” extends into orchestration—how funds move among parties, how identities are verified, how disputes are handled and how the data shows up in your product reporting. If you operate a vertical SaaS or multi-sided marketplace, you almost certainly need embedded.

  • When platforms need more than a gateway, some of the common signals are:
  • You manage sub-accounts (franchises, locations, contractors, clinics).
  • You must split payouts or hold funds until milestones are met.
  • Your users demand white-labeled onboarding and unified reporting.

 

Evaluation criteria that actually predict success

Plenty of checklists exist, but three areas correlate best with ISV outcomes.

  1. Onboarding speed & compliance: How quickly can a typical merchant get from “create account” to “take first payment”? Look for automated KYC/KYB, clear status webhooks and tiered underwriting so low-risk merchants move fast while higher-risk flows get escalated. Competitors spotlight fast launches and single integrations.
  2. Risk & fraud controls you can tune: Vertical variance matters. A home-services marketplace needs different velocity checks than a point-of-sale ISV. Ask about account verification, support, tokenization and end-to-end encryption—core controls that reduce losses and scope without trashing the UX.
  3. Revenue levers (fees, markups, value-add): Payments should be a profit contributor, not just table stakes. Evaluate your ability to add value—card-on-file durability via account updater, network tokens and smart retries—and price for it. Integrating account updating software keeps card data current to avoid involuntary churn; its tokenization explainer is a good primer for why this matters to auth rates and retention.

 

Build vs. partner: PFaaS as the fast path

You can assemble a payment stack yourself—gateway, acquirer relationships, compliance program, risk models, settlement ops—or partner with a payment facilitation-as-a-service (PFaaS) provider that brings the scaffolding. Owning everything can yield maximum control, but it also imports regulatory overhead, capital requirements and operational complexity. PFaaS lets you keep the customer experience and monetization strategy while offloading the hard parts of compliance, settlement and scheme-level nuance.

Competitors talk up “single global integration” and “go-live faster.” That’s valuable—but the difference shows up after launch, when your support team handles exceptions and your PMs need to add features without undertaking six-month projects. Look for clear and multi-functional APIs, vertical fit and hands-on solutioning rather than generic solutions.

 

How CSG Forte helps ISVs ship faster

Think about hosted when you need speed; APIs when you need control. CSG Forte offers hosted flows (like BillPay) to stand up clean experiences fast—helpful if you’re validating a motion or need a branded portal while your UX team finishes native flows. The clickable Modern Bill Pay demo shows what those experiences look like end-to-end. From there, APIs let you move deeper into embedded: white-label onboarding, account management and reporting.

CSG Forte: support that matches mid-market realities
If you sell to regulated or quasi-public sectors (e.g., utilities, municipalities, healthcare), your buyers prize reliability, reporting and compliance clarity. CSG Forte’s bill presentment content and support library skew practical, with specifics on encryption/tokenization and portal capabilities—useful for procurement and IT reviewers.

Ready to accelerate your ISV payments journey? Whether you’re looking to streamline onboarding, tighten risk controls or unlock new revenue streams, choosing the right partner can make all the difference. Reach out to the expert team at CSG Forte today to discover how our tailored solutions can help you launch faster, operate smarter and deliver the reliability your customers demand.

Beat The Numbers Game: Guard Against Card Testing Fraud

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Card-testing fraud has gone from nuisance to nonstop swarm—supercharged by cheap bots and off-the-shelf artificial intelligence (AI). In 2025, fraud teams report that card testing (aka enumeration) remains one of the most common attacks online, hitting roughly 45% of merchants worldwide even as some other fraud types cooled this year. At the same time, nearly half of financial institutions say monthly bot attacks are rising, underscoring how automation is amplifying low-value, high-volume probes that quickly cascade into chargebacks and network monitoring trouble.

For merchants, that “pennies at scale” behavior isn’t harmless: enumeration drives ecosystem losses in the billions and can push businesses toward acquirer/network programs when thresholds are crossed—especially under 2025’s tighter Visa monitoring rules. If your checkout, APIs, or account pages aren’t rate-limited and bot-mitigated—and if you’re not leaning on tools like velocity controls, AVS/CVV with intelligent retries, 3-D Secure 2.x, and network tokens—you’re inviting attackers to find valid PANs and move up the value chain.

