bakedpotato on Nostr: I asked ChatGPT 😂 This is actually a common type of malicious activity in ...

I asked ChatGPT 😂

This is actually a common type of malicious activity in e-commerce, and there are several potential reasons why someone would submit fake orders with spam IP addresses:

Testing Stolen Credit Cards
Fraudsters often use e-commerce sites to verify if stolen credit card numbers are still active
They submit small orders to check if the transaction goes through
If successful, they know the card is valid and can use it for larger fraudulent purchases elsewhere

Website Vulnerability Testing
Bad actors probe websites for security weaknesses
They submit fake orders to test how the system handles different inputs
This information can be used to plan more targeted attacks later

Server Resource Consumption
Multiple fake orders can strain server resources
This could be a precursor to a DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack
It may also be used to identify server timeout limits

Data Harvesting
Submitting orders allows them to see how your system processes information
They can gather details about your checkout flow, error messages, and security measures
This information can be valuable for planning future attacks

Bot Activity
Automated bots sometimes submit fake orders across many websites
They collect information about site responses and security measures
This data gets sold on dark web marketplaces

To protect your site, consider:

Implementing CAPTCHA at checkout
Using fraud detection plugins
Setting up IP blocking for known spam addresses
Enabling address verification for payments
Monitoring order patterns for suspicious activity
The cancelled status likely means your existing security measures caught the suspicious activity, which is a good sign that your basic protections are working.

Me: Or maybe it was someone on Nostr testing checkout when you first created the site with a VPN enabled? 🤷‍♀️