Medword.com:
Creidt Card Security

We've all heard the Internet credit card horror stories. There is no doubt that some of them are based on fact, but the circumstances are not usually fully explained. To date, to the best of our knowledge, there has not been one documented case of a credit card number being taken while in transit to complete an Internet purchase. If you use a credit card on a secure page to pay for your online purchase, the chances of anyone ever getting your card number are "slim-to-none" because the information is so well encrypted. Stories about stolen credit card numbers usually involve someone accessing a company's database illegally, which in itself is fairly rare. If a company's database of credit card numbers and information is compromised by a hacker, the company is liable, not the cardholder. Medword does not have a credit card database that can be breached, because we do not store that kind of information on our servers. In fact, once a sale is completed, we delete the associated credit card information from our systems, so all we have left is an invoice number and the purchaser's name.

If your credit card information is ever stolen from a company's database, most credit card companies offer you a guarantee that protects you if your credit card is stolen, or if your credit card number is illegally used. Most credit card companies will only hold the cardholder responsible for the first $50.00 of charges, as long as you have followed their policies and reported the card missing or illegally used as soon as you are aware of the situation. Some large Internet companies go one step further and they guarantee that every transaction you make will be 100% safe. Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble are examples of companies that have this policy. Also, some credit card companies like American Express guarantee that you will not be held liable for any Internet-related credit card fraud perpetrated when using your stolen credit card number.

A company's willingness to allow a third party to monitor their online selling habits may also be an indication of their trustworthiness. Medword participates in the Better Business Bureau's OnLineReliability & OnLinePrivacy programs and our web site is carefully scrutinized and monitored by the BBB to ensure that we adhere to very strict rules regarding Internet selling and privacy. Look for these logos and click on them to check Medword's status:

The safety rule for using your credit card or other means of payment on the Internet is very simple: If the order is not being placed from a secure page, don't buy from that seller. Medword uses a secure server for all our online eCommerce business. The GeoTrust Secure Button logo so you can click on it and see that our server is secure. If you cannot see or do not find a logo on the page, there are other simple and just as effective ways to determine if the page you are on is secure.

Secure servers use super-strong 128-bit SSL encryption - the world's most powerful. 128-bit SSL encryption has never been broken: it would take a trillion-trillion years to crack using today's technology. On The Medword eStore secure order pages, look for the GeoTrust button. Click on it to confirm that you are on Medword's secure site when sending sensitive information.

Browsers that support the SSL encryption technology are called secure browsers. Most Netscape Navigator (version 1.2 and later) and Microsoft Internet Explorer browsers (version 3.0 and later) are secure. Your browser will automatically enter the secure mode when you make purchases through the Medword eStore or any secure order pages on the Internet.

To verify that a site is secure and authenticated, look for the following:

• The difference in URL.
  URLs for secure pages begin with "https" instead of the standard "http"




• Netscape Navigator:
  When on a secure page using an older Netscape browser, version 1.2 or over, a key appears in the lower left hand corner to indicate the current security mode. When the key appears unbroken , data sent between your browser and the Web site is secure. A key that appears broken , does not necessarily mean the data will be sent unencrypted. If there is no unbroken key visible, check to see if the URL starts with "https" and/or view the site's security certificate.
  When on a secure page using a newer Netscape browser, version 6.0 or over, you should see a locked padlock in the right lower corner that looks something like this:
  
  
• Microsoft's Internet Explorer:
  When on a secure page using Internet Explorer browser, version 3.0 or over, you should see a padlock in the lower right corner. No locked padlock does not necessarily mean the data will be sent unencrypted. If there is no padlock visible, check to see if the URL starts with "https" and/or view the site's security certificate.
  
  
• Other browsers: Have similar visual cues.
  
  
• The site's certificate.
  Verify that a site is authenticated by looking at the site's certificate from your web browser.
  
  Netscape Navigator browser:
  Select "Document Info" from the "View" menu.
  In more recent versions, choose "View" on the toolbar, then "Page Info", then the tab marked "Security." Once on the Security page, you can choose "View" to see the Secure Certificate Information on our secure web server.
  
  Microsoft Internet Explorer browser:
  Select "Properties" from the "File" menu, and then select the "Security" or "Certificates" tab.

If you are nervous about giving your card number over a secure server on the Internet that is understandable, but please realize (and pardon our being blunt), that your apprehension is mostly groundless and illogical. This is true because the encryption technology in place on secure servers is almost impenetrable - it would take a trillion-trillion years to crack using today's technology. You should have real concerns about your credit card number being stolen every time you give it to someone in person to pay for services or goods. Feeling apprehensive when giving your card to another person would actually be reasonable and logical, as your card and number are not secured in any manner other than by the person holding or taking your card away from you - a person whom you probably do not know, but now a person whom you have decided to trust implicitly with your credit card. The person to whom you give your card can very easily take note of your card number and use it fraudulently. This actually happens only too often and should concern credit card holders more than any other type of card fraud, since this is also the type of fraud that credit card companies recognize as one of the easiest methods of obtaining credit card numbers.

If you are still worried, in spite of all that has been said, then just pay for the goods you have chosen by giving your card number over your phone to the company selling the product. When buying products through The Medword eStore, you may leave a message containing your credit card number and invoice number on our secure answering system. You should be advised though, that a telephone conversation, technically, is not even as safe as an Internet secure server connection.