When someone returns an item they purchased, it’s often tempting to give them a refund without overthinking it. However, sure signs can tell you whether or not the customer is trying to pull a fast one on you. You may want to read this if you want more information about spotting fraudulent returns.
Knowing that Customers are becoming rude can be no more than a tactic to ensure their success for a full fraudulent refund.
One sign to determine whether a return is fraudulent is to inspect the item, look and see if the customer is returning the correct product. First, see if all parts are with the original returned product or if the return it’s a used product. Dont worry; you can do things like use tactics to fight back by asking them for their ID and making them aware of entering your system. These are important steps to ensure that return abuse and fraud won’t thrive in your business.
Signs to look for to determine if it may be return fraud
Fraudulent product returns are one of retail’s most common forms of fraud.
- Does the customer lack receipts or proof that they purchased the product from you? Most legit customers understand they must prove you purchased the product they are trying to return, and that’s ok. But on occasion, we all lose the receipt, but again we know what card we used and are fine with the lookup of our information.
- Do you feel pressure from the customer to give them cash or store credit rather than a refund to the original form of payment? If they are using a receipt but urge you to provide them with store-created or cash, the receipt may not be theirs, to begin with.
- Do some customers have similar stories about their purchases but without any evidence? If it worked the first time, it most likely would work again. Criminals will brag about how they got away with something, and before long, all criminals are copying the success they had.
- Did you receive a used product back? Receiving a used product back is one of the biggest things a customer feels less guilty about because they will justify it any way they can, but the bottom line is it’s fraud.
- The original packaging is missing or damaged. Most consumers will keep the package until they are sure it is the correct item.
Customers may become rude to ensure their success with a refund.
Our research uncovered that customers becoming rude could be nothing more than a tactic to create tension and set the mood with customer service to ensure their success in getting a full refund. If you suspect that the customer is doing this, don’t worry. We have the answers to combat fraudulent customer returns in easy steps.
- Wait until your emotions have cooled down before you act. The longer you wait, the more likely that person will calm down also.
- Ask for an ID when customers want to make a return.
- Set a part in your return policy to target return abuse and fraud, or create your store return policy using our Store Policy Generator. Pointing to a specific position in your return policy can be decisive in resolving the matter.
- Be friendly and polite but stand firm with your decision; continue apologizing while giving a firm -No!
- Give the customers a choice, even if it is a simple one, for instance, by allowing them to file a complaint on your website, giving them the illusion that they are in control of the situation.
- Having a customer “Complaint Form Page“ can go a long way. When dealing with customers suspected of making fraudulent returns, this will allow you to give them an option and an insight view of what they are going through, or if you made a mistake, not to mention a way to collect information on these consumers.
