Sam Qam asked:




Online purchasing has in recent years skyrocketed into a massive industry with millions of purchases being made online everyday from a vast variety of online retailers. However, this massive influx of internet purchasing has brought with it a vast increase of online credit card fraud and fraudulent sites. Thousands of online shoppers have their details stolen online and as a result loose thousands of pounds to fraudsters. But how can these thieves be caught out and how do you protect yourself?

In the online marketplace it’s a little more complicated than someone lifting your wallet out of your back pocket and there are no 100% methods of ensuring you’re completely safe. There are however steps you can take to reduce the risks.

First and foremost ensure that the sites you are using are secure. It’s always better to use a site that you know a friend has been using successfully for some time or a site that is advertised widely such as Amazon or Play.com. These are large sites with thousands of users, so they will have to provide the most secure methods possible for transactions. If you come across a site you haven’t heard of before then make sure you check up on it before providing your details to them.

You should NEVER provide details by email. Any respectable site will have a secure customer accounts process and won’t resort to emails. Emails are easily intercepted by fraudsters so you should never put your card or personal details in an email whether to a business or a friend.

If you are using your card online then try to make sure your bank or credit card provider offers fraud and credit card theft cover and insurance. There are a variety of credit card companies such as Egg who provide cover specifically for online shopping.

When creating an account with a company make sure that you provide a secure email that only you have access to. Also, when choosing a password, ensure that it contains both numbers and letters and is over a certain length (the minimum length for most respectable sights is over eight characters). Ensure that you do not pick anything too generic or easily guessed and don’t let other people use your site.

Respectable online retailers use secure payment gateways for online credit card processing making them more reliable and secure. With these methods and some well applied common sense your online shopping can be more secure allowing you to browse with some measure of confidence.

Jacqueline

Panah C Rad asked:




Have you been a victim of online transaction fraud? If you have bought items on eBay or other 3rd party marketplaces, you have probably had an experience with a seller who has tried to take your money without delivering on her promise. If you are a victim of online fraud, you are not without hope. There are steps you can take to prevent and fight online fraud:

PayPal Protection: Most online marketplaces allow you to use PayPal as the safer method of payment. PayPal comes with numerous protection policies for sellers and buyers. Unfortunately, unethical sellers always find holes in the best protections plans. For instance, if you buy a digital product using PayPal, and you do not receive your product, there is a good chance that you won’t get your money back. But you should file your dispute with PayPal regardless and push them to move your case forward.

Credit Card fraud protection: if PayPal does not honor its buyer protection policy, you should contact your credit card issuer to ask for a charge-back. Most credit card companies will ask you for transaction details to investigate. So there is a chance that your chargeback can be rejected (especially if PayPal challenges your charge-back). It is essential for you to use a $0 fraud liability card to make sure you are protected to some level. You should also provide your credit issuer with proper documentation to help them resolve the situation in your favor. The best way to go is to save all the communications and transaction documents that you have from the seller and forward them to your issuer’s investigation team.

Internet Crime Compliant center: if your charge-back is rejected by your card issuer, you should contact the authorities about your online transaction. Internet Crime Compliant Center (IC3.gov) is one of the best places to go to file a police report against the fraudulent seller. You need to make sure you have all the documentation handy to provide the investigators with information about the seller. Please make sure to use this as the very last resort. If you file a complaint with IC3.gov, real investigators will be on your case, which means you will be held responsible for any lies. So make sure to tell the truth.

Online fraud is very common these days. While services such as PayPal make it hard for fraud artists to trick folks, fraud still happens every day. By using a safe credit card you can protect yourself against most fraud cases, but in worst case scenario you should not be shy about contacting the authorities to report any fraud cases.

Tiffany

Micah Waters asked:




Every year, fraudulent credit card purchases cost online retailers millions of dollars. Without the benefit of scrutinizing a customer and requesting additional identification in person, it can be more difficult to properly identify fraudulent charges made online. However, with a little extra time and effort, online merchants can significantly minimize their risk to fraud using the following strategies.

1. If the shipping address doesn’t match the billing address, call the customer directly to confirm the order, especially if the listed shipping address is out of the country.

2. Always require a valid phone number on orders and ensure the area code of the number matches that of the billing address. Consider calling the customer to confirm the number.

