What is AVS? How address verification helps stop online card fraud
By SendPay Business · · 2 min read
The Address Verification Service (AVS) checks the billing address a customer types in at checkout against the address the card issuer has on file. It's one of the oldest fraud checks for online and phone card payments.
What it checks
AVS usually compares the numbers in the street address and the postcode or ZIP code, not the full address. It's widely used in the UK, the US and Canada, and less so elsewhere.
The results
- Full match: both the address numbers and the postcode match.
- Partial match: only one of them matches.
- No match: neither matches.
- Not supported: the issuer didn't run the check.
What businesses do with it
AVS doesn't approve or decline a payment by itself. The business or its payment provider chooses the rules, such as declining a no-match on a high-value order. Genuine customers can fail AVS after moving house, so strict rules can turn away good sales.
Working with other checks
AVS works best alongside the CVV check and 3D Secure, where the customer confirms the payment with their bank.
Where SendPay fits
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This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank, and does not take deposits; regulated services on the platforms are provided by licensed partners. PayPal, Patreon and Substack are named as reference points only and are not affiliated with SendPay Business.