Hello folks,
I am relativly new to ordering online.
I have noticed, for instance when ordering through the whistle shop a little icon of a lock appearing on my lower right hand side of the screen.
That means to me that it is secure.. Good thing.
I was considering ordering a mzr700 mini disc recorder from pcrush.com the little lock did not appear where it usually does. There was a picture of the icon on the top right of the website page.
I am very hesitant to order, since my computer did not acknowledge that this was a secured site.
Did I do the right thing or are there other forms of secured sites that my computer will not pick up?
Laura
Contact your credit card provider and find out if they have a method of safe online ordering. For instance, my card (through MBNA) has a ShopSafe program that you download. You put in your identifying info (username and password) and it will create a temporary card number for you to use in online purchases. You tell it a maximum dollar amount and how many months you want the card to be active.
So if I want to buy $45 of stuff from the whistle shop, I can put down a card number that is good for $50 and 1 month. If that card number is ever recovered by an Evil Doer (not that it would, Thom, this is an example!) it would be invalid if he tried to use it for more than $5 (the remaining amount after my purchase) or more than a month after I used it.
Nifty.
Your web browser should indicate when you are on a secure website. Every secure website uses a unique a 128 bit digital certificate which is identified by your web browser and enables your browser’s built-in 128 bit high encryption system.
It is possible that your web browser does not support 128 bit encryption because it is too old or because it is a low encryption version. Check under Help → About Internet Explorer or Help → About Communicator.
I know I’m opening myself up to lots of flames by saying this, but I would not worry that the web site from which you want to make a purchase does not use a secure ordering form, if you think they are a legitimate company. There is a much greater risk of fraud when you use your credit card in a restaurant.
Laura:
When I went to pcrush.com, and added some stuff to omy cart, and went to the “secure checkout” section, I got my “locked/secure webiste” icon. I didn’t complete the purchase (because I didn’t want to buy anything) but it appears that the website is using a secure server to me.
Greg
Beth,
I checked into my credit card provider and it does not provide that nifty feature. Looks like I may need to change.
Gary,
I checked into it. Yes, I do have 128 bit encryption.
ThortonRose,
I always pay cash when I am at a McDonalds 
Greg,
I am totally at a loss there. Where did it show up on your computer? I think you need to order something and then let me know if you get overcharged… ‘joking’ =D
Yeh, I do that a lot. Load up my shopping cart, see what the damage is, and then delete it! I get a little bit of the satisfaction of spontaneous shopping out of my system that way without paying a huge charge card bill at the end of the month.
I try to keep it down so I can pay it off at the end of the month without a service charge. So far so good… at least for now
Laura
[ This Message was edited by: hillfolk22 on 2002-04-15 15:57 ]
Greg,
I am totally at a loss there. Where did it show up on your computer?
Laura:
I chose some items, and clicked this button:
I was sent to an https:// address (usually indicative of a secure server), and got the little security icon as in this picture:
[ This Message was edited by: Wandering_Whistler on 2002-04-15 16:14 ]
OMG Greg, I got the pointer!
What are you a weather forcaster or a professor?
Here’s what I had to do.
I am currently running off of AOL.
My first internet provider was MSN the freebie with purchase of this computer.
I reduced the aol screen and clicked on internet explorer icon off of the desktop.
MSN window pops up. I typed in the web address, yadda, yadda, yadda, walla the secure lock icon pops up.
Hmmmm…
Laura
BTW Greg,
What was it that you pretended to order that cost $428.33?
That would by you a really nice whistle!!!
Laura
Panasonic SC-DK10 Mini System w/ 5 Disc Changer. 
On 2002-04-16 09:24, hillfolk22 wrote:
BTW Greg,
What was it that you pretended to order that cost $428.33?
That would by you a really nice whistle!!!
Laura
[quote]
On 2002-04-16 12:29, Wandering_Whistler wrote:
Panasonic SC-DK10 Mini System w/ 5 Disc Changer.
Is that on your wish list?
Lol, not really…my wish list includes a Rose whistle, or less expensively, a couple susatos or other cheapish whistles: Low F and Low G. (Ironically, I had a susato low G, but sold it before joined a band where one of the singers likes to sing to the low G)
On 2002-04-16 12:33, hillfolk22 wrote:
Is that on your wish list?