High Risk Merchant Accounts

High Risk Merchant Accounts

If you are looking for a high risk merchant account, you have come to the right place.  NationalACH provides secure high-risk merchant services to US & international businesses.  All companies classified as high risk merchants are welcome to apply.  

  • Low Rates. Our goal is saving you money on payment processing while providing you top-notch technology and service.  Contact us today for a no-obligation rate comparison.
  • Fast Approvals. Start processing quickly to get more orders faster.
  • US & International Acquiring Banks.  Choice of banks friendly to high risk merchants ensures high risk merchant services for all types of businesses. 
  • High Volume Merchant Accounts.  Obtain processing capacity to grow your business.
  • High Risk ACH Accounts & Echeck Payments.  Easy way to increase sales from US shoppers 10-30%.
  • International Alternative Payment Methods.  Great for high risk merchants targeting international markets.  More than 80 “in-country” payment methods boost orders from global customers up to 40%.
  • Level 1 PCI-DSS High Risk Payment Gateway.  Military grade encryption with secure, compliant high risk payment gateway safeguards your business and your customers.
  • Chargeback Prevention & Mitigation Services.  Prevent chargebacks before they occur.  Fight chargebacks you can win.
  • Fraud Fighting Weapons.  Extensive array of effective fraud fighting tools help you quickly accept good orders and decline fraudulent transactions. 
  • Superb Customer Service.  Professional experienced representatives provide the assistance you want when you need it.


 

 

Multi-Channel Payment Processing

A high risk payment gateway is included with every merchant account.  Use the gateway for processing payments anyway you want.

  • Accept Payments Online. Perfect for eCommerce.  Easy API makes it a breeze to accept payments on your website.
  • Mail / Phone Orders (MOTO). Virtual terminals connect you to the secure high risk payment gateway for quick processing of MOTO transactions.  Any internet enabled computer can be used as a virtual terminal. 
  • InApp. Integrate the high risk gateway with any apps that need to accept payments smoothly and efficiently.
  • Mobile Devices. The high risk gateway easily accepts orders from mobile phones & devices.
  • Bulk Payment Processing. Upload large transaction files securely to the high risk payment gateway for rapid processing.
  • Increase Productivity. Integrate the high risk payment gateway with your internal systems to automate data exchange, enhancing productivity.
  • CRM / Shopping Cart. The high risk payment gateway is integrated with major CRM, shopping carts, and accounting systems. Speed time to market while eliminating development expenses. 

 

 

Card Merchant Accounts

ACH Processing

Echecks

Secure Processing


 

 

High Risk Payment Processing Gateway

High risk merchants enjoy the benefits provided by the Level 1 PCI/DSS compliant high risk payment gateway.  Military grade encryption protects your business and safeguards customers’ sensitive card data. 

Hundreds of validation tests are performed on each transaction, with results returned within seconds.  Cascading rules & filters are fully customizable, allowing you to set your own parameters for accepting and rejecting transactions. 

Extensive built in databases for extra levels of security are included in the high risk payment gateway.  Including positive / negative consumer databases compiled from merchants worldwide which identify shoppers who placed fraudulent orders on other sites.   

Monitoring and customizing the anti-fraud weapons in your high risk payment gateway helps you quickly accept good orders.  Bad transactions are declined before they occur.  Questionable orders can be pended for manual review.

Recurring payments are a standard feature on the high risk payment gateway.  You have the ability to customize an unlimited number of recurring billing options to satisfy the needs of your customers.  Recurring billing card data is converted to encrypted tokens which are stored in the high risk gateway’s secure vault.  Eliminating the need for you to keep card information on file.

Other features of the high risk gateway features include:  risk scoring models; device fingerprinting with packet signature inspection; order velocity monitoring; geolocation; card verification, address verification; accept/block strategies; tracking buyers’ use of payment methods; consolidated data reviews and audit trails; system intrusions & reconstruct event reporting, consumer history of initiating chargebacks; prevention of identity morphing; and much more.


How to Apply for a High Risk Merchant Account

Application for your high risk merchant account is always free, with no obligation.  Our goal is to for you to get the lowest rates and most favorable terms, along with top-notch technology and service.

Applying for a high risk merchant account is a simple process.  You fill out an application form and supply some additional documentation about your company.

Supporting documents for high risk accounts include:  ID for the signer on the account; voided check for the bank account where processing funds will be settled; 3-6 months of payment processing history, most current past 3 months of business bank statements; and company formation & registration information. 