Payment solutions can play a major role in protecting businesses from card testing-related losses. But does yours have the right capabilities? Read on as we explain card testing and some fundamental ways to reduce its impact on your customers and your bottom line.

 

What is card testing?

Card testing is a payment fraud technique where cybercriminals use automation or bots to guess valid credit card numbers. It’s literally a numbers game. Fraudsters submit a barrage of small transactions of just a few cents each, testing to see if a card number is valid. Once they’ve identified a set of card information that works, they then use it either to make larger unauthorized purchases or sell the card info on the dark web.

For merchants, falling victim to card testing can disrupt operations and generate costly chargebacks. But it means more than revenue loss: there’s also reputational damage to consider. According to a PYMNTS survey, 21% of consumers said that losing money due to fraud would be the most important factor that would erode their trust in a merchant.

 

5 layers of protection against card testing attacks

In the battle against card testing fraud, your strongest line of defense is a modern payment solution. It can safeguard your transactions and customer data in multiple ways. Here’s how:

1. Spot it early

As we all know, the earlier fraud is spotted, the better. Modern fraud detection platforms are doing this better than ever by engaging machine learning and sophisticated, dynamic rules that identify suspicious transactions and evolving patterns as they happen. These systems flag and report suspicious activity before bad actors “crack the code” and make a successful unauthorized charge, or before they can go on to do significant damage with the stolen card information.

  • Tell-tale signs: sudden bursts of tiny or $0/$1 authorizations, many declines in a short window, the same card BIN showing up repeatedly, or a spike in traffic with few real checkouts
  • Why it’s happening: fraudsters now use cheap bots—and increasingly AI—to run thousands of quick tests to find a “live” card number before moving on to bigger purchases elsewhere

2. Boost your tokenization technology

Modern payment solutions typically replace sensitive card data with unique tokens—randomly generated values that are unrelated to the original card data. This adds an extra layer of security. Even if bad actors intercept the merchant’s card data, the tokens render that data useless for making unauthorized transactions.

3. Make testing harder

  • Add a light “are you human?” check on payment and account pages when activity spikes.
  • Slow rapid-fire attempts with simple limits (e.g., only a few tries in a short period).
  • Turn on AVS and CVV checks for first-time payments so obviously bad attempts fail fast.

4. Get 3DS authentication

Modern payments solutions often integrate 3D-secure protocols, or “3DS,” which stands for 3 Domain Secure. This is an authentication method for online transactions that relies on three domains:

  • Issuer domain — The bank or financial institution that issued the card
  • Acquirer domain — The bank or financial institution processing the payment on the merchant’s behalf
  • Interoperability domain (card scheme) — The payment card network (e.g., Visa, MasterCard) that connects the issuer and acquirer domains

If you’re using 3DS, a cardholder making an online purchase undergoes an additional authentication step. This typically involves redirecting them to a page hosted by their card issuer or having them provide a one-time authentication code that is sent to their phone. And it’s this extra step that adds another strong barrier against card testing attempts.

5. Update and monitor regularly

Payment fraud techniques evolve, and so should your defenses. Your SaaS provider should provide regular updates and enable round-the-clock monitoring, making sure your payment system is always equipped with the latest security features.

  • Watch for patterns, not just single declines: Unusual spikes in small authorizations, odd geographies, or “many cards/one device” should trigger a closer look.
  • Have a short playbook: Pause the affected page or endpoint, tighten limits for an hour, review the attempts, and notify your payments partner if thresholds were hit.
  • Clean up quickly: Void/refund test charges, update blocklists and, if needed, rotate any exposed credentials.

 

Act today

Safeguarding your organization against card testing is a must. Do you know if your payment ecosystem has all these protections in place for you and your customers? Talk to us at CSG Forte, and we can help you ensure your payments security is up to task—even as fraudsters put it to the test.

