Tips for avoiding fraud

[tp-ePay]

As Credit Card Fraud Investigator at ePay Europe, I will here try to come with some tips and recommendations on how to avoid fraud situations as a merchant:

 

First:

The responsibility regarding a fraud situation is always yours! The payment is between you and the customer - through a payment gateway og processor (e.g. Visa). You have the obligation to report any suspicion of fraud to your gateway, card organisation and the relevant authorities.

 

If you have any doubts or suspicion about a payment:

 

- Call the customer (if an answering machine is on, ask the customer to call back). When you get a reply from the customer request more identification from him (eg. home phone number - NOT mobile, a "real" mail address - avoid Hotmail, Gmail or from countries you don't know, and ask him for example which bank he is using). If the customer don't want to give you these information, it's likely that it's fake or not at serious order.

- When you have received these information you must call/write back to the customer and get him to confirm the order. Let him also describe the order he has placed and the shipping address of which you are sending the goods at). Often a fraud / fake customer will not return.

 

There are some conditions of which you as a business owner must be aware of and can indicate fraud:

 

- Which time is the order placed? Experience shows that a fake order is often placed at night (from midnight to 3 a clock).

- Several orders to the same name with different shipping addresses

- Several orders to the same address but with different names

- Orders with different card numbers/cards and the same name and address

- Orders which differ from the most common amount size and number of ordered goods

- Several orders from the same IP-address (if this is presented for you in your shop system).

 

You can also find more information on the Internet and the card organisations, by searching on how to stay secure when receiving online payments.

 

Should you have any questions regarding fraud issues or how to handle online payments, please don't hesitate to contact me.

[tp-ePay]

Relevant information and resources can be found here:

 

- Account Information Security from Visa

- Implementation guides from Visa for members and merchants (different languages)

- Information about PCI DSS