If you're trying to build your site into an extra revenue source or another way to grow your sales, here are a few tips to beat online fraud:

If you are accepting credit cards:
1. Never e-mail credit card numbers or other sensitive information. E-mail is NOT secure.
2. Nearly 10% of All website transactions are fraudulent!

So how do you reduce the risk of fraud:

• Require a valid e-mail address.
• Require a phone number so you can confirm a large purchase.
• Keep information from prior transactions in a secure place/server.
• Run the credit card before shipping any items. If the card comes up stolen, notify proper authorities.
• Use alternative payment methods (PayPal.com) or a company like Verisign to check the validity of a credit card.
• Download orders and delete them from the server as soon as possible.

Building an e-commerce site requires much time, effort and precautions. Realistically set aside one year for your e-commerce site to get off the ground!