Protecting yourself from fraudulent orders.
WARNING SIGNS
An unusually large first order Billing and delivery addresses in different cities Urgency and pressure for immediate dispatch Several failed payment attempts followed by a success A disposable email address A phone number that does not connect
PRACTICAL MEASURES
Require a phone number and call for high-value orders Use your gateway's fraud tools; both Paystack and Flutterwave provide them Set a threshold above which orders are confirmed manually Be cautious with cash on delivery for expensive items
FAKE TRANSFER CONFIRMATIONS
A known pattern: a customer sends a screenshot of a transfer that was never made, or was reversed.
Confirm funds in your own bank account before dispatching. A screenshot is not confirmation.
IF YOU SUSPECT FRAUD
Do not dispatch. Phone the customer. A genuine customer answers.
RECORD KEEPING
Keep order records, dispatch evidence and communication. They are what protect you in a dispute.
BALANCE
Excessive checks lose genuine customers. Apply them to high-value and unusual orders rather than to everything.
