What is card testing fraud? Why criminals make tiny payments first
By SendPay Business · · 2 min read
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Card testing is when criminals take a list of stolen card numbers and try each one with a small payment on an online checkout. The cards that go through are then used, or sold, for bigger fraud. The business whose checkout was used is left with the fallout.
What merchants see
A sudden burst of small payments, often for the same tiny amount, many of them declined, from lots of different cards in a short time. Donation pages and cheap digital products are common targets because small amounts look normal there.
Why it hurts the business
Each attempt can carry a processing fee, successful payments often turn into chargebacks when the real cardholders notice, and a high chargeback ratio can put a merchant account at risk.
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Where SendPay fits
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Questions people ask
How close am I to my chargeback limit?
Work out your chargeback rate and what it costs.
Chargeback ratio calculator →Can I launch my own payments platform?
Yes, with payment links and invoicing built in.
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Spotted a mistake or something out of date? and we'll fix it. How our guides are made
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. Other companies named in this guide are reference points only and are not affiliated with SendPay Business.