Layer 1: confirm the order
Send a short code to the email on the order and ask the customer to enter it before you ship. Typed in nonsense stops here.
Layer 2: remember who refused
Keep a list of phone numbers, emails and pincodes that caused refusals, and block or require an advance next time.
Layer 3: ask more of first orders
A new customer has no history. An advance on the first order costs a real buyer little and a prankster something.
Layer 4: watch repeats
Several COD orders from the same customer in a short time is a signal worth acting on.
Layer 5: look at the details
Phone numbers that look wrong, throwaway email services, very short addresses and pincodes that do not match the chosen state all show up in fake orders.
Questions
Can I block a customer by phone number?
With Pro you can block by phone, email or pincode.
Will verification lose real customers?
Some friction is real. Apply it to risky orders only, using a risk score, rather than to everyone.
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