Christmas Fraud Trends: Ecommerce operators urged to be vigilant
Whilst Christmas is a time of joy and peak trading for online retailers, those with a responsibility for fraud prevention might be forgiven for not embracing a mood of joy and goodwill to all men.
Research indicates that online retail will reach £8.9bn this Christmas, representing 20% of all UK sales. And as orders increase over the peak trading season, so do fraud attempts, which combined with the number of extra orders and higher than usual basket values, can make fraudulent attempts more difficult than usual to spot.
192business has identified 3 types of fraud that ecommerce operators should be increasingly aware of across the Christmas period…
1.Christmas Temporary Staff Fraud
The threat of allowing new employees into situations where sensitive customer data may be available; a particular concern following the theft of data from a mobile phone operator’s call centre staff.
2.Wardrobing
Using goods only to return them after the event – haven’t got the money for a new Christmas party dress? Try wardrobing – a rising threat to ecommerce retailers thanks in part to Facebook photo sharing.
3.Festive First Party Fraud
Occurs when a customer receives their goods but then denies all knowledge of either ordering or receiving them – thus claiming a refund and still keeping their fraudulently obtained Christmas presents.
