Internet Security Policy

Are my financial transactions protected? [top]

All financial transactions (i.e. involving the transfer of financial information between customers, clients, agents, representatives and employees of Team Strategy, Inc.- d.b.a. teamstrategy.org) are protected via the utilization of 'Secure Socket Layer' (SSL) technology. Just as technology advances, we at Team Strategy, Inc. shall endeavor to protect your confidentiality and the integrity of each financial transaction by updating our security protocals.

How is my member account information protected? [top]

We require the use of a secure browser to access member account information. Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer are all secure browsers. Secure browsers employ 'Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)' technology to communicate with servers.

To access member account information, you must provide a User ID and a Password to enter the secure area of the site.

What is SSL [40-bit/56-bit/128-bit encryption]? [top]

SSL is a protocol designed by Netscape Communications Corporation to provide secure communications on the Internet. SSL technology is designed to do the following:

SSL authenticates that the server you've connected to is the one it purports to be.
SSL creates a secure communication channel by encrypting all communication between the user and the server.
SSL conducts a cryptographic word count to ensure data integrity between the server and the user. The word count or checksum provides a count of the number of bytes in a document and ensures the exact number of bytes is transmitted and received. With SSL, even this checksum is encrypted so it cannot be modified. If a message is not received in its entirety, it is rejected and another copy of the message is sent automatically.

How do I obtain a browser with 128-bit encryption capability? [top]

If you are using a 40-bit or 56-bit browser and would like to upgrade to a 128-bit browser, use one of the following links to download an upgraded browser.

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Netscape Navigator or Communicator

How can I protect myself? [top]: Keep your member account information and password private. Keep from writing it down where others can find it or use it to gain access to your personal information. When directed , change your member password and be sure that you avoid using common words that can be found in a dictionary, or numbers in a series. Review your credit card statements regularly and always print out e-mail confirmation copies for your records. Report any unauthorized purchases to your crredit card immediately. For specific information regarding the reporting of credit card fraud or other criminal activity view our 'Related Site Links - Government' section of this site.
How can I tell when a web site is secure? [top]: There are two ways an individual can tell if they are in a secure area within a site. First, by the web address. If you are in a secure,area the address will appear as https://www. Notice the 's' in the address. This means that you have accessed a secure server. Second, if you are using Netscape 4.0, Microsoft 3.0 or higher, the picture of a lock will appear in the lower right hand corner of your browser's application window. If the lock is closed you are in a secure area. For Netscape 3.0, look for a solid key in the same area.
Is it safe for me to enter my credit card number over the Internet? [top]: Unlike restaurants (where credit card information can easily be transmitted between one or more parties - i.e. waiters, bus people, loose receipts, or recorded information via. scanning devices) and conducting financial transactions via telephone (where information is routinely transmitted without identification), the internet provides a highly secure method for conducting business. This point was further illustrated by a 1997 Washington Post Article wherein David Medine (the Federal Trade Commission)(http://www.ftc.gov/), said 'It is much safer to transmit your credit card number over the Internet than to give it to a waiter at a restaurant or read it aloud over a cordless phone - two activities that are often taken for granted.

'As reported in a recent Knight-Ridder News Service article (which appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer), 'In 1997, there were no reports of credit-card information stolen on the World Wide Web during a transfer of information over a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) line, the kind of line used by Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Explorer. There were no slip-ups. None.' In the same article, Russell Bodoff, general manager of the Better Business Bureau Online (http://www.bbbonline.com/), stated that consumers need to understand 'that the Internet is a safe, reliable place to conduct business.'