Implementing an e-commerce fraud prevention strategy provides businesses with long-term success while providing a secure shopping experience for consumers.

As e-commerce continues to expand globally, so too does the sophistication of fraud tactics. It is essential to protect businesses from financial losses, protect customer data, and maintain online trust in transactions. Online retailers, payment processors, and customers are all vulnerable to the increasing risk of fraud, which costs businesses billions of dollars every year. This makes fraud prevention a priority for e-commerce businesses worldwide, especially during International Fraud Awareness Week, which takes place in November and aims to highlight the importance of combating fraud and raising awareness of preventative strategies.

“Cybercrime is the greatest threat to every company in the world.” — Ginni Rometty, Former CEO of IBM

In this blog post, we’ll explore some key aspects of e-commerce fraud prevention and how businesses can effectively mitigate risk while ensuring a secure and trusted online shopping experience for customers.

E-commerce Fraud Prevention: A Necessary Response to a Growing Threat

E-commerce fraud can take many forms, from credit card chargebacks and account takeover to identity theft and phishing scams. Fraudsters are becoming more innovative, and their tactics are evolving in line with advances in technology, making it harder for businesses to detect and prevent fraudulent activity.

Some of the most common types of e-commerce fraud include:

• Payment Fraud: The use of stolen or fake credit card details to make unauthorized transactions.
• Account Takeover: Bad actors gain access to customers’ accounts by exploiting weak or compromised passwords or using phishing techniques leading to unauthorized purchases or the theft of sensitive data.
• Return and Refund Fraud: Cybercriminals take advantage of return policies by purchasing items and then returning them for a refund.
• Friendly Fraud: Customers make a legitimate purchase but later dispute the transaction, claiming it was fraudulent in order to receive a chargeback.

Best Practices for E-commerce Fraud Prevention

According to the Merchant Risk Council report, e-commerce fraud has been steadily increasing, and the cost of fraud can be substantial. In 2023, global losses due to e-commerce fraud were estimated to exceed $48 billion (Juniper Research and Mastercard), and global losses are expected to grow year-over-year for the next decade. As a result, e-commerce businesses must take a multi-layered approach to fraud prevention. The following strategies can help companies effectively protect themselves and their customers:

1. Compromised Password Monitoring

Compromised password monitoring is a critical tool in preventing fraud in e-commerce by identifying and blocking stolen or leaked login credentials. Fraudsters often gain access to e-commerce accounts by exploiting databases containing usernames and passwords obtained from previous data breaches. Once bad actors have this information, they attempt to log into various online stores, using automated bots or manual methods to test whether the compromised credentials provide access to customer accounts.

When e-commerce platforms integrate compromised password monitoring, they can:

• Cross-reference login attempts against known data breach databases and identify accounts using credentials that are no longer secure. Businesses can then force a password reset to ensure that only the legitimate user is the one who can get access to the account. This proactive step helps prevent unauthorized access before a fraudulent transaction is even attempted. and prevents fraud from the start and helps reduce the risk of account takeovers (ATO).
• Flag suspicious login attempts or lock out accounts that show signs of being accessed using previously exposed data. This type of monitoring can also trigger multi-factor authentication (MFA) prompts, further securing the account and preventing fraud.

By integrating these security measures, e-commerce businesses not only protect customer data but also maintain their reputation as a trusted, secure platform, reducing the likelihood of financial losses and ensuring a safer online shopping environment.

2. Use Fraud Detection and Prevention Software

Defending against an escalating threat environment where online accounts are more vulnerable than ever, there are several advanced fraud detection solutions available for e-commerce businesses. To keep up with evolving fraud tactics, fraud detection systems use machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain technology, and data sharing to analyze transaction patterns and detect fraudulent behavior in real-time.

Fraud detection and prevention software can flag suspicious transactions based on various customized rules and risk scoring, including unusual spending patterns, high-ticket items, type of payment, device location, or mismatched billing and shipping addresses. Some popular fraud detection solutions include Kount, Signifyd, SEON, Sift, ThreatMetrix, and Riskified.

3. Implement Strong Customer Authentication (SCA)

The Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2) introduced new regulatory requirements across Europe, mandating Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) for online payments. SCA requires that customers provide at least two forms of authentication (such as a password, fingerprint, or face recognition) to verify their identity during online transactions.

Although PSD2 applies primarily to the European Union, retailers worldwide can benefit from adopting these enhanced security measures. Strong Customer Authentication can limit the risk of payment fraud and increases customer confidence in the checkout process.

4. Monitor for Account Takeover

Account takeover fraud (ATO) is a growing concern in e-commerce, where bad actors gain unauthorized access to a customer’s account by using stolen login credentials. Businesses should use tools that screens for unsafe passwords and monitor for suspicious login attempts – such as abnormal IP addresses or multiple failed login attempts.

Another effective strategy is to implement multi-factor authentication (MFA), which requires customers to provide additional verification (like a one-time passcode or biometric data) before accessing their account. This adds another layer of security and makes it more difficult for fraudsters to gain access, but some e-commerce providers don’t use it consistently because it adds user friction to the login process.

5. Analyze Payment Data and Use Velocity Checks

Velocity checks involve monitoring the frequency and speed at which transactions are made from a single account or IP address. A sudden surge in transaction volume—such as multiple high-value purchases in a short period—could indicate fraudulent activity.

By implementing velocity checks and setting limits on the number of purchases or transactions a customer can make within a certain timeframe, e-commerce businesses can identify and block potential fraud before it results in financial losses.

6. Educate Your Customers and Users

Customers are often the first line of defense when it comes to preventing e-commerce fraud. Therefore, it’s crucial for retailers to educate their customers about common fraud schemes, such as phishing and identity theft, and how to recognize them.

Provide clear instructions on how customers can protect their accounts, such as creating strong passwords, enabling MFA or two-factor authentication, and avoiding suspicious emails or links. Additionally, ensure your customers know how to report fraudulent activity if they encounter it.

“Any informed borrower is simply less vulnerable to fraud and abuse.”— Alan Greenspan, former Chair of the Federal Reserve of the United States

7. Implement clear and secure return policies

While return fraud is a common issue in e-commerce, businesses can reduce its impact by implementing clear and secure return policies to include conditions for return. Require ID and proof of purchase, such as order confirmation emails, read your buyers’ digital footprint, offer only credit or gift receipts, and consider using technologies like RFID tags or serial numbers to track high-value items. Additionally, establish a system to flag, analyze, monitor, and review historical data of frequent returners to identify customers who might be exploiting the return policy and deter return and refund fraud.

8. Conduct Regular Security Audits

Regular security audits are essential to ensure that your e-commerce platform is secure and up-to-date with the latest fraud prevention measures. A third-party security firm can help you identify vulnerabilities in your system and recommend improvements.

In addition to conducting security audits, make sure your payment processors are PCI-DSS compliant (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard), which ensures that sensitive customer information is protected. Cybersecurity compliance can help organizations know what steps to take to protect their users and customers.

E-commerce Fraud Prevention Conclusion

International Fraud Awareness Week is an important reminder for businesses to take proactive measures against the growing threat of online fraud. It’s not just about protecting your business from financial losses—it’s about building a secure and reliable experience for your customers. By implementing strong authentication, fraud detection software, and customer education, companies can reduce their vulnerability to fraud and improve customer trust.

To learn more about Enzoic’s ATO & e-commerce Fraud Prevention tools, visit www.enzoic.com/ato-protection/