Amazon.com Associates FAQ
Security and Privacy
We know you're concerned about security and privacy, and we hope this
will answer some of the most common questions about what we're doing
to protect you.
Credit Card Security
In a recent article by Rob Pegoraro in The Washington Post's
"Fast Forward" magazine (May 1996), spokesmen for MasterCard
International and AT&T's Universal Card acknowledged that to date,
they knew of no cases of Internet credit card fraud.
Statistically, it's much safer to use your credit card on the Web than
to use it in a restaurant or department store. We think that's good
news, but we still take every possible precaution to protect
the integrity of your credit card information.
Our Secure Server
We offer you the choice of using the
Netscape Secure Commerce Server, which encrypts any information you
type in. You can safely enter your entire credit card number on the
secure server, and it cannot be read in transit.
Of course, you can use the secure server even if you want to
pay by check or enter only the last five digits of your card number.
Remember, if you choose the secure server, all the information you enter
on the order form --name, address, phone number, etc. -- is safely encrypted.
Secure Ordering
How do I pay for my order?
Amazon.com accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express, as
well as checks or money orders denominated in U.S. Dollars as payment
for book orders.
You Can Pay Online:
Amazon.com takes every possible precaution to protect the integrity of your credit card information.
Amazon.com offers you the choice of using the Netscape Secure Commerce
Server, which encrypts any information you type in. You can safely enter
your entire credit card number on the secure server, and it cannot be
read in transit.
Remember, if you choose the secure server, all the information you enter
on the order form--name, address, phone number, etc. is safely
encrypted.
Don't Want to Pay Online? You Can Pay "Offline"
There are two ways you can order from Amazon.com Books without having to enter
your complete credit card number on the Web:
- Paying by check or postal money order
You can select "pay by check" on the order form, and send Amazon.com a
personal check or postal money order in U.S. dollars for the amount of
your order. Paying by check does slow down your order somewhat, as
Amazon.com doesn't order your books until your check is received, and
they don't ship the books to you until your funds clear. If you are in
the United States, paying by personal check typically delays your
order about seven to ten days.
- Calling or faxing your card number
Amazon.com has a way for you to use your credit card without ever
having to enter the complete number on the Internet. When filling out
the order form, you can enter just the last five digits and the
expiration date of your credit card on the order form. This gives them
a way to track your order but guarantees your security. Then you can
call or fax them to give us the rest of your credit card number. You
can do this even if you can't use our secure server, and your credit
card number will be totally protected.
Phone:
(800) 201-7575 (toll-free in the USA and Canada)
(206) 346-2992 (outside the USA and Canada)
Fax:
(206) 346-2950
Where does Amazon.com Keep My Personal Information?
To give you an additional layer of security, all credit card numbers are
stored on a computer that is not connected to the Internet. After you
type it in, fax it in, or call it in, your complete credit card number
is transferred to this secure machine across a proprietary one-way
interface. This computer is not accessible by network or modem, and the
number is not stored anywhere else.
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