Simple Money Machines - The Review
By Ephigenie Akayo
Have you been trying to start or grow your Online Business but are frustrated about all the hype that are out there? How do the pros make all their money online? Simple, really! The pros spend 10% on technology and 90% of their time sending traffic to their website. Most of them start with affiliate programs, which is the easiest way to start your home business. They then establish a list of satisfied customers, potential clients and qualified leads.
In the past, you needed products or services in order to make money through the Internet. Today however, you can make money through the Internet by using affiliate programs. This program will allow you to make a substantial amount of income out of your website and is a very good home business that you would want to get into first.
Let’s define what affiliate programs is and how it works in order to fully understand how you can make some money out of it. An affiliate programs is basically selling third party products and you get a commission every time you make a sale. In short, it’s like a join venture. You partner with another website that have already developed a product or service that they‘re already selling online. Then your job is to send targeted traffic or visitors of your website to your merchant’s site. (A merchant is any individual or company that sells products or services online).
Most of the time, the company you become affiliated with provides all the necessary tools that you need in order to start the affiliate programs. However in order to fully succeed as an affiliate marketer you need more software to help you manage your programs. And of course the more software you need, the more money you spend on them and the more time you must put in to learn how to use them. Remember, like they say in America – Time is Money!
After researching, testing, tracking, making mistakes, I know what the crucial tools for your online affiliate programs are; and Simple Money Machines has all the tools you will need to succeed as an internet affiliate marketer.
Introducing the Simple Money Machines! It’s all the technology you need to make money online, rolled into one, simple, easy-to-use, hosted application. There is no need to hire the expensive webmaster or go through the long process of learning HTML, or FTP, or purchasing and learning multiple software packages, and then try to make all of them work together. It’s written in plain language and requires only simple skills. If you can point and click, then you’re already ahead of the online business money making game. Note: if you’re a technology nerd, then Simple Money Machines might not be for you.
The Simple Money Machines is the new platform technology that allows a totally non-technical person to setup a complete online business. There is no hosting accounts to setup and manage, no back ups to worry about and no software to update. You just login into your Simple Money Machines account and run your online business in no time.
The Simple Money Machines solves the problem and it includes accurate testing before going live on the Internet.
Here is just a little bit of what the Simple Money Machines includes:
•Auto-responder so you can capture email address, build your own list and send promotions. This is very important. Bear in mind that the money is in the “list”. It follows a set sequence of mailings, developed by you to ensure time promotion for your different marketing campaigns.
•Headline generator to create effective headlines
•Web page video to deeply increase conversions
•Webpage audio to increase site conversion
•Split-testing: allows you to track conversion
•Opt-In Page also known as a Squeeze Page. It’s a very great way to develop an email list.
•Traffic tracking software that lets you analyze the source and costs of different traffic options
•Credit card processing and tracking
•Dashboards to track and report visitors, conversions and financial results
I am not here to hide anything from you and I truly want you to have all the tools you need to start building a real home-based online business. Running affiliate programs is not rocket science. However without the right software in place to help you run your internet business effectively, you struggle and fight because of all the technology needed to help you keep things in more manageable way.
Go ahead and check out Simple Money Machines. It costs you less than a cup of coffee a day to give it a try. It comes with 3 or 10 machines that you can put to work right away and start making money in less than 30 days.
“Finally, a simple Internet Marketing Business in a-Box (Simple Money Machines) is available to show you Step-By-Step How to Make your first 50,000 thousand dollars online – 100% guaranteed. I have been using the Simple Money Machines for few months now and I am loving it. Find out more here:
http://instant-website.smmsite.com/1158
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ephigenie_Akayo
http://EzineArticles.com/?Simple-Money-Machines---The-Review&id=506283
Have you been trying to grow/start your Internet Marketing Business but are frustrated about all the hype that are out there? How do the pros do make all their money online? Simple, really! The pros spend 10% on technology and 90% of their time sending traffic to their websites. They do have established list of satisfied customers, potential customers and qualified leads.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Merchant Services
Ecommerce Internet Merchant Accounts
By Seth Miller
For Internet-based businesses there is always a need to find an appropriate e-commerce solution. This itself can be a challenging task. The ideal e-commerce solution should facilitate online purchases and payments through credit cards.
The process should be automated, safe and secure, because the credit card information stands chances of being misused by someone who is not authorized to use it.
There are a number of e-commerce solutions available which enable online payments through credit cards. One of them is the Internet merchant account. This account can be opened online within a few minutes. Payments made through credit cards after online shopping get transferred to your Internet merchant account within minutes of the completion of the transaction. However, sometime it may take a bit longer.
While opting for an e-commerce solution through online merchant account, several things have to be kept in mind, such as technical support, security, fees charged for maintaining your account, and commissions on various transactions.
If there is a problem opening a merchant account on the Internet, one can opt for a third-party processing company. This is an Internet merchant account which the company operates on your behalf. The payments made through credit cards for your products or services are transferred to your offline merchant account. There may small fees for opening such accounts, and later a commission is charged on transactions.
Various market surveys have indicated that accepting online payments through credit cards helps increase sales. This clearly implies that if you haven’t got an e-commerce solution for your business, you’d better start looking for one. You can start an Internet merchant account by filling out a simple online form and spending around 100 dollars or so.
Internet Merchant Accounts provides detailed information on Internet Merchant Accounts, Free Internet Merchant Accounts, Ecommerce Internet Merchant Accounts, Internet Merchant Credit Card Accounts and more. Internet Merchant Accounts is affiliated with International Ecommerce Merchant Accounts.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Seth_Miller
http://EzineArticles.com/?Ecommerce-Internet-Merchant-Accounts&id=252997
By Seth Miller
For Internet-based businesses there is always a need to find an appropriate e-commerce solution. This itself can be a challenging task. The ideal e-commerce solution should facilitate online purchases and payments through credit cards.
The process should be automated, safe and secure, because the credit card information stands chances of being misused by someone who is not authorized to use it.
There are a number of e-commerce solutions available which enable online payments through credit cards. One of them is the Internet merchant account. This account can be opened online within a few minutes. Payments made through credit cards after online shopping get transferred to your Internet merchant account within minutes of the completion of the transaction. However, sometime it may take a bit longer.
While opting for an e-commerce solution through online merchant account, several things have to be kept in mind, such as technical support, security, fees charged for maintaining your account, and commissions on various transactions.
If there is a problem opening a merchant account on the Internet, one can opt for a third-party processing company. This is an Internet merchant account which the company operates on your behalf. The payments made through credit cards for your products or services are transferred to your offline merchant account. There may small fees for opening such accounts, and later a commission is charged on transactions.
Various market surveys have indicated that accepting online payments through credit cards helps increase sales. This clearly implies that if you haven’t got an e-commerce solution for your business, you’d better start looking for one. You can start an Internet merchant account by filling out a simple online form and spending around 100 dollars or so.
