Tried to overbill for shipping and obtain private information
Placed my order for 2 kids outfits + $30 shipping. 3 days pass and I get this email from them:
- I wanted to inform you that due to your shipping destination being in a conflict area, we must apply an additional shipping charge of $100 to proceed with your order.
- Additionally, our Payment merchant flagged some potential fraud indicators on your order. To ensure we can process it smoothly, we kindly request the following documents for verification: A government-issued ID as a Proof of address.
Both of these requests are highly unusual, indeed unheard of.
I live in Israel, where indeed a conflict has been ongoing for over a year. However, this has scarcely affected shipping costs, certainly not by this much, and I order regularly from US merchants.
Why would a merchant need my government issued ID? They already have my billing details. Why would they expect me to open myself up to identity theft this way? Suspicious.
Antwoord van Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Dear Ido,
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused during your recent experience with us. We strive to provide the best service possible, and I’d like to clarify the situation and address your concerns.
Shipping Costs: Shipping to areas with ongoing conflicts often incurs additional charges from shipping carriers. This is unfortunately outside our control, and we always aim to be transparent about these costs.
Fraud Prevention Measures: Your order was flagged by our payment merchant as having potential fraud indicators. To protect our customers and ensure secure transactions, we follow verification procedures for flagged orders, which include requesting additional identification. We understand this may seem unusual, but it’s a safeguard to prevent unauthorized transactions and protect both parties.
Please know that we do not store sensitive information provided for verification and use it solely to validate flagged transactions.
We genuinely regret any discomfort or frustration caused by these measures. Our goal is to process your orders efficiently and securely. If you’d like to discuss this further or need assistance, feel free to contact our support team directly.
Thank you for your understanding and patience.
