with Google and invested in search engine optimization (SEO) consultancy services, which has driven a lot of traffi c to his site. In turn, orders through his website started picking up fast. He had not experienced credit card fraud before and was not familiar with the warning signs associated with fraudsters. His marketing efforts were paying off and he was even generating a lot of business from outside of the United States. So one day, when he received an order from a customer in Singapore, he did not think much about it. The order was "decent sized? and was over one thousand dollars. It was a mix of items that just didn't seem to be a typical order. All the parts were for different brands and models. "In hind sight, that was probably the fi rst red
fl ag.?
After the order had been sent, the customer kept inquiring when the order would reach him. Once again, that was another red fl ag.
Looking back now,
Brendan can see all the signs he missed. He believes that others can protect themselves by watching out for the following: ? Brendan believes that most of the Credit Card fraud comes from outside the borders of the U.S. He has a list of countries he watches out for when screening sales. He mentions, "Singapore, Ghana, Nigeria, Malaysia...? the list goes on. Of course, just because a buyer is from one of these countries, it does not mean that he is a criminal. Brendan will do business with overseas clients but knows from experience and historical data which countries have higher incidents of credit card fraud. His ears perk up when a customer is from any of these countries and he looks for anymore signs. 56 PowerSourceOnline.com | June 2008 ? A sign, that Brendan believes is a dead give away, is if the shipping and billing address don't match. Very few people will ship to another completely different address, especially out of the country. If you receive an order that has this characteristic, you should contact the client, and maybe try to contact the person at the billing address, to see if the order is legitimate. ? Quantity is another warning sign. Brendan usually receives orders under fi ve hundred dollars; it's the nature of the secondary computer market. Customers usually just require a specifi c part or item. If you see an order that is fairly large and over your typical order size, then you should take some precautions and screen the
"Anything over
fi ve hundred
dollars is a red
fl ag.?
buyer more thoroughly. Brendan's rule of thumb is, "Anything over
fi ve hundred
dollars is a red
fl ag.?
? If the customer doesn't ask about shipping, or isn't even remotely concerned about the cost of shipping an order a long distance, a warning light should go off in your head. Usually, legitimate customers ask about shipping. Even though it is "on the website?, customers almost always ask about the price or a cheaper alternative. If you receive an order that is to be shipped overseas or out-of-state, try to get more information on the buyer. ? Don't rely on FedEx, PayPal, or credit card companies to protect your interests. There are certain things that these companies can do, but over all, they can only do so much. When asked if credit card companies force merchants to suffer the repercussions, Brendan quickly replied, "One hundred percent, correct!? You should be vigilant and protect yourself because no one else will do it for you. ? "If it's too good to be true, it probably is.? Follow your gut and if something doesn't seem right, just ignore the order. A legitimate customer will get in touch with you again. Brendan has found that as his business grows, credit card fraud is an increasing concern. Most of the fraudulent orders actually come from his website. The only way to screen these orders is by training your employees to spot the signs that point to any suspicious activities. Sometimes it is hard to fi gure out if an order is from a legitimate customer or not. Brendan suggests that you should ask questions and be vague to see if the customer remembers the order. Sometimes the fraudsters will mess up and give themselves away. When asked if a community like PowerSource Online, where legitimate buyers and sellers exist, helps, Brendan replies, "Absolutely!? For any buyer or seller, a database of legitimate buyers and sellers is a great resource. PowerSource Online provides a platform that facilitates business and provides some security to both parties. Nevertheless, suppliers and buyers should always be vigilant. Fraudsters are usually very good at what they do. They change identities and tactics. The only safe way is to "Do all you can do.? |PSO|
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