Internet Merchant Accounts provides detailed information on Internet Merchant Accounts, Free Internet Merchant Accounts, Ecommerce Internet Merchant Accounts, Internet Merchant Credit Card Accounts and more. Internet Merchant Accounts is affiliated with International Ecommerce Merchant Accounts.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Seth_Miller
http://EzineArticles.com/?Ecommerce-Internet-Merchant-Accounts&id=252997
Friday, May 11, 2007
Merchant Account Services
Are You at Risk for Identity Theft? Learn How to Protect Yourself
By Michelle Dunn
Identity Theft is America’s fastest growing type of robbery. There have been an estimated 9.9 million victims on America and over 40% of all consumer complaints in the U.S. involve identity theft. About half of the victims do not know how the thief obtained their personal information. The Boston Globe and Newsweek have both covered Identity theft recently telling us how important it is for us to educate ourselves on preventing and protecting ourselves from this type of robbery. Identity theft can happen anytime, anywhere and to anyone, individuals or businesses. Everyone must be educated and aware so it can be avoided. Michael Blanchard, US Postal Inspector says postal money orders and business or certified checks are one way you can be at risk. Most identity theft involves the U.S. Mail which is why the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is a lead agency in investigating Identity Theft. Identity Theft is a criminal offense.
Some scams are internet related, you go into a chat room and chat with people there, someone approaches you as a friend, or about an auction. You become comfortable with these people you are chatting with and start a “friendship”. The person who has befriended you may tell you such things as, “I am in the Peace Corp, and I have a money order that I can’t cash where I am”, which is Lagos or Nigeria. They might ask you if they send you the money order, if you will cash it and send them the money. This is a scam. The money order you receive can be fraudulent, once you cash and send the money you are out this money once the bank realizes the money order was no good.
Another scenario might be if you sell items at online auctions. Someone may email you about your item that is for sale. They will tell you they want to purchase your item, and they are in Nigeria so they will send you extra money to pay for a shipper to send the item to them. They will send you a counterfeit money order or check and ask you to cash the check and wire the extra money to them so they can pay the shippers to ship your item. They may even ask you to go to a bank to cash the money order rather than the post office. The reason for this is that the post office has a machine that can tell if the money order is fake, and they have much more experience with money orders than banks.
Many of these types of scams originate in Nigeria, London and Toronto. If you are aware of this, you can prevent this from happening to you. Most thieves still obtain personal information through traditional rather than electronic channels. In the cases where the method was known, 68.2% of information was obtained off-line versus only 11.6% obtained online.
If you receive a fraudulent money order and take it to a bank, rather than the post office, a bank can take a month or more before they notify you that the money order is fake. If this happens, you are then responsible for the funds. If you do get caught up in this situation, take your money order to a post office rather than a bank, it is not guaranteeing you will not be “taken” but it lowers your chances.
How can you tell if a money order is fraudulent? Fake money orders do not have a water mark. Hold up the money order to the window or light, can you see the portrait, on the left side? This portrait needs to be backlit by light to be seen and cannot be mimicked. Some producers of fake money orders try to use fake pictures as a water mark; you will be able to tell if you hold it to the light. These money orders are generally printed in Nigeria, they use the same offset press we use to print real money orders, so check your money orders! You can also check for type size, color and fonts. Another step you can take is to call or go online to the Post office and give them the serial number off of the money order; they can tell if it is real. If you receive a counterfeit money order, you will want to give it to the post office or police. Possession of a counterfeit item is a felony.
Other scams include receiving an email or letter stating you have won a lottery, or a prize notification. Some letters or announcements will arrive with a counterfeit check and you pay a processing fee to get the prize. These checks are counterfeit; never send money to anyone who is asking for money from you in order to give you money, whether it is disguised as a prize or lottery. Any prize that requires you to pay anything is no prize.
How do these people get my name? If you have a credit card, your name is sold to third parties, if you do not want this to happen, you must contact your credit card companies to inform them that you do not want your information sold. Check the privacy notice that comes with your bill. If you enter contests, your information becomes public. Also, when you buy a new product, and fill out the warranty cards, those companies sell that information you provide to other companies. Since when does your toaster manufacturer need to know you households’ annual income to extend a warranty on your toaster? Thieves use dumpster digging, phishing, and pharming to obtain your information. Things they steal from your trash include:
• Pre-approved credit card offers – they complete them and have the card sent to them at a different address
• Loan applications- they complete the application and have the money sent to a phony address.
• Bank statements- they then have your bank account number and can print counterfeit checks
Becky Palmer, a Consumer Credit Counselor, knew of someone who had their wallet stolen, and they used the credit card to buy a $5000.00 gift card at Wal mart, this then become very hard to trace.
People that are more at risk are senior citizens, people with disabilities and immigrants, but remember that everyone, including children are at risk. Senior citizens are home all day; they might get a phone call from a fake charity asking for money. Immigrants are desperate for credit, they may have just arrived in the US and know they need credit to do anything and are not aware of these scams. People with disabilities are home, and may become a victim of phone or online fraud. There have also been cases of home care providers taking advantage of their clients. Remember, it is not always a stranger that can steal someone’s identity. Did you know children can be victims of identity theft? This could affect or ruin their credit before they even are able to build up credit for themselves. There have been cases of parents using a child’s name for their electric bill or phone bill when they have bad credit or owe the utility company money. Thieves will obtain the social security number of these children then use that number to get credit cards and rack up purchases.
Some of these scammers will call you and say they are from a fictitious charity. They will offer to have your contribution automatically deducted from your checking account and will ask for your routing number, bank name, and account number. DO NOT GIVE OUT THIS INFORMATION! If you pick up a call from a telemarketer, ask them the following questions and if they are a fraud, they will hang up quickly.
• Who do you work for? They will try to give you the name of the fake charity here, so ask them “who pays your salary?”
• How much of my donation (percentage) goes to this charity and what is the rest of the money used for?” If they are for real, they can easily give you this information.
• What is the charity’s full name, address and phone number?
Once you have the above information you can check with the state attorney generals’ office or secretary of state to see if the charity is registered. Also check the charity’s rating thru the Better Business Bureau at www.give.org.
How can I prevent Identity theft from happening to me? Never leave your receipt or slip in the ATM or gas pump. Pay attention to your habits, lock up or organize and file your bills, and bank statements. Shred them using a cross shredder before throwing them away.
In a recent article in MSN Money their research showed that 32% of people said they had been a victim of identity fraud by a friend or family, and 13% were victimized by a co-worker. Beware! These people know your patterns and habits.
Some steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim of Identity theft are:
Get a copy of your credit report from all three credit bureaus. (FREE as of 9/1/05!)
Experien, PO Box 2002, Allen TX 75013 www.experian.com 888-397-3742
Equifax, PO Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30348 www.equifax.com 800-685-1111
Trans Union, PO Box 4000, Chester, PA 19016 www.transunion.com 866-887-2673
Opt out of mailing lists by contacting the credit bureaus above.
Opt out by reading the privacy notice that comes with your credit card and following the instructions.
