With fraud affecting 1 in 4 small businesses every year causing a loss of £18.9billion last year alone, 192.com have now enabled small businesses to protect themselves against fraud with online Identity Checking service, VouchID.
192.com is the UK’s most awarded online directory, helping find people, businesses and places for 20 million users every month. Their VouchID service is a quick and cost effective way to gain confidence that the buyer or seller you are dealing with is who they really say they are. All you need is to know the person’s name and address to use VouchID.
Of course if you’re buying and selling on eBay you’ll be covered by PayPal if you follow the requirements such as tracking. When you’re selling on your own website or other platforms you may not enjoy the same level of protection.
There is a cost with VouchID, so it won’t make business sense to check every transaction. However each retailer will have a value at which it does make sense to check, whether that be £500, £1000 or £5000, VouchID can confirm if you’re dealing with the person you think you are.
It may be that something about the transaction tweaks your antennae, or perhaps it’s a one off high value order. VouchID can become a part of your credit checking processes but of course you should ultimately always rely on your own instincts and common sense and if you have any concerns make sure you’re happy with payment methods up front or if you’re still worried it may be better to decline the order than suffer a loss.
How to access Vouch ID
Register for a 192.com account and buy a credits package. The minimum investment is £19.99 + VAT for 10 checks. The price of one VouchID check starts from £2 although the price goes down to £1 if you buy in bulk.
How does it work?
- Enter the first name/initial, surname and post code of the person you want to check.
- Select the address and add the date of birth if you have it.
- The report will be generated for you in a few seconds.
- The top section is a quick glance summary giving you a clear picture of the person you have searched.
- For more detail, there is an in depth section containing all you need to know about the person you searched.
Top 5 things to look out for when buying or selling online
1. Use your common business sense. If something is too good to be true, it probably is
2. Be cautious of e-mails that include links and require sensitive information
3. Don’t sell items on another person’s behalf unless you know who they are
4. Avoid alternative payment methods like Western Union
5. Be extra cautious when dealing with anyone based outside of the UK
