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Advanced fraud detection and prevention tools for online payments
The Advanced Fraud Detection Suite (AFDS) gives merchants built-in fraud detection tools to screen online payments, flag suspicious transactions, and review risky orders with rules-based controls inside the payment gateway.
eCommerce fraud doesn't just target big businesses
Over the next five years, analysts project that small and medium businesses will face more than $130 billion in losses from payments fraud,1 yet most SMB owners believe they're too small to be targeted. That's exactly what fraudsters count on.
Authorize.net's fraud detection tools are built specifically for businesses of your size: no security team required, no complex integration, just 13 configurable filters that work from day one.
38%
say fraud isn’t a big concern
48%
think they are too small to be noticed by fraudsters
38%
think they are less susceptible than large businesses2
Three layers of payment gateway fraud prevention
Effective payment gateway fraud prevention works at three levels: your own business practices, your payment gateway's built-in tools, and your network firewall. Authorize.net handles the middle layer automatically. Here’s how you can strengthen all three areas.
Be proactive
Look at your website and see where you might be vulnerable. What customer verification tools do you have in place now? Don’t ignore suspicious activity.
Use a fraud prevention tool
AFDS is the built-in eCommerce fraud prevention service included with every plan. Its 13 configurable fraud filters let you set transaction thresholds, payment velocity limits, IP address blocks, country restrictions, and more. Every filter triggers a specific action you control: hold for review, decline automatically, or process and flag.
Set up a simple firewall
Many firewalls come with basic tools for botnet detection, prevention, and removal.
What Authorize.net's fraud detection software monitors
AFDS screens every transaction against 13 configurable filters covering the most common vectors of eCommerce fraud. Each filter operates independently, so you can tune your protection to match your specific business risk profile.
Transaction amount thresholds
Block or flag orders that fall outside your typical order value range, catching both unusually large purchases and micro-transactions used in card testing.
Payment velocity and suspicious patterns
Detect multiple rapid transactions from the same card, email, or IP address. Identify repeated use of the same email, phone number, or device across multiple failed or flagged transactions.
Shipping and billing address mismatches
Flag orders where the shipping destination doesn't match the card's billing address.
Country and IP address restrictions
Block or review transactions originating from specific countries or regions outside your customer base.
Award-winning fraud detection tools, recognized by Forbes
Authorize.net's fraud detection and prevention capabilities earned a best payment gateway rating from Forbes Advisor—one of the most widely cited independent evaluations in the industry. Our Advanced Fraud Detection Suite was specifically recognized as a key differentiator for small business payment security.
Stop fraud without blocking good customers
The hidden cost of fraud prevention isn't just fraudulent transactions—it's legitimate customers getting declined by mistake. AFDS gives you the flexibility to hold suspicious transactions for review rather than declining them outright, so a flagged order from a real customer can be approved manually before it becomes a lost sale. You set the threshold; AFDS enforces it.
You decide what happens when a fraud filter is triggered
Most fraud detection tools make decisions for you. AFDS puts the control in your hands. For each of the 13 filters, you choose one of four actions based on your risk tolerance and business model.
Do not authorize but hold for review
Flag a transaction before authorization and review it manually within five days. This is useful when you want to avoid authorization fees on suspicious orders while still having the option to approve legitimate ones.
Authorize and hold for review
Authorize the transaction immediately but hold it for up to 30 days before settling. This action is useful if you want to review authorized transactions prior to submitting for settlement.
Process as normal and report filter(s) triggered
Let the transaction go through as usual but flag it in your dashboard for monitoring. This is the best starting point when you're new to a filter and want to see what it catches before committing to stricter action.
Decline the transaction
Block the transaction automatically before authorization even occurs. This is the most decisive action available and best reserved for filter combinations you're confident signal fraud rather than edge cases.
Frequently asked questions
Authorize.net includes built-in fraud detection tools through its Advanced Fraud Detection Suite, including configurable filters, transaction review settings, and screening controls that help merchants identify suspicious payments.
Authorize.net helps eCommerce businesses reduce fraud risk by flagging suspicious transactions, applying rules-based filters, and giving merchants control over whether to review, authorize, or decline flagged orders.
Yes. Authorize.net supports review workflows that allow merchants to hold transactions for review before or after authorization, depending on the filter action selected.
Merchants can configure fraud settings such as transaction thresholds, velocity filters, location-based limitations, verification settings, and review actions based on their business model. Learn more about AFDS fraud filters.
Fraud prevention resources for small businesses
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1 Jupiter Research, Online Payment Fraud: Emerging Threats, Segment Analysis & Market Forecasts 2018-2023
2 Research Report: Why fraud prevention is a strategic investment for businesses of all sizes, Emailage, © 2019
These statistical percentages were derived from a survey of 1,000 people in leadership roles in small to midsized businesses across the United States and Canada to learn about their attitudes towards fraud prevention.