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Consumer Information |
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| Frequently Asked Questions |
Although the technology is relatively new, the rules for consumers online remain much the same as for those offline. As always, a well-informed consumer is a happy consumer.
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How can I avoid unsolicited commercial e-mail or spam? |
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Avoiding spam in the first instance is sometimes difficult. A simple step you can take is to read a site’s privacy notice before giving out your email address. Exercise any blocking tools that might be offered by your ISP or email service. Consider setting up two email accounts (one for public use and one for private). Be careful when making public posts on the Internet that divulge your email address, or, if you do, introduce extra characters into your address that would confuse a robot or email harvest application, but not another human being. For example: bbbonline@(RemoveThisToSend)cbbb.bbb.org. |
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How can I protect my personal information? |
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Not all personal information is equal. Information, like a social security number or mother's maiden name, is far more sensitive than a name and address that can be found in a phone book. A mother's maiden name is often used to confirm identity and is especially sensitive information.
Look for and read the privacy policy posted on a website to understand what personal information is being requested, why and how it will be used. A website asking for personal information like social security numbers should only be requesting that information if it is essential to the transaction being conducted. Be cautious about doing business with sites that request personal data and do not post privacy policies. If you come across a website that has the BBBOnLine Privacy Seal, click on the seal to assure it is authentic. It should bring up a verification box linking you back to BBBOnLine. The presence of a BBBOnLine Privacy Seal on a website assures that the company stands behind its posted privacy policy.
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How can I keep my passwords private? |
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Never give out your Internet password to anyone. Be original and creative when forming your password and consider unusual combinations of numbers, letters and symbols. Avoid using obvious passwords such as birthdates, children's names, phone numbers.
Change your password periodically and inform your Internet service provider.
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How can I tell if a website is legitimate? |
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With the ability to easily copy graphics widely available, a website can be created to look very similar to a legitimate site. It may also have a URL address very similar to the one it is trying to pass itself off as, but it can not exactly duplicate the URL. The Reliability Seal is one way to assure a site is legitimate. Another helpful resource that allows you to specifically check a websites URL, http://www.internic.net. Type in the site's address where it says "Get a Web Address or Search Our Database for Availability." If the address is in use, it will show who has registered it and the address. Additional information such as contact name, phone number and a company address may also be available. |
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How can I tell if a business opportunity is worth pursuing? |
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Investigate Internet-related business opportunities as carefully as you would check out any business opportunity:
- Realize that seminar "trainers" or "consultants" often are there to sell you a business opportunity, not to teach you Internet basics. In fact, they may be counting on your lack of experience with computers or the Internet.
- Investigate all earning claims. Talk to others who have purchased the opportunity to see if their experience verifies the claims. Visit them in person, if possible.
- Demand to see the company's claims in writing. In fact, get all promises in writing.
- Don't accept a list of references selected by the company that offers the business opportunity as a substitute for a complete list of franchise or business opportunity owners.
- If you're interested in a franchise, ask for a disclosure document. This document is required by law. It should provide detailed information to help you compare one business to another. Be skeptical of companies that do not have disclosure documents.
- Be sure to check the company out with the Better Business Bureau where you live and where the company is headquartered, your state securities agency, attorney general, and local consumer protection agency.
Be on the lookout for e-mail solicitations that tell you to send a small amount of money to each of several names on a list. This is a classic chain letter, which is illegal, and the majority of people who participate in them lose their money. Also, stay away from messages that claim they can show you how to legally remove accurate negative information from your credit report. This cannot be done. Be wary of guaranteed weight loss products or programs and major credit card offers, regardless of your credit history. These are a few of the types of fraudulent messages that can show up in electronic in-boxes.
If you've been the target of junk e-mail scams, contact your Internet service provider, the Better Business Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission, or your local consumer protection agency. For more information about pyramid schemes, chain letters, or credit repair offers, visit the Better Business Bureau's website at www.bbb.org or contact your BBB for publications.
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How can I protect my kids while they are online? |
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Parents should go online with their children. Know the sites your kids are visiting and which sites are appropriate. There are parental control tools available such as browsers and filtering software that prevent children from accessing inappropriate sites, that you may want to consider.
Children should never give out personal information on the Internet, such as name, address, phone number, or name of school, unless supervised by a parent or responsible adult. Look for a privacy policy on a website and find out how information collected from children is treated. Children should be taught to look for sites that display a privacy policy. In addition, you and your children can look for the BBBOnLine Children's Privacy Seal to quickly identify those companies that are committed to protecting children's privacy. To learn more about Kid's Privacy Seal, click here.
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What are Cookies? |
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"Cookies" are information gathering devices embedded in some websites by their designers. A cookie works by automatically creating a short notation on a user's hard drive as the user views the site. When a user moves through the site, or returns to the site later, these notations can be read back to learn and remember certain things about the user. Cookies can be used a variety of ways, including keeping track of a user's online name, number of past visits, most recent visit, movement through the site, browser information, and other interactions or preference settings. While cookies are often used to improve a site's responsiveness and utility, it is also sometimes difficult to know when a cookie is being placed, the purpose behind the cookie, or how information gathered by a cookie is going to be used. For these reasons cookies also often raise privacy concerns.
It should be noted that not all websites use cookies, and not all browsers support them. Additionally, many browsers now contain warning features which can alert a user whenever a server attempts to transmit a cookie, and provide the user with the opportunity to decline. Some browsers also allow users to completely disable their computer's ability to accept cookies. Users concerned about the existence of cookies on a specific site should also check that site's available privacy statement to determine its privacy policies and information practices.
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Why is a Privacy Policy important? |
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Detailed, global, and instantaneous computerized data collection and distribution, raises serious consumer concerns about personal privacy. These concerns must be addressed squarely if the benefits of the digital age are to be fully realized. In short, people will not make full use of a medium that does not adequately meet their needs; and this includes the need to protect individual privacy.
Therefore, privacy policies become important both to online entities as well as individual users. Easy to find and understand disclosures of information practices will help build consumer trust and relationships; while at the same time create means by which online users can evaluate sites, exercise choice, and control the collection and subsequent use of personal information.
A privacy policy should be prominently displayed and clearly disclose whether or not information is collected, the types and means by which information is collected, i.e. cookies, the way that information will be used, whom will be granted access to that information, and most importantly, what options the consumer can exercise in controlling that information.
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What should I keep in mind while shopping online? |
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The Better Business Bureau and Visa USA recently released tips to keep in mind. Look for the BBBOnLine Seals: Make sure you are dealing with a reputable company. The BBBOnLine Reliability Seal demonstrates an online business has agreed to stand behind its goods and services, the BBBOnLine Privacy Seal demonstrates that BBBOnLine has verified a company's commitment to its privacy policies. If a site carries the BBBOnLine Reliability Seal, click on it to confirm participation, to link to the company's profile and other information.
If a site carries the BBBOnLine Privacy Seal, click on it to confirm participation, to link to the company's privacy policy and to link to BBBOnLine Privacy Program standards.
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