When it comes to starting a sustainable business, things are going very well right now. However, there is one major problem that most entrepreneurs won’t address…
They often end up getting categorized as high-risk with payment processing companies. Higher costs, frequent chargebacks, and limited support.
It doesn’t stop there either.
Should your sustainable business not have the best fraud prevention merchant services solution, you’re wide open to having your operation shut down by payment fraud.
Fortunately, with a few key steps, it doesn’t have to be this difficult for sustainable businesses.
What you’ll learn:
- Why do Sustainable Businesses Struggle with Payments?
- Current Payment Fraud Landscape
- Top 5 High Risk Payment Processors
- How Sustainable Businesses Can Defend Against Payment Fraud
Why Do Sustainable Businesses Struggle With Payments?
Here’s a fun fact most business owners aren’t aware of…
Sustainable businesses are usually in what’s called a “high-risk” industry. No matter if it’s eco-friendly supplements, CBD products, subscription boxes or any other marketplace selling sustainable goods.
Why? Because almost all have high chargeback ratios, complex compliance needs or international transactions. Most payment processors simply don’t want the risk.
That’s why fraud prevention merchant services are a must-have for sustainable businesses. The right processor will have advanced fraud prevention, easy chargeback dispute tools, and safe payment processing so your business can focus on growth. Partnering with a provider offering reliable high-risk business payments can also help reduce risk of having your account frozen.
If you don’t take these precautions… you’re asking for payment processing issues.
Current Payment Fraud Landscape
It’s time to talk numbers. As you can see from the graph below, payment fraud is at an all-time high.
This graphic comes from the 2025 AFP survey where 79% of organizations were affected by payment fraud in 2024. To break that statistic down some more, that’s 79 out of 100 businesses experiencing payment fraud.
Let that sink in.
But wait, there’s more. From Recorded Future’s yearly report, it was discovered that 269 million stolen card records were available on dark web portals in 2024. As you can see, payment fraud is becoming more sophisticated, organized and prevalent each year.
That’s true for any business, but sustainable businesses that fall into high-risk categories are more susceptible to falling victim. Payment fraud can cost your business more than just money. Your hard-built brand reputation can be tarnished by fraudulent activity.
The moral of the story? Preventing payment fraud with fraud prevention merchant services should be at the top of your list.
Top 5 High Risk Payment Processors
With so many payment processors out there, finding the right one can be daunting. Not all payment processors will understand the nuances of high-risk industries.
Here are the top picks when it comes to high-risk payment processors:
- 2Accept – The #1 recommendation for sustainable businesses. 2Accept is a merchant account provider that focuses on helping high-risk businesses succeed online. Their team of experts offer custom fraud prevention, proactive chargeback protection, and 24/7 account support to keep processing simple for your business.
- PaymentCloud – Another great high-risk merchant account provider with custom plans for any industry. They pride themselves on exceptional customer service and payment flexibility.
- Durango Merchant Services – Ideal processor for those hard-to-place businesses. Durango has years of experience processing multi-currency as well as international transactions. Durango also supports ACH and eChecks.
- High Risk Pay – Known for their quick approvals (24 hours) and high approval rating. They specialize in working with businesses that have been declined.
- PayCompass – Provides robust fraud prevention solutions and help with compliance. Good processor for transparent pricing and reliable service.
Any of these payment processors will allow your sustainable business to thrive by offering secure payments. But as mentioned before, 2Accept is best for any sustainable business because of their high-risk business focus and dedication to keeping your business safe from fraud.
How Sustainable Businesses Can Defend Against Payment Fraud
Having a high-risk payment processor is only part of the battle. There are some additional steps that should be taken to ensure you have the best fraud prevention merchant services solution for your sustainable business. Below are some of those steps:
Use Multi-Layered Fraud Detection
Using just one fraud prevention method is only going to leave holes in your defenses. You want to use as many layers of fraud detection as possible.
Here are some methods to use:
- Transaction monitoring that analyzes transactions as they happen
- AI fraud scoring that assesses each transaction for fraud
- 3D Secure verification for added authentication during checkout
The more layers you have, the harder it will be for fraudsters to penetrate your business.
Prevent Chargebacks Before They Occur
Chargebacks are absolutely devastating for high-risk businesses. If your business gets too many chargebacks your merchant account can get terminated. No more payment processing.
Here are some ways to prevent chargebacks:
- Enable chargeback alerts
- Utilize clear billing descriptions
- Quickly respond to any dispute charges
- Partner with a payment processor that offers chargeback prevention services.
It’s always best to be proactive with chargebacks.
Always Be Compliant
If your sustainable business sells to multiple regions or industries, you’ll have to comply with each set of regulations. When it comes to payment processing this includes:
- Maintaining PCI DSS compliance
- Knowing your region’s data privacy laws
- Partnering with a payment processor who understands high-risk regulations.
Any payment processor worth partnering with should be knowledgeable on how to keep your business compliant.
Get A Payment Processing Partner You Can Trust
This should be the first thing on every sustainable business owner’s checklist. Partnering with the right payment processing company will make all the difference.
Not only should you look for the features mentioned above, but also make sure they offer:
- Dedicated account management
- Flat pricing
- Experience with high-risk businesses.
Outfit your sustainable business with the right tools and you’ll set yourself up for success.
The Takeaway
Running a sustainable business can come with many challenges when it comes to payment processing. From being high-risk to rising payment fraud, there are some things that businesses in this field must consider.
They aren’t deal breakers though!
By using the right fraud prevention merchant services, partnering with a payment processor that specializes in high-risk businesses, and using layered fraud prevention your sustainable business can and will succeed.
- Partner with a payment processor that specializes in high-risk businesses and can offer fraud prevention from day one.
- Utilize multiple layers of fraud prevention.
- Be proactive with chargebacks.
- Find a payment processor that helps you stay compliant.
Are you taking all the steps to protect your business from payment fraud?
Author Profile
- Passionate content creator, contributor, freelance writer and content marketing allrounder.
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