We deal with fraud just like any other retailer, and it's very simple: sometimes people try to trick us into giving them free things.
One of our mechanisms to help combat these nefarious plotters is to double-check orders that have billing addresses in one country and shipping addresses in another.
For one such recent order, we asked the customer for photo identification and verification of his address, and he emailed us a photo of his passport just as requested.
That would normally be fine except he is not Stephen Colbert.
Fig. 1 Totally 'shopped passport photo doesn't do Mr. Colbert justice. Besides, he's French.
FAIL UPDATE!! By popular request, we've added the photo to FAIL BLOG and it needs your votes! Vote! For great justice!
Turns out that passport photo is floating around out there on the interwebs and, even better, is actually a sample passport presented by the Hungarian ambassador when Colbert won a bridge naming contest. Here, let us Google it for you. Our quote-unquote-customer just yoinked it and applied (very poorly rastered) warped text to it. He didn't even resize it.
So we replied:
Hi "Jeff Neff,"
Thanks for writing in. Unfortunately the verification information you have sent in is incomplete.
Also, the photo in the ID you presented is Stephen Colbert. While we do love his show and amazing humor, we believe that you, Jeff Neff of Alberta Canada, are not him. Because of this we have had to delete your order and suspend any order activity originating from your IP Address. The information you've presented during checkout will be handed over to the authorities so they may take appropriate action.
Thanks,
Rob Patak
Customer Service Manager
So much for our brush with greatness, and better luck next time, "Jeff."
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