Privacy And Security

Frequently Asked Questions

At dyslexic.com we take the security and privacy of our customers very seriously, so we've created this FAQ to answer some of your concerns.

I've heard a lot about Internet fraud - how can I protect myself?

Although there have been a number of scare stories in the media, these represent only a tiny fraction of online transactions. Online security isn't really that different from real-world security - it's mostly a matter of common sense.

For example, you wouldn't give your credit card details to a man selling 10 Rolexes from a suitcase on a street corner (at least I hope you wouldn't!), and a shop owner wouldn't leave his back door unlocked at night or employ security guards without checking their criminal records. However some very similar things have been done on the Internet in the rush to "get online"!

Here are some simple steps you can take to increase your safety online:

• Before handing over your credit card details, check that:
  1. The site clearly displays the company's real world address and phone number;
  2. The site also displays terms and conditions, refund policy, etc.;
  3. The prices show clearly whether tax and shipping are included;
  4. When you begin the payment process, the site should be using SSL, which is a way of encrypting the information you send over the Internet. You can tell if this is true by checking the padlock icon on your browser (it's in the bottom right corner of your browser window in Internet Explorer - other browsers use similar icons but in different positions). Not only is this safer than non-encrypted data, but in order to get an SSL certificate, the company's credentials have to be checked by the certificate-issuing authority. Our certificate is issued by VeriSign, Inc, the world's leading SSL certificate authority.
• If the site requires you to give a password, don't choose something really obvious like "secret", "password", your birth date, name, spouse's name, etc. A couple of random words separated by a number, e.g. "dog25blue" is fairly easy to remember but hard to guess. And don't write down your password where anyone can find it!

None of these will guarantee your online security, but they will increase the odds substantially!

How can I be sure that my credit card details can't be stolen from dyslexic.com?

Easy - we don't handle your credit card transaction ourselves, so the details can't be stolen from us! We use credit card services from LloydsTSB CardNet and card security specialists Protx to take your payments. The only information we store is the cardholder's address; for your protection, if the address is different from the billing or shipping address, we reserve the right not to ship an order.

When I use your site, my browser asks if I want to accept a cookie. I've heard that cookies can store confidential information on my computer that other sites can read - is this true?

Yes and no. Some websites do this; however dyslexic.com's cookies do not store any confidential information on your computer, not even your name (read more about cookies below).

I also get lots of spam and junk mail these days - how can I be sure that giving my details to dyslexic.com won't create more?

In accordance with the Data Protection Act, we will not send you marketing information or pass on your details to other companies unless you give us permission. You can check your customer record and update it at any time, using our website.

We reserve the right not to ship an order. In addition we may make our own checks or decline particular credit card orders for any reason at all.

Cookies:

If you've heard bad things about cookies, or just don't understand how they work, our FAQ will set your mind at rest.

What is a Cookie?

A cookie is a small file saved on your computer. It allows our website to recognise you each time you request a new page (by clicking on a link, reloading a page, etc).

Do you store confidential information in the cookie?

No. All the cookie contains is a large random number that identifies your visit. It works a bit like a cloakroom ticket - we give you a temporary ID number and keep a copy for ourselves, then when you want to look in your shopping basket, we match you to your basket using the ID.

How long is the cookie stored?

The cookie is deleted when you close down your browser - next time you visit you will be issued a new cookie. Note that you if you have opened multiple web windows, e.g. in Internet Explorer, you have to close them all to delete the cookie.

Will I have any problems bookmarking your site?

If you bookmark the first page you visit, or if you have cookies turned off (see point 5, below), you will notice that your temporary ID gets saved with the page address. It will look something like: http://www.dyslexic.com/products.php?pid=34&PHPSESSID=6176178e1d1c50e474634168c635d18d

If you re-visit the site within a few hours, using this bookmark, you may find there are goods still in your basket from last visit, because we haven't deleted the temporary ID on our server yet. This isn't usually a big problem, as you can delete goods from your basket before you buy.

Can I use your site if I have cookies turned off?

Yes - but it is more secure if you have them turned on. If you don't allow us to store your temporary ID on your computer, it has to be passed along in every link in our site (see the example in point 4, above). If you are browsing our site at an Internet cafe, library or other public place, someone else could copy the ID from the browser address bar and take over your session. This isn't very likely, but we recommend not doing things this way if you can avoid it.

How can I make my visit more secure?

1. Use cookies if you can (see advice above);

2. If you are using a computer which others can access - whether at home, at work or in a public place - make sure you close all browser windows when you have done (see point 3, above);

3. Never write down your password where someone else can find it. Tip: if you have a PDA, download one of the free password storage programs and use that to keep track of all your passwords!

Anne Parker, revised Ian Litterick.

purl www.dyslexic.com/security -- last updated 12 July 2006