Andrea Herrera

Fake checks are fraudulent or counterfeit versions of legitimate checks, created with the intent to deceive individuals or businesses. These checks may look authentic but lack sufficient funds, are entirely fabricated, or are tampered with. To avoid potential financial and operational loss, a business must learn how to spot a fake check by being familiar…

The question of whether it is illegal to not accept cash is a relevant and important question for many small businesses. The short answer is—it depends on where you are located. There is no federal law that requires businesses to accept cash, but there are some states that have laws in place that prohibit businesses…

Businesses are increasingly opting for cashless transactions as they seek to streamline operations, increase efficiency, enhance security, and cater to consumer preferences. The transition from traditional cash-based transactions to digital payment methods has accelerated, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic when contactless payments had become a preferred way to pay. The Rise of…

Biometric payment involves using unique physical or behavioral attributes, like fingerprints or facial recognition, to authenticate transactions securely. There has been increased adoption of biometric payment in recent years because it is generally considered more secure than password- or PIN-based systems. Biometric payment may be used for in-person and online transactions. According to a recent…

Plaid is a financial technology company that acts as an intermediary between financial institutions and third-party applications. Using Plaid makes it easy for users to quickly and safely connect their bank accounts with apps, helping them manage money and make transactions effortlessly without providing the apps with their bank login information. While users may sign…

EMV is a global standard for secure payment transactions involving the use of smart cards, also known as chip cards, that contain an embedded microprocessor chip. Instead of relying solely on magnetic stripes, EMV cards generate a unique transaction code for each purchase—this enhances security by making it more difficult for fraudsters to replicate card…

Meta Pay is an in-app mobile payment service owned by social media company Meta. It allows users on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp to send and accept money within the app. Businesses may also add a Meta Pay button on their websites so customers can conduct seamless transactions without leaving the website. Using Meta Pay will…

Credit card payment processing involves borrowing funds from a credit line, while debit card processing entails direct access to the user’s bank account, with transactions instantly deducted from available funds. Businesses that accept card payments often accept both credit cards and debit cards. However, debit cards are considered less risky, so financial institutions charge lower…

Square is a payments, point-of-sale (POS), and business management tool for small businesses. It has no contracts, minimum requirements, or upfront costs for its software or payment processing tools. The basic software is free, and you have the option for monthly billed upgrades. Square deducts a flat fee on successful payment transactions, and you get…

Both Stripe and PayPal are excellent online payment processors. We like Stripe for international sales, B2B businesses, and larger companies. PayPal is great for small businesses, solopreneurs, and as an additional payment method to any website or online store. They both made our list of the best online payment and credit card processors. Stripe took…

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently proposed an update to the Negative Option Rule, mandating businesses to offer a straightforward cancellation process, potentially featuring a “Click to Cancel” button for customers with recurring billing or subscriptions. Upon implementation, businesses providing recurring products or services could incur penalties for non-compliance with the rule. The “Click…

A payment gateway and a payment processor are two elements needed to safely and securely process payments. The payment gateway collects, verifies, encrypts, and transmits the information to the payment processor, while the processor facilitates the actual transaction by working with the card network and relevant banks. Learning the difference between a payment gateway and…