At this stage in their evolution, the older Visa monitoring programs have allowed merchants to consider the issues of fraud, chargebacks, and card testing separately but as related problems.
The Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP) offers a new way to view these same programs for high-risk merchants. For ecommerce, subscription, and card-not-present merchants, Visa VAMP is more than just a change in terminology. It brings changes to how the program monitors and measures fraud, non-fraud disputes, and enumeration activity.
Why Merchants Need VAMP Monitoring
Merchants need specialized monitoring because the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP) combines three separate elements into one program. Merchants can no longer examine only the chargeback ratio, only fraud reports, or only the number of instances of card-testing activity for their merchants; all of these factors are related to the health of their accounts.
For merchants who rely on card-not-present sales, such as those in the ecommerce, subscription, CBD, nutraceutical, travel, adult, dating, and tech support industries, there will be more instances of fraud and chargebacks than for merchants with typical retail sales. These merchants are, therefore, under greater scrutiny from their payment processors.
What Changed from VDMP and VFMP
Prior to the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program, merchants discussed both VDMP and VFMP as separate programs. VDMP focused on excessive disputes, while VFMP focused on excessive fraud. Merchants could have one area reflect their health while another area reflects their suffering.
The Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program will bring merchants together under a single count for card-not-present Visa transactions. This means that merchants will need to take a closer look at their fraud, their TC15 disputes, and their settled Visa transactions to obtain a true view of their transaction activity with their acquirer.
Who Should Monitor Visa VAMP
Merchants who need to understand how the new Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program will impact their business can use this guide.
Specifically, merchants who should read this guide include those who are:
- high-risk merchants
- ecommerce sites
- subscription merchants
- digital goods and online education companies
- CBD, vape, travel, adult and dating industries
- merchants recently reviewed or terminated by their processor
- merchants using Verifi, Ethoca, 3DS, fraud detection or chargeback alert software
- merchants seeking to understand the difference between VAMP, VDMP and VFMP
- merchants that track chargebacks but not fraud reports and enumeration
If your business accepts Visa cards online, you should be aware of the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program.
VAMP vs VDMP vs VFMP Compared
The simplest way to understand the change is that Visa moved away from merchants thinking about fraud and disputes as separate monitoring programs.
| Program | Full Name | What It Focused On | What Changed Under VAMP |
|---|---|---|---|
| VAMP | Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program | Acquirer and merchant risk monitoring across fraud, disputes and enumeration | Now consolidates the older Visa fraud and dispute monitoring framework into one program |
| VDMP | Visa Dispute Monitoring Program | Excessive Visa disputes and chargebacks | Dispute monitoring is now part of the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP) ratio |
| VFMP | Visa Fraud Monitoring Program | Excessive Visa fraud activity | Fraud monitoring is now counted alongside disputes under the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP) |
| Enumeration Monitoring | Visa card-testing and account-attack monitoring | Bot-driven attempts to test card credentials | Enumeration is monitored separately from the main VAMP ratio but still affects risk conversations |
The practical change is simple: merchants need one dashboard view of fraud, disputes and card-testing activity instead of three disconnected reports.
Best VAMP Monitoring and Chargeback Support Options Compared
Not all merchants need the same tool. Some need a processor strategy. Others need alert coverage, fraud scoring, representment help or a gateway configuration review.
| Provider Or Tool | Best Fit For | Key Strength | Main Tradeoff |
| Payment Nerds | High-risk merchants that need processor-fit guidance, merchant account support and Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP) strategy | Connects VAMP monitoring to underwriting, chargeback controls, gateway setup and account stability | More consultative than a standalone software tool |
| Verifi | Merchants that need Visa dispute prevention and pre-dispute workflows | CDRN and RDR can help resolve disputes before they become formal chargebacks | Requires rule discipline so merchants do not auto-refund every case blindly |
| Ethoca | Merchants that want issuer-merchant alert visibility | Real-time fraud and dispute alerts can help stop fulfillment or issue refunds quickly | Alert coverage and workflow fit vary by merchant setup |
| Chargeback Gurus | Merchants that need chargeback strategy and VAMP education | Strong focus on chargeback prevention, representment and Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP) guidance | Not a merchant account provider by itself |
| Chargeflow | Ecommerce merchants wanting automated chargeback workflows | Automation, alerts and dispute management for online merchants | Merchants still need strong upstream fraud and billing practices |
| Midigator | Businesses that need chargeback analytics and representment workflows | Reporting, analytics and dispute-response support | Works best when payment data and internal processes are already organized |
| Signifyd | Ecommerce merchants focused on fraud prevention and chargeback protection | Checkout fraud decisioning and chargeback-protection options | Fit depends on ecommerce model, risk type and product category |
Payment Nerds is usually the strongest fit when the merchant needs to link the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP) risk to the merchant account. Tools like Verifi, Ethoca, fraud platforms and chargeback-management vendors can help, but processor fit and underwriting stability still matter.
