Hello Dawner,
I have not discovered complaints against stransaction.net ; however
that doesn't necessarily mean that a service has no problems.
I reviewed the tips and guidelines provided by Federal Trade
Commission (FTC), the National Consumers League and the Cybercrime
website for escrow services. In addition I performed a search for
www.stransaction.net at whois.net and at the Better Business Bureau.
Here are the tips and guidelines for escrow services with my
observations and conclusions:
The Federal Trade Commission provides the following tips to determine
if the escrow service is legitimate:
?The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is advising online buyers - and
sellers - to be alert to phony online payment and escrow services. The
consumer protection agency says that occasionally operators of these
sites pose as sellers and buyers to improperly obtain money or goods.?
TIPS
?Read the service's terms of agreement. If it's an online payment
service, find out whether it offers buyers any recourse if sellers
don't keep their end of the bargain, whether it prevents sellers from
accessing their funds if buyers are not satisfied with the product,
and who pays for credit card charge backs or transaction reversal
requests.?
?Examine the service's privacy policy and security measures. Never
disclose financial or personal information unless you know why it's
being collected, how it will be used, and how it will be safeguarded.?
?Check out the online payment or escrow service's Web site. Sites that
are of poor quality, say, with misspelled words, or that claim to be
affiliated with the government are suspect.?
?Call the customer service line. If there isn't one - or if you call
and can't reach someone - don't use the service.?
?Be suspicious of online escrow services that can't process their own
transactions, but rather require users to set up accounts with online
payment services.?
?Check with the Better Business Bureau, state attorney general or
consumer protection agency where you live and where the online payment
or escrow service is based to see whether there are unresolved
complaints against the service. Be aware that a lack of complaints
doesn't necessarily mean that a service has no problems.?
FTC
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/onlauctionsalrt.htm
---------------
The FTC states:
---------------
?Call the customer service line. If there isn't one - or if you call
and can't reach someone - don't use the service.?
I searched the STransaction.net website and they do not provide a
telephone number of any kind. They only provide a Fax number as their
contact information at their website.
http://www.stransaction.net/contact.php
I called the Fax number and I heard a very general answering machine
message. They don?t state their company name in the message.
Here is their message:
?Thank you for calling.
To leave a message please press 1
To send a fax please press 2 or begin faxing at any time.?
That?s it.
============
WHOIS Search
============
In addition I did a whois search for www.stransaction.net here:
http://www.whois-search.com/
Here are the results:
stransaction.net" is registered with whois.opensrs.net:
Registrant:
None
5416 Charlottesville Rd
Springfield, Va 22151
us
Domain name: STRANSACTION.NET
Administrative Contact:
Fitzgerald, Harold haroldgij@aol.com
5416 Charlottesville Rd
Springfield, Va 22151
us
7032560818
Technical Contact:
Support, Technical support@homepageuniverse.com
Railway House
Railway Road
Chorley, Lancashire PR6 0HW
UK
+44.8457606128 Fax: +44.8457606128
Registration Service Provider:
HomepageUniverse, support@homepageuniverse.com
+44.8457606128
+44.8457606128 (fax)
http://HomepageUniverse.com
HomepageUniverse may be contacted for domain login, DNS changes, and
all general domain support questions.
Registrar of Record: TUCOWS, INC.
Record last updated on 02-Nov-2003.
Record expires on 02-Nov-2004.
Record Created on 02-Nov-2003.
Domain servers in listed order:
NS.HOMEPAGENAMES.NET 216.12.211.209
NS2.HOMEPAGENAMES.NET 216.12.211.169
http://www.whois-search.com/query/
The above information tells me:
- There is no registrant name.
- This website was created VERY recently.
?Record Created on 02-Nov-2003?
- The address listed above is not the same as the address stated at their website.
===========================
From the Cybercrime Website
===========================
How do I protect myself from such fraudulent Escrow offers?
The presentation of illicit Escrow sites can vary and ranges from
amateurish to exact copies of escrow.com. There still exist some clues
and possibilities to avoid fraudulent Escrow services:
?Make sure the Escrow web site has both an existing address and a
phone number listed. Avoid the company if a phone call does not get
through or you get a bogus, unsatisfying message off an answering
machine.?
I called the Fax number and I heard a very general answering machine
message. They don?t state their company name in the message.
Here is their message:
?Thank you for calling.
To leave a message please press 1
To send a fax please press 2 or begin faxing at any time.?
?Generally, if doubts persist, avoid the Escrow service and look for
an alternative.?
Cybercrime Website
http://www.cybercrime.admin.ch/e/fragen-escrow.htm
==================================
From the National Consumers League
==================================
?Be wary of escrow recommendations from sellers. They may have
ulterior motives for steering you to certain fraudulent sites. Always
check the escrow service out yourself.?
?Be suspicious of references to U.S. codes. Though escrow services are
not regulated by federal law, some claim to comply with the ?U.S.
Financial and Business Code? in order to appear legitimate. There is
no such code. »
http://www.nclnet.org/shoppingonline/escrowtips.htm
STransaction.net claims to comply with the California Financial and Business Code.
?Online escrow services provided by www.STransaction.net are provided
independently and exclusively by Internet Escrow Services, (IES), one
of its operating subsidiaries. IES is fully licensed and accredited as
an escrow company and is subject to compliance with all applicable
escrow regulations, including the California Financial and Business
Code.?
http://www.stransaction.net/company.php
======================
Better Business Bureau
======================
There was no information available at The Better Business Bureau,
however according to the FTC ?a lack of complaints doesn't
necessarily mean that a service has no problems.?
http://search.bbb.org/search.html
You might call toll-free to the FTC for information at: 1-877-FTC-HELP
?The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and
unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide
information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a
complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit
www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY:
1-866-653-4261.?
FTC
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/onlauctionsalrt.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------
I searched the New York Corporation and Business Entity Database for
STransaction , INC. The information contained in this database is
current through November 28, 2003. The query did not find any business
entities by this name.
http://wdb.dos.state.ny.us/corp_public/corp_wdb.corp_search_inputs.show
My query at The Virginia State Corporation Commission for STransaction
did not find any business entities by this name.
http://www.state.va.us/scc/division/clk/diracc.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------
In addition there is a discussion about STransaction.net at the
following message board.
?I don't know about this company, but there are many fake escrow
companies out there. If it smells fishy, don't do it.?
http://www.cyclingforums.com/t60464.html
--------------------------------------------------------------
I must confess that I would be a bit apprehensive about doing business
with this company for a couple of reasons. They have no telephone
number listed on their website and the only way you can get in touch
with the company is by leaving a message on an answering machine, by
fax or via email. This throws an initial red flag up in my mind since
the FTC states ?Call the customer service line. If there isn't one -
or if you call and can't reach someone - don't use the service.?
In doing further research at Whois, I discovered that there is no
registrant listed for the domain name and the addresses listed are
different from the address listed at the website.
The National Consumers League advised that one should be suspicious of
references to U.S. codes by these companies and stransaction.net
provided a reference to these codes.
Search Criteria:
WHOIS Search
Better Business Bureau
Cybercrime
I hope this information helps in your decision on whether or not to
work with this particular company.
Best regards,
Bobbie7 |
