AVS

Address Verification System. Validates the billing address of the credit card to make certain the ZIP code and/or Street number or other information matches what is on file. This can also decrease credit card fraud if the thief does not have access to the card holder’s actual billing address. Merchant may decide:
§   AVS match is ignored
§   AVS match is optional
§   AVS is required.
For best qualification rates on transactions, AVS should be used.
Hint: Remember, however, IF AVS Match is set to “required” and IF the customer has recently moved or does not remember which of his/her card is billed to which address and owns multiple addresses including homes and businesses, the transaction will not be approved until the address does match successfully. This may result in loss of sales. Required AVS Match only on large ticket sales will lower the transaction rate on matched AVS.