Understanding Friendly Fraud
Friendly fraud, also known as chargeback fraud, is a term used to describe a situation where a customer disputes a legitimate transaction and initiates a chargeback with their bank or credit card company.
This can be a frustrating and costly experience for merchants, as they not only lose the revenue from the transaction but may also be subject to additional fines and penalties.
So, how does Friendly Fraud work?
Well, it typically begins when a customer makes a purchase online or in-store using their credit card. After receiving the product or service, the customer then contacts their bank or credit card company and claims that the transaction was fraudulent or unauthorized. As a result, the bank initiates a chargeback, which reverses the transaction and refunds the customer’s money.
There are several reasons why customers engage in friendly fraud. Sometimes, it may be due to buyer’s remorse or dissatisfaction with the product or service received. In other cases, customers may simply be attempting to get something for free or exploit the chargeback system.
To prevent friendly fraud, merchants can take a proactive approach by implementing the following strategies:
1. Clear and Detailed Product Descriptions: Ensure that your product descriptions are accurate and provide as much detail as possible. This will help manage customer expectations and reduce the likelihood of disputes.
2. Robust Customer Service: Provide excellent customer service to address any concerns or issues promptly. By being responsive and proactive, you can often resolve problems before they escalate to chargebacks.
3. Secure Payment Processing: Implement a secure payment processing system that includes fraud prevention tools such as address verification and CVV verification. This can help verify the legitimacy of transactions and reduce the risk of chargebacks.
4. Transparent Return and Refund Policies: Clearly communicate your return and refund policies to customers. By setting clear expectations upfront, you can minimize the chances of customers resorting to chargebacks when they are dissatisfied.
5. Order Tracking and Delivery Confirmation: Provide tracking numbers and delivery confirmation for shipped orders. This can help prove that the customer received the product or service, making it more difficult for them to claim it was unauthorized.
6. Order Confirmation Emails: Send order confirmation emails to customers after a purchase is made. This serves as a record of the transaction and can be useful evidence in case of a chargeback dispute.
7. Chargeback Monitoring: Regularly monitor chargeback ratios and dispute rates to identify any patterns or trends. This can help you identify potential cases of friendly fraud early on and take appropriate action.
At Fraud Deflect, we can help you fight, prevent and prevail friendly fraud and chargebacks. Contact us for more info or if you want help at info@frauddeflect.com