The Hidden Costs of Payment Declines (and What to Do About Them)

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Every business that accepts payments—whether for products, services or recurring bills—faces a common but often underestimated challenge: payment declines. These failures don’t just represent a missed transaction; they ripple through operations, customer relationships and bottom-line performance.

In 2023 alone, false declines put $157 billion at risk in the United States, with $81 billion ultimately lost due to failed transactions that could have been approved. Whether caused by insufficient funds, expired cards or fraud flags, these declines quietly erode cash flow, frustrate customers and strain internal resources.

The good news is that businesses can proactively address payment declines. Doing so will help protect revenue, improve customer satisfaction and streamline operations. Ready to learn more about how to prevent payment declines? Read on.

 

What causes payment declines?

In order to know how to combat payment declines, you first must know why they occur. Payment declines can stem from a variety of sources, some benign and others more serious. The following list includes many of the most common culprits.

  • Insufficient funds: A simple lack of money in the account at the time of transaction
  • Expired or stolen cards: Outdated payment credentials or compromised accounts
  • Fraud attempts and account freezes: Security measures that block legitimate transactions
  • High support burdens: ISVs often struggle to support merchants when payment issues arise, as they must coordinate across multiple providers. This leads to increased support requests and puts additional strain on ISV teams, making it challenging to deliver timely and effective assistance.
  • Manual entry errors: Typos in account numbers or billing details
  • Systemic gaps: Lack of recurring payment options, poor user interfaces or limited payment channels

Even with consumer-friendly features like registered checkout and self-service portals, payments still fail. And when they do, the consequences go beyond the transaction itself. Businesses may face delayed revenue, increased customer service demands and even service disruptions that damage brand loyalty.

According to recent research, 54% of consumers make late payments, often due to disorganized bill pay strategies or limited flexibility in how they can pay. These missed payments aren’t just inconvenient—they’re costly.

 

The ripple effect on businesses

Payment declines don’t just interrupt a transaction—they disrupt the entire business ecosystem. From cash flow to customer loyalty, the consequences are far-reaching and often underestimated.

For starters, when payments fail, revenue is delayed or even lost entirely. Businesses may be forced to suspend services, chase down updated account information or absorb the cost of missed transactions. These interruptions can snowball, especially for organizations that rely on recurring payments to maintain predictable income.

Delayed or missed payments are often the result of poor bill pay experiences, unclear due dates or limited payment options. The result? Service disruptions, frustrated customers and a hit to recurring revenue.

Failed payments, no matter what the reason, can quickly sour the customer experience and erode customer trust. Consumers expect bill payments to be as seamless as online shopping, but many businesses fall short. Limited flexibility, lack of self-service options and slow issue resolution leave customers feeling stuck.

And the cost of dissatisfaction is steep: 60% of consumers say they’ve switched brands after a negative contact center experience. When payment issues lead to service interruptions or poor support, businesses risk losing the transaction and, more importantly, the customer, for good.

Behind every failed payment is a team scrambling to fix it. Whether it’s manually reaching out to customers, reconciling data across systems or coordinating with third-party agencies, the effort required to resolve declines drains valuable resources. These lagging operational insights and fragmented data make it difficult for billers to respond quickly to payment issues. Without a centralized platform or real-time reporting, businesses struggle to manage the payment lifecycle efficiently.

Beyond financial and operational costs, payment declines can expose businesses to serious compliance and security risks, such as:

  • Hidden complexities. Each payment channel—whether online, mobile or in-person—comes with its own set of regulatory requirements. As political and industry landscapes shift, staying compliant becomes a moving target. Businesses that fail to adapt risk legal exposure, fines and reputational damage.
  • Cybersecurity threats. A single breach can cost millions—and the average cost of a data breach in 2024 reached $4.9 million. By adding a third party to your process—an external collections agency, for example, which requires securely transferring data to the agency’s infrastructure under its policies and processes—you introduce additional layers of cyber risk. This means you must be prepared to expand your scope of protections to safeguard your customers’ valuable data.

Businesses must adopt best-in-class security practices, including tokenization and secure data storage, to safeguard customer information and maintain trust.

