Today wherein internet has become a way of life, many people prefer to do their shopping online. As the number of online transactions increases, it is evident that merchants are experiencing more and more fraudulent transactions with the use of unauthorized credit cards. The article focuses on things you can to avoid these fraudulent transactions.

1. Credit Card Password Verification: Merchant service providers nowadays offer their merchants the ability to prompt their customers to enter their secret pin or password. This feature can stop any fraudulent users from using stolen or unauthorized credit cards. Ask your merchant provider if this feature is available to you.

2. Ship to Billing Addresses Only: A common fraudulent tactic is for users to ask you to ship the item to an address in a completely different city or zip code from the billing address. What often happens is you get a chargeback dispute from your customer claiming they never received the item, even though it has arrived to the requested address. By shipping to the billing address, you have proof that you have shipped it to the same address where the customer receives their credit card bill.

3. Ship with Signature Confirmation: In order to further reduce disputes for items not received, be sure to send out your items with signature confirmation from the credit card holder. This confirms the customer has received it and you can fight that dispute with the signature.

4. Always obtain an authorization for the transaction - Call the bank to confirm your customer information Visa or MC: 1800-265-5158. Always question unusual sales types, amounts, addresses, etc, and ask for ID

5. Red flags to look for:
a. Watch for orders coming from foreign countries where credit card fraud is very high. Such countries include Nigeria, Philippines, and Indonesia.
b. Requests for items like cell phones or computers, or any products that are not part of your normal inventory.
c. Customers who order multiple quantities of the same item.
d. Dollar amounts that are outside of your normal purchase range.

Bottom Line: If it's too good to be true, it probably is.