Payments & Risk
Free knowledge base for merchants and SMBs. Find what you need:
Find Your Answer
| Problem | Start Here | Then Read |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction declined | Decline Codes | Auth Optimization |
| Got a chargeback | Reading the Notification | Representment |
| Ratio too high | Zero Point Nine Panic | Chargeback Prevention |
| Seeing fraud | Fraud Prevention | Fraud Types |
| Choosing a processor | Processor Comparison | MCC Codes |
| Money stuck | Holds & Reserves | Payout Strategy |
| Scary email from processor | Processor Warnings | Reduce Chargebacks Fast |
More situations
| Problem | Start Here | Then Read |
|---|---|---|
| Not sure when to refund vs. fight | Refund Strategy | Refund Policy Design |
| Customer says they were charged twice | Refund Policy | Auth & Capture |
| I need to switch processors | Buying Payments | Processor Management |
| Customer wants refund but I already shipped | Refund Strategy | Chargeback Prevention |
| Sales dropping, don't know why | Auth Optimization | Decline Codes |
| Going international | Selling Internationally | Expanding Internationally |
In a hurry? Jump to Playbooks for step-by-step crisis guides: Reduce Chargebacks Fast · Survive a Fraud Attack · Setup Dispute Alerts
Core Sections
| Section | What You'll Learn |
|---|---|
| Payments | How money actually moves. Authorization, settlement, why transactions fail. |
| Fraud | Detection, prevention, the difference between fraud and credit loss. |
| Chargebacks | Disputes, reason codes, how to fight back (and when not to). |
| Compliance | Network rules, PCI, consumer protection. The stuff that gets you fined. |
Quick Reference
| Resource | Use For |
|---|---|
| Decline Codes | Understanding why transactions fail |
| Reason Codes | Understanding why chargebacks happen |
| MCC Codes | Merchant category classification |
| Benchmarks | What "good" looks like: auth rates, fraud rates, chargeback ratios by industry |
The Guide
Want structured learning instead? Follow a guided pathway:
Start with The Guide, Pathway 1. It covers the foundations in 20 minutes.
Other Ways to Navigate
Already know the basics? These alternative paths are for returning users and practitioners.
By Experience Level
🟢 New to Payments. Start here if terms like "interchange" or "chargeback ratio" are unfamiliar
Week 1: How Payments Work → Payment Methods → Decline Codes
Week 2: Fraud Types → Chargeback Fundamentals → Compliance Overview
Week 3: Buying Payments → Chargeback Prevention → Fraud Prevention
🟡 Intermediate. You know the basics, ready to optimize
Optimize Revenue: Auth Optimization → Checkout Conversion → Settlement
Reduce Losses: Risk Scoring → Velocity Rules → Representment
Scale Operations: Processor Management → Fraud Metrics → Chargeback Metrics
🔴 Advanced. Deep dives and specialized topics
Fraud Types: Synthetic Identity → Account Takeover → Friendly Fraud → Fraud Rings
Detection: Device Fingerprinting → Behavioral Analytics → Risk Scoring
Compliance: Network Programs → PCI DSS → AML Basics
By Role
SMB Owner: Buying Payments → Chargeback Prevention → Reduce Chargebacks Fast
E-commerce Manager: Checkout Conversion → Auth Optimization → 3D Secure
Fraud Analyst: Fraud Types → Risk Scoring → Velocity Rules → Fraud Metrics
Payment Operations: Settlement & Reconciliation → Processor Management → Chargeback Metrics
Vendor Guides
- Chargeback Vendors - Alert services, representment providers
- Fraud Vendors - Detection and prevention tools
- Fraud Vendor Selection - How to evaluate vendors