Mastercard says linking fraud and cyber checks cuts fraud losses

Mastercard says businesses lose less money to fraud when their fraud teams and cyber-security teams work together. The company made the point in an infographic titled "Cyber-fraud integration delivers measurable fraud reduction." The full article behind it was not available, so the claim cannot be checked here.

What it is about

Fraud teams and cyber-security teams often work apart. Fraud teams watch for suspicious payments and misuse of cards. Cyber-security teams guard systems against break-ins and attacks. Mastercard's infographic is about combining the tools both teams use, so each side can see what the other sees.

Who it affects

Any business that takes card payments could be touched by this idea. That includes shops, online stores and service firms. Most of them rely on a payment provider for fraud checks, so the setup may be decided by that provider rather than the business itself.

What is not known yet

The material does not include any figures. It does not say how much fraud fell, over what period, or for which kind of company. It also does not explain how the study or data behind the claim was put together. Until those details are public, treat "measurable" as a promise, not a proven number.

What to do

If you run a business that takes card payments, ask your payment provider how it combines fraud and security checks. Good questions to raise:

• Do your fraud and security tools share information?
• Can the provider show results from real customers?
• What does it cost, and who handles setup?