In an effort to combat the rise in reported fraud cases in Jamaica’s western region, the National Commercial Bank (NCB) said it has equipped merchants in the area with the tools and skills necessary to help deal with the problem.

According to NCB, over 800 merchants use their point of sales (POS) machines within the Negril, Lucea, Savanna-La-Mar and White House regions – all areas considered tourism hubs.

The bank’s risk management and security officer said training merchants is important because it helps to contain levels of fraud.

“We acknowledge our responsibility to educate our merchant clientele with the requisite fraud prevention best practices,” Richard Patterson said.

Hotels are only marginally affected but service stations, appliance and hardware stores, and jewellery shops are impacted the most.

But Patterson said training seminars improve merchant confidence in providing safe and convenient credit services for their customers through NCB.

In an effort to increase compliance, the bank also rewards merchants who generate high levels of profit while minimizing fraud.

Companies were awarded based on adherence to the outlined card acceptance procedure which the bank says thwarts attempts at fraud.