When a merchant submits an application, it goes through automated checks with Adyen to get approved. Occasionally verification may fail if the information the merchant submitted can’t be found.
For example, when a social security number (SSN) and name are entered, Adyen checks it against various databases to ensure they can identify that person for tax and security reasons. If the person spelled their name wrong or entered a fake SSN then the account will come back in a Restricted status meaning we need to resubmit the information.
If a merchant has to upload any kind of documentation, then the merchant is no longer able to go through the automated approval process and instead must be checked manually by someone at Adyen.
<aside> đź’ˇ Note: This works the same way at Stripe and other processors
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Like any person, they are subject to mistakes and may incorrectly reject an application despite the information matching the file they uploaded. When this occurs, the first step is to review the information they entered and compare it to the file they uploaded. If you are unfamiliar with how to do this, it’s best to review the KYC Training deck for additional information.
If you have reviewed the information they submitted and everything appears to match, you may email the Adyen KYC team to get further clarity and/or have someone review why it was declined. Often, the person you reach out to will recognize that it was a mistake and will let you know that it’s been approved.
When we onboard a new merchant onto the PayFac, we are telling Adyen that we believe this merchant is a legitimate business in good standing. Because Adyen shares in the potential liability of onboarding a fraudulent merchant, they have to do their due diligence as well. By providing them with the merchant’s business details, Adyen is able to verify the business and allow them to start processing.
Because there are two parties involved in approving a new account, it may sometimes be necessary to reach out to one or both groups if an unexpected issue occurs. This section is intended to help differentiate when to go to one vs the other.
Contacting Adyen is required when the onboarding application has been submitted and we’ve verified that the requested file uploads match the information provided and that they are clear, legible, and up to date.
You can do this by checking the KYC page. On the left-hand side is what the merchant entered on the application and on the right-hand side is what Adyen received. To verify the file upload is correct, click on the image and compared it to what was entered on the left. Then check the left and right sides to make sure both match.
In short, if everything appears to be correct and the application has still not been Enabled then that’s when you would reach out to Adyen.
Contacting the PayFac team is required when something is preventing the application from getting uploaded or something appears to not be working correctly.
This is usually pretty rare but one of the more more common occurrences is when Adyen is unable to receive information the merchant has entered or uploaded. You can do this by checking the KYC page. On the left-hand side is what the merchant entered on the application and on the right-hand side is what Adyen received. If those two sides don’t match then Adyen isn’t receiving something correctly. You can try re-entering or re-uploading it again, which may solve the problem, or you can reach out to the PayFac team via a PayFac ticket with what the merchant is trying to upload.
In short, if something appears to be going wrong and does not appear to be behaving correctly then that’s when you would reach out to the PayFac.