For some of my template solutions I use automated ordering and paying, linked to Stripe.
I’ve seen the following problem before but never someone with such determination!
They are trying to order a template site costing €300 and with a card, but Stripe is rejecting the payment. So far they’ve tried about 20 different cards, with results coming back from the issuing bank as stolen card, fake card, fraud, etc.
Being that the scammer is ordering a website, not something that can be sold on for a profit, my question is… Why?
Coming from an online retail background, I’m pretty well versed as to what the scammers do and why they do it. I learnt the hard way as I once got scammed for £8k worth of bikes. In that circumstance the aim was pretty obvious: Get some high value items that can be sold on (I found the bikes on Ebay in the end and narrowed it down to an address, so Billy Big Balls me rocks up to the address with a few big “mates” to recover my bikes, and proceeded to get the shit kicked out of us by someone elses even bigger mates who clearly were used to this happening! Big lesson learnt that day!)
So scammers scamming online payments for goods I’m used to, but why a website?
I do know that it’s pretty common for a scammer with some faked or stolen cards to first test them before going on a spending spree, but they would usually go for very low-value items (sim cards a favourite), they never go for high-value stuff as they know it’s more likely to have online security in place.
So, why?
Anyone any ideas?
Should say this isn’t the first to time. Had a payment go thru the other month that even Stripe didn’t flag up, so this isn’t a one-off situation.
If it goes through they request a refund a short time after, It’s the CC company they scaming (or trying to), the retailer is just the sap in between.
I don’t know how they get the refund as I’d assume it gets credited to the original card but if the card is fake and there’s no associated account then the refund system may fall back on refunding to an alternative account.
Can’t happen. Least in theory it can’t happen. There have been systems in place to stop refunds going to anything other than the card the payment is drawn from for years.
You might be right, but I can’t see it being a refund scam, that’s just far too risky. Plus at some point the perp has to convert the scam to hard cash, which would bring the crime very close to their door.
You may be right, but I can’t see it myself. Unless you know for sure this is a scam method?
Bought to order. Not a scam but credit card theft and fraud. Customer wants high value item, some people would categorize a $300 item valuable. They pay someone with stolen cards $50 to buy it. Credit card guy makes an easy $50. Low level crime, probably kids who understand Tor and buy cheap card details.
No, sorry, should have explained, my templates websites are just my pre-built websites. Clients still need to give me all their content and I host it etc.
Gotcha. In that case maybe they want to set up a bogus site for other dodgy activities and don’t want a paper trail. If the credit card transaction was successful would you have ever known.
That’s a good idea. Obviously the person using the card doesn’t really understand my process, so they may well think once paid for they don’t need to give me any more info.