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Consumer Shopping FAQ by InfoFAQ

Questions answered by InfoFAQ

Modern Day Bank Robbers

In the old days bank robbers used to come into a bank, with a mask and a gun, and take off with the money. The money that they were stealing belonged to the people of the town, the bank was just holding it for them. Nowadays bank robbers can use the Internet and go right to those people and steal their money, many times without them even knowing it. All they need to do is to get your bank account number, Social Security number, or credit card number and suddenly you've become a victim of bank robbery identity theft. We need to be educated on how to protect ourselves in this ever-changing world of the Internet.

Protect Yourself...

Important Questions and Answers

How Do I Know If a Web Site Is Safe For Me To Give My Credit Card Number, Bank Account Number, Or Social Security Number to?

The first and most important thing to do when entering private information is to look for the little lock at the bottom of your Internet browser. Double click on the lock icon and make sure that the certificate is from a trusted source. Your computer should let you know if it is not from a trusted source. The secure Website should begin with https://, rather than just http://. It is also important to look for the words "Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)" or a pop-up window that indicates that you are about to enter a secure area.

Should I ever send my personal banking information through e-mail?

The simple answer is no. Since SSL does not work in an e-mail environment you should never send personal information through e-mail.

What about giving my personal banking information over the phone?

Giving your credit card number and other personal information over the phone is usually ok, as long as you make a note of who you are giving it to. Always jot down the name of the person you are giving it to, the company that they work for, the date and time, and the phone number.

Do you have any suggestions regarding passwords?
One suggestion is that you do not give out any information about yourself including passwords. When you are choosing a password use one that someone will not be able to figure out. For example your pet's name is not too difficult for anyone to figure out. In fact your mother's maiden name might also be easy to figure out, so be careful and choose wisely. I like to incorporate letters, numbers, and one or two capital letters as a habit when making a password. You might even want to consider punctuation marks. When asked a security question try to think of something that no one else would know. Roboform is one of the many great tools available on the Internet for storing and managing passwords securely. It can even generate a random password for you.

How do I verify the credibility and reliability of a business that I want to purchase products from?

The Internet is a very big place, and reaches out to the whole world. Therefore it is becoming more and more important for businesses to show some form of verification about who they are, their reputation, and who to contact if a complaint should occur. If the company you're dealing with is not a well-known and trusted business, you might want to check to see if they have a Better Business Bureau icon somewhere on their web site. You can go to bbb.org to check out a company's identity and reputation. You can also visit the Google Groups to see if that company has had any complaints, unhappy customers, or even fraud attached to their name. Just go to Google Groups Website and type in "Company name fraud" or "Company name scam" or "Company name feedback or review", you could even try "Company name sucks" and you might be surprised at what you find. Another way of determining a company's credibility is to contact the Office of the State Attorney General in the state where that seller is located. You can access this information at the website of the National Association of Attorneys General.

What do you suggest if I'm buying from a company that is outside the United States?

If the store you are buying from is located outside of the United States, the laws may be very different than what they are within the United States. You need to determine what your legal rights are in that country, and how they are enforced.
 

More to come!
 

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Visit our Shopping Guides and Credit Card Fraud sections for useful information.

 

InfoFAQ Expert Merchant Program


FAQs with Merchants . . .

For Sale By Owner Tips - Real estate agents charge between 5-7%. When you sell privately, you do not need to pay this to a real estate agent. This FAQ shows why ByTheOwner.com is so popular online.

Counterfeit Handbags - "Counterfeits abound in the world of handbags and luxury goods. The World Customs Organization estimates the trade in fakes at about 7 percent of world trade."

Fur Hats - "Fur is in! Fur products are currently, and will always be, a mainstay in the fashion world." Enjoy this FAQ with BigFurHats.com

Carpet Cleaning Tips - "Always ask about referrals and if they have a list of what they do to prepare your carpets for cleaning, and what type of system do they use..." QA with Sunset Carpet Cleaning

Online Wines - "High quality fruit, carefully cultivated and hand picked at precisely the right time is just the beginning" Says Bruce Kaler of Simpatico Wine Company.

Children's Development Toys - "No matter how good a toy looks, the way it performs ‘under stress’ is often very different." Says Brian Gordon of eBeanStalk.

Shopping for Purses "What’s happening now at a great speed is manufacturers overseas will see the latest “it” bag and then duplicate the bag... Price is primarily why people would buy a knock-off purse as opposed to the real thing.." Kitsch Purses Q & A

Workers' Compensation Info "The huge benefit of the Internet is time and expense savings. The only other way to get all of this information other than the Internet is at your local law library." FAQ with WorkCompCentral

Eating Disorder Treatment - In this FAQ Monte Nido explains how you can find the right treatment center online.

Auto Insurance Quotes In this FAQ GMAC explains why you should shop around, "Each company is different so you should always check several companies to find the best rates."

Great Benefits from Energy Star Homes Rick David, a writer for Consumer-Guides said that "Energy Star homes lower monthly utility bills by at least 30 percent. Energy Star homes also have a higher resale value."

On-Hold Hell Businesses spend billions of dollars every year to make their phones ring and then put their potential new customers on “ignore.” When the phones start jangling away, they say “please hold” and mash down the hold button sending callers into “hold hell.” 

WiFi in the Neighborhood Whether it be the airport, a hotel, the local bookstore, or even Starbuck's, it's not hard to notice that WiFi is getting more and more popular. We asked Jim at WANned Technologies, Inc. a few of the in's-and-out's of Wireless Networking.

Buying Tickets Online "That game you want to go to is sold out (Superbowl, World Series), your favorite artist is coming to town and you want great seats….these are some of the reasons people buy through an online ticket service or broker." Chico at Platinum Tickets answers faqs.

Watching Movies Online MovieFlix.com answers some frequently asked questions.

More - Merchant Accounts, How to Evaluate LandHiring an Investment Lawyer, Understanding Motorcycle Electrical Parts, Nautical Gifts

TIPS . . .

Family Fun online provides lots of ideas. Download free crafts, recipes, watch videos and get ideas for gifts and parties... AND don't forget the Holidays, now's the time to plan a fun homemade gift.

NEWS . . .

New Parentpedia is a new online parenting encyclopedia with lots of expert advice, tips from parents, and stories from mom's and dad's. Browse their list of Parenting Topics in a very user-friendly, easily searchable and readable format.

Google Checkout - Google launches their new Google Checkout, try it for yourself and let us know if it truly is the "fastest, safest, and most convenient way to shop online."

Merchant America San Diego - Highlights merchants in the San Diego area who wish to gain exposure online in their specific industries. It benefits consumers learning about the merchants in their local area. Montana Directory is now Live!

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