Learn how to recognize suspicious card payments and what to check before fulfilling an order. Fraudulent purchases may involve stolen card details, unusual ordering patterns, or inconsistent customer information. Reviewing these warning signs alongside the payment details in the Paytrail Merchant Panel can help you identify potential card misuse and reduce the risk of financial losses and chargebacks.
Warning signs of suspicious card payments
Certain patterns in customer information, payment activity, and delivery requests may indicate an increased risk of card fraud.
Unusual orders or payment activity
- Several orders placed within a short period, especially by a new customer.
- Unusually large orders or purchases of expensive, easily resold products.
- Multiple unsuccessful payment attempts before a successful payment.
- Repeated orders using different customer names or payment cards.
Inconsistent customer information
- Incomplete, invalid, or conflicting customer contact details.
- A customer name that appears made up.
- Several orders using similar contact information but different delivery addresses.
- Unexpected differences between the card's issuing country, the customer's location, and the delivery address.
Unusual delivery requests
- Unexpected requests for urgent delivery.
- Last-minute changes to the delivery address.
- Pressure to ship an order immediately despite inconsistencies in the order details.
Important: A single warning sign doesn't necessarily mean an order is fraudulent. Customers may have different billing and delivery addresses, use cards issued in another country, or make purchases while traveling. Consider the overall situation, particularly when several warning signs occur together.
How to check and respond to suspicious card payments
If you suspect card fraud, hold the order and investigate before shipping goods or providing access to services. Expand the sections below for instructions on checking a payment and deciding what to do next.
How to check a suspicious card payment
- Review the customer's order history, contact information, and delivery address in your online store.
- Sign in to the Merchant Panel and find the payment. Check its status, amount, and available card information.
- Compare the card's issuing country with the customer and delivery information, if available.
- Check for repeated orders or unsuccessful payment attempts using the information available in your online store.
If your online store records IP addresses, you can also compare the approximate IP location with the other order details. Differences may have legitimate explanations, such as travel or VPN use.
What to do if you suspect card fraud
- Hold the order while investigating the suspicious details.
- If necessary, contact the customer to confirm the order or delivery information. Never ask for full card numbers, card security codes, or online banking credentials.
- If you still suspect fraud, contact Paytrail's customer service before fulfilling the order.
A successfully completed payment can still be disputed. For more information about chargebacks, see Cards: Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.
For more information, see How to reduce the risk of card payment fraud.