3. Be suspicious of atypical orders, such as unusually large orders or orders for an exceptionally high amount of the same item. If an order seems suspicious, conduct a little more research to determine whether or not the order is fraud.

4. Other transactions to be wary of include orders purchased using multiple credit cards but shipped to one address. Or multiple orders made with the same credit card within a short period of time.

5. Check the IP address of the customer placing the order to determine their location. Be wary of international payments that originate from “high-risk” countries or areas that are known for their high-rate of fraud, including Nigeria, Turkey, Lithuania, and Russia.

6. Scammers will often use untraceable email addresses originating from free web-based services. Ask the customer to provide an ISP or domain-based email address that can be traced to their location.

7. Use the Address Verification Service (provided by most payment processors) which ensures the information provided by a customer matches the information the bank that issued the card has. Many payment gateways also have a variety of other fraud prevention tools you can use to minimize your risk.

8. When in doubt, call the customer and request the customer fax a copy of the driver’s license or passport to authenticate their identity.

9. Make your anti-fraud policy clearly visible on your website and warn potential fraudsters that they will be pursued to the fullest extent of the law if the place fraudulent orders through your website.

10. You can also call the issuing bank prior to authorizing the order.

Darryl

Peter Kenny asked:




If you have ever shopped online, then you might know about some of the dangers associated with online purchasing and online credit card fraud. If you are not careful, you could end up being a victim of online fraud, which could leave you with a large bill to pay of items that you have not purchased. Here is some more information about the dangers of online credit card fraud and how to avoid them.

Why shop online?

If there are dangers to shopping online, then why do so many people do it? Well, the dangers of online fraud are only equal to those of any other type of transaction. Also, online shopping is often much cheaper and quicker than regular shopping, and consumers who want to find great deals without leaving their home are turning to online stores.

Use credit not debit

The first tip to help you avoid online fraud is to make sure you try and use a credit card to purchase goods rather than a debit card. This is because credit cards are much safer than debit cards and have far more security features. If someone were to get hold of your debit card details, you are unlikely to be protected. However, credit cards are usually covered by purchase protection, meaning that items you have not bought will be refunded to you.

Use HTTPS

When shopping online, it is important to make sure you only enter your card details over a secure connection. If you enter your details on a page that is not secured, it will be easy for fraudsters to get your details and use them to purchase items. To make sure the page is secure, check that the page address starts with https://. This means that the page is secure, and it is safe to use. If it does not start with this prefix, then do not enter your details.

Use trusted web sites

Although making sure the page is secure is important, you should try and make sure you only use tried and trusted web sites for purchasing online. Using small or unknown sites can lead to problems, whereas if you stick to large company sites that are used by many then you are more likely to stay safe. These large web sites have better security features in place, and are more likely to help you with any problems regarding unauthorised transactions.

Keep all details

If you make a purchase online, make sure that you print out all of the details of the order, such as the company name and address as well as an invoice number and the amount you have spent. If anything goes wrong then you will have some record of the transaction and be able to sort out the situation.

Computer protection

It is important to remember that as well as being safe online, you should make sure your computer itself is safe. The easiest way for a fraudster to get to your financial information is to hack into your computer. Make sure you have adequate anti-virus protection that is up-to-date and that you have firewall in place. This will help to stop fraudsters getting hold of your information, and keep your money safely where it belongs.

Carl

Peter Kenny asked:


If you have ever shopped online, then you might know about some of the dangers associated with online purchasing and online credit card fraud. If you are not careful, you could end up being a victim of online fraud, which could leave you with a large bill to pay of items that you have not purchased. Here is some more information about the dangers of online credit card fraud and how to avoid them.

Why shop online?

If there are dangers to shopping online, then why do so many people do it? Well, the dangers of online fraud are only equal to those of any other type of transaction. Also, online shopping is often much cheaper and quicker than regular shopping, and consumers who want to find great deals without leaving their home are turning to online stores.

Use credit not debit

The first tip to help you avoid online fraud is to make sure you try and use a credit card to purchase goods rather than a debit card. This is because credit cards are much safer than debit cards and have far more security features. If someone were to get hold of your debit card details, you are unlikely to be protected. However, credit cards are usually covered by purchase protection, meaning that items you have not bought will be refunded to you.

