Austarion

my sister wants to buy a softball bat, they are a heap cheaper from this site in USA: www.directsports.com so they ordered one, then got an email saying the following:

Thanks for your order. In order to ship International orders, we are required to verify all of the billing information of the credit card. This information must be verified because we will only ship to the billing address of the credit card. Unfortunately the countries of Australia and New Zealand have adopted a Privacy Act which hinders us from verifying this information. Due to this we can not verify the billing information since the banks will not verify the information for us. The only option that we have left, is for you to fax us at 1-540-921-1475 with a copy of your last statement for the credit card that you have listed on your online order. We will look over the statement, and if all of the information is verified, then we will email you back with some shipping options to choose from. There will be multiple options for shipping listed. The delivery times and the prices will vary, but there should be a shipping option listed to meet your needs. If the information does not verify, we will email you back to let you know, or to check on any of the discrepancies that we find from the statement and your order. We apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause, but due to the recent laws adopted by your country, we can’t verify this information any other way at this time. If you have any questions feel free to email us back.



Thanks,
Steve/ Direct Sports



i have never heard of this happening before, and due to not being in america have never heard of this company and are not sure if they are a big business and what to do.
first i thought well maybe should just send them a Western Union money order, but if they are dodgy then they are still gonna do a runner with the money either way.

what do you think we could/should do?

thanks

If they have a contact number then try calling them and have a quick chat just to make sure that they are who they say they are. Don't give out any cc info. A money transfer is much better as if something does go wrong, then your lossis limited. Although, you can refute a payment on your cc, but I wouldn't risk it.

I've bought from plenty of companies in the states over the internet using a credit card. Not once have I been asked anything like what you have just posted.

Name on credit card: check
Credit card number: check
Expiry date: check

And sometimes 3 digit verification number (found on back of credit card): check.

IMO thats all that you should have to provide and I wouldn't be sending over personal credit card statements.

It looks like the company is a one off. There is only one store. Also, if you read the Online Ordering section you would have seen this.

CREDIT CARD ORDERS:
We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. We are required to verify the correct name and address on all credit card orders with the bank that issued the card. All credit card orders MUST be shipped to the card holders address. Your order will not be shipped until we get proper credit card billing information.

INTERNATIONAL ORDERS:
Different shipping rates to orders shipped outside the Contiguous U.S. Including APO, FPO or any other Military location. Free shipping does NOT apply to any international location.

If you are a customer and your credit card issuing bank is in a country other than the United States, we must verbally verify your address with your bank. You must provide your bank name and phone number. We must verbally verify your address. We will be unable to ship the order without proper address verification.

You will be emailed the total invoice amount including shipping charges in U.S. funds. Please reply to the email to confirm the shipping rates. Your order will be shipped via USPS OR UPS. Delivery times vary. Customers in countries other than the U.S. and are not stationed in military locations will have duties and taxes added to your shipment from Direct Sports at the border of your country.

I don't know if they are bodgy, but maybe if they talk to your bank, that might get them out of it. Like it said, Verbally verifying. For me, I wouldn't pay the money to buy it over seas.




My guess is the bats cost about $110 USD. Then shipping overseas would come to about $250-300 AUD. That would be atleast the same, if not more expensive then some over here. My opinion, if it is still more money to buy here. Do it and it is safer then what these guys are offering.

can u do COD internationally?

the bat costs $130 US and over here its just over $400 apparently
postage doesnt seem to cost that much (by looking at the USPS web site) because the bat only weighs 25oz (0.7kg) and is 34 inchs (just over 86cm) long.

so allowing $50 US for postage and postage insurance it will come to about $250 AU give or take..

See if they use paypal, the address is verified when you sign up. Or failing that, give them your banks phone number and let them ring to their hearts content.

Ok so $130 USD and $50 USD = $180USD.

So $180USD = $231.891 AUD

But if you pay $231.891AUD and don't get the product and have to buy it here. That is $631.891AUD second time around.

But if you trust them, go for it.

the worst Ive had to deal with was providing copies of my drivers lisence (they also asked for credit card statement, I informed them that the lisence would have to do as I was offshore at the time and unable to access my "real" mail). That was from Jewelery from the US, and yeah, a few weeks later it arrived no problems.

when i bought my webspace they asked me to fax my credit card imprint thru. I told em to get farked (in lesser words) and they said never mind and put the payment thru anyway.

One option, paypal some money over to oscar and let him pay on your behalf if they keep on being dicks, im sure he would be willing to help.

definetely dodgy, I have bought stuff from the US, just VISA and nothing else.... find out more about the company., but what they are doing is not totally unreasonable, they're probably trying to cover their asses in case the card is stolen...

I dealt with a company like this here in Australia before, they wanted me to fax a copy (Both Sides) of my credit card and a drivers licence to confirm the online payment that I had made! I rang them, told them they were dreaming, bloke said "It's that or nothing"... told him to shove it up his arse! Found the product elsewhere cheaper anyway! I'd be a bit concerned myself, I'd suggest maybe an alternate source!? :?

get Oscar to send it for you!

forget this dodgy stuff.........if u think its suss, it probably is, and your account will be emptied out in no time.