CREDIT CARD VALIDATION

[KPD]

I'm using the Netscape commerce server and need to validate credit card
transactions. I would like to know how most people are doing this.
Obviously, I would like to validate in 'real-time' over the net. Is this
possible and who is providing this type of service. Any other alternative
solutions or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Kyle

ky...@montanamall.com

[David Williams]

In article <kyle-28129...@205.138.110.224>,

I don't know of any services on the net where you can verify accounts, but I'm
sure they exist. One thing you want to be sure to do is to do the checksum
calculation on the account number to see if it is even is a valid account
number.

All credit card numbers can be run through an algorythm to see if the number
is real. This is different than determining if the account is open and in
good standing.

Many who can't do the authorization online will check the number and if ok,
send it off for offline authorization (through a direct serial link to
authorization service). At least by verifying that you got a good number in
the first place you limit the chance of someone just making up numbers and
wasting your time.

You can obtain the validation algorythm from the credit card companies.
There is one for AMX and one for VISA/MC.

--
David Williams
Hooked, Inc.
http://www.hooked.net/users/davew/