Safeguarding Your E-commerce Business from Cyber Criminals: The Final Chapter

Real-life Encounters with Cyber Thieves

Let's dive into a couple of true stories that illustrate the importance of vigilance in e-commerce:

• A gentleman from England placed an order for $27,000 worth of the latest AMD K7 CPUs and motherboards, providing his actual address and phone number. Imagine his surprise when he received a call from the United States to verify his order. He nervously denied placing any such order, suggesting it was a prank. Needless to say, American Express and the Justice Department became quite familiar with him.

• A customer in Thailand ordered $3,000 worth of computer parts, billing it to an unsuspecting individual in New Hampshire. After contacting Mastercard services, we discovered the card was stolen. The individual in New Hampshire was unaware his credit card number had been compromised. When we informed the customer in Thailand that the card number he used was stolen, he responded with a tirade in his native language, questioning what was wrong with ordering a gift. Our response: "Ordering a gift for yourself with someone else's credit card?"

Essential Resources for E-commerce Security

Here are some resources that can assist you in protecting your online store:

• Visa and Mastercard Services: 800-347-5004
• Discover Card Services: 800-347-2683
• American Express: 800-528-2121

The US Justice Department encourages reporting of stolen credit card numbers via their Cybercrime website.

The Internet Fraud Complaint Center is another valuable resource. This site, a collaboration between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center, serves as a hub for reporting all types of internet fraud.

Enhancing Your System's Security

To further secure your system, consider using utilities like Black Ice by Network Ice. This utility protects your computer from various types of attacks, such as TCP port probes, FTP port probes, and Trojan horse port probes. It identifies who has been scanning your system and protects all ports when set to the highest level of protection. You can find a lite version of this software on their website.

Another useful utility for Microsoft Outlook users is ScanMail, which scans your mailbox for any attached viruses on any email you receive. You can find this utility here.

By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce losses in your online store. If you have a success story, we'd love to hear about it. If we choose your testimonial to feature, you'll receive a free case of delicious Penguin Caffeinated Mints.