How VAMP Changes Merchant Risk Monitoring
The Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP) redefines merchant risk, making it harder to distinguish fraud from disputes.
A merchant can no longer claim that their chargebacks are fine while ignoring fraud reports. They also can’t claim that their fraud tools are working if customers dispute their transactions for various reasons.
For those merchants who previously tracked VDMP and VFMP separately, VAMP will require merchants to pay closer attention to fraud reports, TC15 disputes, non-fraud disputes, settled Visa transactions, enumeration attempts and acquirer feedback – all in one review.
How Merchants Should Respond to VAMP in 2026
Use the following language to discuss the industry changes. Use the term Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP) to refer to the current program. Use the terms Visa Dispute Monitoring Program (VDMP) and Visa Fraud Monitoring Program (VFMP) only when discussing the old programs and their former use in measuring specific metrics.
Produce one monthly report for each merchant that includes information regarding the number of fraud transactions reported in TC40 reports, the number of transactions disputed in TC15 reports, the number of transactions that settled with Visa, the number of refunds to customers, the number of chargebacks reported by customers to banks, the number of transactions declined by the fraud filter, the number of transactions completed through the 3D Secure authentication system, the number of transactions that fail through the gateway system, and the number of enumeration transactions of each type of customer reported as a source of disputes. Do not just calculate a ratio. Provide an explanation of the reasons for each of these numbers.
Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP) Costs Explained
The direct costs of VAMP can include fees, remediation efforts, increased scrutiny of the merchant account, reserves, and possible pressure from the acquiring merchant. The indirect costs can be even larger if the merchant service provider decides the merchant is no longer worth supporting.
Merchants must also pay for various tools to keep their accounts healthy. These tools can include chargeback alert systems, fraud detection software, bot protection software, representment software, Verifi software, Ethoca software, 3D Secure software, payment gateway software updates, and software for tracking and analyzing sales and efforts. Each of these costs can be compared with the revenue and funds lost by merchants due to VAMP, as well as the costs of terminated accounts and reapplying for new ones.
Common VAMP Monitoring Mistakes
The biggest mistake is treating the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP) as if it is only focused on chargebacks. It also includes information on fraud reports, non-fraud disputes, and enumeration monitoring, so merchants who do not currently fight chargebacks may miss the point of what VAMP is specifically for.
Another mistake is the continued use of the old terms for what is essentially the same Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP). While the Visa Disputed Merchandise Program (VDMP) and the Visa Fraud Merchants Program (VFMP) may provide some value for those seeking to understand the history of these programs, standardization to the current Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP) will provide value for the merchant and their payment processor.
Key Features of Visa VAMP
Unified Fraud And Dispute Measurement
VAMP uses a combined fraud and dispute metric to measure the ratio of fraud and chargebacks to the total settled transactions by Visa. For merchants, fraud and chargebacks are the same issue. If there is a fraud issue, there may be a chargeback issue, and if there is a chargeback issue, there could be an issue with the stability of the processor. Hence, the payment team should monitor these two issues together.
TC40 And TC15 Tracking
TC40 is the metric for fraud reports by Visa. TC15 is the metric for the number of disputes or chargebacks for merchants by Visa. These two are essential metrics for the merchants to understand. However, sometimes merchants will not see the same records for TC40 as they will for chargebacks on their merchant dashboard. Hence, the importance of having tools to monitor Visa acquisition and chargebacks. If a merchant can not see the inputs for these metrics, they will have difficulty managing their VAMP ratio.
Card-Not-Present Risk Focus
VAMP is most important for merchants with high volumes of card-not-present transactions. Examples of card-not-present transactions include ecommerce transactions, subscription transactions, payment links, MOTO transactions, digital products, and online services. High-risk merchants should pay close attention to this. A merchant that takes cards in person may still need to have a VAMP ratio metric to monitor their transactions but will likely have more fraud and friendly fraud issues with ecommerce merchants.