Use HTTPS

When shopping online, it is important to make sure you only enter your card details over a secure connection. If you enter your details on a page that is not secured, it will be easy for fraudsters to get your details and use them to purchase items. To make sure the page is secure, check that the page address starts with https://. This means that the page is secure, and it is safe to use. If it does not start with this prefix, then do not enter your details.

Use trusted web sites

Although making sure the page is secure is important, you should try and make sure you only use tried and trusted web sites for purchasing online. Using small or unknown sites can lead to problems, whereas if you stick to large company sites that are used by many then you are more likely to stay safe. These large web sites have better security features in place, and are more likely to help you with any problems regarding unauthorised transactions.

Keep all details

If you make a purchase online, make sure that you print out all of the details of the order, such as the company name and address as well as an invoice number and the amount you have spent. If anything goes wrong then you will have some record of the transaction and be able to sort out the situation.

Computer protection

It is important to remember that as well as being safe online, you should make sure your computer itself is safe. The easiest way for a fraudster to get to your financial information is to hack into your computer. Make sure you have adequate anti-virus protection that is up-to-date and that you have firewall in place. This will help to stop fraudsters getting hold of your information, and keep your money safely where it belongs.



JEREMY

smith asked:


1) When overnight Shipping is the preferred choice of the customer, the transaction needs to be scrutinized; the reason for opting for overnight shipping by Mr../Ms. Fraud is to prevent the extra scrutiny the transaction may attract.

2) A peek on the phone number and email address entered by the customer, first the area code should be in conformity with the city and the state, if the email address is from a free web based domain and the name in the user Id of the email account is different than the one entered in the billing address, close scrutiny is required for such accounts.

3) Identify the source through which the visitor landed on the website, for instance Yahoo, My Store’s order provides information on the search phrase used by the visitor, fraudsters use search phrases like “overnight delivery” or “international shipping” in the search as key words instead of products.

4) Identify the computer IP address which is unique, just like a postal address, if the Geo location of the computer is in a country such as Nigeria etc, extra scrutiny should be observed, there is a watch list of countries through which most of the Internet fraud originates.

5) If the shipping address has a Post Office Box and not a regular address, it is a matter for scrutiny, while Google map is an important source for address verifications; it is limited to locations in few countries.

6) The other most common feature for verification which is the address mismatch, if the shipping address is different than the billing address, the telephone number in the billing address needs to be called and the order placed online has to be summarized to the customer, clearly mentioning the different shipping address, for extra caution do not ship merchandise to shipping address which is different than the billing address.

7) If a same customer has placed multiple orders, using the same credit card and a common shipping address, there is reason for suspicion, check out the telephone number of the customer available with the credit card Company, and make a verification call to the telephone number.

Always scrutinize large orders; if an order value exceeds the average billing amounts of day-to-day customers, it needs to be investigated.

9) If a customer has placed orders for multiple quantities of the same product, in all probability it could be a fraudulent order, telephone verification is mandatory.

10) If the order form filled by the customer has grammar, typing or punctuation errors, it cannot be grounds for suspicion but basic scrutiny is advised for these orders.

It is difficult for online merchant stores to scrutinize all aspects of a transaction in a detailed methodology, there are bound to be errors of judgment, but if professional vendors are hired to scrutinize Card-not-Present transactions, as a back office operation, Credit Card Fraud can be prevented to a great extent.







GAVIN

Uchenna Ani-Okoye asked:


‘Online credit card usage’ – convenience at its best. Commerce and technology, combined as a one package – this is what online credit cards are. With the advent of internet, the knowledge and communication barriers were broken. Also, with internet, came the concept of e-shops or virtual shops that existed only on the internet. You could shop at these shops by making use of their online credit card payment-acceptance ability. Once the online credit card payments were verified and approved, the goods got delivered to your door. This is what we call convenience at its best.

With more and more e-shops getting setup everyday, online credit card usage is becoming even more popular. The possibility of receiving online credit card payments has given a totally new dimension to shopping. Now, you can not only shop from the comfort of your home, you can even get discounts on these products. This is really amazing. No need to bother about the weather, no need to worry about the traffic jams or any other thing. Just go to an e-shop, select a product, make use of their online credit card payment-acceptance facility to make the payment and be ready to receive the goods at your doorstep. With online credit card processing facility, starting a business (an online business) has become just unbelievably easy.

