Each transaction is fully encrypted to 128 bits, and your information is kept encrypted at all points between the shopping cart, processing software, and transacting banks.

Not even the merchant sees your credit card number.

Due to this level of security, we do not recommend phone orders. Our customers are better protected by purchasing directly from the website than from dictating the information over an unsecured phone line.

This is for both the customer's and the merchant's benefits. If something does go wrong with a customer's account such as an identity theft, we do not want to be on the list of people who have been given the account information!

If a customer insists on purchasing over the phone however, we can.

Customers should also know that they always have the upper hand in a credit card transaction. Should there be a suspicious transaction, it can always be challenged through the issuing bank whose toll free number will be printed on the back of the credit card. The customer may be asked to fill out a form, but that is it. Credit card companies go to extraordinary lengths to protect their customers.

A merchant who receives a challenged transaction will be penalized with fees from the processor, so it is an action that should not be taken lightly by the customer. A merchant has the right to then provide documentation to challenge the challenge, and is given a measure of due process.

This is a good system, as it allows customers to purchase online without undue concern and merchants who practice due dillengce to accept transactions. Rarely there are those who attempt to exploit this system to try to receive free merchandise by purchasing and challenging. Such 'customers' are cheerfull put before our collections agency!