For Those Thinking About Committing Fraud 
We report all credit card fraud and fraud attempts.

Charges for Computer Books Online will appear on your credit card statement under the name "Specialty Books and Gifts". We deeply respect our honest customers, and the following does not apply to you.

We report all credit card fraud and fraud attempts.

• Credit card fraud is a crime. It is not a joke, and it will not be treated lightly. If you submit a transaction with a bad credit card (stolen, computer-generated, made-up, or other fraudulent cards), we will turn over any information we have about that transaction to the fraud department of our bank, to the FBI, and to the appropriate authorities in other countries.
  
  
• Your IP address and your host's name are captured when you use our shopping cart. Along with a timestamp, your IP address uniquely identifies you. Dynamic IP is not a protection, nor is the use of a proxy service (including AOL), because with the timestamp and server logs, your ISP or proxy holder can name you personally. Even so-called anonymous services must and will comply with law enforcement agencies if the information is subpoenaed. Because it is a crime, your Internet Service Provider must cooperate in providing contact information for you, and you will be found and prosecuted. And that may include being fined and/or imprisoned.

• Because of the growing incidence of Internet fraud, both in the US and Internationally, the FBI has formed the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) to investigate and prosecute Internet fraud. The US and other countries are becoming very aggressive in finding and prosecuting this crime. Read their Press Release at at the bottom of this page.
  
  
• We carefully evaluate each and every order placed, and if we suspect that your order may be fraudulent, you will receive an email asking for payment in the form of a money order, or for further verification of credit card/bank account ownership.
  
  
• Due to the tremendously high incidence of fraud from the following countries, the only form of payment we can accept at this time is an International Money Order. We sincerely apologize to our honest customers from these counties for the inconvenience this may cause you. Please be assured that your order will ship promptly as soon as your payment is received and cleared.

• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Romania
• Indonesia
• Ghana

1. Card fraud is a federal crime and a felony punishable by heavy fines and jail time. Fraudulent behavior will be prosecuted aggressively and with a passion to the fullest extent of the law. 

2. The ID and address of your computer and your ISP provider have been determined, and recorded as a safeguard against fraudulent behavior and may be used by Computer Books Online or legal entities to prosecute guilty parties. 

3. All information must match card account records as provided by the card-issuing bank. Inputting intentionally false information is fraud and will not be tolerated and may subject you to prosecution. 

4. Card numbers are processed manually. Just because you have received an order confirmation, this does not mean that your charge has been approved, and you can now make a large fraudulent order. 

5. Computer Books Online considers fraud a direct and serious threat to our business profitability. We do not take any effort to defraud lightly and will prosecute whenever and wherever possible to the fullest extent of the law. This includes hackers. 

6. Credit Card Fraud and Computer Hacking are serious Federal offenses. To insure the privacy and safety of all credit card holders, we capture all IP addresses at this web site. All credit card transactions are secure using the finest encryption. ALL fraudulent credit card activity is investigated and reported.

7. Charges for Computer Books Online will appear on your credit card statement under the name "Specialty Books and Gifts". We deeply respect our honest customers, and the following does not apply to you.

NOTE: The Organization and Website mentioned in the following press release has been changed. The new organization name is The Internet Crime Complaint Center, and the new website url is www.ic3.gov   (opens in a new window)

Press Release

U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation

For Immediate Release
May 8, 2000

From Washington D.C.
FBI National Press Office

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, jointly with the Department of Justice and National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) today announced the creation of the Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC). The IFCC was established to combat the growing problem of fraud occurring over the Internet by providing a vehicle for victims around the country to report incidents of fraud online.

"The Internet Fraud Complaint Center allows consumers who suspect Internet fraud to share that information with law enforcement quickly and efficiently," said Attorney General Janet Reno. "Our ability to work with private citizens and industry is extremely important to our efforts to fight Internet crime, and the IFCC is a major step forward in that fight."

FBI Director Louis J. Freeh said, "The Internet provides a boundless new medium for many traditional frauds investigated by the FBI. That there are real victims suffering significant losses remains unchanged. This center is another positive development as law enforcement responds to yet another facet of cybercrime."

"The crucial difference in fraud committed over the Internet is that the perpetrator can ‘virtually' vanish, leaving consumers wondering who or where to turn to for help," said West Virginia State Auditor Glen B. Gainer III, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the NW3C. "This unique partnership gives victims of Internet fraud a way to fight back in this largely unregulated environment," Gainer added.

The IFCC is cosponsored by the FBI and the NW3C and is located in Morgantown, West Virginia. A dedicated Web site located at www.ifccfbi.gov gives consumers nationwide the ability to file Internet fraud complaints online with the IFCC. Victims can go directly to the secure IFCC Web site to submit complaint information, making it a fast and efficient forum to file an Internet fraud complaint. IFCC's trained personnel log complaints filed on-line, analyze them to determine the jurisdiction of the complaint, conduct the appropriate level of analytical and investigative work that is necessary, and disseminate the information to the appropriate local, state, and/or federal law enforcement agencies for criminal, civil, or administrative action, as needed. The IFCC will adequately identify and track new fraudulent schemes on the Internet on a national and international level.

"The IFCC has been developed to identify, track, and assist in the prosecution of fraudulent schemes on the Internet on a national and international level. This partnership will allow law enforcement and the private sector to address and eradicate this growing problem," Freeh said.

Freeh also noted that without the tremendous contribution from the private sector in providing their expertise with the technical support and guidance this project would not have been possible.

The NW3C is funded through a grant award from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, Department of Justice. The NW3C provides a national support network for law enforcement agencies, state regulatory bodies, state and local prosecution offices, and other organizations involved in the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of high-tech and economic crime. It has had great success in forming cooperative projects between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, and, just as important, between the public and private sector business.