However, there is nothing without pitfalls. One of the pitfalls of online credit card usage is the possibility of online credit card fraud. This online credit card fraud can happen in two ways. The first one is related to the company, on whose website you made online credit card payment for purchase of goods; this company itself could be fraudulent i.e. it could take the online credit card payment from you but not deliver the goods to you.

Moreover, they could use the details of your credit card (received through the filling up of online credit card payment form by you) for fraudulent purposes. The second type of fraud is committed by fraudsters who use various software/devices to capture the details of online credit card payments (as you enter them on the online credit card payment form of a website).

This software’s are popularly known as spyware and these fraudsters as online spies. The Spyware works by capturing keystrokes or taking screenshots of whatever you do on your computer and then passes it on to the spy. However, there are anti-spyware software’s available which can be used to counter such spyware.

So, the advent of online credit card usage facility is a boon to us. However, you must exercise caution when making online credit card payments e.g. don’t access your bank accounts or make online credit card payments from internet cafes (unless you are absolutely sure about the credentials of the internet cafe).



FORREST

Abhishek Agarwal asked:


Online credit cards have made its usage more convenient today.

Online credit cards are all about a single package of commerce and technology.

With the increase in use of the internet, communication barriers as well as knowledge barriers have been broken. With this came on the concept of virtual shopping or e-shopping that exists only on the net. You can shop at your convenience by making use of their online payment by using the credit card. Once they check on your payments of online credit cards, the things that you have purchased will land at your doorstep.

The usages of these are becoming more popular as e-shops are increasing. Using credit cards online is becoming more popular. A new look has been given to credit card shopping. Discounts are available on these products in addition to home shopping. There is no need to be bothered about traffic jams or weather or just about anything else. It’s very simple. All you have to do is go to one of the e-shops, choose ay product, use the online payment facility and then get your products home.

Starting an online business is just very simple with the advent of online processing of credit cards. However everything has its bad side. One of the downfalls of this is that there could be a possibility of a credit card fraud online. This can possibly happen only in two ways. One of the ways is that the company on whose website you made the payment itself can cheat you. They can just take in your payment and not delver the products to you at all. On top of that they can still get details of your card and cheat you. There is still another way in which you could be cheated. This is done by fraudsters who use different types of devices or software to get your details while you were filling it online for a credit card payment on any website. These online spies are known as fraudsters and spyware is the name given to the software they use for these purposes. Screen shots and keystrokes are taken of whatever is done on the compute by you and is then passed on to the spies. Spyware is that which does this. We also have anti spyware which can be used to prevent these spyware to act on you.

So with the coming of using online credit cards, it certainly has been a boon to us. It still is a must to exercise caution when making these online payments through your credit card. Unless and until you are extremely sure about credentials of the net café you are using, do not make any credit card payments or access your bank accounts.



TOMAS

Jessica Miller asked:


Credit Card fraud is one major worry for the booming online shopping portals, given a choice, 90% of online stores at some point of time would prefer a different mode of payment than a credit card, because in a Card-Not-Present scenario, an online merchant suffers the most if a fraudulent card is used by a shopper. 

But isn’t this mode of payment the most convenient of all other forms of payment, if only basic safe-guards are exercised by a merchant, a credit card is the most ideal and handy mode of payment than a money transfer, check or e-payment facility.

This article will shed some light on how best a merchant can organize and observe a few measures that will to a large extent prevent him from being conned, by fraudulent credit card transactions resulting in chargeback and revenue loss to his online business.

As a first step, sign-up for an online security service provider who can screen credit card transactions on a merchant website before forwarding it to payment gateways for processing the card, these service providers have access to updated databases through which it can be easily determined if a fraudulent credit card is being used.

Apart from the access to databases that have updated inputs on identity thefts, the Merchant Risk Management Service provider also check other parameters of the transaction that include,

IP address of the customer Global Address Validation Mapping the customers computer or device used for the transaction Match the proxy server through which the customer is logged in with the billing address entered for the transaction Generating an instant report for the transaction, and sending an alert to the merchant in case of fraudulent representation.

These preventive measures adopted by merchants, will to an extent eliminate online credit card fraud and increase the growth potential of e-commerce businesses.



KENNETH

sachin k asked:


someone has used my credit card details to do online purchase. guide me how do i handle the case

NATHANIEL