NCN’s check verification database can be utilized by collection agencies and their merchants, or used directly by merchants. The database uses two kinds of information:

Negative information, which links over 22 million accounts to returned checks that have not been repaid to the merchant.

Positive data, which records the dollar amount and item count of check transactions for each of the 138 million accounts in the database.

NCN has pioneered the use of many sophisticated features to augment negative data and prevent merchants from being victimized by fraudulent checks.

The NCN database provides several key benefits to our merchants:

Extensive Negative File: NCN receives a steady stream of bad check information 24 hours a day 7 days a week from all across the United States, Canada and the Caribbean to provide you with reliable and current information.

Multiple Database Searches: NCN uses MICR data, drivers license, Social Security number, or a store specific check card to maximize fraud detection.

Detection of Duplicate Checks: New technology has led to a dramatic increase in fraudulent duplicate checks. NCN declines duplicate checks to reduce these losses.

With ATM Verify, merchants can now determine—virtually in real time—whether a customer’s account is an open, valid account with a positive balance. ATM Verify offers the most powerful, accurate, and robust verification system available today.

By harnessing the single largest source of account information in the world, merchants can effectively reduce transaction losses through immediate risk assessment. Using ATM Verify, merchants can access this information, which is generated in real time.

ATM Verify complements our Gateway and can be used with any of our real-time processes. By using ATM Verify with these products, merchants can verify account status before accepting a check.

After entering check information into the Gateway fortified by ATM Verify, a merchant receives a result notification of “positive,” “negative,” or “unknown.” “Negative” responses alert the merchant that there are problems with this specific account. “Positive” assures the merchant the account is currently in good standing. “Unknown” suggests the account in question is not within the ATM Verify network.

ATM Verify can be integrated within the merchant’s current system. With our Web Services API, a merchant can integrate the verification process, which precedes the ACH transaction process. Receiving a result notification then sets into motion the merchant’s current ACH process.