Page 333 - Introduction to Electronic Commerce and Social Commerce

320 10 E-Commerce Security and Fraud Issues and Protections

Better Business Bureau
• The Federal Trade Commission (ftc.gov): Protecting The Better Business Bureau (BBB; bbb.org), a nonprofit
America’s Consumers. Abusive e-mail should be organization supported largely by membership, collects and
forwarded to spam@uce.go. For tips and advice see provides reports on businesses that consumers can review
ftc.gov/tips-advice. before making a purchase. The BBB responds to millions of
• The Federal Government Safety Online (usa.gov/ inquiries each year. The BBB also handles customer disputes
online-safety) against businesses.
• National Consumers League Fraud Center (fraud.
org). Which?
• Federal Citizen Information Center (gsa.gov/ portal/ Supported by the European Union, Which? (which.co.uk)
category/101011). gives consumers protection by ensuring that online traders
• U.S. Department of Justice (justice.gov). under its Which? Web Trader scheme abide by a code of pro-
• Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov). active guidelines. These guidelines outline issues such as
• The American Bar Association provides online product information, advertising, ordering methods, prices,
shopping tips at safeshopping.org. delivery of goods, consumer privacy, receipting, dispute res-
• The Better Business Bureau (bbb.org). olution, and security.
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration provides
information on buying medicine and medical prod- WebTrust Seal
ucts online (www.fda.gov/drugs/resourcesforyou/ The WebTrust seal program is similar to TRUSTe. The
ucm077266.htm). American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (cpaweb-
• The Direct Marketing Association (thedma.org). trust.com) sponsors it.

Evaluation by Consumers
A large number of sites include product and vendor evalua-
For specific tips on how to spot fake sites and products, tions offered by consumers. For example, on Yelp!, commu-
see Horowitz and Horowitz (2015). nity members rate and comment on businesses.
Disclaimer: This is general information on consumer
rights. It is not legal advice on how any particular individual The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA)
should proceed. If you require specific legal advice, consult
an attorney. The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), passed in
1984 and amended several times, is an important milestone
in EC legislation. Initially, the scope and intent of CFAA was
Third-Party Assurance Services
to protect government computers and financial industry com-
puters from criminal theft by outsiders. In 1986, the CFAA
Several public organizations and private companies also
was amended to include stiffer penalties for violations, but it
attempt to protect consumers. The following are just a few still only protected computers used by the federal govern-
examples.
ment or financial institutions. As the Internet expanded in
scope, so did the CFAA.
Protection by a Third-Party Intermediary
Intermediaries who manage electronic markets try to protect
buyers and sellers. A good example is eBay, which provides Seller Protection
an extensive protection program (see eBay Money Back
Guarantee (pages.ebay.com/coverage/index.html) and a The Internet makes it easier for buyers and sellers engaging
Dispute Resolution Center). in EC to commit fraud. Sellers must be protected against:

TRUSTe’s “Trustmark”
TRUSTe (truste.com) is a for-profit company whose mis- • Customers who deny that they placed an order.
sion is to ensure that “businesses adhere to best practices • Customers who download copyrighted software and
regarding the collection and use of personal information on sell it to others.
their website” (see truste.com/about-TRUSTe). • Customers who give fraudulent payment informa-
The TRUSTe program is voluntary. The licensing fee for tion (false credit card or a bad check) for products
use of the Trustmark is paid by sellers, depending on the size and services that they buy.
of the online business.