The cost of recovery

When a payment fails, the recovery process can be (and usually is) costly, especially if it’s handled manually. Many businesses rely on call centers or third-party agencies to chase down failed payments. But this approach comes with a price: $2.50 per call on average, not to mention the time and effort spent by internal teams.

Adding automation changes the game. CSG Forte’s automated recovery solutions offer a smarter alternative to using valuable human hours making collections calls. With intelligent retry logic, businesses can:

  • Retry failed ACH transactions up to two more times (per Nacha rules).
  • Recover payments when funds become available—without manual intervention.
  • Avoid the need for costly third-party collection efforts.

The results speak for themselves:

  • CSG Forte offers a 60% average recovery rate (the industry average is between 20% and 30%).
  • One enterprise recovered $78 million in 2023 using CSG Forte’s recovery services.

By automating recovery, businesses:

  • Save money.
  • Preserve customer relationships.
  • Minimize costly collections calls.
  • Avoid service disruptions

 

Proactive solutions that minimize declines

Embedded payments unlock new revenue streams. ISVs can:
The best way to reduce the cost of payment declines is to prevent them from happening in the first place. CSG Forte offers a suite of proactive tools designed to improve transaction success rates and protect both businesses and customers.

Account Verification

Before a transaction even begins, automated verification can:

  • Confirm account ownership and accuracy
  • Ensure the account is active
  • Validate routing and account numbers
  • Flag high-risk accounts

This front-end protection helps businesses avoid declines due to outdated or incorrect information—and reduces fraud and collection activities.

Tokenization

Tokenization replaces sensitive payment data with secure placeholders, reducing exposure and accelerating checkout for recurring payments. It’s a win-win: customers feel safer, and businesses reduce the risk of data breaches.

Account Updater

Expired cards are a common cause of failed payments. With account updater services, businesses can automatically refresh card details to maintain authorization rates and avoid interruptions.

Recovery Services

When payments fail, automated recovery ensures businesses can retry ACH transactions without manual effort—boosting revenue and reducing friction.

Together, these tools form a comprehensive strategy to protect payments and preserve relationships—ensuring fewer declines, happier customers, and more consistent cash flow.

 

Protect the payment, preserve the relationship

Payment declines are more than a technical hiccup—they’re a silent threat to revenue, customer loyalty, and operational efficiency. From insufficient funds and expired cards to fraud flags and manual errors, the causes are varied—but the impact is consistent: lost revenue, strained teams, and frustrated customers.

The good news? These costs are avoidable, and the ones that aren’t avoidable are manageable. Businesses can take proactive steps to reduce decline rates, recover lost revenue, and improve the overall payment experience for customers. Here’s how:

  • Modernize your payment infrastructure: Outdated systems are often the root of failed transactions. CSG Forte’s BillPay platform offers plug-and-play modernization that integrates seamlessly with existing technology. These flexible payment options and channels mean you can meet customers where they are and let them pay how they prefer.
  • Stay compliant and agile: Regulatory requirements are constantly evolving. Choose vendors like CSG Forte that offer compliance-ready solutions across all payment channels, helping you stay ahead of legal changes and industry standards.
  • Use real-time reporting for smarter decision-making: Lagging insights can delay action. With centralized platforms like CSG Forte’s DEX, businesses gain real-time visibility into payment performance, enabling faster responses and better strategic decisions.

With proactive tools like account verification, tokenization, automated recovery and account updater services, businesses can dramatically reduce the frequency and fallout of failed payments. CSG Forte’s BillPay platform offers a modernized, omnichannel solution that not only streamlines transactions but also strengthens customer relationships and protects your bottom line.

In a world where consumers expect seamless, secure, and flexible payment experiences, businesses must rise to meet those expectations—or risk falling behind. By investing in smarter payment infrastructure, you’re not just preventing declines—you’re unlocking growth.

Are you ready to reduce payment declines and safeguard your revenue? Learn how CSG Forte’s modern payment solutions can help your business thrive with greater efficiency and reliability. Explore our full suite of payment services, or check out our customer success stories to see real-world results. Take the first step toward transforming your payments by contacting our team today so you can experience the difference for yourself!