| If you're an online shopper and are afraid of credit card | | | | the criminals away.7. Consider taking out insurance to |
| fraud spare a thought for those at the other side, the | | | | protect your business from credit card fraud.8. |
| online vendors. The large majority of shoppers who | | | | Although many customers may be irked, ask them for |
| lose money to fraud are reimbursed by their credit | | | | a photocopy of the credit card showing signature and |
| card issuer. On the other hand about 75% of vendors | | | | relevant data.9. For obvious reasons, beware of a |
| who suffer at the hands of fraudsters do not. So, | | | | customer who seems to be willing to pay over the |
| what steps can the online vendors take to reduce this | | | | odds for the |
| extremely damaging effect on their business? Below I | | | | good or is unconcerned by shipping fees.10. Record |
| have outlined 10 things to stick to if you are in the | | | | the IP address of the customer. Refuse the order if |
| business of selling online:1. Do not send goods to PO | | | | you suspect they are browsing through an anonymous |
| Box addresses. The owner of the PO Box could be | | | | proxy service or at least phone the customer to find |
| located anywhere2. Also be wary of shipping abroad | | | | out why.Credit cards were designed at a time when all |
| as it's harder to make claims. Countries such as | | | | transactions were done physically between two |
| Indonesia and Nigeria merit extra precaution.3. Most | | | | human beings. As a result, thieves have found it |
| fraudulent transactions give a free email address such | | | | relatively easy to use stolen details online without the |
| as hotmail or yahoo so insist that the buyer provides a | | | | same checks being in place in a physical environment. |
| paid email address.4. Only process the order after | | | | Unfortunately, the seller of the goods and services is |
| speaking to the buyer over the phone.5. Verify the | | | | 100% liable for fraudulent transactions. By following the |
| mailing address to ensure it matches the billing address. | | | | measures I have outlined above they can go some |
| Most merchant accounts offer a service for doing | | | | way to reducing the effect on them.Andrew |
| this.6. Have various anti-fraud warning signs and | | | | McNaught is a respected webmaster and owner of |
| messages on the front of your web site. Like a car | | | | which provides tips and advice on all apects of the |
| alarm sticker, these should hopefully scare some of | | | | credit card world. |