Call the national Do Not Call Registry at 1-888-382-1222 or visit www.donotcall.gov be sure to call from the number you want to register
Do not carry your Social Security Card in your wallet
Do not print your Social security number on your checks
Do not get your social security number printed on your drivers’ license
Do not carry your medicade card with you, Medicade #’s are your Social security number
Delete any emails from Nigeria, or lottery or prize notifications before opening
Stop credit card offers 888-5-OPT-OUT
Remove your name from national mailing lists by visiting www.the-dma.org or write to:
Mail Preference Service
PO Box 643
Carmel, NY 10512
Install firewall and virus protection software on your computer
Password protect your computer and private personal files
Format your hard drive or physically destroy when disposing of your old computer
When you order new checks, get your first initial printed on them instead of your first name
Use a cross shredder to shred your bills and bank statements or any junk mail
Bring your mail to the post office or secure mail box rather than leaving it in a rural box.
Use only one designated credit card for online purchases
Be sure all online purchases are made through a secure server – notice the “lock” icon and how the URL address changes from http to https. The S means SECURE.
Do not carry your PIN # in your wallet
Do not use your date of birth as a password or PIN.
Do not give out personal or financial information over the phone.
Grind up or shred back up CD’s you are throwing away.
Check your online banking account at least 3 times a week and change your password often.
There is a new bill that is being passes, it is a very weak bill but if passed, it will prohibit using a social security number for identification purposes. This bill should take affect in 2006.
If you feel you have been a victim of identity fraud, contact the Department of Justice, consumer protection division. They offer mediation with identity theft; they also have a hot line for consumers that is available 8-5 Monday – Friday. They maintain a database of written complaints that goes back to 1998. They offer seminars to school, seniors or your group.
Be aware that 40 million crooks obtained credit card numbers this past year, “Be Suspicious”. Also be aware that most identify theft is not reported, especially when it involves family members, so the statistics are off. These statistics show that consumers lost $5 billion last year when in actuality it is closer to $50 billion. There have been an estimated 9.9 million victims in America.
What can I do if I am already a victim of ID theft?
• Contact the fraud departments of the three major credit bureaus, to place a fraud alert on your credit file.
• Close all accounts that have been affected and request copies of fraud-dispute forms and complete and return immediately. Keep copies!
• File a police report in each jurisdiction the theft occurred
• Send copies of the report to your creditors or anyone that requires proof of the crime
• File a complaint with the FTC (800-IDTHEFT or www.consumer.gov/idtheft) and Post Office
• Contact the Identity Theft Resource center at 858-693-7935 or www.idtheftcenter.org
• Request a new driver’s license from the state of motor vehicles and have a fraud report attached to your driving record.
• Notify check-verification firms about any fraudulent checks:
International check service 800-526-5380
Telecheck 800-927-0755
Certegy Check Services 800-437-5120
• Call 1-888-CALL-FCC and file a complaint.
• Change your passwords and PIN immediately.
What is “Phishing”?
If you get an email or letter or form that looks like it came from your bank, credit card company, the IRS, online auction or bill pay service asking you to verify information so they can update their records, verify this with your bank or credit card company. Never click on the link in an email; it will take you to a fraudulent website that is disguised to look like the companies. If you call to verify and your bank or credit card company wants this information, give it to them over the phone, if you initiated the call and are sure it is the correct number, or stop by in person if possible.
Warning signs you can look for to identify “Scams”
If someone tells you: “Poor or no credit – No problem!”
Offers you a “Bargain loan”
Rushes you through signing up for anything
Wants you to pay a fee
If a salesman comes to your door and says “I was just in the neighborhood”
Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it is!
Michelle Dunn has over 17 years experience in credit and debt collection. She is the founder of Never Dunn Publishing, LLC, is a writer, consultant and the Editorial Advisor for Eli Financial Debt Collection Compliance Alert Newsletter. Michelle started M.A.D. Collection Agency and ran is successfully for 7 years. She owns and runs Credit & Collections.com a free online community for credit and business professionals.
She has written 5 books in her Collecting Money Series. For more information on Michelle’s services or to order any of her books please email her at michelle@michelledunn.com or visit http://www.michelledunn.com & http://www.credit-and-collections.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michelle_Dunn
http://EzineArticles.com/?Are-You-at-Risk-for-Identity-Theft?-Learn-How-to-Protect-Yourself&id=70183
Identity Theft is America’s fastest growing type of robbery. There have been an estimated 9.9 million victims on America and over 40% of all consumer complaints in the U.S. involve identity theft. About half of the victims do not know how the thief obtained their personal information. The Boston Globe and Newsweek have both covered Identity theft recently telling us how important it is for us to educate ourselves on preventing and protecting ourselves from this type of robbery.
By Michelle Dunn
Identity Theft is America’s fastest growing type of robbery. There have been an estimated 9.9 million victims on America and over 40% of all consumer complaints in the U.S. involve identity theft. About half of the victims do not know how the thief obtained their personal information. The Boston Globe and Newsweek have both covered Identity theft recently telling us how important it is for us to educate ourselves on preventing and protecting ourselves from this type of robbery. Identity theft can happen anytime, anywhere and to anyone, individuals or businesses. Everyone must be educated and aware so it can be avoided. Michael Blanchard, US Postal Inspector says postal money orders and business or certified checks are one way you can be at risk. Most identity theft involves the U.S. Mail which is why the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is a lead agency in investigating Identity Theft. Identity Theft is a criminal offense.
Some scams are internet related, you go into a chat room and chat with people there, someone approaches you as a friend, or about an auction. You become comfortable with these people you are chatting with and start a “friendship”. The person who has befriended you may tell you such things as, “I am in the Peace Corp, and I have a money order that I can’t cash where I am”, which is Lagos or Nigeria. They might ask you if they send you the money order, if you will cash it and send them the money. This is a scam. The money order you receive can be fraudulent, once you cash and send the money you are out this money once the bank realizes the money order was no good.
Another scenario might be if you sell items at online auctions. Someone may email you about your item that is for sale. They will tell you they want to purchase your item, and they are in Nigeria so they will send you extra money to pay for a shipper to send the item to them. They will send you a counterfeit money order or check and ask you to cash the check and wire the extra money to them so they can pay the shippers to ship your item. They may even ask you to go to a bank to cash the money order rather than the post office. The reason for this is that the post office has a machine that can tell if the money order is fake, and they have much more experience with money orders than banks.
Many of these types of scams originate in Nigeria, London and Toronto. If you are aware of this, you can prevent this from happening to you. Most thieves still obtain personal information through traditional rather than electronic channels. In the cases where the method was known, 68.2% of information was obtained off-line versus only 11.6% obtained online.
If you receive a fraudulent money order and take it to a bank, rather than the post office, a bank can take a month or more before they notify you that the money order is fake. If this happens, you are then responsible for the funds. If you do get caught up in this situation, take your money order to a post office rather than a bank, it is not guaranteeing you will not be “taken” but it lowers your chances.
