Sending Secure Emails w/ Credit Card #'s

Sending and Receiving secure information

[DXL]

I have been using Paypal to accept payment for various design services lately. Typically when I need to accept a payment I simply offer the instructions and/or a link to a client. In the future however, I want to be able to obtain the credit information from the client and simply run the card myself through paypal so that I don't have to go back to them every few days if they want to make additions. I wanted to just add a submit form to my site to obtain all relevant info that I can use to run the cards later on when needed. However, I do not have access to a secure server through my hosting provider, godaddy. Most clients would be rightfully reluctant to send this information via regular email or through a regular submit form if it wasnt secure.

What are my options? I just need a neat and tidy way of getting the information I need securely from my clients so that the billing processor is simplified.

[Purple Martin]

Is there some way you could encrypt it before sending? I don't know whether this is possible, it's just an idea! :)

[gsx]

You cannot just run their cards through the PayPal system - you can be charged with fraud because their transactions are marked as being done by the cardholder - you are not the card holder.

You need a merchant account to do this. You also must let them know that it is transactions from the internet that you are processing - whether you are putting them through offline or online makes no difference. There are higher charges for internet transactions due to higher levels of fraud.

[Crazy_Fool]

>>You cannot just run their cards through the PayPal
>>system - you can be charged with fraud because their
>>transactions are marked as being done by the cardholder -
>>you are not the card holder.

correct.
however, you can use a Virtual Terminal from an online payment processing company - these will allow you to charge any amount at any time. invoice the client and ask them to send the invoice back with their signature before you process the payment.

>>You need a merchant account to do this. You also must let
>>them know that it is transactions from the internet that
>>you are processing - whether you are putting them through
>>offline or online makes no difference.

yes, that's another alternative. just don't run them through paypal yourself !!

>>. There are higher charges for internet transactions due to higher levels of fraud.

i wouldnt put the higher rates down to fraud alone.

in some cases, online card processing is charged at higher rates because card processing companies are taking advantage of people that cannot get bank merchant accounts.

typical requirements for a UK bank merchant account are 2 years trading history and a turnover in excess of £20,000. with this trading history and turnover, you can expect rates of between 3.5% and 5.5% from the bank. without these, the rates will be higher.

but you can go direct to an internet merchant provider and get online facilities without the trading history and with no minimum turnover. hence the slightly higher rates of between 4% and 8%.

as your turnover increases, both with banks and with online card processing companies, you can negotiate lower rates and other benefits.