Upcoming Webinar Details Visa’s Historic Announcement in the Fight Against First-Party Misuse/Friendly Fraud

The joint webinar from the MRC and Visa will explore Visa’s compelling evidence updates and related efforts in the ongoing battle against first-party misuse.

Seattle, WA – 16 June 2022– The Merchant Risk Council (MRC) has been working closely with Visa for years to reduce the threat of first-party misuse, also referred to as friendly fraud; where legitimate purchases are disputed by consumers who claim fraud.

As part of this initiative, Visa is modifying their dispute process with the goal of empowering merchants to leverage data and reduce illegitimate chargebacks. These policy modifications will be detailed by Visa representatives in an MRC-hosted webinar on 23 June 2022, with additional Visa-led regional webinars on 28 June at 10AM PT covering NA / LAC acceptance, at 7PM PT covering AP / CEMEA acceptance, and on 30 June at 7AM PT focused on European acceptance.

The webinar will provide MRC members the opportunity to hear directly from Visa representatives Melanie Davis, Natalie England, and Mark Woelfer, as well as MRC leaders including Julie Fergerson, CEO, and Úna Dillon, VP of Global Expansion & Advocacy, as they detail what these changes mean and why they are significant. 

“Card networks like Visa continue to be a critical partner in our advocacy efforts concerning first-party misuse,” said Julie Fergerson, MRC CEO. “I am so excited Visa is directly engaging our members at this webinar, and for what this collaborative effort represents for the future of our industry.” 

Though there is more to be done when it comes to reducing first-party misuse, this is an important step in the right direction, according to Julie. 

“This issue is complex and costly; we’re talking billions of dollars a year,” she said. “To solve it, every stakeholder in the payments chain needs to work together. What Visa is doing will make a very real impact and is an excellent example of Visa leading in the industry and prioritizing collaboration to affect substantive change for the better. I highly recommend all MRC members attend and learn more about why this is such a big deal for everyone in eCommerce!”

The Visa Briefing on their industry announcement: ‘Evolution of Compelling Evidence’ webinar is scheduled for 23 June at 8 AM PDT and is free for all MRC members. Learn more about becoming an MRC member to take advantage of this valuable opportunity.

About the MRC:

The MRC is a non-profit 501(c)6 global membership organization connecting eCommerce fraud prevention and payments professionals in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific through educational programs, online community groups, conferences, and networking events. Encompassing 600+ companies, including 400+ merchants, it provides education on fraud prevention, payments optimization, and risk management.

The MRC launched in 2000 and continues to be at the forefront of industry evolution and the ongoing fight against eCommerce fraud.