How can you tell if a money order is fraudulent? Fake money orders do not have a water mark. Hold up the money order to the window or light, can you see the portrait, on the left side? This portrait needs to be backlit by light to be seen and cannot be mimicked. Some producers of fake money orders try to use fake pictures as a water mark; you will be able to tell if you hold it to the light. These money orders are generally printed in Nigeria, they use the same offset press we use to print real money orders, so check your money orders! You can also check for type size, color and fonts. Another step you can take is to call or go online to the Post office and give them the serial number off of the money order; they can tell if it is real. If you receive a counterfeit money order, you will want to give it to the post office or police. Possession of a counterfeit item is a felony.
Other scams include receiving an email or letter stating you have won a lottery, or a prize notification. Some letters or announcements will arrive with a counterfeit check and you pay a processing fee to get the prize. These checks are counterfeit; never send money to anyone who is asking for money from you in order to give you money, whether it is disguised as a prize or lottery. Any prize that requires you to pay anything is no prize.
How do these people get my name? If you have a credit card, your name is sold to third parties, if you do not want this to happen, you must contact your credit card companies to inform them that you do not want your information sold. Check the privacy notice that comes with your bill. If you enter contests, your information becomes public. Also, when you buy a new product, and fill out the warranty cards, those companies sell that information you provide to other companies. Since when does your toaster manufacturer need to know you households’ annual income to extend a warranty on your toaster? Thieves use dumpster digging, phishing, and pharming to obtain your information. Things they steal from your trash include:
• Pre-approved credit card offers – they complete them and have the card sent to them at a different address
• Loan applications- they complete the application and have the money sent to a phony address.
• Bank statements- they then have your bank account number and can print counterfeit checks
Becky Palmer, a Consumer Credit Counselor, knew of someone who had their wallet stolen, and they used the credit card to buy a $5000.00 gift card at Wal mart, this then become very hard to trace.
People that are more at risk are senior citizens, people with disabilities and immigrants, but remember that everyone, including children are at risk. Senior citizens are home all day; they might get a phone call from a fake charity asking for money. Immigrants are desperate for credit, they may have just arrived in the US and know they need credit to do anything and are not aware of these scams. People with disabilities are home, and may become a victim of phone or online fraud. There have also been cases of home care providers taking advantage of their clients. Remember, it is not always a stranger that can steal someone’s identity. Did you know children can be victims of identity theft? This could affect or ruin their credit before they even are able to build up credit for themselves. There have been cases of parents using a child’s name for their electric bill or phone bill when they have bad credit or owe the utility company money. Thieves will obtain the social security number of these children then use that number to get credit cards and rack up purchases.
Some of these scammers will call you and say they are from a fictitious charity. They will offer to have your contribution automatically deducted from your checking account and will ask for your routing number, bank name, and account number. DO NOT GIVE OUT THIS INFORMATION! If you pick up a call from a telemarketer, ask them the following questions and if they are a fraud, they will hang up quickly.
• Who do you work for? They will try to give you the name of the fake charity here, so ask them “who pays your salary?”
• How much of my donation (percentage) goes to this charity and what is the rest of the money used for?” If they are for real, they can easily give you this information.
• What is the charity’s full name, address and phone number?
Once you have the above information you can check with the state attorney generals’ office or secretary of state to see if the charity is registered. Also check the charity’s rating thru the Better Business Bureau at www.give.org.
How can I prevent Identity theft from happening to me? Never leave your receipt or slip in the ATM or gas pump. Pay attention to your habits, lock up or organize and file your bills, and bank statements. Shred them using a cross shredder before throwing them away.
In a recent article in MSN Money their research showed that 32% of people said they had been a victim of identity fraud by a friend or family, and 13% were victimized by a co-worker. Beware! These people know your patterns and habits.
Some steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim of Identity theft are:
Get a copy of your credit report from all three credit bureaus. (FREE as of 9/1/05!)
Experien, PO Box 2002, Allen TX 75013 www.experian.com 888-397-3742
Equifax, PO Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30348 www.equifax.com 800-685-1111
Trans Union, PO Box 4000, Chester, PA 19016 www.transunion.com 866-887-2673
Opt out of mailing lists by contacting the credit bureaus above.
Opt out by reading the privacy notice that comes with your credit card and following the instructions.
Call the national Do Not Call Registry at 1-888-382-1222 or visit www.donotcall.gov be sure to call from the number you want to register
Do not carry your Social Security Card in your wallet
Do not print your Social security number on your checks
Do not get your social security number printed on your drivers’ license
Do not carry your medicade card with you, Medicade #’s are your Social security number
Delete any emails from Nigeria, or lottery or prize notifications before opening
Stop credit card offers 888-5-OPT-OUT
Remove your name from national mailing lists by visiting www.the-dma.org or write to:
Mail Preference Service
PO Box 643
Carmel, NY 10512
Install firewall and virus protection software on your computer
Password protect your computer and private personal files
Format your hard drive or physically destroy when disposing of your old computer
When you order new checks, get your first initial printed on them instead of your first name
Use a cross shredder to shred your bills and bank statements or any junk mail
Bring your mail to the post office or secure mail box rather than leaving it in a rural box.
Use only one designated credit card for online purchases
Be sure all online purchases are made through a secure server – notice the “lock” icon and how the URL address changes from http to https. The S means SECURE.
Do not carry your PIN # in your wallet
Do not use your date of birth as a password or PIN.
Do not give out personal or financial information over the phone.
Grind up or shred back up CD’s you are throwing away.
Check your online banking account at least 3 times a week and change your password often.
There is a new bill that is being passes, it is a very weak bill but if passed, it will prohibit using a social security number for identification purposes. This bill should take affect in 2006.
If you feel you have been a victim of identity fraud, contact the Department of Justice, consumer protection division. They offer mediation with identity theft; they also have a hot line for consumers that is available 8-5 Monday – Friday. They maintain a database of written complaints that goes back to 1998. They offer seminars to school, seniors or your group.
Be aware that 40 million crooks obtained credit card numbers this past year, “Be Suspicious”. Also be aware that most identify theft is not reported, especially when it involves family members, so the statistics are off. These statistics show that consumers lost $5 billion last year when in actuality it is closer to $50 billion. There have been an estimated 9.9 million victims in America.
What can I do if I am already a victim of ID theft?
• Contact the fraud departments of the three major credit bureaus, to place a fraud alert on your credit file.
• Close all accounts that have been affected and request copies of fraud-dispute forms and complete and return immediately. Keep copies!
• File a police report in each jurisdiction the theft occurred
• Send copies of the report to your creditors or anyone that requires proof of the crime
• File a complaint with the FTC (800-IDTHEFT or www.consumer.gov/idtheft) and Post Office
• Contact the Identity Theft Resource center at 858-693-7935 or www.idtheftcenter.org
• Request a new driver’s license from the state of motor vehicles and have a fraud report attached to your driving record.
• Notify check-verification firms about any fraudulent checks:
International check service 800-526-5380
Telecheck 800-927-0755
Certegy Check Services 800-437-5120
• Call 1-888-CALL-FCC and file a complaint.
• Change your passwords and PIN immediately.
What is “Phishing”?
If you get an email or letter or form that looks like it came from your bank, credit card company, the IRS, online auction or bill pay service asking you to verify information so they can update their records, verify this with your bank or credit card company. Never click on the link in an email; it will take you to a fraudulent website that is disguised to look like the companies. If you call to verify and your bank or credit card company wants this information, give it to them over the phone, if you initiated the call and are sure it is the correct number, or stop by in person if possible.
Warning signs you can look for to identify “Scams”
If someone tells you: “Poor or no credit – No problem!”
Offers you a “Bargain loan”
Rushes you through signing up for anything
Wants you to pay a fee
If a salesman comes to your door and says “I was just in the neighborhood”
Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it is!
Michelle Dunn has over 17 years experience in credit and debt collection. She is the founder of Never Dunn Publishing, LLC, is a writer, consultant and the Editorial Advisor for Eli Financial Debt Collection Compliance Alert Newsletter. Michelle started M.A.D. Collection Agency and ran is successfully for 7 years. She owns and runs Credit & Collections.com a free online community for credit and business professionals.
She has written 5 books in her Collecting Money Series. For more information on Michelle’s services or to order any of her books please email her at michelle@michelledunn.com or visit http://www.michelledunn.com & http://www.credit-and-collections.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michelle_Dunn
http://EzineArticles.com/?Are-You-at-Risk-for-Identity-Theft?-Learn-How-to-Protect-Yourself&id=70183
Identity Theft is America’s fastest growing type of robbery. There have been an estimated 9.9 million victims on America and over 40% of all consumer complaints in the U.S. involve identity theft. About half of the victims do not know how the thief obtained their personal information. The Boston Globe and Newsweek have both covered Identity theft recently telling us how important it is for us to educate ourselves on preventing and protecting ourselves from this type of robbery.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Merchant Services
Merchant Account Basics
16th August 2006
Author: Steve Depraida
A Merchant account is an account at a bank or financial institution that permits you to accept credit card payments. You can acquire a merchant account from a merchant account provider or your bank.
A merchant account helps in boosting your business as when your account can accept credit cards you get instant payments. The whole process of receiving a payment is simplified and speedy, as it takes a lot less time then the conventional method of receiving payments. The whole processing time of credit card payment through the credit card machine or online account is lot shorter than the conventional methods.
If you increase the number of payment options for your customer it helps your business to grow. In case you are an online businessman this option provides the customer ease as well as flexibility of shopping, which in the long run converts into repeat purchases. Today majority of customers prefer credit card payment therefore it makes prudent business sense to opt for merchant account or merchant accounts.
Before establishing a merchant account it is necessary to check the credentials of the merchant account or merchant services Provider Company that is trustworthy and provides secure services. For online businesses real time processing is the best solution as the charge from the client's card is processed swiftly when the client places the order. The client or customer gets an email stating that the order has been processed and the money transfer is approved by the credit card company.
The credit card companies charge different fees for the credit card processing. The companies may charge an application fee, a monthly statement fee, an annual fee, a discount fee etc. The credit card company charges a transaction or the processing fee for each transaction that takes place. As different merchant account services charge different fees it is advisable that a thorough study is made before deciding which credit card processing company you choose. Make a monthly estimate of the current sales figure and project expenses.
Merchant accounts, is one of the largest merchant account processor in USA. It provides one of the best credit card processing solutions and efficient round the clock service. The main distinguishing features are a 90 day price match offer, same day approval for merchant account, instant online applications, no early cancellation fees, good quality credit card machines and terminal solutions.
Visit the site if you want to avail the merchant account services from http://www.merchant-accounts.com, one of the best credit card processing companies in USA.
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_81901_19.html
16th August 2006
Author: Steve Depraida
A Merchant account is an account at a bank or financial institution that permits you to accept credit card payments. You can acquire a merchant account from a merchant account provider or your bank.
A merchant account helps in boosting your business as when your account can accept credit cards you get instant payments. The whole process of receiving a payment is simplified and speedy, as it takes a lot less time then the conventional method of receiving payments. The whole processing time of credit card payment through the credit card machine or online account is lot shorter than the conventional methods.
If you increase the number of payment options for your customer it helps your business to grow. In case you are an online businessman this option provides the customer ease as well as flexibility of shopping, which in the long run converts into repeat purchases. Today majority of customers prefer credit card payment therefore it makes prudent business sense to opt for merchant account or merchant accounts.
Before establishing a merchant account it is necessary to check the credentials of the merchant account or merchant services Provider Company that is trustworthy and provides secure services. For online businesses real time processing is the best solution as the charge from the client's card is processed swiftly when the client places the order. The client or customer gets an email stating that the order has been processed and the money transfer is approved by the credit card company.
The credit card companies charge different fees for the credit card processing. The companies may charge an application fee, a monthly statement fee, an annual fee, a discount fee etc. The credit card company charges a transaction or the processing fee for each transaction that takes place. As different merchant account services charge different fees it is advisable that a thorough study is made before deciding which credit card processing company you choose. Make a monthly estimate of the current sales figure and project expenses.
Merchant accounts, is one of the largest merchant account processor in USA. It provides one of the best credit card processing solutions and efficient round the clock service. The main distinguishing features are a 90 day price match offer, same day approval for merchant account, instant online applications, no early cancellation fees, good quality credit card machines and terminal solutions.
Visit the site if you want to avail the merchant account services from http://www.merchant-accounts.com, one of the best credit card processing companies in USA.
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_81901_19.html
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Merchant Services
Overview of the Credit Card Machines by steve depradia
Credit card machines can be seen everywhere in a restaurant, retail shop or a shopping mall. These small machines help businesses to process credit cards safely and efficiently. These {a href = http://www.merchant-accounts.com/merchant_account_swipe_terminals_printers.htm} credit card machines don't cost much but the impact of these little wonders on a business is tremendous. Invest in a good credit card machines and if you have a merchant account you are all set to accept credit cards.
Credit Card Processing Machines are Essential
* Most of the merchant account services charge extra money for keyed in transaction as compared to swiped charges. If you have an old machine that is not reading the cards properly you may be unnecessarily paying more money.
* An old credit card machine is not able to read debit card transactions it is therefore necessary to invest in new credit card machines.
* Credit card machines save valuable counter space.
* Credit card machines help in increasing the cash flow by greatly reducing the payment time.
Different Types of Credit Card Machines:
There are different types of credit card machines available, choose one according to your budget and requirements. All these machines have their advantages and disadvantages; consider both while making your choice.
* Basic Credit card machines These machines are the cheapest of the lot and are very affordable but are a somewhat bulky in appearance.
* Credit card machines with printers These machines are combo machines with printer attached. These machines come in sleek designs.
* Wireless Credit card machines or Pin pads These credit card machines are as the name suggests wireless.
Merchant accounts.com is the site that provides information about merchant accountand lists machines that accept credit card transaction. There are many credit card machines on offer and the latest being The Hypercom T7 Plus, a great machine with either an AMS retail merchant account or mail order merchant account. This product is equipped with a sure load thermal printer that eliminates paper jamming. Visit the site www.merchant-accounts.com to get more information about the different services and products being offered and choose the one that suits you. There are many latest credit card machines being offered on the site, choose the one that has the features you were looking for in a {a href= http://www.merchant-accounts.com/credit_card_processing_pos_software.htm} credit card processing. These machines will give boost to your business by providing easy cash flow and safe and speedy payment solution.
About the Author
Mr.steve depradia is a very well know author who writes article for www.merchant-accounts.com
Credit card machines can be seen everywhere in a restaurant, retail shop or a shopping mall. These small machines help businesses to process credit cards safely and efficiently. These {a href = http://www.merchant-accounts.com/merchant_account_swipe_terminals_printers.htm} credit card machines don't cost much but the impact of these little wonders on a business is tremendous. Invest in a good credit card machines and if you have a merchant account you are all set to accept credit cards.
Credit Card Processing Machines are Essential
* Most of the merchant account services charge extra money for keyed in transaction as compared to swiped charges. If you have an old machine that is not reading the cards properly you may be unnecessarily paying more money.
* An old credit card machine is not able to read debit card transactions it is therefore necessary to invest in new credit card machines.
* Credit card machines save valuable counter space.
* Credit card machines help in increasing the cash flow by greatly reducing the payment time.
Different Types of Credit Card Machines:
There are different types of credit card machines available, choose one according to your budget and requirements. All these machines have their advantages and disadvantages; consider both while making your choice.
* Basic Credit card machines These machines are the cheapest of the lot and are very affordable but are a somewhat bulky in appearance.
* Credit card machines with printers These machines are combo machines with printer attached. These machines come in sleek designs.
* Wireless Credit card machines or Pin pads These credit card machines are as the name suggests wireless.
Merchant accounts.com is the site that provides information about merchant accountand lists machines that accept credit card transaction. There are many credit card machines on offer and the latest being The Hypercom T7 Plus, a great machine with either an AMS retail merchant account or mail order merchant account. This product is equipped with a sure load thermal printer that eliminates paper jamming. Visit the site www.merchant-accounts.com to get more information about the different services and products being offered and choose the one that suits you. There are many latest credit card machines being offered on the site, choose the one that has the features you were looking for in a {a href= http://www.merchant-accounts.com/credit_card_processing_pos_software.htm} credit card processing. These machines will give boost to your business by providing easy cash flow and safe and speedy payment solution.
About the Author
Mr.steve depradia is a very well know author who writes article for www.merchant-accounts.com
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Merchant Services
How To Comprehend Merchant Service Provider Rates
By: Jim Saka
If you have an online business today, you are well aware of the necessity to have a merchant service of some kind. Being able to accept credit cards online makes it convenient for customers and allows them to feel secure about their purchase with a credit card. For the merchant, it is vital that you are well aware of the merchant service provider rates. Otherwise, it can be easy to spend an arm and a leg on a merchant service.
The first part to understanding your merchant service provider's rates is knowing the classifications of each transaction. Each transaction will fall into the category of either qualified, midqualified or nonqualified. There are several ways the classification is determined, including the Visa/MasterCard regulations, the category of credit card used, whether the address verification system was used and whether the order was shipped within 24 hours.
If the transaction for whatever reason does not satisfy all conditions set by the Visa/MasterCard regulations, the transaction falls into the category of either midqualified or nonqualified. Another way the transaction can be classified as a nonqualified surcharge is by the category of credit card used. If you use a business card, business cards are considered high-risk, which puts the order into a nonqualified surcharge.
What this means is that your merchant service provider rate will be potentially 1.4% more in surcharges because of it being categorized as nonqualified. To avoid being docked any extra rate for transactions, you will want to talk with your merchant service provider to see the list of determinants that put a transaction into nonqualified.
The rates that you really want to watch for when going through a merchant service provider are the discount rate for each transaction and the per-transaction fee. The discount rate is the percentage applied to the dollar value of each transaction. The per-transaction fee, on the other hand, is a flat fee that is assessed after each transaction.
If you have a qualified transaction, the merchant service provider rates will generally be in your favor. However, the rates will fluctuate and could potentially not be the most cost-effective if the transaction is nonqualified or midqualified.
As you can see, having nonqualified or midqualified surcharges can cause high merchant service provider rates. By being aware of how to stay away from these classifications and assure yourself that you fall into the qualified surcharges, your rates will be much more feasible. All in all, it will make more a convenient way for your customers to make transactions using their credit cards while feeling safe at the same time.
Copyright (c) 2007 Jim Saka
Article Source: http://www.ApprovedArticles.com
For more information about Jim Saka or to find out how your business can can benefit from accepting credit cards online or at a place of business visit United Bank Card's merchant account services websites.
By: Jim Saka
If you have an online business today, you are well aware of the necessity to have a merchant service of some kind. Being able to accept credit cards online makes it convenient for customers and allows them to feel secure about their purchase with a credit card. For the merchant, it is vital that you are well aware of the merchant service provider rates. Otherwise, it can be easy to spend an arm and a leg on a merchant service.
The first part to understanding your merchant service provider's rates is knowing the classifications of each transaction. Each transaction will fall into the category of either qualified, midqualified or nonqualified. There are several ways the classification is determined, including the Visa/MasterCard regulations, the category of credit card used, whether the address verification system was used and whether the order was shipped within 24 hours.
If the transaction for whatever reason does not satisfy all conditions set by the Visa/MasterCard regulations, the transaction falls into the category of either midqualified or nonqualified. Another way the transaction can be classified as a nonqualified surcharge is by the category of credit card used. If you use a business card, business cards are considered high-risk, which puts the order into a nonqualified surcharge.
What this means is that your merchant service provider rate will be potentially 1.4% more in surcharges because of it being categorized as nonqualified. To avoid being docked any extra rate for transactions, you will want to talk with your merchant service provider to see the list of determinants that put a transaction into nonqualified.
The rates that you really want to watch for when going through a merchant service provider are the discount rate for each transaction and the per-transaction fee. The discount rate is the percentage applied to the dollar value of each transaction. The per-transaction fee, on the other hand, is a flat fee that is assessed after each transaction.
If you have a qualified transaction, the merchant service provider rates will generally be in your favor. However, the rates will fluctuate and could potentially not be the most cost-effective if the transaction is nonqualified or midqualified.
As you can see, having nonqualified or midqualified surcharges can cause high merchant service provider rates. By being aware of how to stay away from these classifications and assure yourself that you fall into the qualified surcharges, your rates will be much more feasible. All in all, it will make more a convenient way for your customers to make transactions using their credit cards while feeling safe at the same time.
Copyright (c) 2007 Jim Saka
Article Source: http://www.ApprovedArticles.com
For more information about Jim Saka or to find out how your business can can benefit from accepting credit cards online or at a place of business visit United Bank Card's merchant account services websites.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Merchant Account
Making Money With Other People's Products by Tony Pescatore
Lots of people are now starting to get serious about online businesses and online marketing. For starters this extra income is to supplement their offline full time job. The reason for this is there is a lot of money to be made on the Internet by doing online marketing.
The beauty about making money online is it only requires a fraction of the cost required to set up compared to the actual cost of setting up a business establishment. With the aid of the Internet, you can almost have everything right at your fingertips and everyone who has access to the Internet is your potential customer.
The easiest way to start if you have not got your own product is making money with other people's products. This best way to start and is quite easy to do is affiliate marketing. An affiliate is someone who promotes other people's products and services for the result of a sale or lead that earns a commission. This is a win/win for both the affiliate and retailer alike.
Clickbank is where I usually go to when choosing my affiliate programs; they have thousands of information product vendors. Information products include e-books, audio teleconferences, video tutorials, and software which are all in digital form not physical. When choosing your affiliate program go to Clickbank Marketplace. Commission Junction is also another place you can choose affiliate programs to make money from. Whichever program you choose it should be free.
There is three ways to make money with affiliate marketing programs the first is pay-per-click the affiliate makes money this way whenever he or she directs traffic to the merchant's site. Pay-per-sale is the second way of making money when his or her referral converts into a actual sale and thirdly pay-per-lead is the same as pay-per-sale except the affiliates gets a fix fee whenever his or her referral converts into a lead for the company.
Pay-per-sale commissions I look for is 50% plus not anything under that. When choosing an affiliate program look at the sales page which is the view pitch page at Clickbank. Read the whole lot does it really interest you does it grab the visitor's attention and interest at an emotional level.
Many options available and lots of ways to earn money, affiliate marketing is without doubt the most popular and the easiest way to make money with other people's products online. The amount of money one can get from affiliate marketing actually depends on the affiliate. The more you promote the product the better your chances of making money the best way to start is by writing articles about it and the benefit is it's free to write articles. Additional information on promoting it and choosing the correct program is do a bit of research combined them all and start making money online.
Making Money With Other People's Products
About the Author
Tony Pescatore finds and writes helpful information on topics he believes in. Learn the exact same secret that allows 1 man to get all his Google ads completely FREE go to: Get Google Ads Free Now
Lots of people are now starting to get serious about online businesses and online marketing. For starters this extra income is to supplement their offline full time job. The reason for this is there is a lot of money to be made on the Internet by doing online marketing.
The beauty about making money online is it only requires a fraction of the cost required to set up compared to the actual cost of setting up a business establishment. With the aid of the Internet, you can almost have everything right at your fingertips and everyone who has access to the Internet is your potential customer.
The easiest way to start if you have not got your own product is making money with other people's products. This best way to start and is quite easy to do is affiliate marketing. An affiliate is someone who promotes other people's products and services for the result of a sale or lead that earns a commission. This is a win/win for both the affiliate and retailer alike.
Clickbank is where I usually go to when choosing my affiliate programs; they have thousands of information product vendors. Information products include e-books, audio teleconferences, video tutorials, and software which are all in digital form not physical. When choosing your affiliate program go to Clickbank Marketplace. Commission Junction is also another place you can choose affiliate programs to make money from. Whichever program you choose it should be free.
There is three ways to make money with affiliate marketing programs the first is pay-per-click the affiliate makes money this way whenever he or she directs traffic to the merchant's site. Pay-per-sale is the second way of making money when his or her referral converts into a actual sale and thirdly pay-per-lead is the same as pay-per-sale except the affiliates gets a fix fee whenever his or her referral converts into a lead for the company.
Pay-per-sale commissions I look for is 50% plus not anything under that. When choosing an affiliate program look at the sales page which is the view pitch page at Clickbank. Read the whole lot does it really interest you does it grab the visitor's attention and interest at an emotional level.
Many options available and lots of ways to earn money, affiliate marketing is without doubt the most popular and the easiest way to make money with other people's products online. The amount of money one can get from affiliate marketing actually depends on the affiliate. The more you promote the product the better your chances of making money the best way to start is by writing articles about it and the benefit is it's free to write articles. Additional information on promoting it and choosing the correct program is do a bit of research combined them all and start making money online.
Making Money With Other People's Products
About the Author
Tony Pescatore finds and writes helpful information on topics he believes in. Learn the exact same secret that allows 1 man to get all his Google ads completely FREE go to: Get Google Ads Free Now
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Merchant Services
Using PayPal
By Michael Copper
PayPal is one of the most widely used payment processors online. While it does have some limitations, particularly on where in the world it can be used, this payment service can be a great help to the newbie ebusiness on a budget. It allows newcomers to accept online credit card payments, as well as transfer money to and from bank accounts and other PayPal accounts.
Setting up a PayPal account is free. There are 3 main types of accounts available, Personal, Premier and Business. The Personal account is just that, for personal use, paying for things you buy on Ebay and such. Transactions are free with this type of account, but your options for use are quite limited and it is not an account type suitable for ecommerce.
The Business and Premier accounts are nearly identical, except that the Business account allows multi-user access, while the Premier is exclusive. Both are ideal for ecommerce use and offer unlimited credit card transactions, full merchant services and access to a PayPal ATM debit card that can be used around the world. They also charge a percentage of each transaction, depending on the amount of money being transferred.
For the ecommerce site, PayPal offers a full merchant account with secure servers and anti-fraud protection to help protect both you and your customer. They also have a shopping cart and shopping buttons available on the site. You simply enter the information needed, such as price and product name plus shipping costs, etc. and the site will spit out a piece of HTML code that allows you to place the button on your website for any product desired.
PayPal´s merchant account can be used with several different shopping carts, so if you don’t like the ones they offer on their site, you can easily replace them. Also, the ability to accept credit cards online is a very nice feature that most ebusinesses will appreciate. You can also accept eChecks and direct PayPal to PayPal payments, which expands your payment options quite a bit.
The free merchant account is somewhat limited, but you can upgrade to the Virtual Terminal if you do business in the U.S., which allows you to process credit cards online, by fax and by telephone. This allows a more flexible payment plan both on and offline, ideal for the ecommerce merchant looking to expand offline as well.
PayPal is one of the web’s most accepted payment service options for good reason, they have earned their position. For low fees and easy merchant account setup, they are the ideal solution for a new ecommerce website.
Michael D. Copper
Your Online Business Coach
http://www.course-internet-marketing.com
I've been involved with online and offline business since 1990, my expertise is in marketing and sales, and now offering an online business coaching program associated with David Vallieres. The name of the online course is “Think and Succeed Training Program,” in other words; if you want to make money online, or desire to succeed in a full time online business, then we are here to help you think it through to a successful venture. If you want to succeed in your online business then consider our course, to receive more informatin go our web site. http://www.course-internet-marketing.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Copper
http://EzineArticles.com/?Using-PayPal&id=535506
By Michael Copper
PayPal is one of the most widely used payment processors online. While it does have some limitations, particularly on where in the world it can be used, this payment service can be a great help to the newbie ebusiness on a budget. It allows newcomers to accept online credit card payments, as well as transfer money to and from bank accounts and other PayPal accounts.
