| The facts and figures from Symantec Security | | | | legitimate. |
| Response and the Internet Crime Complaint | | | | |
| Center are both fascinating and alarming. If | | | | Send an email to validate that it is an |
| you have thought about buying or selling on | | | | active email address. Be wary of sellers that |
| the Internet, especially with Internet | | | | use free email services that do not require a |
| Auction Sites, make sure that you are aware | | | | credit card to open an account. |
| of the best practices and the potential | | | | |
| pitfalls before you do. An identity is a | | | | Check Seller history and be wary if there is |
| terrible thing to waste. | | | | previous negative feedback. |
| | | | |
| How much for your identity? | | | | Use common sense when assessing the method of |
| | | | payment. |
| According to a Blog from Symantec Security | | | | |
| Response, the following is the cost for your | | | | Be cautious and aware of laws governing |
| identity on the black market | | | | sellers is other countries, international |
| | | | sales may have a dubious outcome |
| $14-18 for your complete identity | | | | |
| | | | Ask for written confirmation regarding |
| $1-6 for a US Credit Card | | | | expected delivery and warranty or exchange |
| | | | return options |
| $2-12 for a UK Credit Card | | | | |
| | | | To avoid unexpected costs, find out if |
| $10 for a World of Warcraft Account | | | | shipping and delivery are included or |
| | | | additional cost |
| Internet Crime Complaint Center | | | | |
| | | | Never give out your Social Security Number, |
| The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) was | | | | Driver's License Number, Bank Account Numbers |
| established as a partnership between the | | | | or personal information to the seller, they |
| National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) and | | | | do not need it |
| the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to | | | | |
| receive, develop and refer criminal | | | | Be very cautious of special offers that |
| complaints regarding the rapidly expanding | | | | arrive by unsolicited email, you are |
| arena of cyber crime. IC3 released the sixth | | | | typically better to delete these without |
| annual compilation of complaints received and | | | | opening them, especially if there are |
| referred to law enforcement or regulatory | | | | attached files |
| agencies for appropriate action. | | | | |
| | | | Do not give your credit card information over |
| The following statistics are based on the IC3 | | | | the phone |
| 2006 Annual Report | | | | |
| | | | Do not make purchases online if you are using |
| Complaint submissions decreased by 10.4%, | | | | an unsecured wireless access point |
| from 231,493 in 2005 to 207,492 in 2006 | | | | |
| | | | If you are a victim of fraud, report it to |
| Total Dollar Amount of reported losses | | | | your credit card companies and to the |
| increased from $183.12 Million in 2005 to | | | | authorities immediately |
| $198.44 Million in 2006 | | | | |
| | | | Best Practice to Sell on Internet Auction |
| Most Common Reason for complaints | | | | Sites |
| | | | |
| 44.9% Internet Auction Fraud | | | | Take a little time to understand how Internet |
| | | | Auctions work and what your obligations are |
| 19.0% Non-Delivered Merchandise and / or | | | | as a seller. |
| Payment | | | | |
| | | | Use secure web sites. If you sell from your |
| 4.9% Check Fraud | | | | own web site, then investigate how to offer |
| | | | secure credit card transactions |
| 4.8% Credit / Debit Fraud | | | | |
| | | | Publicly list the actions that you will take |
| Most Common Amounts of reported loss | | | | to insure the transaction and the delivery. |
| | | | |
| 39.3% reported loss between $100 to $1000 | | | | List contact information and street address |
| | | | if you are a business. Provide a daytime |
| 31.6% reported loss between $1000 to $5000 | | | | phone number and email address for inquiries. |
| | | | Make it easy for the consumer to validate |
| 15.6% reported loss less than $100 | | | | your authenticity. |
| | | | |
| Of those who reported a loss, the Average | | | | Take care of your customers and ask for |
| (median) amount of the reported loss | | | | feedback, especially if the transaction |
| | | | resulted in a satisfactory experience. |
| $5100 Nigerian Letter Fraud | | | | |
| | | | Be cautious and aware of laws governing |
| $3744 Check Fraud | | | | buyers in other countries, international |
| | | | sales may have a dubious outcome |
| $602 Internet Auction Fraud | | | | |
| | | | Post your policy regarding delivery options |
| $585 Non-Delivered Merchandise and / or | | | | and related fees, warranty or exchange return |
| Payment | | | | options, and payment terms and conditions |
| | | | |
| $427 Credit / Debit Card Fraud | | | | Build reciprocal links with other reputable |
| | | | merchants to establish your authenticity |
| Most Common Methods of Contact: | | | | |
| | | | Post pictures of the merchandise |
| 73.9% Email | | | | |
| | | | Provide detailed descriptions of the |
| 36.0% Web Page | | | | merchandise, including specifications, |
| | | | features, new or used, etc. Research other |
| 17.7% Telephone | | | | listings for similar merchandise to see what |
| | | | information your competitors are providing so |
| 12.0% Instant Messenger | | | | you will have some additional insight into |
| | | | what your customers may need to see and |
| 10.3% Postal Mail | | | | compare |
| | | | |
| Best Practice to Buy on Internet Auction | | | | ____________________________________________ |
| Sites | | | | _________ |
| | | | |
| Learn your obligations as a buyer before you | | | | Words of Wisdom |
| place a bid. | | | | |
| | | | "Organized crime in America takes in over |
| Find out what actions the seller will take to | | | | forty billion dollars a year and spends very |
| insure the transaction and the delivery. | | | | little on office supplies." |
| | | | |
| Research the seller, especially if the only | | | | - Woody Allen |
| available information is an email address. | | | | |
| Check with the Better Business Bureau if it | | | | "There is no den in the wide world to hide a |
| is a business. Use Google search, Yahoo and | | | | rogue. Commit a crime and the earth is made |
| other web sites to investigate the seller. | | | | of glass. Commit a crime, and it seems as if |
| | | | a coat of snow fell on the ground, such as |
| Try to obtain a physical address. Be wary if | | | | reveals in the woods the track of every |
| the mailing address is a Post Office Box | | | | partridge, and fox, and squirrel." |
| number. | | | | |
| | | | - Ralph Waldo Emerson |
| If there is a telephone number provided, call | | | | |
| it to make sure that it is working and | | | | "The scars of others should teach us caution. |