Overview
Once you’ve set up Fraud Prevention rules, it’s important to monitor their performance, manage flagged activity, and respond promptly to suspicious transactions. This article explains how to use the review tools, receive alerts, and manage account restrictions so your fraud controls work as intended.
How to Review Flagged or Denied Transactions
Fraud Prevention includes two key tools for reviewing transactions that were affected by your rules:
Waiting Review
Transactions that were flagged (not denied) will appear here.
Go to Fraud Prevention → Waiting Review tab
- These transactions were allowed to process but are pending manual review.
- If you find the transaction legitimate, no action is needed and they will settle as normal.
- If the transaction looks fraudulent, void it using your reporting tool before settlement.
How to use this page:
- Click the "History" links in yellow next to the user ID, the credit card number, and the IP address to view the recent history of each.
- You also have the option to click the red links to ban a specific credit card, a whole bank sequence, a single IP address, or a Class C IP block.
- After reviewing a transaction, check the 'Review Complete' box to mark it.
- Use 'Clear Reviewed Transactions' to remove all marked transactions.
- Use 'Clear All Transactions' to mark all transactions across all pages as reviewed.
History Log
To investigate any past transaction:
- Go to Fraud Prevention → History Log tab
- Enter the Transaction ID and click Search
- Click the magnifying glass icon under the Response column
- A summary will appear showing which rule or threshold triggered the alert
This tool is essential for identifying which Fraud Prevention setting caused a denial or flag.
Email Notifications for Fraud Activity
To stay informed of fraud activity, enable email alerts:
How to Enable Notifications
- Log in to your Merchant Portal
- Go to Settings → General Options → User Accounts
- Select the username you want to update
- Scroll to Notifications
- Check the box for Receive Fraud Prevention Notifications
- Click Save
What You’ll Receive
- Emails for each flagged or denied transaction
- Subject line includes: "Flagged" or "Blocked"
- Email body contains the triggered rule and transaction details
- Includes links to your reporting and Fraud Prevention pages (login required)
Visual Alerts: Notification Badges
The Merchant Portal shows a notification badge next to Fraud Prevention if there are flagged transactions waiting for your review.
- The badge shows the number of transactions pending
- If over 99, it will display as "99+"
This helps you quickly spot and address suspicious activity.
Merchant Considerations
- Timely Reviews: Regularly check the Waiting Review tab to avoid delays in spotting fraud
- Notification Tuning: Enable alerts for real-time monitoring and use filters to avoid inbox clutter
Common Questions
How do I know if a transaction was flagged or denied?
Check the Fraud Prevention History Log and look for color-coded markers. You can search by Transaction ID's to find specifics.
Can I take action on a flagged transaction?
Yes. If a transaction is flagged but not denied, you can review it in the Waiting Review tab. If needed, void or cancel the transaction directly through your reporting tools.
Can I ban users directly from the review page?
Yes. You can click red links next to suspicious credit card numbers, IP addresses, or user IDs to immediately ban them or related patterns.
Do I have to review every flagged transaction?
Not necessarily. If the transaction looks legitimate, you can simply check the 'Review Complete' box or let it process without action.
Need Help?
If you need help interpreting fraud alerts, adjusting thresholds, or responding to flagged activity, please contact your Merchant Service Provider.