As summer approaches, so does the increase in fraudulent activities.

Recently, there has been an increase in fraudulent schemes in the auto industry involving tire sales. Fraudsters typically call-in orders for tires, ranging from 8 to 16 units, and insist on picking them up in person and paying for them with a credit card. They often decline installation services. Targeted tire sizes include 275/40R21 and 285/40R21, with brands like Conti XTRM, but may include others.

Mitigate risks to your business by doing the following:

• Avoiding manual/keyed in transactions as much as possible.
• Only use text-to-pay for in-shop vehicle repairs, not over-the-phone orders.
• Always ask for a valid form of identification, such as a driver's license, to verify the identity of individuals picking up orders.
• Exercise caution and be wary of suspicious orders, especially larger than usual quantities of identical tire sizes with no installation requests.
• Implement strict verification procedures for email and telephone orders, including authentication of customer identity and payment information.
• Request and complete additional verification steps for high value or large quantity orders, such as requesting secondary forms of identification or confirming shipping addresses and billing address, name on the credit card vs name goods/products are being shipped to.
• Train your staff to recognize red flags indicating potential fraudulent orders, such as unusual order quantities, delivery locations, or payment methods.
• Regularly monitor and analyze transaction patterns for anomalies or irregularities that may indicate fraudulent activity. It is also important to monitor staff activity.
• Establish clear protocols for handling suspected fraudulent activity, including reporting procedures to relevant authorities and cooperation with law enforcement agencies.

We recognize the significance of safeguarding your business and are fully dedicated to assisting you in countering potential threats. Your proactive measures and collaboration in adopting these precautions play a vital role in minimizing the risks linked to this fraudulent activity.

If you have any questions, please reach out to our support 855-360-0360 or email us at Support@360payments.com