Accepted Cards

The following credit, debit, fleet and buy-aid cards are accepted by Absa Merchant Services:

Credit Cards

• VISA
• MasterCard
• Amex (American Express)
• Diners Club

Debit Cards

• MasterCard-Maestro PIN only on Absa Standard Bank and Boland (BOE Bank) cards, as well as all international Maestro cards
  
• VISA PIN or signature on Absa and all international Electron cards
  
• As other banks become technologically able, they too will be accepted

Fleet Cards

• Absa Vehicle Finance: Fuel and Workshop
  
• First Auto: Fuel only
  
• Ned Fleet: Fuel and Workshop
  
• Stannic: Fuel only

Garage Cards / Petrol Cards

Buy-Aid Cards

• Iemas
  
• Koopkrag
  
• Pretorium Trust
  
• Cape Consumers
  
• Samba

Other Services

Cheque Verification Service (CVS)

Added benefits

Absa's Point of Sale (POS) terminals are equipped with an added functionality to verify cheques (CVS) of participating banks presented for payment. This adds value to the existing service of card acceptance as well as reducing the potential loss of payment through cheques presented to the merchant for payment.

Any merchant wishing to make use of the cheque verification service can register with his acquiring bank. Upon registration the merchant will be able to verify a cheque presented for payment at a nominal fee.

The following information will be obtained via a link from the POS terminal to the JBCB (Joint Bank Credit Bureau): 

• Lost or stolen cheques and chequebooks
  
• Closed accounts
  
• Dishonoured cheques
  
• Although payments of cheques are not guaranteed, utilisation of CVS has definite advantages to merchants

How Does Cheque Verification Work?

• Participating banks (Absa, FNB, B.O.E and Standard Bank) automatically update lost or stolen cheques and chequebooks or closed accounts
  
• Unpaid cheques are reported by the merchant to the JBCB where the failed transaction is recorded. The account holder's cheques will in future be dishonoured
  
• Should the merchant receive subsequent payment, the adverse record at JBCB is to be removed by the merchant
  
• Information loaded on the CVS system will automatically be deleted from the database ranging in time from 12 months to 5 years after initial loading, depending on the nature of the record