> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://codking.tech/documentation/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# COD Form Fraud Protection

> Block unwanted buyers, limit repeat orders, filter bots and remove full COD for risky buyers.

COD orders are easy to place and easy to refuse. The **Fraud protection** page helps you stop fake and repeat orders before they reach your warehouse. Open it from **COD King → Settings → COD FORM → Fraud protection**.

## Before you start: what these tools are for

With cash on delivery the buyer pays nothing up front, so some people place orders as a joke, to spite a competitor, or without any intention of accepting the parcel. Each one costs you shipping both ways. The tools on this page work like a doorman: block known bad actors, slow down repeat attempts, and keep automated scripts out.

| If this is happening | Use |
| :- | :- |
| The same person keeps ordering and refusing | [Block lists](#1-block-lists) |
| Someone places many orders in a short time | [Order limits](#2-order-limits) |
| Orders arrive in seconds, with strange values | [Bot protection](#3-quantity-and-bot-protection) |
| Buyers in risky areas or with a history of refusals | [Return-risk gating](#4-return-risk-gating-and-blocked-attempts) |

> [!NOTE]
>
> Start gently. A very strict rule can stop real customers, for example a family sharing one phone or one internet connection. Turn one rule on at a time and watch the **Blocked attempts** log before adding the next.

## 1. Block lists

Buyers on a block list cannot place a COD order through the form. They see your message and can still pay online.

1. Choose a tab: **Phone numbers**, **Emails** or **IP addresses**.
2. Type the value in the box and click **Add to block list**.
3. Optionally, write your own **Message for blocked buyers**. Leave it empty to use the default text of the form.

Each list holds up to 5,000 entries.

![Block lists](https://mintcdn.com/codking/Yn-PScIyACqIzwd1/images/cf-28-fraud-block-lists.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=Yn-PScIyACqIzwd1\&q=85\&s=c0d06b46258124572a49de7aa28f3baf)

## 2. Order limits

Stop repeat fake orders by allowing at most a set number of orders in a set number of hours. You can limit by:

* **Phone number**
* **Email**
* **IP address**

For each one, tick the box and set **Maximum orders** and **Within (hours)**. For example, "3 orders within 24 hours" per phone number.

Use **Message when a limit is reached** to tell shoppers why their order was stopped. Leave it empty to use the default text.

![Order limits](https://mintcdn.com/codking/Yn-PScIyACqIzwd1/images/cf-29-fraud-order-limits.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=Yn-PScIyACqIzwd1\&q=85\&s=a88271bdd95253d6bf3b755938e96998)

## 3. Quantity and bot protection

* **Maximum total quantity per order** — caps how many items one order can contain. Leave it as **No limit** if you do not want a cap.
* **Minimum seconds before submit** — a form sent faster than this is treated as a bot.
* **Use a hidden field that only bots fill in** — a trap field that real shoppers never see.

![Quantity and bot protection](https://mintcdn.com/codking/Yn-PScIyACqIzwd1/images/cf-30-fraud-quantity-bot.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=Yn-PScIyACqIzwd1\&q=85\&s=9bd2cc676ac2881dd565e21d24c12ccc)

## 4. Return-risk gating and blocked attempts

**Return-risk gating** removes full COD for buyers who are likely to refuse the parcel. They are offered partial payment (when a payment rule allows it) or **Pay online**. Tick **Remove full COD for risky buyers** to turn it on.

**Blocked attempts** is a log of every time the form refused a COD order, and why. Use the **Reason** list to filter it.

![Return-risk gating and blocked attempts](https://mintcdn.com/codking/Yn-PScIyACqIzwd1/images/cf-31-fraud-return-risk-blocked.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=Yn-PScIyACqIzwd1\&q=85\&s=a4b491f83eda9e2e4043f55e7e45d57e)

> [!TIP]
>
> Combine a low order limit per phone number with phone verification (OTP) in [Setup](https://codking.tech/documentation/cod-form/setup.md#3-set-up-phone-verification-otp) for the strongest protection against fake orders.

***

> [card] [Next: Offers](https://codking.tech/documentation/cod-form/offers.md)
>
> Increase order value with offers inside the form.

> [card] [Analytics](https://codking.tech/documentation/cod-form/analytics.md)
>
> See how many orders the form is bringing in.


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