Five hours! That is how long it took me to figure out what to do with an order that I felt came from a stolen credit card. Being new to the internet business I had had very few problems with credit cards. Besides, on the site where I was selling the most items, those items cost less than $30. At thirty dollars the fraud would not have been real costly to me.
Then on my new site I received a $250 order on New Years Eve. They wanted the product next day air. This was impossible because of the holiday and then my drop shipper was out of the product. I finally found someone who would drop ship it for me on the third of January. I had emailed the customer and told them the problem and they said to send it when I got it.
Then I go the phone call. It came from the card owner and they were concerned because someone had got their card and made several unauthorized purchases. I was able to give those names and they had cancelled their card just before the thief tried to make several other large orders.
Two days late I got the $800 order that they wanted sent in two days. But, I had learned from the first one. Here are some clues that helped me.
First, the shipping and billing names are different. I was used to this because on my first site I dealt with teachers and they billed themselves and then shipped the items to their schools, but with the same name.
Second the emails are the same even though the shipping and billing names are in two different states. It is not likely that they would have the same email address.
Third, I call the telephone numbers. They are usually not valid. I then email the person and tell them that I am having a problem with their credit card and until I get a valid telephone number where I can reach them I will not be able to send the merchandise.
Fourth, any orders that they want shipped immediately I find suspicious because the shipping charges are so high.
I have tried to contact the credit card holder by looking up their phone numbers on the internet to let them know that someone may have stolen their credit card but this does not always work because they are unlisted or they only have cell phones.
You cannot call Visa or Master Card unless you have the whole credit card number so you have to your entire bank to see if they will contact them.
I did learn from my bank that if the credit card is processed and then reported stolen and I have shipped the product I will have to return the money, but I would probably never get the product back.
This should warn you novices out there to be careful with your large orders so you do not
have to take a loose.
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