One of the many issues that all of us are constantly faced with is the question of who we can trust, and what information we can trust those individuals/companies with. And, with all of the news stories constantly appearing, it makes our information that much more of an area that we need to be careful with.
Of course, the most private of all information - our identity, consisting of social security number, date of birth and other such pieces of information, we like keeping to ourselves. We know we have to provide that information to a bank when opening an account; on an insurance policy if we want to be insured; and on our tax related forms, etc.
Most would usually believe that we would never need to give our personal information to anyone else, and normally that is true. However, there are a few instances where that kind of information may not seem on the surface to be necessary, but is in fact very much so. I am referring to the merchant services (credit card processing) applications. Let me first tell you that the information provided to a honest representative is ONLY going to be used and seen by those that have a need to see it. That would include the CCNJ data entry reps and credit officers to review an application. Your data is then securely stored or destroyed.
One might ask why it is necessary for a merchant to divulge such information. Remember the last time you went into the bank to open an account (especially after Sept. 11)? You had to provide the bank with all sorts of information, including your social security number. That requirement has been further strengthened under the US Patriot Act. In basic terms, the Patriot Act requires all financial institutions to know their customers, and to ensure they are not related to any terror related groups. When you, as a merchant, are applying to accept credit cards, you are entering into a financial relationship with a bank, and are therefore subject to the same rules and requirements. Additionally, there are other areas of concern which include but are not limited to:
- Fraud protection: Are you really who you say you are?
- Financial Risk: Are you or your business financially solvent, and how do we know that?So how do you know we are who we say we are?
As a consumer, there are ways to protect yourself. If you are unsure about the person you are speaking with, hang up, and use the Internet, telephone book, or Directory Assistance to find the official phone number for the company you are dealing with, and call back directly. You can also ask for references or look up the business in the Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org.
