Is this order a fraud risk?

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Is this order a fraud risk?

Tonearm

1:40 pm on Mar 25, 2008 (gmt 0)

I've received an order for roughly 6 times the average order size. Payment was made via PayPal and no shipping address was included with the payment because it was entered when placing the order. Everything looks fine except the original referrer is from google.com.in and the shipping address is in the US. Would anyone consider this a red flag?

Rugles

1:52 pm on Mar 25, 2008 (gmt 0)

Did you try googling the phone number and the address? Do you have the IP address?

If a person is of Indian origin, and they live in the States, I could see them using the Indian version of Google.

But yes, that order would trigger extra attention. Maybe delay the shipment and let them know there will be a delay. If they reply that they want it "rushed" and they do not care about the extra cost ... then you have fraud for sure.

Tonearm

2:02 pm on Mar 25, 2008 (gmt 0)

I guess the danger is a hacked PayPal account?

Rugles

2:21 pm on Mar 25, 2008 (gmt 0)

That is where the IP address comes in handy.

Tonearm

2:33 pm on Mar 25, 2008 (gmt 0)

Looks like an ADSL Pacbell.net address. I guess that's good.

Rugles

3:41 pm on Mar 25, 2008 (gmt 0)

Yes, if the shipping address or the billing address is from the west coast, or close to it.

All you can do is reduce the risk by checking all this stuff.

Tonearm

4:36 pm on Mar 25, 2008 (gmt 0)

West coast for sure. Thank you for your help.

jsinger

5:32 pm on Mar 25, 2008 (gmt 0)

Yes, if the shipping address or the billing address is from the west coast, or close to it.

Is the whole US west coast now a huge red flag for fraud? If so, why?

Have you always found it to be higher risk? Economically, Michigan and some other places are in tougher straits.

Tonearm

5:37 pm on Mar 25, 2008 (gmt 0)

I think he means Pacific Bell only operates on the west coast.

Rugles

6:01 pm on Mar 25, 2008 (gmt 0)

That is right, PacBell or Pacific Bell is on the left coast of the USA.

Continue shipping to the west coast, or forward all your California traffic to me. ;-)

jsinger

6:08 pm on Mar 25, 2008 (gmt 0)

I see. Thanks.

bwnbwn

8:01 pm on Mar 25, 2008 (gmt 0)

might be a good idea to check with paypal as well just to have them do a quick check

ByronM

2:46 pm on Mar 26, 2008 (gmt 0)

PayPal won't check squat unless the buyer shows up as a registered/protected buyer.

I get lots of orders for people who live elsewhere but work in the us for x amount of days/weeks/months. Definitely a challenge to manage those.

If they use AOL its even that much worse as AOL proxies almost everything and IP's are all over the place - sometimes thousands of miles away from normal IP neighboors.