⚠️ Important Update on Payment & Shipping Security

Protecting Honest Customers and Our Small Business from Growing Online Fraud

At Pinball Medics, we’ve always believed in doing business the right way—built on trust, craftsmanship, and a handshake. But the rise in online fraud and chargeback abuse has made it impossible to operate our online store with that same level of trust alone.

What’s Happening

In recent months, we’ve been hit by a surge in fraudulent credit card chargebacks, including a recent case totaling over $4,200. These aren’t just random one-time scams—some came from repeat customers who have ordered from us before.

If you have any information regarding the game pictured above we would appreciate having it. It is quite recognizable based on a few notable specifics;

1. there are pingulp holders on both sides held with 3 wood screws each
2. the coin buttons are red on the right with no markings and amber on the left with 25c markings
3. All 4 coin chutes have been filed out to accept loonies
4. the top of the cabinet is pushed in and damaged (not in pics)
5. There are additional holes under the control panel where the previous owner had installed cup holders
6. 3 coin doors have our 7500 double bited house lock
7. Has the rare custom free play roms installed

Most of these chargebacks follow a clear pattern:
👉 The shipping address does not match the billing address registered to the credit card.

Fraudsters are exploiting this loophole, having products shipped to alternate addresses, only to later dispute the charge. This results in the loss of both the product and the payment—with no real recourse for us as a small, independent business.

We’re not alone. E-commerce fraud involving “friendly fraud” (where a real person claims a valid purchase was unauthorized) has skyrocketed in 2024, and smaller retailers like us are the most vulnerable. With limited legal resources and fewer protections than major chains, each incident hits us harder.

🛑 New Policies to Keep Orders Secure

To protect our customers and our business, we’re implementing the following changes:

1. Address Mismatch = Order on Hold

To protect both our business and our genuine customers, we are introducing a new safeguard: orders with mismatched billing and shipping addresses will be temporarily held for verification. Here’s how it works:

On-Hold for Verification: If the shipping address you provide does not match the billing address on file with your credit card, your order will not ship immediately. It will be placed on hold (flagged for manual review).

Customer Contact: Our team will promptly reach out to you via phone or email. We’ll inform you that we just need to confirm the purchase was authorized by the card owner. You may be asked to verify some order details or payment information. (We might ask questions like: “Can you confirm the billing address or name on the card?” or a similar step to ensure the purchase is legitimate.)

Verification and Shipment: Once we successfully confirm the payment is legitimate and authorized, we will immediately resume processing your order and ship it without further delay. You’ll receive tracking information as usual.

If Verification Fails: In the rare case we cannot confirm the order with you, or if we suspect fraud, we will cancel the order and refund any payment. This step protects cardholders from unauthorized use of their cards, and it protects us from shipping out goods we won’t get paid for. (If you believe a legitimate order was mistakenly canceled, please contact us so we can sort it out – our goal is not to reject any honest customer, only to stop fraudsters.)

This policy follows established best practices in the industry. Experts actually recommend verifying or requiring extra proof for orders going to an address different from the billing address merchantriskcouncil.org. In our case, a simple confirmation step with the customer can make the difference between stopping a fraud versus losing thousands of dollars in products (as we recently did in a single incident). We understand that legitimate scenarios (gifts, moving to a new house, etc.) can lead to address mismatches, and we promise to make the verification as quick and painless as possible. Our team is committed to contacting you swiftly so we can get your items on their way with minimal delay.

2. Large Purchases Require Secure Payment

Due to the risk of major losses and the increasing use of fraudulent credit cards to purchase high-ticket items, we are updating our payment policy for pinball machines, arcade video games, and other large equipment:

✅ Credit cards will no longer be accepted for full payment on these items through the website.

We will now accept a $500 deposit by credit card to secure your item. Final payment must be made by e-transfer, wire transfer, certified cheque, cash, or another verified secure method, or in person by credit card with photo ID confirming address match with the card.

Why? Because a single reversed payment for a large item—especially after the product has been delivered—can result in thousands in losses. In one recent case, a fraudulent chargeback for a full machine sale left us without the machine, the money, or any ability to recover either.

If you’re purchasing one of our machines, we’ll work closely with you to ensure a smooth, secure transaction. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us reduce fraud risks while continuing to serve real pinball lovers across the country.

Why This Matters

These measures are not meant to discourage real customers—they’re meant to keep you and us safe. By confirming unusual orders and limiting risky transactions, we can avoid unnecessary delays and disputes, keep fraudsters out of our store, and maintain fair prices without inflating costs to cover fraudulent losses

We’re committed to keeping our community-first spirit alive while protecting everyone in this new era of online fraud.

🙏 Thank You

We know this adds a small step to the ordering process, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience. But taking a moment now to verify a payment means we can keep building a safer, more trustworthy pinball ecosystem—just like we’ve always stood for.

If you have questions or concerns about this policy or your order, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help, and we want to make every transaction with Pinball Medics as seamless as possible.

Thank you for your understanding, support, and continued trust.
– The Pinball Medics Team
📧 pinballmedics@gmail.com | ☎️ 613-223-6108
🌐 www.pinballmedics.ca