Anyone run into this when ordering an Axe-Fx III ?

Doug Notter

Inspired
I'm disappointed and a bit irritated right now and just wondering if anyone else has gotten this email when ordering an Axe FX III.

Thank you for your order at Fractal Audio Systems.

Unfortunately, your order did not pass our automated Verification System.

For your protection and ours we therefore must ask for the following
identification documents from you before we can ship your order.

1. A good resolution color photo of your credit card displaying the NAME
on the card. Important: Please cover all numbers EXCEPT the last four.
Again, we only need to see the last four digits.

2. A HIGH RESOLUTION COLOR PHOTO of a government issued photo ID.
(Passport/driver's license/health service card).

3. A photo of you holding your government issued photo ID.

4. We cannot ship to UPS Stores, Mailbox Services, Hotels, Ship
forwarders, etc. We can only ship to where you are able to sign for the
order. This is due to the high instance of fraud at these types of
locations.

We apologize for this inconvenience, but we have been a frequent target
of fraud.

Kind regards and thanks for understanding. Please feel free to reply
with any questions.

I personally find this a bit of a problem on a number of levels. I'm not too fond of the idea of a company having a photo of my face on file forever just so they may bestow upon me the privilege of giving them a bunch of money for their product for just one. They also seem to have an issue with the only address I've used since 2012...

Has anyone else had to do this? I haven't as of yet. Honestly beyond the first numbered request I don't think I'll be complying even if it means I don't get my gear. :(
 
Knowing nothing at all, well, except 25 years in e-commerce, it seems your card failed verification but said funds available. Maybe you have moved and the addresses don't match?

Fractal is probably trying to fulfill the order but protect themselves against a chargeback (which can raise their processing fees if enough occur).

I'd try another payment method if you have one and you don't like the suggested steps.

I agree it is a bit wonky, but most retailers would have just rejected your order. Seems like Fractal is trying to work with you.
 
Yeah, I would also share your concern about that process. Don't worry just yet though, given Fractal's determination towards customer service I'm not at all surprised there would be an alternative solution that could satisfy both parties. Just give a little patience towards any rep, and I'm sure you'll be taken care of
 
Happened to me when ordering an FX8. I emailed them expressing similar concerns and they offered an alternate process. Maybe contact Fractal for a solution rather than ask people who really can't help you?

That's what I was hoping to hear. I emailed them back with with my phone number asking to be called to save the sale. There's got to be a better way. Thanks for the post!
 
I saw Fractal now accepts PayPal, and PayPal will accept credit cards, so that might be another way around it if you still wanted to use the same card.
 
It happened to me and I emailed them immediately asking how long they keep my photo ID and credit card picture because that whole process was a security concern for me. They wound up calling me and asking me a few questions. (like what guitar I play..) The whole thing was unsettling. One thing the rep asked me was if I was using a computer that had a VPN. I think my brother in law might have had one but i'm not sure. Either way that was when I ordered the Axe Fx 2 in January. I returned it. It didn't happen when I ordered the Axe Fx 3 (same credit card) in July or the FC-12 last week. (paypal)
 
I'm disappointed and a bit irritated right now and just wondering if anyone else has gotten this email when ordering an Axe FX III.



I personally find this a bit of a problem on a number of levels. I'm not too fond of the idea of a company having a photo of my face on file forever just so they may bestow upon me the privilege of giving them a bunch of money for their product for just one. They also seem to have an issue with the only address I've used since 2012...

Has anyone else had to do this? I haven't as of yet. Honestly beyond the first numbered request I don't think I'll be complying even if it means I don't get my gear. :(

@Admin M@, addressed the topic in this thread;

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/i-would-like-to-post-a-rant.136796/
 
My bank has a cool thing called shopsafe. It allows you to generate a one time unique credit card number and 3 digit code that you can use for online purchases.
 
Hi @Doug Notter. I want to address your specific concern about photos "forever". We do not do this. We delete them permanently once we're finished with them -- from both the folder and the trash. I know it's hard to imagine trustworthiness in this, the age of betrayals, but I would leave my children in the hands of the person responsible for handling this private personal data.

As for the address, it isn't Fractal who ever raises an eyebrow: it is the security screening division of our bank. They look at a whole range of factors on every order and let us know when THEY would refuse to stand by us in the event of theft. When that happens, its up to us to protect us -- and more importantly, the cardholders. More than once we've discovered by contacting a person that their card had been stolen and was being used in an attempted crime. (Once I actually had to use Google Translate to explain this to someone in another language over the phone. That was a very interesting conversation).

Because our web site looks and feels like that of a big corporation, it's tempting to imagine faceless policies driven by greed. Nothing could be further from the truth. We care, and we're sorry for the inconvenience. After this quick verification, you'll have a relationship with what people call the best and most customer-friendly company in this or other industries.

Also, lest readers in the future imagine that we cast too wide a net, I think it is fair to include the fact that in this case, both the billing address and the shipping address appear to be that of a non-residential 3rd party shipping company of the kind we normally see used in cases of international identity theft. I am truly sorry, Doug, but we can't think of any other good way to sort this out. I know one of my co-workers has offered to speak to you on the phone today. Let me know how it goes.
 