Account approvals can be as fast as 1 day from the time the application package is received.  Still, the majority of high risk merchant account approvals take 3-7 days due to the time needed to properly underwrite a file.  A complete application package speeds up approvals. 


What is a High Risk Merchant?

The term high risk is used generically by acquiring banks to describe industries or businesses that present a greater risk of financial loss than standard risk merchant accounts.   Businesses are classified as high risk for a variety of reasons.

Chargebacks are the most common reason a company is classified as high risk.  Some businesses are in industry segments which have a statistically greater likelihood of chargebacks compared to standard risk accounts.   And some companies are at greater statistical risk for fraudulent transactions due products and services being sold or targeted markets. 

The card brands require acquiring banks to keep chargebacks under control.  When required chargeback ratios are not maintained, banks and processors can be assessed fines by the card brands.

Another reason for a high-risk merchant classification is the business model used by the company.  For example, businesses with recurring & subscription billing models face a higher risk for chargebacks than one-time sales because chargebacks can be initiated over a longer time period.

The way in which products & services are sold can also cause a business to be classified as a high risk merchant.  For example, ecommerce and MOTO merchants are higher risk compared to retail sales. 

Some acquiring banks accept high risk merchants in certain industries but not others.   For example, adult entertainment websites may not be acceptable to some banks that are concerned about “reputational risk”.  Even though these same acquiring banks accept high risk accounts from merchants in other industries.  .

Products, services, and delivery times also can cause a business to be classified as a high risk merchant.  For example, high ticket sales and high-volume merchant accounts can present a greater risk for chargebacks than lower tickets or low volume accounts. 

Digital businesses are considered higher risk than companies shipping products.  Travel businesses are classified as high risk merchants because trips are booked in advance. 

The markets being targeted by companies can also cause a business to be considered a high risk merchant.  For example, companies selling to subprime markets are high risk merchants due to the higher chargebacks associated with the customer demographic. 

Companies selling globally are sometimes classified as high-risk merchants, depending on products or services.  When targeted markets include countries which historically have escalated incidences of fraud, a high risk merchant classification will apply. 


Underwriting Approvals for High Risk Merchant Accounts

It’s prudent to have a signer on the account with good personal credit.  If credit is not good, consider adding a co-signer with good credit to the application.   Credit checks are run as the final step for account approval once the application file is underwritten. 

Underwriters first look at the the high risk merchant account application form and verify the information is complete & correct.  Then, the underwriting team reviews the rest of the application package.

High risk merchants selling online need to have secure websites that function properly.  All  pages should load quickly and display properly. operational. 

Display customer service email and phone numbers along with privacy, refund & other polices where visitors can readily see them.  If your website requires a user name & password, include a demo or test username & passwork in the application package so the underwriters can view what customers see.

Underwriters may “cold call” or email when reviewing the file to determine how customer service is handled.  Calls going to voice mail should have a message that includes your company name and when a call-back can be expected. Then respond as promised.  For email support, use auto responders to advise customers that email was received and when a response will be provided. 

Processing statements are examined to confirm processing volumes and chargeback ratios.  If you have low chargebacks, that’s great.  When chargebacks are rising, it’s useful to include a brief explanation with your application file identifying the reasons and what is being done to bring keep chargebacks within acceptable ratios. 

Bank statements are reviewed, confirming enough operating capital to support the business and requested processing volumes.  Corporate documents are confirmed.  And the rest of the supporting documents are verified. 

Then, the underwriting team approves your high risk merchant account.  Your MID (merchant identification number) is issued.  Login credentials to the high risk payment gateway are securely sent to you.  And you can immediately begin processing. 


 

One Stop Solution for High Risk Processing

NationalACH is a full-service provider for high risk merchant services.  We offer you a wide variety of payment processing solutions to make it easy for you to get more sales without extra effort. 

  • Accept all major card brands world-wide.
  • Increase orders from US shoppers by adding echecks to your checkout page.
  • Add 80 alternative payment methods popular with global shoppers.
  • One-time & recurring payments. Convenient for your customers.  Profitable for you.
  • Expand market reach with multi-currency processing.
  • Level 1 PCI-DSS high risk payment gateway safeguards your business against fraud & data breaches

Want to see NationalACH in action?

See a Free Demo

Contact us at 855-562-ACH2