About the position
ENVIRONMENT:
Our client, a growing company operating in the digital payments and fintech industry, is seeking an analytical and detail-oriented Fraud Monitoring Agent with practical experience in merchant credit and debit card payments, payment processing or payment gateway operations. The successful candidate will be responsible for monitoring merchant card transactions, investigating suspicious payment activity, identifying potential fraud and assisting with chargebacks and payment disputes. A solid understanding of how businesses accept and process Visa and Mastercard payments is essential, including payment authorisations, declined transactions, payment gateways, acquiring banks and merchant payment processing. This role focuses specifically on merchant card transactions and payment fraud, rather than general consumer credit card applications or traditional banking fraud.
You will play an important role in protecting the business and its merchants from fraudulent transactions, financial losses and avoidable chargebacks while ensuring investigations are handled accurately and within approved procedures.
DUTIES:
- Monitor merchant credit and debit card transactions processed through the payment gateway, identifying suspicious activity, unusual transaction patterns and potential fraudulent behaviour.
- Review fraud alerts and transaction reports within agreed service levels, identifying concerns such as card testing, repeated payment attempts, declined transactions and unusual payment activity.
- Investigate potentially fraudulent Visa and Mastercard transactions, including card-present and card-not-present transactions.
- Review transaction details, payment authorisations, authentication information, account activity and supporting documentation to identify possible fraud.
- Conduct initial fraud checks, take authorised action and escalate complex or suspicious cases to the Risk and Fraud Agent or Team Leader.
- Assist with investigating failed payments, suspicious authorisations, chargebacks and disputed card transactions.
- Register and administer chargebacks and information requests, ensuring all required documentation is collected and submitted within relevant card scheme deadlines.
- Liaise with merchants to obtain supporting information and transaction evidence required for fraud investigations and chargeback disputes.
- Monitor merchant fraud activity and chargeback ratios, identifying merchants or transaction patterns that may present increased risk.
- Work closely with internal teams and relevant external stakeholders to investigate suspicious transactions and resolve payment-related queries.
- Maintain accurate records of fraud investigations, transaction findings, escalations and dispute cases.
- Identify recurring fraud patterns, false positives and potential gaps in existing fraud prevention procedures.
- Ensure sensitive customer, merchant and card payment information is handled securely and in accordance with company policies and regulatory requirements.
- Follow established fraud prevention, escalation and compliance procedures, including applicable POPIA and PCI DSS requirements.
- Contribute to improvements in fraud monitoring processes, reporting and operational efficiency.
REQUIREMENTS:
Qualifications and Experience:
- Matric / National Senior Certificate.
- A completed or in-progress certificate, diploma or degree in Risk Management, Fraud Examination, Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Law, Criminology, Economics, Data Analytics or a related field.
- Practical experience or demonstrable hands-on exposure to merchant credit and debit card payments, merchant acquiring, payment gateway operations, card transaction monitoring or payment disputes is essential.
- Up to 4 years of relevant experience in fraud monitoring, payment processing, banking payment operations, merchant services, fintech, card disputes or technical merchant support.
- Experience working for a payment service provider (PSP), payment gateway, acquiring bank, merchant services provider, e-commerce business or fintech company would be highly advantageous.
- Previous exposure to Visa and Mastercard transactions, merchant payment investigations, failed payments, payment authorisations or chargebacks.
- Experience monitoring suspicious card transactions, investigating fraud alerts or assisting with payment disputes would be advantageous.
- Exposure to card-present and card-not-present transactions, particularly within an e-commerce or merchant payment environment.
- Familiarity with fraud monitoring systems, payment processing platforms, dispute portals or transaction reporting systems would be beneficial.
- Intermediate Microsoft Excel skills, including filtering, sorting, lookups and pivot tables.
- An entry-level fraud, card payments or disputes certification, or willingness to complete one within the first year, would be advantageous.
- Willingness to work agreed shifts, weekends, public holidays or standby duties when required.
- Must have the legal right to work in South Africa.
- Appointment will be subject to criminal, credit, qualification and other applicable background checks.
MERCHANT CARD PAYMENTS KNOWLEDGE:
The successful candidate must understand how businesses accept and process credit and debit card payments.
Relevant knowledge and experience should include:
- Merchant Card Payments: Understanding how businesses accept Visa and Mastercard payments, whether through online payment gateways, payment terminals or other merchant payment solutions.
- Payment Processing: Understanding the card payment lifecycle, including authorisation, successful and declined payments, transaction processing, settlement and reconciliation.
- Payment Gateways: Familiarity with how payment gateways and payment service providers facilitate transactions between merchants, customers and banks.
- Merchant Acquiring: Understanding the roles of merchants, acquiring banks, issuing banks, card schemes and payment service providers.
- Card Transaction Monitoring: Ability to recognise unusual payment activity, repeated failed transactions, suspicious payment patterns and possible fraudulent transactions.
- Card Fraud: Awareness of common fraud types, including card testing, compromised cards, card-not-present fraud, account takeover and unauthorised card usage.
- Chargebacks and Disputes: Understanding of disputed card transactions, merchant chargebacks, payment reversals and the importance of collecting supporting transaction evidence.
- Visa and Mastercard: Familiarity with card scheme processes, dispute requirements and chargeback deadlines would be advantageous.
- 3D Secure and Authentication: Awareness of payment authentication, 3D Secure outcomes, card verification and other fraud prevention measures.
- Merchant Support: Experience assisting businesses or merchants with failed transactions, payment queries, transaction investigations or payment disputes.
IMPORTANT: This position requires an understanding of merchant card payment processing. Experience limited to consumer credit card applications, personal banking products or general banking fraud, without practical merchant payment exposure, may not be sufficient.
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES:
The ideal candidate will demonstrate:
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
- A curious and investigative mindset.
- The ability to identify unusual patterns and potential risks.
- Good communication and interpersonal skills.
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple cases.
- The ability to remain calm and professional under pressure.
- A responsible approach to handling confidential and sensitive information.
- Willingness to learn, accept feedback and develop within a growing fintech environment.
- The ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with colleagues and other departments.
- Sound judgement and the ability to follow approved procedures and escalation requirements.
- A proactive attitude towards identifying risks, resolving problems and improving processes.
Desired Skills:
