Before doing business over the Internet, a word to the wise. We are
in a global market indeed when it comes to the Net. Anyone, anywhere
can create an e-commerce site and sell anything (whether a real
product or service or not). All you need to do is give them your
credit card information and they're off and running with your money!
Remember years ago when we were being marketed for CD's, VCR's or
albums (...remember those)? You'd send you check and wait 8 weeks
for your music to arrive. If it did arrive, count your blessings. If
it didn't, finding the owner of that now defunct mailbox where you
sent your check required more time than you had to give. You simply
wrote it off.
Well, that scam is still out there, except now they don't need the
expense of a TV commercial to get your attention. And the products
they offer are limitless.
There are ways to protect yourself, but they are not completely
foolproof. BEFORE submitting your credit card information, see who
really owns that website. If the owner is out of country, you might
want to reconsider. Getting your money back from someone overseas is
nigh on to impossible. And you've given them all the information
they need to use your credit card and have a field day with it.
Just a little primer for those who don't understand how setting up a
website works.
First you need a domain name, i.e. mycompany.com
The domain name can be purchased from innumerable companies that may
or may not providing a hosting site (where the web pages reside).
The domain can be purchased from one company and the site can be set
up using another company, or the same company can be used for both.
Some people have their own servers (where the web site resides) set
up in their businesses (or home), so a hosting company is not
required. Others may have purchased a re-sellers license so they
have their own "hosting company" that may also be listed
"anonymously."
To look up the owner of the domain name, you could use any of the
links below (a small sampling - each domain seller has their own "whois"
lookup):
InterNIC
Network Solutions
Better Who Is
All Who Is
WHO IS
These sites will give you information regarding who registered the
site. Now the caveat is that many of the domain sellers are now
allowing their registrants to register anonymously. So if you see
"anonymous" you should be DOUBLY AWARE. I would recommend putting
your credit card back in your wallet and move on to another seller.
But let's consider that you need to find out more. Web sites are
assigned an IP address just as computers are. The IP address is
unique for the hosting company providing the web space for a site.
Think of the IP address like your street address. These numbers are
how traffic is directed through the Internet.
To see who is hosting a site, go to:
SELF
SEO
One you have the IP address, go to:
ARIN (American Registry for Internet Numbers).
Using their whois search enter the IP address to determine who is
providing the hosting.
The hosting company has information on who purchased their web
space. This would be the place to start with your subpoena.