DTC SOPs/Order Fraud Detection
Operations

Order Fraud Detection SOP

AY
Anand Yadav · Founder, ReccordSOP
·Last reviewed June 1, 2026

Fraud rate in DTC averages 0.5 to 2 percent of orders, costing chargebacks plus product loss plus shipping. Aggressive blocking hits real customers, gentle blocking lets fraud through. This SOP finds the right balance.

Who needs this SOP

Every DTC brand processing payment cards. Most acute above $1M ARR where fraud volume becomes worth dedicated process.

Why this matters

A single fraud-flagged real customer becomes a public complaint. A single missed fraudulent order becomes a chargeback plus product loss. Both are bad. The middle path requires deliberate process.

Step-by-step SOP

  1. 1

    Configure Shopify's built-in fraud filters

    Free tier blocks obvious patterns. Adequate baseline.

  2. 2

    Set up fraud-review queue for medium-risk orders

    Orders that aren't obvious fraud but show 2+ risk signals. Manual review before shipment.

  3. 3

    Define high-risk signals

    Email domain mismatch with billing name, shipping address different from billing in different country, multiple cards tried, high-value first order from new customer.

  4. 4

    Configure CVV mismatch handling

    CVV failed = automatic cancel or manual review. Never ship without CVV pass for cards.

  5. 5

    Set velocity rules: max orders per email/card per 24 hours

    5+ orders same email same day = block. Genuine customers don't do this.

  6. 6

    Use Shopify's 3DS for high-risk orders

    3D Secure shifts liability to issuer. Enable for medium-risk countries or high-value first orders.

  7. 7

    Document each fraud decision

    Why blocked, why approved on review. Builds team learning.

  8. 8

    Review chargebacks monthly

    Each chargeback teaches you a pattern. Update detection rules accordingly.

  9. 9

    Maintain fraud blocklist

    Confirmed-fraud emails, addresses, phones. Block automatically on future attempts.

Tools involved

Common mistakes to avoid

  • ×Relying only on Shopify built-in (catches obvious, misses sophisticated fraud)
  • ×Aggressive blocking that hits real customers
  • ×Not reviewing chargebacks (lose the learning signal)
  • ×No documented decision criteria (subjective fraud reviews)
  • ×Missing CVV mismatch handling (huge fraud vector)

Make this SOP a living document

Record your screen while running this procedure. ReccordSOP captures every step with screenshots, then alerts you when the actual process drifts from documentation.

Try ReccordSOP free

FAQ

What's a normal fraud rate?

0.5 to 2 percent of orders. Above 3 percent and you have a problem. Below 0.5 might mean you're too aggressive and blocking real customers.

Should I use a third-party fraud tool?

Above $5M ARR, yes. NoFraud, Signifyd worth the cost. Below, Shopify built-in plus manual review is fine.

What's the right fraud queue review time?

Process within 4 hours during business hours. Customers expect orders to ship. Long fraud review delays drive cancellations.

AY
Anand YadavFounder, ReccordSOP

I built ReccordSOP after watching too many DTC ops teams lose months to undocumented workflows. These SOPs are battle-tested with Shopify operators running $1M to $50M brands.

Last reviewed June 1, 2026

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