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E-Commerce Fears Largely Unfounded
Lewis
Goldberg
08/18/2003
With
Internet commerce being easily accessible for nearly a decade, many people
are still apprehensive to give their credit card information out over the
Internet. Often, merchandise and services are available easier and cheaper
on the Internet than in traditional brick-and-mortar stores, so why are we
still nervous, and what do online retailers do to make transactions safer?
To
many, the Internet represents a great unknown, therefore the act of
punching our credit card number and hitting ‘send' is a troublesome
experience, yet we think nothing of reading our card number to a telephone
operator at the same retailer, or handing the physical card to the store
clerk. The fact that older methods of purchasing reside well within our
comfort zone make them no less risky, given the amount of vital data we
freely throw on any check-stand.
When
we make a purchase in a store we are giving out three key pieces of
information: name, credit card number, and expiration date. When purchasing
by mail order [or phone] we also give our billing address, which is
essential for making purchases online. Using the above pieces of
information, a disreputable store clerk or customer service operator can
turn right around the same day and use your information in a sales venue
that does not require a physical card. This has been going on for decades -
long before computers were in everyone's home. Before point-of-sale
terminals were commonplace, the trick was to make two impressions of the
card when the customer wasn't looking ["one for you - one for
me."]
As
we can see, the older methods were no more, and perhaps even less secure
than e-commerce. To make electronic purchases safer, most retailers use
what is called a secure server [address begins with https://] coupled with
"server certificates." The certificate ensures that the consumer
and the retailer are always the same entities each time the mouse is
clicked during a transaction. In this way, it is ensured that your credit
card information is not being intercepted along the way.
If
you are about to make an online purchase, and your browser software is
giving you certificate authentication errors, the best thing to do - before
entering your card number - is call the retailer and report the
discrepancy. With a reasonable amount of caution, buying online can be as
safe and secure as shopping downtown...maybe even more so.
Your comments and questions are encouraged. [editor@patriotist.com]
Patriotist
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