option to force shipping and billing address match?

[spuhg]

hi

is there a way to force a shipping and billing address match?

thanks

[JohnW]

If you think this out further you'll find that this is not practical if you are taking credit cards because often people have their billing and shipping different. Only one is registered with the CC as correct billing which is what AVS checks. You would create problems.

[ridexbuilder]

On the flip side:
Only accepting orders where shipping and billing addresses match, can be a line of defence against fraudulent transactions - similar to shipping only to a verified PayPal address.

You could always remove all the displays of shipping address...
Just an option.

[JohnW]

The problem I ran into early in this game was say someone has their CC go to a PO box or their home but is buying for a business and needs it to ship to the business. I guess it really depends what your selling and how liquid it is but if someone has the correct billing address and knows that it's different from the shipping.....but I guess it's never perfect.

[ridexbuilder]

CC go to a PO box

- to us, across the pond, that smacks of scam.

buying for a business

- use a business account.
Just different perceptions, I know. Example: I can't understand the stateside reluctance to accept checks (sic), when the address is on them but then you guys don't have a bank £100 cheque guarantee card. [Just been told that by 2018 there will be no more cheques in UK].

[spuhg]

hi

it is actually very important in preventing fraud, it would be an option of course, so you would only enable it if you need it.

what fraudsters will do is have the items shipped to an address other than their billing address, then claim someone fraudulently used their credit credit and ask the credit card company to do a "charge back" on you.

you will lose the cost of the items because the credit card company will say that it was shipped to an address other then the billing address, and therefore your fault, and your problem, because it can't be proved the customer ever really received the item.

thanks

[ridexbuilder]

Absolutely, a lot of folks lead a sheltered life and haven't been scammed or faced with chargebacks.
An option would be useful to have - any other opinions, for/against?

[JohnW]

There's so much to preventing fraud and a lot of it depends on what you sell and how you sell it. However, I've had minimal problems with fraud and only one chargeback in 7 years, but a lot of fraud just smells so bad you know something is up. Nothing beats your eyes looking at your orders.

I do run AVS though which checks every billing address but I don't reject only based on that. It boils down to what perceentage you're willing to reject incorrectly of valid entries versus letting an occasional bad one get it. It's basically a numbers game.