Enumeration And VAAI Monitoring
Enumeration is when bots try every card number and information in a specific field. According to Visa, enumeration causes $1.1 billion in fraudulent transactions each year. To combat this, Visa has created the VAAI program to give merchants an idea of the likelihood of enumeration attacks. Under VAMP, merchants will monitor the enumeration ratio and gateway velocity rules for fraud and chargeback issues.
Acquirer-Level Pressure
Visa acquirers, who are the companies that handle and process Visa transactions for merchants, are under pressure and scrutiny by Visa. Even if a merchant is not identified in the VAMP report, the transactions that a merchant conducts can impact the acquirer report. Visa will have their thresholds for the acquirer-level transactions that will be stricter than the public fact sheet that is given to merchants. Merchants should not have to wait for the acquirer report to improve their fraud, chargeback, and enumeration transaction controls.
Remediation And Ongoing Monitoring
The Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP) is not a program that is solved by winning a few representments for chargebacks that have already occurred during a specific time period. Merchants must continue to monitor transactions for fraud prevention, chargebacks, and enumeration attacks. Additionally, if a chargeback or fraud transaction does occur, merchants must have a plan to handle and prevent these from happening again in the future. A good plan will identify where the issue began in the merchant’s operations. This could be a specific traffic source, a specific affiliate campaign, a billing descriptor, subscription plan, fulfillment issue, refund policy, checkout issues, or a specific product category.
FAQs About Visa VAMP, VDMP and VFMP
Q: What is Visa VAMP?
A: Visa VAMP stands for the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP). This is the current program that Visa uses to monitor fraud, disputes, and enumeration activity from merchants. When writing about this program, merchants should use the full name: Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP).
Q: What is the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program?
A: The Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program, or VAMP, is the program that Visa uses for monitoring for fraud, disputes, and enumeration activity. This program has largely replaced the separate Visa Dispute Monitoring Program (VDMP) and the Visa Fraud Monitoring Program (VFMP).
Q: What was VDMP?
A: Visa VDMP stands for Visa Dispute Monitoring Program. This was the program Visa used for merchants with a high number of chargebacks or disputes. This function is now a part of the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program.
Q: What was VFMP?
A: The VFMP stands for Visa Fraud Monitoring Program. This was the program Visa used for merchants with high levels of Visa fraud. This data is also now managed under the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program.
Q: How is the VAMP ratio calculated?
A: The VAMP ratio calculates the number of fraud and chargebacks relative to the total number of settled transactions on Visa. To calculate this number for merchants, all fraud reports (TC40), disputes (TC15), and settled transactions on Visa can be counted over a set period.
Q: What is an enumeration attack under the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP)?
A: An enumeration attack is when bots test the number of card credentials on a merchant’s website during checkout. These types of attacks are separate from fraud and are monitored by Visa using enumeration and VAAI (Visa Account Attack Intelligence).
Q: Why does the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP) matter for high-risk merchants?
A: For high-risk merchants, there are typically more card-not-present transactions, more chargebacks, more fraud transactions, and more scrutiny from payment processors. If a merchant has a high VAMP ratio, they may encounter issues with Visa, including fees, reserves, or instability in their merchant account.
Conclusion
Visa’s shift from VDMP and VFMP to the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP) will require merchants to rethink how they approach payment risk. Fraud, non-fraud disputes, and enumeration all must be monitored.
Payment Nerds can assist high-risk merchants in understanding their exposure to the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP). We can review their TC40 and TC15 activity, reduce chargebacks, improve their gateway controls, and select the best processor for their merchant business. At the end of the day, merchants should always stay ahead of risk so they do not face a funding hold or the termination of their merchant account.
Sources
- Visa. “Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program Fact Sheet.” Accessed June 2026.
- Visa. “Visa Announces Generative AI-Powered Fraud Solution to Combat Account Attacks.” Accessed June 2026.
- Verifi. “Resolve Disputes with CDRN and RDR.” Accessed June 2026.
- Ethoca. “Secure Ecommerce Fraud & Chargeback Protection.” Accessed June 2026.
- Chargeback Gurus. “Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP).” Accessed June 2026.
- Signifyd. “Complete Chargeback Protection.” Accessed June 2026.
