For 25 years, the Merchant Risk Council (MRC) has been a driving force in the payments and fraud prevention industry, fostering collaboration, education, and advocacy. What began as a group of merchants meeting regularly to share insights about how to combat rising fraud rates has grown into a global network that connects merchants, solution providers, issuers, and regulators. MRC has helped shape best practices, influence policy, and build a more secure and efficient payments ecosystem through its industry-leading events, certification programmes, and advocacy efforts.
As MRC celebrates this milestone, we spoke with Julie Fergerson, CEO and Co-Founder, about the organisation’s most significant contributions, the impact of its advocacy work, and what’s next for the community at MRC Vegas 2025. From the evolution of fraud prevention strategies to the continued expansion of MRC’s educational initiatives, the conversation highlights how MRC remains a critical resource for payments professionals worldwide.
There have been so many contributions from our membership that it is hard to choose just one. Here are some defining moments in our history that I like to think about:
After the first few years of the early MRC organisation meetings, our members saw their fraud rates finally go down for merchants because the community collaborated. When ecommerce first started, most merchants' fraud rates were around 3%, and some were even higher. Now, many merchants in ecommerce have fraud rates of less than 0.5%, which is largely because of the MRC; merchants can collaborate, and solution providers can learn and build great solutions – we are organised, and that is the MRC magic.
Establishing a European presence and being the first truly global payments community. We don't talk about it much, but it's MRC's 10-year anniversary in Europe this year, too.
Launching our education and Certified Payments and Fraud Prevention Professional (CPFPP) certification programme was definitely a defining moment. These programmes help our members increase their industry knowledge and sharpen their skills.
The goal when we started our advocacy initiatives three years ago was to have a seat at the table. Now, the card networks and regulators ask for our opinions sometimes before they make a law or mandate. This is significant – the further upstream we can get the merchants' voice in the process, the better it is for the entire industry.
I am looking forward to two great things in particular:
The keynote from Jim Browning. Browning is a YouTube scam baiter – he is part of a community that scams the scammers and wastes their time.
The issuer session on Thursday afternoon is open to everyone. Come learn how issuers work to increase acceptance and reduce fraud. We have issuers sharing their knowledge.
One of the best resources MRC offers to keep up to date on industry changes is our community calls. We have special interest groups focusing on topics like cryptocurrency, gamer safety, and law enforcement, as well as communities for payments professionals and fraud professionals. The members of these communities join a Zoom call to discuss an agenda and anything new happening. This is where I learn everything first. It's the best tool for year-round education and knowledge sharing that our members can use.
We will continue to bring all the key stakeholders together – issuers, regulators, and law enforcement, alongside merchants, acquirers, and card networks – to tackle the challenges that we face.
Artificial intelligence (AI) fraud attacks are growing and are a real threat to our industry. Communicating what we see and pivoting on solutions quickly will be key in the next few years.
Continuing the education journey, while we have built 24 classes to date, there are so many more our members have asked for. We are scaling up as quickly as we can.
Additionally, the CPFPP is a snowball, creating an industry standard for being an expert in our industry and providing a clear path of what you need to know to become that expert. It is changing the industry. We are already seeing our members put it in their job postings, and I fully expect that it will start to be a requirement in the next few years.
We will continue to expand our regional impact, invest in advocacy, and represent the merchants' voice in our industry.
As MRC celebrates 25 years of impact, it remains a cornerstone of the payments and fraud prevention industry. By fostering collaboration, championing education, and advocating for fair regulations, MRC continues to empower professionals and drive meaningful change. With its sights set on the future, the organisation is poised to navigate the evolving landscape and ensure that merchants have the resources and support they need to thrive.
The next chapter of MRC’s journey is just beginning, and its role in shaping the industry will only grow stronger in the years to come. Join 1500 payments and fraud prevention industry professionals at MRC Vegas 2025 to help fight fraud and share solutions and ideas for your toughest challenges.
Julie Fergerson, CEO and Co-Founder of the Merchant Risk Council, has 25+ years of experience developing, delivering, and promoting Internet-based technologies. She has a proven track record of bringing key stakeholders together to solve difficult problems and positioning existing technology to meet the needs of an audience without changing the fundamental value of that technology. Prior to her appointment as CEO of the MRC, Julie was Senior Vice President of Industry Solutions at Ethoca.
The Merchant Risk Council (MRC) is the premier global non-profit membership association for payments and fraud prevention professionals, established in 2000. MRC empowers its members to stay connected, current, and influential within the industry by emphasising collaboration, networking, education, and advocacy. Acting as a central hub for ecommerce fraud and payments professionals, solution providers, and brands of all sizes, MRC drives industry innovation and education. With operations in the US, Europe, and APAC, and expanding into LATAM, MRC is continuously growing its global presence.
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