When Security Measures Cost You Customers

What happens when fraud prevention is so strict that legitimate customers cannot complete a purchase? Richard shares his frustrating attempt to buy concert tickets, complete with valid credit cards, matching billing details, repeated authorization holds, and front-row seats that disappeared while the checkout system rejected him. The bigger lesson applies far beyond ticket websites. Overly aggressive validation, endless confirmations, and rigid permissions can make software feel secure while driving away the people it is supposed to serve. Good security should match the actual risk, provide clear feedback, and give legitimate users a practical way to recover from ordinary mistakes. A system that blocks everything may be safe, but it is not very useful.