Teaching Jobs Overseas
International Employment for Teachers

Teaching Jobs Overseas Topics: international teaching, teaching overseas, teaching abroad, American and international schools, overseas jobs, international employment, etc.

Thousands of online transactions are processed daily. The current security technology allows worry-free online transactions. In fact, several layers of protection work for you. Here are the cold hard facts.

Protection Layer One: Encryption   

Your credit card information is encrypted using the 128-bit military grade SSL code. It takes a network of computers and a few months of work to break the code.

In essence, the Secure Socket Layer technology (SSL) makes is impossible to decipher the information even if someone manages to filter out these tiny bits of code in the gigabytes of spam and other useless data that is clogging the internet at any moment.

Protection Layer Two: Address Verification System (AVS)  

Stealing someone's credit card number makes no sense to a thief because they will not be able to use it anyway. Here's why: when you order online, you must submit your billing address. If it does not match the transaction will not go through.

Sometimes the AVS blocks even a legitimate order. For example, you move to a new address but forget to notify your credit card company. When submitting an order make sure your billing address matches the one on your credit card statement!

Protection Layer Three: Zero Liability Policy

All major credit cards emphasize that online shopping is safe.  You enjoy zero liability on non-authorize purchases if someone has access to your credit card.

-What do you do if  your statement contains something that you did not order?
-Exactly, you call your credit card company and dismiss the charge.

It's that simple.

The truth is, that using a credit card online is the safest way to order!

-- How do I know that the server is REALLY secure?

There are two independent elements built in your web-browser. First of all it's the security indicator on your browser's bottom bar. It is either a yellow padlock or an unbroken key. They look like this:

Automatic Access URL

Yes, you will have an automatic (read - EASY) login. It allows you to login automatically, you don't need to type anything.

After you created your password, the system will use it to build an automatic access URL for you.  Simply bookmark it for later visits.

The second screen is where you provide your credit card info and billing address. There are 2 important elements: firstly, the billing address must match the one on your credit card. This is the address that the AVS will need to verify to make sure the card is not stolen.

Secondly, you must provide a valid email address without any typos in it!

Why it is important? Because if you address is incorrect our server will not be able to send you your receipt. So you may have to email us for assistance. It won't be necessary if  you provide a correct email address. So, please double check.

For users of America Online (AOL)

1. Always submit a complete email address, not just your AOL handle! The internet is larger than AOL.

Correct: lisa342@aol.com
Wrong:  lisa342 

2. Upgrade your AOL browser. We are  keeping current with new security standards so if your version of AOL is old you will see  this message:

"The identity certificate uses an unknown signature algorithm" 

To fix it, upgrade AOL, or switch to MS Internet Explorer or Netscape (version 4 and up).

Click here to continue

How secure is SSL encryption?

Consider this: In 1995, it took a French graduate student a little over a week to crack a message sent with the traditional 40-bit encryption, and he used a network of 112 computers to do it! 

Today, the US Defense Department might be able to do it in a matter of minutes, but at 128-bits, it would take the world's most sophisticated hardware and software something more than the age of the universe to decipher the encryption! The 128-bit technology is practically unbreakable. It is simply naive to be afraid of the Net.

What do professionals say?

Peter H. Lewis, The New York Times:

-- Sending a credit card number to an electronic merchant over the internet is probably the safest way to make such a transaction.

In the last week, for example, I handed my credit card to a waiter who disappeared with it for five minutes. I faxed my credit card details to a business in New Jersey, and the fax probably lay exposed to everyone in that office for hours and perhaps to the cleaning crew that night.

I called a hotel and gave my card data to a reservation clerk and continued my recklessness by ordering some merchandise from a clothing catalog, again by reading my card information to some unseen operator ... compared with the risk of handing my credit card to a stranger, which I do nearly every day, sending it over the Net is pretty secure.

Michael D. Busch, Editor of AVWeb:

-- I just completed a 3-year consulting contract with Visa International, so I've been on the inside of the credit card industry and I'm pretty familiar with the issues. In my opinion, the whole issue of credit card security on the Internet has been grossly overblown by the media. To a large extent, I think it's a red herring. I am comfortable with sending my own card details via web forms and Internet mail, and do so regularly.

-- I'm not saying this because I believe the Internet can't be penetrated. Obviously it can. Rather, I say it because conventional (non-Internet) credit card transactions are so grossly unprotected that I don't feel that using credit cards over the Net exposes one to any additional risk, and it's probably safer than many (perhaps most) conventional methods of credit card usage.

Mike Homer, Vice President
Netscape Communications:

-- The truth of the matter is that we've had over eight million customers doing business for almost a year now on the internet. During that time we've never had a report of our customers' information being stolen.

Most common scams:

Bogus goods. Microsoft Office for $75? A bargain basement price is usually the first tip that it's a fake, but software identified as OEM (original equipment manufacturer, meant to be packaged with new PCs) or AE (for education only) are likely to be unlawful, too.

Bait and Switch. The sleazy practice of luring you into the store with an awesome deal, only to reveal that the product advertised isn't available (and probably never was), is alive and well online. If your only option is to buy an expensive alternative to the item you intended to purchase, surf away.

Like New. Popular at auctions, these are not new products but refurbished and remanufactured items that have been restored to like new condition by the manufacturer. Reputable vendors advertise them as such, but scammers will try to pass them off as factory- sealed merchandise.

Paid for but never delivered. Scam artist love auction sites such as eBay, where bidders are required to send in money before seeing the goods. Auctions are also popular for selling stolen goods. 
SOLUTION: Always use a credit card to buy online. If you encounter a scam artist your credit card company will dismiss the charge.

Errol Smith, marketing executive for the safe-shopping Web directory The Public Eye, says that widespread worry about online credit card fraud is grossly overblown.

"In the two years we've run the Public Eye, we've never had one consumer file a claim about credit card problems", he says.

Members Login | Community | Jobs |  Recruitment | Reference | Guarantee | About | Join