Security Information from Discount Leather Mart

Discount-Leather.net uses the CoolCart Shopping Cart System. This system allows you to go directly to a Secure PayPal Website or to Authorize.net, a secure credit card gateway and electronic check gateway. CoolCart is a secure site with validation through Verisign, a leading website security validation company. You can also use Pay by Money order or Pay by Phone features. Coolcart, PayPal and Authorize.net use 128 bit encrypted technology with password protection. Orders taken over the phone are placed in Authorize.net gatway for processing and payment also. If you choose to pay by PayPal, you are taken to a secure site owned and operated by PayPal, an Ebay subsidiary. You should always check to make sure that when you enter in any sensitive information, the site begins with a https://. This can be found on the web browser bar. When you click on any item or the View Cart buttons, you are taken to the CoolCart Site that is not secure. This is for speed purposes. When you get ready to pay, you choose your method and are immediately taken to areas that are 128 bit encrypted, meaning that your private data is scrambled so no one can steal information. Once inside these areas, it is safe to enter your credit card or banking information. Note, PayPal takes, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express and Pay by Check from your bank account. Authorize.net accepts Visa, Mastercard and American Express, & Discover cards.

If you call in your order (209-524-0826), we will have access to your credit card information. Make note that this information is not given out. The information is only used for the transaction. A copy of your credit card information will be retained in our secure files where access is limited to trusted employees of K & G Enterprises. The information will be held as long as is necessary per IRS regulations then destroyed by shredding, incineration or other methods of destruction meant to prevent sensitive data being released to the general public.

How Secure are internet transactions? Probably much more secure than sending credit card or banking information in the mail or across phone lines where mail can be opened and telephone calls using wireless phones may be overheard. With new 128 bit SSL encryption technology, your data is secure.

PayPal accepts most major credit cards and e-checks on our behalf. Authorize.net will take Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Discover cards. Gift Certificates are available by using the CoolCart system. Gift Certificates require a valid email address to use.

Your Transaction will be processed under the K & G Enterprises Name, the direct owner of Discount-Leather.net. K&G Enterprises is PayPal Verified as indicated by the seal below. This means that we are both a true business and have opened our financial accounts to PayPal for review and approval. Your transaction will be listed on your credit card or PayPal Account with K & G Enterprises.

For more information about PayPal, Click on the Logo below to be taken to their site.

Many of our customers are concerned about Internet Fraud and losing the identity. Believe us when we tell you, as internet merchants, we are even more concerned about Fraud. The credit card industry may guarantee you as a card holder against fraud, because they stand to make money from internet merchants because of fraudulent or identity theft. We have received a few orders that were, after the fact, clearly a case of identity theft. Here is an example:

We took an order in November 2005 for a jacket to be shipped to an address in Indiana . Our transactions records clearly indicated that the Address and Zip Code for the cardholder were the correct address and zipcode. Also, the Security Code on the card matched the card number. This meant that the person who had the card, had access to the back of the card for this information. We shipped the order to the cardholders address and got a signature confirmation that the order was received.

In February, 2006 we received a notice of Chargeback by the cardholder saying he never ordered the product and never received it. Of course, the money was immediately removed from our account by our Merchant processor plus a $35 chargeback fee, which gets split between the Processor and Visa/Mastercard International. The cardholder's address was in California. We fought the chargeback with the documentation as listed above and the money was returned to our account. Once again, the cardholder fought back saying that he did not order the items, his address was in California and he knew nothing about the charges. In his documentation, which he provided Social Security information, proof of long term residency in California, etc., it became apparent to us that he was a victum of identity theft and that Capitol One issued the card to a person in a different state who was using stolen information.

We again fought the chargeback, figuring that Capitol One was responsible for issuing a card to someone without checking identity. THIS WAS A BIG MISTAKE FOR US. The Chargeback went to Arbitration where we were warned that if we lost the case, Arbitration Fees would be accessed.

A week later, the original amount of money for the order, $149.99, and $400 for Arbitration Fees were sucked directly out of our account. That's $559.99 removed from our account in a single day because Capitol One issued a credit card to someone using stolen data in a different state using a different address. When I called to complain, I was told: "Internet merchants who can not directly see the card, are liable for any orders made due to identity theft, fraud, etc. It's in the rules." Neither the card issuer, Capitol One, or Visa and Mastercard International, are responsible for any transaction when the merchant can not directly see the card.

So let's see. The original order was $149.99 of which Visa/Mastercard received approximately 3% from our business due to transaction fees. When the chargeback was issued, they sucked an additional $35 from our business because it was a chargeback. Then, they took the entire amount of $149.99 plus charged an additional $400 because one of their issuing members, Capitol One, issues cards in a negligent manner. What did Visa/Mastercard make of this transaction? They made $590 and what did they have to do? Just issue cards to anyone who wants one, without verifying addresses, information...anything. It's in the Credit Card Industries best interest to keep credit card fraud going. That is why we see it increasing...it is a profit center.

Even though you as a buyer are not responsible for fraudulent transactions, it could take years and many dollars to clear up your credit and identity. Credit Card companies need to be held accountable for there actions. A lot of fraud could be stopped if they just checked basic data before issuing a card.

Does this get you mad? If so, contact your Congressmen or Senators and let them know that the Industry needs to be reigned in. Pass along this to others so they can do the same.