Can I open a bank account?
No. You may not open a bank account with an independent bank using MIT’s name or tax ID number. For any banking issues or concerns, contact VPF Accounts Receivable for assistance.
I forgot my password for Cybersource, what do I do?
Please email chargemit@mit.edu and be sure to include your merchant name and your user name.
I’m having a problem with my POS machine, what do I do?
Please contact the POS Help Desk. Their number is located on the side of your POS machine.
What should I do if my customer sends me his/her credit card number through email?
Process the transaction and immediately delete the message from your email and from your Deleted Items folder. Discourage customers from submitting credit card information via non-secure methods.
Can I set up my own merchant account with a vendor that I want to use for my department?
No, you must submit all requests through the chargemit-help@mit.edu and follow the MIT Policies and Procedures.
I have a customer who has asked me to credit his/her account for a charge that was made over six months ago. What should I do?
- Verify that the customer is indeed due a credit.
- Fill out a Request for Payment.
I have a change in my staff and need to update their role. What should I do?
Send an email to chargemit-help@mit.edu with the person’s name, email address, and the appropriate action you want, for example, add a new employee, delete an employee’s record, or add an employee’s new role. Include the reason the person needs that role.
Note: The Manager/No Entry Manager role has the ability to process credits on credit cards; the Order Entry/No Entry Clerical role does not.
I want to offer to my customers several products. How can I do that?
If you have complex requirements involving multiple products (e.g., discounting), MIT has approved Monster Commerce as the shopping cart solution. There is a monthly fee for this service.
If you only have a few products, your developer can summarize the total costs and pass this total amount to Cybersource using Secure Acceptance.
What if my customer has an older credit card that does NOT have a CVV number on the back? Can I still accept it?
If your merchant account has been setup to require CVV/CNV, then no, you cannot accept the older card.
What is the difference between a credit and a void?
A credit is a refund. You are giving money back to the customer and a credit will appear on the monthly statement.
A void is an internal mistake that is corrected on the same day before it has settled at the bank. The customer will not see a charge or a credit on his or her credit card statement.
Can I receive an email when a customer has either made a purchase or paid for attendance to an event or conference?
On web orders utilizing the Secure Acceptance you can receive an email notifying you that someone placed an order.
Note: Virtual terminal transactions do not automatically send an email to the merchant.
I want to change where my revenue is being deposited into my Financial Account/cost object. How do I request a change?
Send an email to chargemit-help@mit.edu with the merchant’s name, merchant’s account number, and the financial account you want the revenue to be deposited to.
I took a credit card authorization but in the end, there were no charges for the customer. How do I reverse the authorization so that there will be no charges from the bank?
The credit card authorization puts a hold on the cardholders funds until you process the settlement. The authorization will expire automatically with the card issuer typically within 7-10 days depending on the issuer's policy. Cardholders do not see a "charge" on their account; they are likely looking at an online banking statement and they see the amount has been moved from their available balance and that the transactions is pending, but the funds themselves are not removed from the customer's account.
To reverse an authorization before it expires:
* The cardholder should contact the card-issuing bank by phone. If you provide the card-issuer the authorization code, the card-issuer may be able to release it.
* You would need to work with your Merchant Bank Representative or the customer to gain the card-issuing bank's contact information. The 800 number on the back of the card should suffice. Please note that the customer will first need to give his/her bank approval to speak with you.
* Not all card issuers will pre-release the authorizations. Each card-issuer has its own policy on authorization reversals. This is why authorization reversals are not an automated process and we cannot guarantee the success of the authorization reversal.
Can MasterCard and Visa have any additional fees?
If that card is a Rewards or Corporate card (e.g., L.L. Bean, Delta), the merchant will pay an extra fee to accept it. Read more about the costs.
I’m looking for a wire transfer or an ACH payment; has it come in?
Email wire-transfers@mit.edu with the name of the company, the amount you are expecting, and the cost object and GL you’d like this deposited into.
Can I pay through payroll deduction?
Yes, email accounts-receivable@mit.edu and let us know if you are paid semimonthly or weekly and the amount you’d like deducted each pay period, or simply complete the top portion of your invoice and mail it back to:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Accounts Receivable NE49-3100
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
Do I have to charge sales tax if I am selling goods?
It depends. Some items are tax-exempt in Massachusetts. However, these same items may be taxable in another state. If your DLC is considering selling goods contact Jeremy Raphael or Rebecca Menin at VPF Tax for information on how to collect and remit sales tax.