By not maintaining PCI compliance, you’re at risk for: Financial problems: You’ll be at risk for ongoing fees from your payment processor until you’re compliant. No matter who your payment processor is, PCI compliance is a requirement. Plus, the financial devastation that comes with a data breach could put you at risk of going out of business (see below). Repeal of credit card acceptance eligibility: The PCI Security Council has the authority to ban a merchant from being able to accept credit cards as a method of payment. Legal liability: You may become at risk for lawsuits from customers whose data have been exposed. Plus, you’ll be subject to any state and federal data security laws you may be in violation of — which may have even larger consequences than those levied by banks, card brands or your payment processor. Losing customer trust: You may lose customers — both current and potential — for experiencing a data breach. The effect on your brand can extend far and fast thanks to social media.