How to Stop Fake COD Orders
A fake Cash on Delivery order costs you twice: shipping out and shipping back, plus packaging and stock locked up for a week. This guide covers the warning signs and eight checks that stop most fake orders before you pack them.
What counts as a fake COD order
- Prank or test orders with made-up names, numbers or addresses.
- Impulse orders the buyer forgets or regrets before delivery.
- Price-shopping orders placed in several stores, keeping whichever arrives first.
- Serial refusers who order often and accept rarely.
- Competitor sabotage: bulk orders meant to waste your shipping money.
All of them end the same way, as RTO (return to origin). The checks below catch most of them.
Warning signs to check on every COD order
| Sign | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Address with no house number, landmark or locality | Couriers cannot deliver it, or the buyer never meant them to |
| PIN code does not match the city or state | Typo or a made-up address |
| Same phone number on several recent orders | Repeat refuser or a test |
| Name like "test", "abc" or a single letter | Prank order |
| Unusually large quantity or cart value from a new buyer | Sabotage or a buyer likely to refuse at the door |
| Order placed late at night from an ad click | Higher chance of impulse regret |
Eight checks, from easiest to strongest
1. Confirm every COD order on WhatsApp
Send the order summary and address and ask the buyer to tap Confirm. No reply within a set time, such as 24 hours, means no dispatch. This is the single most effective check, because it catches fake numbers, regret and wrong addresses at once. See COD order verification on WhatsApp.
2. Verify the phone number with an OTP
An OTP at checkout proves the number is real and belongs to the buyer. It stops made-up numbers before the order exists.
3. Make the address form strict
Require house number, street, landmark and a PIN code that matches the city. Many "fake" orders are real buyers with undeliverable addresses.
4. Offer a prepaid discount
A small discount for paying by UPI moves genuine buyers off COD, which leaves fewer COD orders to check. See UPI checkout.
5. Set a COD limit
Allow COD only below a cart value, and ask for prepaid above it. High-value COD orders are refused more often and cost the most when they are.
6. Ask for a partial advance
A small advance by UPI, roughly covering shipping, with the rest on delivery. Serious buyers accept it; most fake ones disappear.
7. Restrict COD by PIN code
Track RTO by PIN code. Where returns are consistently high, offer prepaid only or require an advance.
8. Block repeat refusers
Keep a list of phone numbers and addresses that refused delivery without reason, and turn off COD for them.
Measure it
Track this with your COD RTO rate. If confirmation cancels many orders but RTO barely drops, the problem is after dispatch: late delivery or failed delivery attempts. See how to reduce RTO on COD orders.
Doing this with ARSAVO
ARSAVO confirms every COD order and address on WhatsApp before it reaches your packing list, offers 2-tap UPI with a prepaid discount at checkout, and flags unconfirmed orders so you never pay to ship them. No extra app and 0% commission on sales. ARSAVO opens in private beta in January 2027 for 15 founding merchants.
Frequently asked questions
Can I cancel a COD order if the buyer does not confirm?
Yes, as long as your terms say COD orders are confirmed before dispatch. State it at checkout and in your policy pages, and tell the buyer when you cancel.
Should I stop offering COD to avoid fake orders?
Usually not. Many genuine Indian buyers only order with COD. Confirmation, limits and a prepaid discount cut fake orders while keeping those sales.
Does OTP verification alone stop fake orders?
It stops fake phone numbers, not regret or bad addresses. Combine it with WhatsApp order and address confirmation.
What do I do when a competitor places fake orders?
Look for patterns in phone numbers, addresses and order times, block them, and require prepaid or an advance for orders that match the pattern.
Stop paying to ship fake orders
Automatic WhatsApp COD confirmation, built into checkout. 15 founding spots in Batch 01.