Depending on what store or ecommerce platform software you have, you might
be able to just block all of those by IP. We have about 95% of Africa,
China, and a host of other blocked so they cannot even access our websites.
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Northern Arizona Wind & Sun - Electricity From The Sun Since 1979
Solar Discussion Forum: http://www.wind-sun.com/ForumVB/
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Yago" <[email protected]>
To: "RE-wrenches" <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 9:36 AM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Credit Card Fraud - Again
I know this has been discussed here a few times in the past but now there
is a new twist.
Our web site includes a solar "store" with some limited products of
smaller solar items just for those not yet ready to contract a full size
system. Anyway, we recently received a large number of internet orders for
unusual quantities or combinations of equipment that did not make any
sense. For example, one guy asked for several of each size solar pump and
modules. Another ordered 60 solar charge controllers at a cost of over
$5,000.00 which makes no sense since we are a retail outlet. If I was
going to order 60 charge controllers, I would order from a distributor at
a much lower quantity discount. The thing is, ALL of these credit card
purchases went through, but they all had a different shipping address from
the card holders address. Many of the credit card holders were women, but
the shipping address was to a man in another state.
We contacted most of these card holders after tracking them down and none
of them knew somebody was ordering high dollar solar equipment with their
credit cards which were still valid. We then contacted the police
departments for those cities where the shipping addresses were located. We
were asked to ship an empty box full of wood blocks to the address given
and they set up sting operations. These crooks usually give the address of
some unknown homeowner, then they track the UPS shipment on line. When
they see the package will be shipped at a specific day and time frame,
they will hang around that neighborhood and when they see the UPS truck
they will act like they are just coming out of the house at that address
and take the package from the driver.
In my case, all of the addresses were UPS shipping and mail box centers,
and when the person did not show up that day the police checked with the
UPS center and found they had instructions to re-ship to another address.
While the police were there, several more high dollar packages showed up
for the same guy I was shipping to, but these stores really did ship
valuable merchandise as they did not catch the bogus orders.
After contacting these other vendors and using internet tracking
procedures, the actual buyer who placed all the orders using stolen credit
cards was located in the Muslim country of Mali, located in southern
Africa. I was advised that these guys can "buy" hundreds of stolen
credit card numbers off other internet sites and that solar equipment is a
prime target since these can be easily sold in most developing countries
where there is limited or no utility power lines.
Hope this post helps others avoid getting stung.
Jeff Yago
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