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The Australasian Cards Risk Council is reaching out to merchants to help them protect themselves and their customers from fraud during the upcoming Commonwealth Games. In the lead up to the Games, the Council is warning Australian merchants to be extra careful about card security and is holding workshops to equip merchants with the necessary tools to prevent card fraud.

With the large influx of visitors during the Games expected to push up retail traffic and transaction volumes, merchants may be more susceptible to fraud unless they can spot the signs of fraud and understand some simple protective strategies.

The free workshops will be held in Melbourne on 20 and 21 February and will alert merchants to the latest card fraud scams, educate them to recognize counterfeit cards and build understanding of skimming and e-commerce risks. Merchants will also be taught to respond to the risks in a practical, commonsense way and learn about tools to secure cardholder data.

“Education and awareness are the best weapons in the fight against card fraud,” said Leigh Clapham, senior vice president and general manager, Australasia, MasterCard Worldwide. “Merchants play a critical role in securing the payments system because they are on the frontlines of commerce. When industry bodies such as the Council work hand in hand with retailers, we can make a powerful difference in keeping fraudsters at bay,” added Clapham.

Prior to the Sydney 2000 Olympics, MasterCard with other card companies, banks and local law enforcement agencies developed an intensive fraud awareness program for retailers, police and the financial sector. A series of presentations supported by a media campaign contributed to the lack of a perceptible increase in credit card fraud during, and for some time after the Olympics.