Preventing Fraudulent Orders with GoodAPI Checkout Rules

Fraudulent orders have become more common across the Shopify ecosystem. A common tactic involves bots using stolen credit cards to place very low-cost test orders (often under $1). Once validated, these cards are then used for larger fraudulent purchases or even chargebacks against the small test orders.

At GoodAPI, we’ve noticed that fraudsters sometimes target our sustainability products (like two trees or five plastic bottles), which typically cost around $1–$1.50 depending on currency. To help protect your store, we’ve introduced a checkout automation that prevents these products from being purchased on their own.

How the Automation Works

• Customers cannot purchase the “two trees” or “five plastic bottles” product by itself.
• These products must be combined with another item in the cart.
• If someone attempts to purchase them alone, they’ll receive an error message such as:

“This product cannot be purchased unless it is combined with another product.”

This ensures that fraudsters cannot exploit low-cost items for card testing.

Follow our step by step instructions below to set this up or watch this video

How to Enable the Rule

1. Log in to your Shopify store.
2. Go to Settings → Checkout.
3. Scroll down to Checkout Rules.
4. Click Add Rule.
5. Look for the preconfigured GoodAPI rule:

“Prevent customers from purchasing tree/bottle product on its own.”

6. Click on it, then select Save.
7. Finally, turn on the rule.

Once enabled, your store will block fraudulent one-off purchases of these sustainability products.

Important Notes

• This automation specifically protects against fraud involving GoodAPI products like two trees or five plastic bottles.
• If you have other products priced under $1–$2, you may need to implement additional fraud prevention measures or automations.
• GoodAPI’s checkout rule is designed to reduce fraud exposure while ensuring legitimate customers can still support sustainability initiatives alongside other purchases.

Summary

By enabling this checkout rule, you can significantly reduce fraudulent low-cost orders on your store. This safeguard helps protect your revenue, minimizes chargebacks, and ensures your GoodAPI impact products remain a positive experience for real customers.

We hope this helps, thank you for using GoodAPI to make a difference! 🌱

Updated on: 19/08/2025