The problem
WooCommerce does not naturally surface suspicious-order signals in one clear place. New accounts with large orders, late-night guest checkouts, PO Box deliveries, and rapid repeat purchases from fresh accounts all look like normal orders until it’s too late.
How OrderBadger solves it
OrderBadger lets you create automatic review badges for suspicious orders, so risky patterns are surfaced in the orders screen before dispatch. You can combine signals like new accounts, high order value, express shipping, PO Boxes, guest checkout, and rapid repeat ordering.
Each rule checks one or more risk signals against incoming orders. For example, a rule might flag orders where the account is less than 3 days old, the total exceeds £500, and the shipping method is express. When multiple signals align, the order gets a critical-severity badge with optional Approve/Block buttons and an SLA timer. Your team reviews flagged orders from the inbox before releasing them for dispatch.
Rules that help with this
Each rule is a ready-to-use template. Click through to see the full rule, test fixtures, customisation tips, and FAQ.
Large First Order
How to review unusually large first orders in WooCommerce
Badges first-time orders that combine high value and high quantity, flagging potential trade accounts or suspicious activity that warrants verification before dispatch.
Fraud Review
How to catch new-account express shipping fraud in WooCommerce
Badges orders over £500 from customer accounts created within the last 7 days that use express or next-day shipping. This combination is a known fraud pattern in electronics and high-value retail.
Return Risk
How to flag high-return-risk fashion orders in WooCommerce
Automatically badges orders from guest customers who are buying across 3 or more categories with more than 5 items and a subtotal over £150, a pattern strongly correlated with high return rates in fashion stores.
COD Risk
How to flag risky cash-on-delivery guest orders in WooCommerce
Badges guest checkout orders over 300 paid by cash on delivery. This is a high-risk fraud pattern: the buyer is anonymous, the order is expensive, and payment is deferred until delivery - maximising your exposure to refusal, chargebacks, and lost goods.
Late Night Risk
How to flag suspicious late-night guest orders in WooCommerce
Badges guest checkout orders over £500 placed after 11pm. Late-night high-value purchases from anonymous buyers combine three fraud risk factors: the buyer is untraceable, the order is expensive, and the timing correlates with higher rates of stolen card usage and impulsive fraudulent activity.
Velocity Alert
How to detect rapid-fire ordering from new accounts in WooCommerce
Badges orders from accounts created less than 3 days ago that have already placed 2 or more orders in the last 30 days. Rapid order velocity from a brand-new account is a strong signal of fraudulent activity, coupon abuse, or automated ordering.
PO Box + Electronics
How to flag PO Box electronics orders from new customers in WooCommerce
Badges orders where a first-time customer is buying electronics products worth over £200 and shipping to a PO Box. This combination is a well-known fraud vector: PO Boxes prevent delivery signature verification, the customer has no purchase history, and electronics have high resale value.
Electronics
How to flag electronics orders for special handling in WooCommerce
Automatically badges orders that include at least one product categorised as Electronics, so your team can apply extra handling, warranty checks, or packaging requirements.
Manual Review
How to review high-value first orders for fraud in WooCommerce
Highlights first-time customer orders above a value threshold so they can be reviewed before dispatch. Combines order value and customer history into a single compound rule.
Late Night
How to flag late-night orders for review in WooCommerce
Automatically badges orders placed after 10pm in the store's local timezone, which may warrant additional review since late-night orders have a higher incidence of impulsive purchases or fraudulent activity.
Suspicious Account
How to flag suspicious high-value orders from new accounts in WooCommerce
Highlights large orders from accounts created within the last 3 days that did not use PayPal, surfacing potentially fraudulent purchases for immediate review.
New + Backorder
How to review new account orders with backordered items in WooCommerce
Catches orders from recently registered customers with no order history that also contain backordered products - a combination that may need extra verification or proactive customer communication.
COD
How to flag cash-on-delivery orders for collection prep in WooCommerce
Automatically badges orders where the customer selected cash on delivery, so your team can prepare for payment collection at the door and reduce failed delivery attempts.
Serial Returner
How to flag serial returners on new orders in WooCommerce
Badges orders from customers who have 2 or more previous refunds, an order total over £100, and at least 3 previous paid orders - identifying serial returners whose new high-value orders warrant extra scrutiny before dispatch.
Return Risk
How to flag high-return-risk category combos in WooCommerce
Badges orders from customers with no purchase history who are buying from both the Dresses and Shoes categories - a combination with historically high return rates, especially among first-time buyers unsure of sizing across product types.
Related rules you might also find useful
Coupon Stack
How to catch coupon stacking on discounted orders in WooCommerce
Badges orders where the discount exceeds 25%, a coupon was applied, and the order total is over £100. This combination often indicates coupon stacking, leaked promo codes, or pricing misconfigurations that erode margins on what should be a profitable sale.
Welcome + Review
How to add a personal welcome for high-value first orders in WooCommerce
Badges first-time registered customer orders exceeding £250, signalling an opportunity to include a personal welcome note or onboarding materials to convert a promising first impression into a long-term relationship.
High Value
How to flag high-value orders for extra checks in WooCommerce
Automatically badges orders whose total exceeds a configurable threshold so your team can prioritise high-value fulfilment or apply extra checks before dispatch.
Try it in your store
OrderBadger is free on WordPress.org. Install it and set up your first rule in minutes - no code required.
Install OrderBadger Free