What is ICS?
ICS stands for Issuers’ Clearinghouse Service. The Visa U.S.A. Operating Regulations require Issuers to submit information on all consumer credit card applications to ICS. The service was developed at the request of Visa Issuing Members to help reduce card losses on applications. ICS is not a credit bureau, but is similar in some ways and is subject to the same laws, for example, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). It is a nationwide database that contains bankruptcy, and bankcard application activity, fraud, and questionable data information.