|
Is it safe to shop online?
1stFrame uses industry-standard SSL-encryption
to protect data transmissions.
What security
measures are in place?
-
We take online security very
seriously. To protect your privacy, your credit card information
is encrypted and passed along with your order via
industry-standard SSL technology (Secure Sockets Layer).
-
Anytime you are asked to enter
credit card information, it will be on secure pages. Secure pages
typically begin with "https://" instead of
"http://". If your browser's Status Bar is enabled, you
will also see a lock or key icon.
Credit Card Fraud and the Internet
Using a credit card on a secure website is in many ways safer
than using one in more conventional ways.
Just consider these scenarios:
-
Paying for dinner with a credit card -- what's to stop the waiter
or the clerk who rings up the bill from making a copy of your
credit card information?
-
Ordering from a mail order via telephone -- again, the operator
who answers your call could easily keep a copy of your information,
and phone taps could easily capture your information as well.
Cordless phones are especially risky.
-
Faxing an order to a catalog company -- who knows how long your
fax lays around with your credit card information in plain view
of random passers-by?
-
Throwing away old credit card receipts -- how easy it is for
someone to scour your trash can and find your credit information!
-
Even swiping credit cards at a retail store is not safe from
fraud -- it is a simple matter to tap onto the transmission lines
for the electronic verification and capture the credit card number
and expiration date.
Are any of these examples really that out of the realm of possibility?
The point of these examples is not to make you tear up your credit
cards and never use them again -- it's to bring home the fact that
the scare regarding internet commerce is somewhat of a red herring.
The media has encouraged this paranoia, but the truth is, using
a credit card over the internet is no more risky than using one
at your corner deli. It's much easier for a thief to steal your
credit card number by fishing through the trash or bribing a unscrupulous
waiter than it is to capture the information via the internet.
Additionally, you can rest assured that credit card fraud is actually
on the decline. Mastercard recently reported that the rate
of fraud had decreased by 11.4% even though total transactions had
increased by 26%.
Consumer Liability
It's interesting to note that using a credit card over the internet
is actually safer than sending checks or money orders to the same
businesses. That's because consumer liability is limited for
credit card transactions by federal legislation (in the US). Many
credit card companies even have their own standards that limit the
consumer's liability to a greater extent.
If you report suspicious charges to your credit card company,
they are required under the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) to investigate
the issue with the merchant, and you may withhold payment for the
disputed amount. In addition, your liability is generally limited
to $50 for a lost or stolen credit card. If, in fact, your card
was fraudulently used, guess who pays? The merchant, not the consumer.
Notice the Technology
Due to the consumer concern over eCommerce, many, if not most, on-line
store owners go to great lengths to ensure that their payment systems
are secure. Specifically, they use software to encrypt your credit
card information so that it cannot be captured while in transit. That's
a extra layer of protection that you don't get in non-internet transactions.
To best protect yourself, you should look for businesses that
employ encryption technology to secure your data. In general it
is not recommended to send your credit card information via regular
e-mail.
How do you know if a store is using encryption technology? Review
our eCommerce FAQ for tips.
Establish Trust
In order to protect yourself from credit card fraud, on the internet
or elsewhere, it is important to trust the business you are dealing
with. You should always take steps to verify that the company is ethical
and trustworthy.
In the "real world", you probably do this without even thinking
about it. You look at the neighborhood surrounding the business;
you notice how clean and well-kept the store front is; you give
the clerk a quick once-over to see if he/she looks responsible.
In the virtual shopping world, there are similar ways to establish
business credibility. Here are a few suggestions:
-
Make sure there is contact information on the site for customer
service. Look for a way to contact a live person if you have any
problems with your transaction.
-
Look for security and privacy policies on the website. Many
businesses publish this information to tell you exactly how they
ensure your safety.
-
Shop with companies you know, but don't discredit all small
businesses. There are lots of them on the internet and the customer
service is often more personal than that of large companies.
Sometimes it's good to do a quick search for the business name
on the web and look for positive referrals from bulletin boards
or other websites.
|
