What is a force-post transaction and why is it risky?
A force-post transaction is a card payment captured without a valid authorization, for example after an offline sale, a voice referral or an expired hold. It is risky because the issuer never approved it: the cardholder’s bank can decline it or raise a no-authorization chargeback, and the merchant usually loses the funds. Operators should limit force-posts and track them, as part of capture management.
In detail
A force-post, or forced transaction, is a capture sent to clearing without a matching, valid authorization. It happens when a terminal was offline, when an approval was obtained by phone but not recorded, or when a merchant captures after the authorization has expired.
Why it is risky
- No issuer approval: the issuer never confirmed the card or the funds.
- Chargeback exposure: card schemes give issuers a dispute right for transactions without valid authorization, and the merchant has little defense.
- Fraud channel: force-posts can be abused to push payments that would have been declined.
- Scheme fees: mismatches between authorizations and captures can trigger integrity fees.
How operators control it
Block force-posts by default, allow them only for merchants and channels that need them, cap the amounts and monitor dispute rates on these transactions. Re-authorize before capturing when a hold has expired.
See Authorization vs Capture and the episode on chargebacks.