Setting up a PayPal account is free. There are 3 main types of accounts available, Personal, Premier and Business. The Personal account is just that, for personal use, paying for things you buy on Ebay and such. Transactions are free with this type of account, but your options for use are quite limited and it is not an account type suitable for ecommerce.
The Business and Premier accounts are nearly identical, except that the Business account allows multi-user access, while the Premier is exclusive. Both are ideal for ecommerce use and offer unlimited credit card transactions, full merchant services and access to a PayPal ATM debit card that can be used around the world. They also charge a percentage of each transaction, depending on the amount of money being transferred.
For the ecommerce site, PayPal offers a full merchant account with secure servers and anti-fraud protection to help protect both you and your customer. They also have a shopping cart and shopping buttons available on the site. You simply enter the information needed, such as price and product name plus shipping costs, etc. and the site will spit out a piece of HTML code that allows you to place the button on your website for any product desired.
PayPal´s merchant account can be used with several different shopping carts, so if you don’t like the ones they offer on their site, you can easily replace them. Also, the ability to accept credit cards online is a very nice feature that most ebusinesses will appreciate. You can also accept eChecks and direct PayPal to PayPal payments, which expands your payment options quite a bit.
The free merchant account is somewhat limited, but you can upgrade to the Virtual Terminal if you do business in the U.S., which allows you to process credit cards online, by fax and by telephone. This allows a more flexible payment plan both on and offline, ideal for the ecommerce merchant looking to expand offline as well.
PayPal is one of the web’s most accepted payment service options for good reason, they have earned their position. For low fees and easy merchant account setup, they are the ideal solution for a new ecommerce website.
Michael D. Copper
Your Online Business Coach
http://www.course-internet-marketing.com
I've been involved with online and offline business since 1990, my expertise is in marketing and sales, and now offering an online business coaching program associated with David Vallieres. The name of the online course is “Think and Succeed Training Program,” in other words; if you want to make money online, or desire to succeed in a full time online business, then we are here to help you think it through to a successful venture. If you want to succeed in your online business then consider our course, to receive more informatin go our web site. http://www.course-internet-marketing.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Copper
http://EzineArticles.com/?Using-PayPal&id=535506
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Merchant Services
Evaluating Merchant Services for Small Business
By Natalie Aranda
The selection of a Merchant Service provider is of utmost importance to the owner of a small business. There is no doubt that it is necessary to have one. The use of credit cards is on the increase. The introduction of debit cards and the wide dispersal of ATM machines has made carrying large sums of cash a less and less attractive option. It is important to understand the complete fee structure of a Merchant Service provider before agreeing to a preset contract arrangement. Although the discount rate is the most important of the fees, hidden and unexpected fees can seriously cut into profits. This could be fatal to the small business owner.
A good Credit Card Merchant Service should act as an extension of your business. The small business owner is used to dealing personally with all aspects of his operation. If the Merchant Service seems distant, complicated, and uninterested in your business, it might be a good idea to keep looking a bit longer. There is a curious mix in the nature of United States Merchant Services in the past years. On the one hand, competition has driven them to lower their rates and increase the quality of their services. This has certainly benefited the small business owner. At the same time, increased scrutiny of individual accounts has created some problems. Some business owners report that their accounts have been suddenly shut down or closed due to extremely good sales increases! This unusual situation has come about due to worries about illegal transactions, homeland security, and even money laundering.
Offshore Merchant Accounts are a viable option even for the small business owner. Although they have not felt quite the competitive pinch of the local institutions yet, they are starting to lower their rates as well. They are nowhere near as concerned with how you conduct your business, and they have important tax implications as well. Even the smallest business owner needs only a PC and an internet connection to enter the global marketplace. Many small businesses are entering the virtual marketplace, and a Credit Card Merchant Service that understands this can often be just the ticket. Your internet connection can let you investigate a worldwide assortment of financial institutions interested in your business. It is common sense that the more options available generally leads to finding the better deal.
It does not matter how small you are right now. You plan to grow and expand. This is why you are in business in the first place. Carefully evaluate all your options and do not rush into an arrangement that you will regret.
Natalie Aranda is a freelance writer. Some business owners report that their accounts have been suddenly shut down or closed due to extremely good sales increases! This unusual situation has come about due to worries about illegal transactions, homeland security, and even money laundering. An Offshore Merchant Account is a viable option even for the small business owner. Although they have not felt quite the competitive pinch of the local institutions yet, they are starting to lower their rates as well. If you consider going online, online merchant accounts are a valuable investment.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Natalie_Aranda
http://EzineArticles.com/?Evaluating-Merchant-Services-for-Small-Business&id=490654
By Natalie Aranda
The selection of a Merchant Service provider is of utmost importance to the owner of a small business. There is no doubt that it is necessary to have one. The use of credit cards is on the increase. The introduction of debit cards and the wide dispersal of ATM machines has made carrying large sums of cash a less and less attractive option. It is important to understand the complete fee structure of a Merchant Service provider before agreeing to a preset contract arrangement. Although the discount rate is the most important of the fees, hidden and unexpected fees can seriously cut into profits. This could be fatal to the small business owner.
A good Credit Card Merchant Service should act as an extension of your business. The small business owner is used to dealing personally with all aspects of his operation. If the Merchant Service seems distant, complicated, and uninterested in your business, it might be a good idea to keep looking a bit longer. There is a curious mix in the nature of United States Merchant Services in the past years. On the one hand, competition has driven them to lower their rates and increase the quality of their services. This has certainly benefited the small business owner. At the same time, increased scrutiny of individual accounts has created some problems. Some business owners report that their accounts have been suddenly shut down or closed due to extremely good sales increases! This unusual situation has come about due to worries about illegal transactions, homeland security, and even money laundering.
Offshore Merchant Accounts are a viable option even for the small business owner. Although they have not felt quite the competitive pinch of the local institutions yet, they are starting to lower their rates as well. They are nowhere near as concerned with how you conduct your business, and they have important tax implications as well. Even the smallest business owner needs only a PC and an internet connection to enter the global marketplace. Many small businesses are entering the virtual marketplace, and a Credit Card Merchant Service that understands this can often be just the ticket. Your internet connection can let you investigate a worldwide assortment of financial institutions interested in your business. It is common sense that the more options available generally leads to finding the better deal.
It does not matter how small you are right now. You plan to grow and expand. This is why you are in business in the first place. Carefully evaluate all your options and do not rush into an arrangement that you will regret.
Natalie Aranda is a freelance writer. Some business owners report that their accounts have been suddenly shut down or closed due to extremely good sales increases! This unusual situation has come about due to worries about illegal transactions, homeland security, and even money laundering. An Offshore Merchant Account is a viable option even for the small business owner. Although they have not felt quite the competitive pinch of the local institutions yet, they are starting to lower their rates as well. If you consider going online, online merchant accounts are a valuable investment.
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