Archive for October, 2009

Do Trust Seals Really Matter?

October 12th, 2009

Trust seals are one big way to protect your security while you are shopping online, and while we know that there are fake trust seals out there, it is still incredibly beneficial for you to look for trust seals.  Luckily there is a way to find out if the trust seal is real or if it is a fake, it will just take a little more effort on your part.

Instead of just looking to see if a site has a trust seal on it you may have to take it a step further and actually click on the seal.  If the seal is real it should take you to a page that will verify things about the business, etc. but if the seal is a fake it probably won’t lead anywhere but will just be a copy of the picture.  Unfortunately the copy of the picture of the trust seal tricks quite a few people who do not realize that you actually have to click on the picture.

If you put forth this little bit of extra effort you will definitely be rewarded with all the benefits that trust seals provide.  Not only will you have the websites guarantee that they are an honest company who will protect and secure your information, but now you have an unrelated third party who is also willing to vouch for this companies security.

I don’t know about you, but I will not even risk shopping on sites that do not have trust seals, and now I know that is also important to actually click on the trust seals.  I know that by just doing these small things it will go a long way in protecting me against all the hackers and other security issues out there.  So to answer the question, YES Trust Seals Really Matter!

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Trust Seals like the BBB Online Protect Consumers from Online Fraud

October 9th, 2009

Building consumer trust is necessary in today’s world of technology.  Many statistics have shown that privacy and security are the main concerns for consumers who use the internet.  Looking for trust seals from businesses such as the BBB online, is a great way for consumers to protect their secure information from internet fraud.  Listed below are some common types of internet fraud that consumers should be aware of.

Phishing – Phishing is a scheme where criminals use another person’s email or website to try and trick the visitor into divulging personal information such as passwords or financial information.

Spoofing – When a person pretends to be someone else by using their website or email.

Identity Theft – When a person steals another person’s personal info.

Credit/Debit Card Fraud – Unauthorized use of credit card or debit card to obtain money or items.

Non-Delivery of Goods/Services –  When goods or services that have been paid for, are never delivered to the person who paid for them.

Online Auction – Misrepresentation of a product advertised online or the failure of delivery of a product purchased online.

Advance Fee Schemes – When the victim of fraud must pay large fees before receiving money or merchandise, and then they receive nothing in return.

Trust seals, also known as web seals, trust marks, or verification seals are small images placed on a website to verify that they are a legitimate business.  They are designed to ease a consumer’s mind about online fraudulent activities.  They let consumers know that the business follows specific practices, and a detailed privacy policy.  It means that the website is willing to have its business verified by a third party, because in order to display legitimate trust seals, merchants go through an extensive verification process.

BBB online trust seals are awarded to businesses that meet the verification process that they have in place.  BBB online monitors compliance frequently.  When using the internet, consumers must be sure they are looking out for trust seals from companies like the BBB online.

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