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I know I have to get new cards like every 6 months because sooner or later I get some fraudulent charges popping up. Like $500 and $800 to some retailer I’ve never dealt with, and it’s basically just crooks getting your info and trying it, along with probably a 100 other numbers an hour til they find one that goes through.

Same reason these days it’s hard to get a package rerouted etc. becasue someone could use my stolen card number and my address to place an order, using my correct address, then after it’s gone through, tell ups to deliver to a different location or hold for pickup. I might not even see the fake charge for a day or two and it could already have been delivered by then, not like ups store really looks at ID for pickup anyways.

Then I’ve got to call my bank and say that Axe III I ordered and apparently picked up in person yesterday afternoon wasn’t really me.

I’m more than happy to have FAS be cautious for my benefit as well as theirs. I don’t view it as an annoyance at all, I’d rather more retailers did it.
 
Also, lest readers in the future imagine that we cast too wide a net, I think it is fair to include the fact that in this case, both the billing address and the shipping address appear to be that of a non-residential 3rd party shipping company of the kind we normally see used in cases of international identity theft.

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Hi @Doug Notter. I want to address your specific concern about photos "forever". We do not do this. We delete them permanently once we're finished with them -- from both the folder and the trash. I know it's hard to imagine trustworthiness in this, the age of betrayals, but I would leave my children in the hands of the person responsible for handling this private personal data.

As for the address, it isn't Fractal who ever raises an eyebrow: it is the security screening division of our bank. They look at a whole range of factors on every order and let us know when THEY would refuse to stand by us in the event of theft. When that happens, its up to us to protect us -- and more importantly, the cardholders. More than once we've discovered by contacting a person that their card had been stolen and was being used in an attempted crime. (Once I actually had to use Google Translate to explain this to someone in another language over the phone. That was a very interesting conversation).

Because our web site looks and feels like that of a big corporation, it's tempting to imagine faceless policies driven by greed. Nothing could be further from the truth. We care, and we're sorry for the inconvenience. After this quick verification, you'll have a relationship with what people call the best and most customer-friendly company in this or other industries.

Also, lest readers in the future imagine that we cast too wide a net, I think it is fair to include the fact that in this case, both the billing address and the shipping address appear to be that of a non-residential 3rd party shipping company of the kind we normally see used in cases of international identity theft. I am truly sorry, Doug, but we can't think of any other good way to sort this out. I know one of my co-workers has offered to speak to you on the phone today. Let me know how it goes.

Well this is unfortunate. Sounds like I'll be canceling my order. I have only one shipping address. Been using it since 2012. There's no way I'd have an item like that shipped to my townhomes. UPS never brings anything to the door they take them to the office. Not safe I've seen how they treat packages. I've never had any issue from anyone about the mailbox business I use to get all of my mail for the last seven years. I get packages through UPS (your shipper) all the time. UPS doesn't seem to have a problem with them so I don't know why you do. The $75 you were charging to ship it should be more than enough to insure it so what is the problem? I can get expensive, large and heavy MESA amps sent there but not this little rack unit? Please.

I don't care if you say you delete peoples pictures. I'm not sending one and I would advise others against it as well. We know companies out there are careless with data. I'm a privacy advocate and very few pictures of me exist on the internet. Sending you a picture of me holding my ID is absurd. I'm actually wondering how legal this request even is and is something I'll be looking into for sure.

You're throwing the baby out with the bath water but that's your choice. There's got to be a ton of ways to prove this is not fraud. Call me and I'll play you a tune ffs.

I won't end this without making a ton of noise by the way. I'm sitting here cash in hand trying to buy your product and you're treating me like a criminal in my opinion. It's one thing to be diligent. This has crossed into stupidity.
 
Well this is unfortunate. Sounds like I'll be canceling my order. I have only one shipping address. Been using it since 2012. There's no way I'd have an item like that shipped to my townhomes. UPS never brings anything to the door they take them to the office. Not safe I've seen how they treat packages. I've never had any issue from anyone about the mailbox business I use to get all of my mail for the last seven years. I get packages through UPS (your shipper) all the time. UPS doesn't seem to have a problem with them so I don't know why you do. The $75 you were charging to ship it should be more than enough to insure it so what is the problem? I can get expensive, large and heavy MESA amps sent there but not this little rack unit? Please.

I don't care if you say you delete peoples pictures. I'm not sending one and I would advise others against it as well. We know companies out there are careless with data. I'm a privacy advocate and very few pictures of me exist on the internet. Sending you a picture of me holding my ID is absurd. I'm actually wondering how legal this request even is and is something I'll be looking into for sure.

You're throwing the baby out with the bath water but that's your choice. There's got to be a ton of ways to prove this is not fraud. Call me and I'll play you a tune ffs.

I won't end this without making a ton of noise by the way. I'm sitting here cash in hand trying to buy your product and you're treating me like a criminal in my opinion. It's one thing to be diligent. This has crossed into stupidity.

Decaf bro ... we all have been through this without the histrionics. It’s really your loss to bag out.

To threaten is just silly. Makes it sound like FAS made the right choice, retrospectively seeing your reaction.
 
Decaf bro ... we all have been through this without the histrionics. It’s really your loss to bag out.

To threaten is just silly. Makes it sound like FAS made the right choice, retrospectively seeing your reaction.


Whatever. I've never been treated like this as a customer and I'm not appreciating it at all.

Still waiting for the phone call.
 
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