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How Safe is it to use
my credit card ?
We use secure e-commerce
servers using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) to communicate
with your browser. As long as your browser shows
that you have a secure connection (see below) then it
is highly unlikely that anyone will get access to your
credit card details. Intercepting useful credit
card information over the Net is not easy to do. It
is far easier for people to steal credit card numbers
by other means, for example, shop assistants or waiters,
who can copy the details and use them dishonestly.
You might also remember,
that most banks either cover all the charges that result
from unauthorized use of your credit card or may limit
your liability to just $50.
How the process works
When you go to an online store and submit an order form
with a credit card number, the information is transmitted
from your computer via local telephone lines to your
Internet Service Provider (ISP) and then over the Internet.
The order may go to an intermediary or directly to the
merchant's server. Companies vary as to when they process
your credit card details. Some do immediately, while
others wait until the product has been shipped.
If you plan to shop on
the Internet with a credit card, a secure ordering system
is a must.
Both Netscape Navigator
and Microsoft Internet Explorer use Secure Sockets Layer
(SSL) to encrypt your data before sending it over the
Net. SSL scrambles your personal data - look for an
unbroken key or lock to appear in the bottom of your
browser window. This technology provides a secure connection
that keeps data private during transmission over the
Internet. However, this technology does not authenticate
the parties at either end of the transaction.
Visa International and
MasterCard International, with support from many of
the world's top financial institutions, are presently
working to develop a more advanced encryption process
called Secure Electronic Transaction (SET). SET involves
a system of digital certificates provided by card issuers,
and encryption. SET enables the identity of both merchant
and cardholder to be authenticated and also ensures
that neither the merchant or cardholder's bank sees
the purchaser's credit card number.
How do you tell if the
Internet connections are secure?
Many web sites use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology
to encrypt the credit card information that you send
over the Internet. These sites usually inform you they
are using this technology. Or, check if the web address
on the page that asks for your credit card information
begins with "https:" instead of "http:";
if so, this technology is in place.
Other ways to tell whether
a web site uses security software:
- Your browser displays
the icon of a locked padlock at the bottom of the
screen (Netscape Navigator™; - versions 4.0 and higher);
- You see the icon of
an unbroken key at the bottom of the screen (earlier
versions of Netscape Navigator™);
- You see the icon of
a lock on the status bar (Microsoft Internet Explorer®).
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