You log into Stripe and see something alarming: a huge chunk of your recent orders are flagged for review. Maybe some are marked as high-risk. Maybe others are stuck in manual verification. Either way, your payment flow just hit a wall, and you need answers fast.
Let’s walk through what’s actually happening, why Stripe might be flagging orders, and how to get back on track without making things worse.
First, Understand What Stripe’s Fraud System Is Doing
Stripe uses a machine learning system called Radar to evaluate every transaction. It scores each payment and applies rules based on risk thresholds. If too many of your orders get flagged, your account may face rolling reserves, payout delays, or even shutdown.
Here’s what Stripe is likely looking for:
- Mismatched billing and shipping addresses
- IP addresses from unexpected countries
- Cards issued in high-risk regions
- Email or phone patterns tied to known fraud
- Velocity checks (too many transactions in a short time)
Stripe doesn’t just block fraud. It blocks possible fraud. And when the system starts seeing patterns it doesn’t like, it gets aggressive fast.
Why Most of Your Orders Might Be Flagged
If the majority of your transactions are getting flagged, something triggered Stripe’s risk filters on a broad scale. Common reasons include:
- New account behavior: If you just launched, high volume or unusual sales patterns can look suspicious.
- Unusual traffic sources: If you're running paid ads that suddenly spike traffic, the system may panic.
- Shipping to many different countries: This can seem abnormal if your business is usually domestic.
- Digital goods or high-risk verticals: These attract more fraud attempts and get tighter scrutiny.
Even if the orders are legit, Stripe doesn’t know that. It only sees data patterns. And it would rather flag a good order than let a bad one through.
What You Should (and Shouldn’t) Do Next
If Stripe’s system starts blocking or flagging a majority of your payments, here’s what to do:
DO: Review the flagged orders
Look for patterns. Are they all international? Coming from the same marketing campaign? Sharing similar card types? The more detail you gather, the easier it is to adjust your processes or argue your case.
DO: Adjust Radar settings (if you can)
If you’re on Stripe Radar for Teams, you can customize your fraud rules. You might lower the sensitivity on certain checks, create allow-lists, or set up smarter velocity limits. If not, you're stuck with the default rules.
DO: Contact Stripe support early
Don’t wait for a full freeze. Reach out with specific info: order IDs, fraud checks passed, customer verification data, etc. Show them you’re watching closely and acting in good faith.
DON’T: Re-run payments manually
Retrying transactions from the dashboard can trip more fraud filters. You might make the situation worse. Let customers retry on their end or reach out individually.
DON’T: Ignore the alerts
Flagged orders can be a warning shot. If the trend continues, you might face stricter penalties or even a full ban. Don’t assume this will blow over.
How to Prevent This in the Future
Stripe's fraud filters work best when you help them work smarter. Here’s how to avoid another wave of blocked transactions:
- Use advanced fraud tools (if available): Radar for Teams gives you more control and visibility.
- Collect full customer data: Email, phone, full address—missing fields hurt your fraud score.
- Avoid prepaid cards and VPN-heavy traffic: These raise red flags.
- Use 3D Secure where possible: Adds friction, but also trust.
- Train your support team: If Stripe asks for verification, respond fast and with complete documentation.
If You’re in a High-Risk Category, Consider Diversifying
Stripe is popular, but not always forgiving. If you sell digital goods, run subscriptions, or operate in a category prone to chargebacks, you might want to:
- Set up a backup processor in case of sudden holds.
- Use a chargeback mitigation tool to reduce disputes.
- Keep a rolling backup of transaction logs and customer contacts.
Having a single point of failure—especially one as risk-sensitive as Stripe—can leave your business exposed.
Final Thoughts
Getting hit with a flood of flagged transactions can feel like your business is under attack. But it’s usually a warning sign, not a death sentence. What matters most is how you respond. Watch the data, clean up weak spots, and work with Stripe (not against it) to regain control.
If you catch the issue early and act with intention, you can reduce flags, keep your payouts flowing, and stay off Stripe’s internal risk radar.
Stop Fraud Flags Before They Happen
Stripe’s filters don’t always get it right. Want to reduce false flags, avoid dispute blowups, and keep your account in good standing? Learn how Chargeblast helps merchants fight back before it’s too late. Whether it’s pre-filtering high-risk orders, reducing disputes, or getting expert help on appeals, we’ve got your back.
Let us keep the fraud filters off your best customers, so you can focus on sales.
