Credit and debit cards are used globally, but accepting them as a payment method involves certain risks. It is not guaranteed that you’ll receive your money because chargebacks are possible. Also, card payments are susceptible to fraud.
Chargebacks
By submitting a chargeback, the owner of a credit or debit card can reverse a payment within 6 months after the payment. The consumer's bank will initiate the chargeback to return the funds to the consumer. A consumer is allowed to submit a chargeback for the following reasons:
- The consumer did not receive their product.
- The product is not as described.
- The consumer did not receive their money back from the seller.
- Someone else paid with the consumer’s credit or debit card (card fraud).
Credit and debit card fraud
If a card is stolen, it can be used to make a payment that is not 3D secure. The legitimate card owner has the option to submit a chargeback for any such fraudulent transactions. If this chargeback happens, the seller would lose their product and payment. You should be prepared to accept this risk if you offer credit and debit cards as a payment method to your customers.