Can I invoice a customer that wants items shipped to a po box?

[TS1964]

I have a new customer that has requested me to ship his items to a post box store. He has a post box there. Payment is being taken with a square invoice. Am I safe to do so or is this a huge risk of losing my product and payment? Help 😦

[AshleyK]

@TS1964 I would recommend getting the payment in full before sending any product to a customer. Also, if you ever feel unsure or unsafe in a transaction I would recommend not completing the sale. 

Below is some general buyer fraud information that I think will be really beneficial toward protecting yourself as a business owner:

Some scam artists use compromised credit card information in an attempt to convince you to send them money or goods. These people often place their orders via email or phone to mask their true identity.

The scam artist will sometimes try to get you to use part of the credit card payment to pay a special vendor, person, or shipping company. The special instructions often involve some sort of irreversible money transfer such as a wire, Western Union, money order, or bank transfer. Never use part of a payment to send money to a third-party vendor, person, or shipping company recommended by your customer.

Here are some possible signs of fraudulent activity:

• Buyer places an order via email or phone.
• Buyer claims to be hearing impaired or in the hospital.
• Buyer places unusually large orders in a short period or insists on expedited shipping/service.
• Buyer requests international shipping.
• Buyer’s credit card is declined.
• Buyer requests order to be split between multiple credit cards.
• Billing and shipping ZIP codes don’t match.
• Buyer gives special instructions such as paying a third-party vendor, person, or shipping company.
• Buyer has a large order of goods that can be easily resold (e.g. a lot of blank t-shirts).

If you suspect a scam and are not comfortable taking payment from someone, stay calm and let the customer know you can’t accept the sale. Keep in mind that you are liable for any disputes on your account, including disputes related to fraud or scams.
If you have already accepted a payment that you suspect may be fraudulent please let us know immediately so we can help.

Here are some best practices for protecting yourself from fraud:

• Never wire or send money to a third-party at your customer’s request (including Western Union, MoneyGram, bank transfer, etc.).
• Never use a third-party delivery service that you are not familiar with. We suggest that you send your goods through a certifiable delivery company (e.g. UPS, Fedex, etc.).
• Ask for photos of your customer’s ID and credit card. Make sure the names match.
• Do not split large orders into multiple small payments.
• Always ship to the same ZIP code as the credit card’s billing ZIP code.
• Research your customer and call to discuss and confirm the order.