Call Sign August 2009 - Page 25 - Credit Cards, Chargebacks and Fraud…

Warren Smith

Since Dial-a-Cab introduced terminals where credit cards could be accepted as payment instead of cash, hail and ride trips as well as trips through the ‘credit card line’ have increased. With this has come an increase in the number of Chargebacks. Chargebacks are where the cardholder (mainly) and sometimes the card issuer think that the transaction may not be correct and will take the money back from us. Unfortunately, there is no time limit on Chargebacks, so you must keep your receipts for at least 1 year.
Some of you will have received a call from DaC asking you to bring in a particular receipt so that we can defend the Chargeback. You may also have received a call to say that we are going to take the cost of the trip away from you. Since 1 January 2005, the shift in liability from the bank to the vendor means that you, the driver, must take more responsibility in ensuring that the payment will be successful. One overriding statistic in the credit card

Credit Cards, Chargebacks and Fraud…

saga is that less than .001%* of all credit card transactions processed
actually result in a Chargeback, however over 50%* of all Chargebacks relate to FRAUD. So how are you going to combat the fraud problem?

Always make sure that the credit card SWIPES through the terminal.
Ensure you have a valid Authorisation Code.
Where the terminal fails to read the card, you must fill in a manual credit card slip correctly. Just writing the numbers is not good enough; you have to make a brass rubbing of the card and then have to ring up the drivers line for an authorisation code.
When the customer signs either slip, verify the name by checking the back of the card.

Following these four steps proves to the bank that the person who owns the card is in front of you and has taken the trip and that they have sufficient funds to make payment. Our remit with the bank is that all our transactions are "customer present."

Never KEY a card if it fails to swipe. Never KEY a

card if it fails to swipe. I have written this twice so that those drivers who continue to KEY card numbers may get the message. From the bank’s perspective, a keyed card is not proof that the person is present. If the card fails to swipe then ask them for good old-fashioned cash. If they have no cash, then my advice to you is forego the trip because in three weeks or even three months, you may have to forego the money! We will always take the money back from the driver when he has keyed in a number. If a card swipes but you do not get a Valid Authorisation, do not accept the fare, as there may be insufficient funds in the account to cover the trip. As before, ask to be paid in cash. We know at the time of submission - i.e. the next day - that we will not get paid for those trips without a valid authorisation and we will take back the money immediately.
If you stick to these few simple rules, then you won’t be out of pocket.
* Statistics supplied by HSBC

Warren Smith
DaC Financial Controller

Harry Potter tours by DaC taxi…?
Dial-a-Cab driver Jim Rainbird (T25) was telling Call Sign about a filming job he recently did and one that you can read about elsewhere in this issue. At the same time, he also mentioned one of the tours undertaken by drivers of London Black Cab Sightseeing Tours that were becoming more popular, were based around the Harry Potter movies. One Australia tour company, Viator (Latin for traveller) also now advertises Harry Potter tours by genuine "London black cab drivers" and plays on the fact that up to five passengers can enjoy a personalised tour for one set price - obviously a company with excellent taste! But where does a Harry Potter tour actually go and do you have to be a registered wizard to drive / fly the London taxi? This is the Viator version of the tour so that should anyone – with or without a pointed hat - ask you to take them on it, you’ll know what they mean. First stop is Diagon Alley where Harry and his friends visit at the	start of every school year to pick up their supplies of spell books, robes, wands and other items in preparation for their return to Hogwarts. Then of course they can see where Harry walks through the wall to get to platform 9 and 3/4 at King's Cross Station from where the Hogwarts Express departs. Then the passengers can see the place where Harry and Ron stole Ron's father’s flying car, while later standing on the bridge where the Knight bus crossed from the third book (Prisoner of Azkaban) and also visit the all-new Leaky Cauldron. They can follow Harry’s flight to London with Dumbledore’s Army and see the bridges, buildings and ships they pass along the way. They can also enter the telephone box that descends into the Ministry of Magic and stand where Harry and Voldemort come face to face for the first time since the Triwizard tournament (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire). The tour ends by the Headquarters of the Order of the	Phoenix, which is also home to Harry's beloved Godfather Sirius Black. What’s that? You don’t know where all those places are? Perhaps you should consider signing up for the next CabGuide course. These are sponsored by the Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers and accredited by City University. There is no compulsion to have a pointed hat or head! Contact Graham Woodhouse on 07968 791 117 or email him at cabguide@sky.com for details of the next course…

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