Account verification

This page explains the process of account verification transactions, which are used to validate a customer's payment method without charging any amount. These transactions are crucial for ensuring that the card is active and available for future payments.

In this guide, you’ll find:

• How account verification transactions work and when to use them.
• A breakdown of an example of a zero-dollar authentication request and response.
• Common reasons for failed account verification attempts and how to avoid them.

Account Verification in Vortez

Account Verification transactions in Vortex validate a customer's payment method without charging any amount. These transactions ensure that the card is active and ready for future payments. This feature is particularly useful for verifying payment details during onboarding, recurring billing setup, or updating account information.

Use Cases

• New Customer Onboarding:
  Verify payment details as customers add their payment methods during account setup.

• Recurring Payments Setup:
  Ensure customer accounts are active before enabling subscriptions or recurring billing plans.

• Updating Payment Details:
  Confirm the validity of new or updated payment methods provided by customers.

Example

Zero Dollar Authentication

Request body

{
  "arguments": [
    {
      "ecom": false,
      "moto": false,
      "externalId": "700535928447888",
      "transactionType": "Authorization",
      "totalAmount": 0.0,
      "currencyCode": "840",
      "merchant": {
        "accountId": "261559",
        "name": "PPS Engineering UAT 2",
        "sic": "7399",
        "address": {
          "street1": "2001 Westside",
          "city": "Alpharetta",
          "state": "GA",
          "postalCode": "30004"
        },
        "number": "518089240725465",
        "processor": {
          "name": "TSYS",
          "bankNumber": "8739"
        },
        "sponsor": {
          "ica": "3583",
          "bin": "470780"
        }
      },
      "meta": {
        "created": "2024-02-21"
      },
      "account": {
        "form": "plastic",
        "expiry": "2025-12",
        "number": "4761340000000050"
      },
      "device": {
        "accountCaptureMethod": "manual"
      },
      "recurring": false
    }
  ],
  "procedure": "card.create",
  "class": "rpc",
  "requestId": "Scenario_Visa_WS0.S3_1"
}

Response Body

{
  "arguments": [
    {
      "ecom": false,
      "moto": false,
      "externalId": "700535928447888",
      "transactionType": "Authorization",
      "totalAmount": 0.0,
      "currencyCode": "840",
      "merchant": {
        "accountId": "261559",
        "name": "PPS Engineering UAT 2",
        "sic": "7399",
        "address": {
          "street1": "2001 Westside",
          "city": "Alpharetta",
          "state": "GA",
          "postalCode": "30004"
        },
        "number": "518089240725465",
        "processor": {
          "name": "TSYS",
          "bankNumber": "8739"
        },
        "sponsor": {
          "ica": "3583",
          "bin": "470780"
        }
      },
      "meta": {
        "created": "2024-02-21"
      },
      "account": {
        "form": "plastic",
        "expiry": "2025-12",
        "number": "4761340000000050"
      },
      "device": {
        "accountCaptureMethod": "manual"
      },
      "recurring": false
    }
  ],
  "procedure": "card.create",
  "class": "rpc",
  "requestId": "Scenario_Visa_WS0.S3_1"
}

Failed Scenarios

For a full list of error codes related to account verification failures, visit the Error Codes dedicated page.

Account verification transactions can fail under the following circumstances:

• Inactive or Invalid Account:
  The card or account number provided does not exist, is inactive, or has been flagged for security reasons.

• Technical Issues:
  Failures in the Vortex system or communication errors with the banking network can prevent successful verification.

• Incorrect Account Details:
  Errors in the card number, expiration date, or other account details may cause verification attempts to fail.

Implementation Notes

To ensure successful Account Verification transactions, consider the following best practices:

1. Accurate Input:
   Verify that all customer account details (e.g., card number, expiration date) are correctly entered to minimize errors.

2. Customer Communication:
   Clearly explain to customers that account verification checks are non-chargeable transactions. This helps build trust and reduces confusion.

3. Handling Failures:
   In the event of a verification failure, promptly communicate the issue to the customer and provide guidance for updating their payment details.

By following these guidelines, merchants can streamline payment validation, enhance the onboarding experience, and ensure readiness for recurring or one-time payments.